Chemistry lacking between John Lloyd and Sarah

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Dream Factory

THE current defending champion in "The Singing Bee," Rachel Alejandro, won P1 million in the show last Tuesday. It is such a hit for ABS-CBN that they're extending "The Singing Bee" until August when the season is supposed to end this month.

Last Monday, the contestants included Maui Taylor (who was quickly eliminated), PBB's Cass Ponti, and Bench finalist Ron Morales. They didn't make it and the winner for that night was a singing lawyer named Chito, who's quite good but it turned out he was not as good as Rachel who seems very knowledgeable about the lyrics of many songs so it was easy for her to bag the P1million jackpot the following night.

What makes "The Singing Bee" so entertaining is their regular singers. One of them is Apple Chiu, a finalist in ABC-5's "Philippine Idol." She started singing in elementary school and joined many competitions up to high school. "Lagi akong nananalo," she says. "But in college at UST, I no longer had the chance to join competitions kasi nag-focus na ako sastudies ko and priority ko to get a degree. I got my singing genes from my parents, na parehong kumakanta, also from my lola. After college nga, dumating ang 'Philippine Idol' and I joined it. My parents were very supportive. Gusto ko lang i-try kung I can make it at ayun, nakalusot nga ako't pumasok sa Top 12."

What's life after "Idol?" "I formed a group with fellow finalists Arms and Ken called AKA for Apple, Ken and Arms. Nag-bonding kasi kami talaga sa 'Idol' and we became close. We did a lot of gigs na para kaming Manhattan Transfer na nagha-harmonize. We did it for a year hanggang mag-audition na nga kami sa 'Singing Bee.' Malaking tulong sa amin ito. Feeling ko, mas nakilala pa ako ng tao sa exposure namin dito kaysa sa 'Idol' kasi much wider ang reach ng viewers nito, 'di ba? Ang dami na talagang nakaka-recognizesa akin ngayon. What I also like in 'Singing Bee' is I got to explore various music genres at mas nahasa ako." Who's her favorite artist? "Barbra Streisand, of course. She's a total performer who can act, sing, dance and even direct films." So she wants to act, too? "Yes. I took the audition for 'Miss Saigon-Korea,' pero short listed ako. I'm just waiting na tawagin nila ako, but then dumating nga ang 'Philippine Idol' so dun ako nag-focus. My dream now is to someday have my own album. "What's the most memorable lyrics for her? "It's from a Karen Carpenter song that goes: 'I know I need to be in love. I know I've wasted so much time.'" Does that mean she has neglected her love life because she's so busy singing? "Naku, wala namang nane-neglect kasi wala talagang love life as of now," and she laughed.

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Pia Guanio is happy that even before "Showbiz Central" celebrated its first anniversary, the show already rated high enough that it's now No. 1 in its time slot. Last Sunday, in its anniversary special, "Showbiz Central" scored a high 15% while the rival show only got 8.8%. Pia says the success of the show makes her more focused on her career as a host.

Does this mean she has no plans of walking down the aisle with boyfriend Vic Sotto, with whom she's been on for three years now, anytime soon?

"We talk about it, but right now, my priority remains to be my career," she says. "Also, I'm not really ready yet to get married dahil hindi ko pa talaga nakikita ang sarili ko settling down and having kids of my own, so malabo pa talagang magkaroon na ko ng sarili kong family. I'm glad naman that Vic understands na I'm very serious when it comes to my career and he's very supportive."

Hs it been smooth sailing all the time for their relationship? "No naman. There are times na may kinks din, pero hindi away, huh. Parang deadmahan lang, kasi we're both moody at hindi namin agad nasasakyan ang isa't isa. But he knows how to humor me, inaamo-amo niya ako at magaling siya doon kaya hindi tumatagal ang mga dedmahan namin. HHWW na uli (holding hands while walking)."

Would she entertain having a baby before marriage? "No, hindi puede. Wala yan sa rule book ko kasi tiyak na isusumpa ako ng nanay ko. Ayoko pang magka-baby. Mas gusto kong ako ang bine-baby. Ayoko rin ng live in. I'm a God-fearing woman."

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More emails. From 6-2 Jeddah: "I've seen the trailer of the John Lloyd and Sarah Geronimo movie at sa totoo lang, walang appeal at pilit ang dating ng bagong love team na ito. Sana' wag na lang pilitin na maging isang Sharon Cuneta si Sarah kasi nagsisimula pa lang si Sharon at 15 sa 'Dear Heart,' kinakitaan na agad ng kakaibang karisma na magiging big star nga ito lalo pag kinakanta niya ang 'Mr. DJ.' Alam kong mabait na anak si Sarah at breadwinner siya sa pamilya nila pero sorry na lang po, hindi talaga pang-superstar o megastar ang personality niya."

From Lemon Spice of Ayala Heights: "Love ko talaga si John Lloyd ever since 'Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay' at suportado ko ang career niya, but personal opinion ko lang po ito, I don't think makakatulong sa kanya ang pagpapareha nila ni Sarah. I have nothing personal against Sarah. Oo, magaling siyang singer. Pero hindi po siya talaga pang-artista. Kasi kung pang-artista talaga siya, dapat nag-hitna nang husto yung 'Sarah Teen Princess' niya and her two other primetime soaps. 'Wag na lang sanang ipilit na maging next Sharon siya dahil dapat din, kumita na yung 'Lastikman' niya with Mark Bautista.Ang worry ko, baka kapag nag-flop ang movie nila, kay John Lloyd mabunton ang sisi unfair naman sa kanya."

Again, we want to make it clear that the above is not our opinion but that of the e-mailers. You may write us at mmhannah143@yahoo.com if you don't agree with them.

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One of the world's most well loved musicals, "West Side Story," Stages' major musical offering in 2008, is all set with a cast headlined by Christian Bautista, Karylle, and London West Ends Joanna Ampil; a live orchestra with Gerard Salonga as musical director, and Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as director. After rigid auditions that took two months, whose aspirants came not only from the Philippines but also from Singapore, Australia, the US and UK, Stages has finally completed its cast of singers and dancers.

Balladeer Christian Bautista plays male lead Tony while Karylle alternates with Joanna Ampil as Maria. Joanna has agreed to share the role of Maria with Karylle because she has long wanted to perform for her kababayans who cannot easily afford to go to London to watch her in a musical. Local audiences have to see why Joanna is a favorite of British producer Cameron Mackintosh. Gian Magdangal as Riff returns to the theater after a three-year hiatus. He is seen in "SOP" on GMA 7.

Another world-class import, Filipino Australian Rowena Vilar, who played Kim, Gigi, and Ellen in the recent Australian tour of "Miss Saigon," joins the cast of "West Side Story" as the feisty Anita, alternating with local theater and pop artist Pam G.

This Manila restaging will precede a Broadway revival in 2009. With music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, the show has great songs like "Somewhere," "Tonight," "One Hand One Heart," "America," and "Somethings Coming." For tickets ranging from P500 to P1200, call Ticketworld at 891-9999 or Stages at 818-1111 loc. 225.

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One of todays cutest child stars is Sophia Baars, who played Ruffa Gutierrez precocious daughter in "Desperadas" and Lovi Poes sister in the "Christmas Tree" episode of the last "Shake Rattle & Roll" movie. The only child of a Pinay mom and a Dutch dad, her parents met in Australia where both of them worked. Her dad is now back in Germany but comes to Manila often to visit her. Shes been a commercial model since she was a baby and shes now also a regular in "Thats My Doc," paired with child actors Jairus Aquino and Bronson (Judy Ann Santos half brother in "Kasal" and "Sakal"). Is it true Bronson is her crush? "Ay hindi po!" she quickly denies. "14 years old na po yun." So whos her crush? "Nakakahiya, ayoko sabihin." But upon our prodding, she revealed its Jairus. Sophia plays the young Anne Curtis in "Dyosa." "Im so happy with Dyosa kasi idol ko talaga si Anne Curtis."

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A new TV series starts on Studio 23 this Sunday at 9:45 p.m. after "Us Girls." This is "Dirty Sexy Money," about the filthy rich and is an updated version of such hits as "Dynasty" and "Dallas." The story is told from the point of view of Nick George (Peter Krause of "Six Feet Under"), a hotshot lawyer whose dad, also a lawyer, just died in a plane crash. His dad works for one of the wealthiest families in New York City, the Darlings. As a boy, Nick vowed he wont work for them but the familys patriarch, Tripp Darling (Donald Sutherland), who seems clueless about how to rear his kids well, is willing to pay him $10 million, so he accepts to be the new family lawyer.

The show works as it has a great cast and theres terrific chemistry among the various characters that makes it more character-driven than just plot-driven, mixing comedy and drama engagingly. It does a pretty good job probing into complicated and dysfunctional family relationships. It deals not only with the trappings of wealth and excess, but also about infidelity, parental expectations, even murder as Nick is determined to find out who killed his dad.

The flawed children of Tripp are Patrick (William Baldwin), whos running for the senate but cant even deal with his transsexual mistress properly; Brian (Glenn Fitzgerald), the married priest who ostensibly hates Nick but really has some skeletons hidden in his closet that youd wonder how he became a man of God; Karen (Natalie Zea), whos had four husbands and has no qualms in announcing that it was Nick who deflowered her; and the twins, Jeremy (Seth Gabel), the playboy who wreaks havoc wherever he goes; and Juliet (Samaire Armstrong), the brat who wants to be an actress and is reminiscent of Paris Hilton. Then, theres their mother, Letitia (Jill Clayburgh), who turns out to have been engaged in a lasting affair with Nicks late dad.

Krause nails the character of Nick down pat with his magnetic screen presence, bringing a sense of sanity and sensibility in serving as the nanny of most of the Darling children, and hes well supported by Zoe McLellan as his wife Lisa, who is jealous of Karen. Daniel Cosgrove is handsome eye candy as Karens newest toy boy-hubby, Freddy Mason. All in all, its a fascinating and intriguing look at the twisted and bizarre lifestyle of the rich and famous. The pilot episode ends with a hint of so many more juicy secrets to come. We have no doubt youll get hooked after watching the first episode.

Source: Malaya