Dingdong Dantes plays lead in Kapuso version of Stairway to Heaven

Author: Isah V. Red
Column: Life & Entertainment

Its final. Dingdong Dantes will play Cholo, the lead character in the localized version of the Korean hit series Stairway to Heaven played by Kwon Sang Woo in the Korean series in 2003.

The official announcement made by GMA Network Inc.s chairman, CEO and president Felipe L. Gozon in the Sunday noontime show SOP ended the speculation on who will bag the much coveted role.

Dingdong, during a brief chat at the networks executive lounge after the program last Sunday, said that he was really surprised at the announcement. I have heard about it, in fact read about it, too. But, you see, unless I hear it from the people who matter in the network, I wont believe all the talks going around, he told members of the press.

Dingdong expressed his pleasure at his new assignment at the network even if it wont be with rumored girlfriend Marian Rivera who is also doing Darna without Dingdong.

For Dingdong, it will mean a new discovery in terms of the people that he will be working with, and a start of a new journey.

Does this mean that he could fall for the new leading lady, a still undisclosed star who will play the character of Jodi essayed in the original by the pretty Korean superstar Choi Ji Woo?

Dingdong smiled and said, To be believable, I must be in love.

Cholo and Jodi are childhood friends who eventually became sweethearts. The story will follow Cholo in his pursuit of his childhood love Jodi, whom he almost lost when Jodi loses her childhood memory due to a fatal accident.

Watch out for Dingdong Dantes as he plays the famous Korean character Cholo in the upcoming Pinoy adaptation of the riveting Korean drama Stairway to Heaven on GMA Telebabad.

Now that we know who will be Cholo in the new series on GMA 7, we will be watching out for the female star the network will cast as Jodi.

Q Channel 11 launches WMN.ph

The latest fashion trends, relationship dos and donts, health and fitness tips, money mattersthese and almost everything under the sun easily reaches ones home via television. As computers dominate the virtual world, all the information one needs is conveniently just a click on the mouse.

In an effort to further extend its reach to the discerning and techie-savvy Filipina, Q Channel 11 ventures into another avenue, which ably complements its presence on television via Q Channel 11s new Web site, WMN.ph.

Launched last May 9, WMN.ph offers more than just regular updates and highlights from various Q programs. It is a highly interactive female portal that features multifaceted topics and issues concerning women style and celebrities on Fashionable Mondays; relationships on Love a Lot Tuesdays; wellness on Wellness Wednesdays; money matters on Treat Yourself Thursdays; celebrations on Live It Up Fridays; and home and leisure on Chill Out Weekends.

The Web site also delivers a set of regular features about the latest and hottest issues that capture the female marketRoad-tested trends, ladies Confessions on love and life, guys perspective on He Said, a list of Daily 10, and the most recent Talk of the Town. Celebrity blogs and featured videos of various Q shows are posted on the site as well.

WMN.ph is powered by GMA New Media Inc., the same group that brings to Web GMANews.tv, iGMA.tv, myGMA.com.ph, PEP.ph, as well as Spot.ph and StyleBible.ph.

So, who will be AI?

American Idol Season 8, aired on Q Channel 11, is down to its last three hopefuls Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey, and Kris Allen.

Allison Iraheta, the flame-haired 17-year-old high school student from Los Angeles, was sent home last Thursday, having received the least number of votes from the American audience.

The three have been sent to a homecoming, and will be shown tonight.

It means everything to me that I get to go home. My heart looks forward to that. I cant wait to hug necks, shake hands and sing my butt off, shares Danny.

Adam, in turn, says ,Top 3 is crazy! Its a big milestone. We get to go home. To have my hometown rooting for me and following the show is really surreal and really, really exciting. I have a feeling it will be overwhelming. Im a little nervous, but looking forward to it.

Tonight is very crucial to either one of the three. But who will be voted out tomorrow is what we are looking forward to. Will it be Adam, or Kris, or Danny?

Whoever remains for the final face-off should make American Idol an interesting watch. I just hope they also kick out Kara DioGuardi, the new addition to the judges panel. No, she doesnt help much, except try to show off that she knows more about music than the audience. The show ran for the last seasons without her and it did well. It didnt do better (in the ratings) with her.

Dont fail to watch the homestretch episodes of American Idol tonight and tomorrow, 6 p.m. with replay at 8:30 p.m., on Q Channel 11.

Amazing Asian Americans

Harvard-educated lawyers Tammy and Victor Jih took home the $1-million prize in the CBS game of Amazing Race. The finals was aired via satellite on Studio 23 last Monday morning.

The Chinese Americans were nearly outraced by mother-and-son-team Luke Adams with his mother Margie who was ahead in the race in Maui, Hawaii.

Luke, though, had difficulty remembering the last two images that have been painted or pasted up on surfboards that he needed to chronologically arrange like a fence to get the next clue. In the end, Tammy was the smarter one, finishing ahead of Luke and dashing to the finish line for the million bucks. Luke and his mom finished last, with the two former National Football League cheerleaders Jaime and Cara from Florida finishing second. They could have been the first all-female team to win.

Ive always loved watching Amazing Race. This season wasnt as exciting, although with the Asian American win it could mean a lot to the Chinese Americans and Chinese around the world.

Keempee in new hosting job

Keempee de Leon is back on primetime as co-host to Regine Velasquez in Are You The Next Big Star?

This is another talent search show, but I hope this time they make it right. After years of conducting talent searches, the Kapuso has only produced two major stars: Mark Herras and Jennylyn Mercado. All the others the network has signed up are floating in limbo with uncertain future. Some of them have had no choice but play bit roles in drama series, appear as guests in the networks non-dramatic shows, and the rest wait for the big break that may never come along.

The search is also open to professional singers who have no existing recording contracts and no mainstream appearances as singers, in 2008 up to the present. Also for the first time, not just one but two (one male and one female) singing superstar hopefuls will be proclaimed champions.

From the more than 10,000 hopefuls who joined the screening in SM Baliwag, SM Batangas, SM Marikina, and GMA Network Inc., 150 contestants made it to the Audition Phase. From there onwards, contestants will face 15 weeks of grueling tasks, workshops and weekly live performances designed to sharpen their musicality, pop star power, and over-all mass appeal; not to mention the capacity to withstand the demands of a career in the highly competitive world of music.

Danny Tan, Mon Faustino, Anne Quintos of The CompanY, Randy Santiago, and Pops Fernandez will be the judges.

Keempee welcomes the new assignment as a breather to his playing gay characters in the networks sitcoms and game shows. This time I am me. My role here is to make sure the audience will get to know the contestants. I try to get acquainted with the contestants and find out much about their lives.

The grand champions will each be signed up for GMA Exclusive Management Contract, a GMA Records Recording Contract, P1 million in cash from SM Supermalls and other exciting prizes. All those along with one shot at superstardom.

Keempee also expressed hopes to return to recording GMA Records should take note that he isnt a mediocre talent and is happy that he is given the opportunity to perform every now and then in SOP.

Fernando cites Pacquiaos self-discipline

Filipinos should look up to Manny Pacquiao as the example of self-discipline and determination. This was noted by Chairman Bayani F. Fernando of the Metropolitan Development Authority.

Pacquiao became the best boxer in the world because he willed it and imagined himself in the firmament of greatness through a rigorous regimen of self-discipline, long-term training and physical fitness, Fernando said.

The Pambansang Kamao (National Fist) knocked out light welterweight champion Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas last week to win his fifth consecutive victory in as many divisions, an outstanding feat in boxing history.

Pacquiao attributed his string of victories to self-control, using his will and power to win in five divisions. Filipinos cannot find a better model than this sportsman from Saranggani and Gen. Santos City, the MMDA chief said.

He urged the youth to follow Pacmans footsteps in every undertaking at all times to win small and big victories in life.

Collectively, Filipinos should emulate Pacquiao to build the Republic and protect their future, denying themselves short-term comfort and pleasures for long-term gains, the three-time mayor of Marikina said.

Self-retraint and self-abnegation will see us through in times of peril and prosperity. Pacquiao could have ignored his trainers and relied on his own skills but he choose the difficult pathsubmitting himself to self-discipline and the discipline of his handlers, Fernando observed. He added:

Imagine what Filipinos could achieve if they have national discipline and take the mastery of themselves and their destiny. Collective self-restraint, sacrifice and perseverance are shared values that could help build national unity and strengthen the national character, the MMDA chairman added.

The lives of great athletes like Manny Pacquiao, who rose from poverty, is a reminder that every Filipino could succeed in life if he takes mastery of himself and practices self-discipline as a strategy for winning, Fernando said.

Source: Manila Standard Today