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Gretchen: What's true, what's not true

Column: Funfare
Author: Ricardo F. Lo

KC makes acting debut in Maalaala

FLASH: KC Concepcion has finally agreed to star in an episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya (MMK)?, ABS-CBN's top-rating and award-winning drama series hosted by Charo Santos-Concio, aired Friday nights. This "scoop" was relayed to Funfare by an ABS-CBN executive who said that the story is perfect for KC: A riches-to-rags melodrama. KC has starred in ABS-CBN specials and hosted some shows but the MMK episode is her first real acting role. Being eyed as her leading man is Derek Ramsay, with Jerry Sineneng as director. Shooting will start first week of February.

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Curtain-raisers:

• It's goodbye time for Ali Sotto (photo) who is finally leaving for Madrid very soon to join her poet-diplomat husband Omar Bsaeis who has been posted in that Spanish capital from the Philippines. Ali will be surely -- and sorely -- missed by her fans (this one included) who religiously follow her program Double A sa Double B (with Arnold "Igan" Clavio as co-host, with Orly Trinidad joining them in the Jengjeng Portion). Ali and Omar will be back in 2010 yet.

• Marco Sison will perform in a concert at The Aris Bar of the Hotel Del Rio in Iloilo City on Feb. 8 and 9. The bar is owned and managed by Aristeo Demavivas. "It's the premier entertainment venue in the West Visayas," said Aris. For ticket inquiries, call 033-3358699 (after 4 p. m.) Limited seats only.

• From STAR columnist Mons Romulo-Tantoco:

10 True and Biblical Ways to Love People:

1. Listen without interrupting (Prov 18)

2. Speak without accusing (James 1:19)

3. Give without sparing (Prov 21)

4. Pray without ceasing (Colossians 1:9)

5. Answer without arguing (Prov 7:1)

6. Share without pretending (Ephesians 4:15)

7. Enjoy without complaint (Philippians 2:14)

8. Trust without wavering (Corinthians 13:7)

9. Forgive without punishing (Colossians 3:13), and

10. Promise without forgetting (Prov 13:12).

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So what is true about Gretchen Barretto and what is not true?

Until she decides to speak up, Gretchen will sustain the speculations and rumors about her and her beloved Tonyboy Cojuangco. But despite all the tab stories and the blind items (in this corner and elsewhere), Gretchen has opted to keep mum, thus adding more fire to the grapevine which is sizzling with hot items such as,

1. She and Tonyboy are just "putting up a front" even if their relationship is headed for the rocks -- that is, if it hasn't hit the rocks yet;

2. She has been seeing her lawyer probably to discuss "what she can get" if and when she and Tonyboy finally call it quits;

3. Their daughter Dominique is "siding" with her dad;

4. A few weeks ago, Gretchen did go with Tonyboy to Boston where he sought further treatment for his throat ailment, with their good friend Joyce Jimenez as companion, and it was their way of proving to all and sundry that nothing was the matter even if everything was allegedly going wrong;

5. Gretchen has found a new love in the person of a dashing businessman who is offering her marriage, something Tonyboy has been "putting on hold"; and

6. Gretchen hasn't been going home to her and Tonyboy's lovenest in Dasmariñas Village, Makati City, and has been "sleeping over somewhere else. "

Those are mere speculations.

Somebody close to Gretchen told Funfare that Gretchen did tell her two months ago that the rumor about her and Tonyboy "was true," only for Gretchen to retract two weeks ago and tell the Funfare informer that the rumor "was not true" after all. Said the informer, "She's confused. She doesn't know what is true and what is not true. "

Ask Joyce Jimenez if she noticed "something wrong" between Gretchen and Tonyboy during their trip to Boston and all Joyce would say was, "They seemed okay with each other; I didn't notice anything wrong. "

And here is what's true, according to Malou N. Santos, ABS-CBN SVP for Drama and Managing Director of Star Cinema:

"Yes, it's true, we are negotiating with Gretchen for a TV drama series and for a movie. And also, Star Records is releasing Gretchen's CD. But nothing is final yet. Negotiations are going on. "

Heart has made peace with parents

At the presscon the other day for Muntik na Kitang Minahal, which will soon be aired on the ABS-CBN Sunday show Your Song: Muntik na Kitang Minahal, Heart Evangelista happily confirmed that she has made peace with her parents who disapproved of her relationship with Jericho Rosales.

"In fact," said Heart, "it was Echo who kept prodding me to talk to my parents. Everytime we attend a (Christian) service and the minister would say something related to my situation, Echo would remind me to make peace with my parents. "

Jericho is the breadwinner in his family, in contrast to Heart who was born with the proverbial silver spoon in her mouth (she comes from the clan that runs the chain of restaurants that include Barrio Fiesta and Ihaw-Ihaw Kalde-Kaldero).

"I learned a lot from Echo," added Heart. "When I decided to live alone, independent from my parents, I didn't know how to budget my money. I didn't even know how to cross the street. But I learned all these things the hard way, with Echo guiding me. "

Unfortunately, Echo is not in Muntik na Kitang Minahal, which is directed by Ruel Bayani. Heart co-stars with Jason Abalos and Erich

Gonzalez (Star Circle Quest winner) whose plot recalls that of Soltera (starring Maricel Soriano and Diether Ocampo). Only in her late mid-20s, Heart plays a driven 35-year-old advertising lady who falls for a younger man (Jason). Erich plays Jason's girlfriend (played in Soltera by Claudine Barretto).

(E-mail reactions at rickylo@phil-star. net. ph or at entphil-star@ya-hoo. com)

Source: The Philippine Star