Gretchen back with TonyBoy

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Dream Factory

Judy Ann Santos no longer looked like a blushing bride but more of a fulfilled one at the presscon of her romantic comedy with husband Ryan Agoncillo, "George and Cecil," to be shown on ABS-CBN starting this Sunday night. "Hindi maitatago ang kaligayahan niya," observed a writer. "Halatang nadidiligan araw-araw."

Juday squeals with delight when informed about this but demurs and says her adopted daughter Yohan sleeps between her and Ryan so their romantic trysts are more of just stolen moments.

"George & Cecil" was especially conceptualized for the newlyweds by Joey Reyes, who previously directed them in the filmfest top grossers "Kasal Kasalo" and "Sakal Sakali."

"I thought of the story while I was on the treadmill," he says. "Dapat kasi, iba naman sa ‘Kasal’ series. It’s about a couple na walang gender boundaries, with the wife having a work more identified with men at may pangalang panlalaki, and vice versa. In the show, Juday is Georgina or George and she’s a cop. Sa bahay nila, she does things traditionally assigned to men, like magkumpuni ng mga sira. Ryan naman is Cecilio, nicknamed Cecil and he’s a high school teacher. Siya ang nagluluto sa kanila. Comedy ito, pero may puso as it’s about family life."

The cast has Tessie Tomas as Ryan’s mom who doesn’t approve of Juday, Al Tantay and Malu de Guzman as Juday’s parents, Dimples Romana and Ynna Asistio as Juday’s two sisters, Gladys Reyes-Christopher Roxas and Archie Alemania-Dionne Monsanto as the best friends of the newlyweds, Dino Imperial as Ryan’s younger brother, Enrique Gil as Ynna’s love interest, and "Pinoy Fear Factor" recruits Manuel Chua, Jommy Teotico and Marion de la Cruz as workmates of Juday and Ryan.

"It’s a big cast at sila ang mapapanood nyo linggo-linggo," says Direk Joey. "We won’t be dependent on guest stars. Sa kanila na iikot ang buong story."

Juday doesn’t get along fine with her mother-in-law in the show. But what about in real life? "It’s the opposite," she says. "I get along fine with both parents of Ryan kaya I feel so blessed dahil tinanggap nila ako nang buong-buo. Napakasuwerte ko nga sa pagkakaroon ng in-laws na hindi ako pinahihirapan o binibigyan ng sakit ng ulo kaya I really want to take care of them."

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Eula Valdez was interviewed in "Showbiz Central" about her alleged affair with a male model named Rocky Salumbides. Is she already separated from her husband, Richard Litonjua, who’s based in Australia?

"Friends lang kami ni Rocky," she says. "Masama bang magkaroon ng kaibigang lalaki? As for my husband, kami pa rin after six years. Dati, I get affected when there are rumors na hiwalay na kami. But now, my attitude is: care ko sa inyo?"

What was her husband’s reaction when she did sexy poses for FHM?

"He grew up in Australia, ibang culture doon, so he’s very broadminded. He even felt proud about it and wrote it on the internet. Even my son, Miguel, who’s now 14, sees nothing wrong in it. ‘Pag may nagbibiro raw sa kanya, he tells them ‘Let’s see if your mothers can do what mine has done.’"

Her current TV series on GMA-7, "All About Eve," is ending this week. What’s her next assignment?

"Wala pa, unlike when ‘La Lola’ ended, kasunod agad ito. Pero habang hindi pa ko busy, I’ll help out muna sa aming Bagets Foundation nina Herbert Bautista which is sending poor but deserving scholars to school."

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Victor Aliwalas of GMA Artist Center is thankful that GMA casts him in shows where he gets to work with more experienced stars, like in "Marimar," "Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan," "Totoy Bato," and now, "Suspetsa."

"It’s always a challenge for me to act with them kasiyou have to give your best or they can eat you alive," he says. "At first, I was nervous but now, mas sanay na ako. It helped that I took an acting workshop with Direk Joel Lamangan. It’s very educational and that made me more at ease before the camera."

In "Suspetsa" directed by Mark Reyes, Victor plays Matt, the boyfriend of Nina, played by Jennylyn Mercado, and officemate of Leonor, played by Yasmien Kurdi. They all get involved in mysterious incidents involving a murder. The US-born Victor who grew up in New York is now trying his best to speak Tagalog more fluently. He wants to correct the impression that he’s Fil-Am. "My mom is from Bicol and dad is from Pampanga, so pure Pinoy ako. It’s just that I was raised in the US so I don’t speak Tagalog that well. I’m giving myself up to one year para hindi na ako mabulol when I deliver my Tagalog lines."

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All those who expected Gretchen Barretto’s relationship with Tonyboy Cojuangco to end for good will be surprised to know that they are now in much better terms than last year. Gretchen is said to have totally forgotten about Dodie Puno, who was once the squeeze of Alma Concepcion. An informer told us the only reason why Gretchen was attracted to Dodie is because he promised to marry her. "Noon pa gustong pakasal ni Gretchen, something Tonyboy can’t offer to her," adds our source. "So siempre, naakit siya noong pangakong pakakasalan siya ni Dodie. But now, she has realized it’s much better to have a free arrangement like what she has now with Tonyboyna hindi siya pinaghihigpitan and she can go anywhere she pleases. Kung pakakasal nga naman siya, matatali na siya, unlike now na kapag gusto niyang gumimik with her friends, she can do it anytime at hindi siya binabawalan ni Tonyboy. Kumbaga, Dodie is just passing fANCyat sayang naman daw ang 15 years na pinagsama nila ng ama ng junakis niyang si Dominique."

Meantime, a rich politician who dumped his wife of several years after she got attracted to an actor much younger than her is said to be not as forgiving as Gretchen’s beau. The wife is trying her best to reconcile with him for the sake of their kids but his reply is: "Hindi ako si Tonyboy."

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The ANC forum featuring five presidentiables shown on ABS-CBN last Sunday night elicited good feedback for Defense Secretary Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro. His wife, the Tarlac congresswoman Monica Prieto-Teodoro, was there to give him moral support and she looks so photogenic on TV, which is no wonder since she’s a former Camay Girl and TV commercial model. Her glamorous good looks will definitely be an asset to him if the administration would pick pick him as their candidate in the 2010 election.

Gibo is the only son of the late Bert Teodoro who, as an incorruptible Social Security System administrator during the Marcos regime, reportedly rejected the efforts of the First Lady then to get some money from the SSS to be used for her personal projects.

Gibo was an honor student at Xavier School (grade and high school) and also at San Beda College where he finished business management, he then took law the UP and topped the 1989 bar exams. He got his master of laws from Harvard U. and was a dean’s lister for academic excellence. His mother, Mercedes Cojuangco Teodoro, was a former congresswoman, and Danding is his uncle.

His political career started as Kabataang Barangay president from 1980 to 86. He was first elected congressman in 1998 and was already in his third term when he was appointed defense secretary.

Source: Malaya

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