Has Janina replaced Gretchen?

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Dream Factory

Gretchen Barretto admits she had her lips enhanced. "I just want them to be more pouty," she says.

But when it comes to her love life, she chooses to be more secretive. When she sang "Someone That I Used to Love" a capella at the launching of her new album, "Complicated," she refused to say that shes dedicating it to her longtime companion of 13 years, Tonyboy Cojuangco.

"May mga bagay na hindi na dapat ikuwento so lets not talk about that," she says tersely.

How does she feel about the rumor that her partner is said to have a new apple of his eyes, former beauty queen Janina San Miguel, whom he personally interviewed in the privacy of his own yacht, no less? And Janina reportedly obliged just so she can have her own new show on TV 5.

"Thats impossible," says Gretchen. "Not at my expense. I dont even know that girl kaya ayokong isipin."

What can she say about stories that circulate regarding her eccentricities, like her asking someone to get out of an elevator in a building owned by Tonyboy because she was going to use it? Or her request to close down a store in Greenbelt because she was shopping in it? "Theyre just urban legends na hindi naman totoo. That elevator story is certainly not true. Anong karapatan kong magpalabas ng kahit sino? About that store, its true sinara nila, pero hindi dahil I ordered them to do so. I was in a watch store, tapos, dumami na yung mga tao sa loob dahil someone saw me there, so sinara nila ang pinto. I was really upset when it came out na akong nagpasara noon. Ako pa, I dont care kahit maraming tao."

Is it hard to be a Gretchen Barretto whos beautiful and rich?

"Being beautiful is just a state of mind. As a whole, masaya namang maging Gretchen. Its your choice naman if you want to be happy or sad. Kaya lang, being Gretchen, mas may mabibili ka," she laughs.

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When Bianca Gonzales broke up with director Lino Cayetano (some folks say he dumped her because of KC Concepcion but its also said that KC dumped him later), you could feel that she felt so down and lonely but she put up a good front. Now, she shows she has moved on and is very open about her relationship with hew new inamorato, Vince Santos, a young businessman who owns Fiamma Bar in Makati. They met in July last year through a common friend and were soon playing beautiful music together. Vince even hosted a party for her when she celebrated her birthday recently and gave her a ring with her birthstone in it. Is it an engagement ring?

"No, just a simple birthday present," she says.

Bianca confesses that its hard to have a boyfriend like Vince. "Siempre, hindi kasi siya showbiz, hes a private person, so were both adjusting sa aming relationship. Were both still trying to understand each other."

Her best friends are Toni Gonzaga and Mariel Rodriguez, her co-hosts in "Entertainment Live."

"Dati, ako lang ang unattached sa amin. Ngayon, pare-pareho na kaming may boyfriend so theyre happy for me."

Toni is going steady with director Paul Soriano while Mariel is on with actor Zanjoe Marudo. So wholl be the first to walk down the aisle? "Wala pang may balak. But if ever, Id be willing to be a bridesmaid sa kanila."

The three of them will also be together in hosting the new season of "Pinoy Big Brother." For a while, there were talks that they will be replaced but they just did the TV plug for the new season so they are now sure that theyll still be hosting it. We guess their edge is that they all got the chance to live inside "Bahay ni Kuya," even if its only a very short stay for Toni, unlike Bianca and Mariel who really lived with the other housemates for quite a long period.

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Angelica Panganiban and Anne Curtis get to work together as twin endorsers of Swatch Original Skin campaign. Theyre now so happy as the promo has not only been so successful but it also really boosted their acting careers. Angelica is now doing a movie with boyfriend Derek Ramsey and Gabby Concepcion under Star Cinema, directed by Laurice Guillen, while Anne is making a movie for the first time with ex-boyfriend Richard Gutierrez to be co-produced by Viva and GMA Films.

Since Angel has been on with Derek for nearly three years now, reporters keep on asking about their wedding plans, but she says they havent even talked about it. "We dont want to pressure ourselves with wedding talks dahil hindi pa naman kami ready to settle down," she says. "Were both just enjoying each others company right now. Tama na muna yun."

As for Anne, she says shes expecting the press to link her with Richard anew. "Siempre, tiyak na magiging part yun ngpromo. That cannot be avoided, but well take it in good stride."

Now that summer is definitely here, the two sexy young ladies pose in a new pictorial with their fave Swatch watches. One shows them blooming with their Swatches from a field of green grass, ever cool and playful despite the sizzling heat of the summer sun. In case scattered rain showers surprise them or they want to go swimming, they see no problem as their Swatch watches with plastic and rubber straps are perfect in the rain and even in swimming as it can stand both heat and water. You can visit Swatch stores to see their latest collections of fashionable watches.

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Paolo Contis gives Dingdong Dantes a severe beating in "Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang." Dingdong says its okay with him to be mauled by Paolo as hes a personal friend. "Isa pa, best actor naman yan kayaokay na kong magpagulpi sa kanya," he adds.

After winning a couple of best actor trophies for his role as a corrupt cop in "Banal," Paolo now gets another challenging role in the DGPI-APT Productions movie, "Litsonero," written and directed by Lore Reyes. The role was originally offered to Richard Gutierrez as his first serious role but due to his hectic schedule shooting "When I Met U" then taping "Zorro," he wasnt able to accept it.

"Suwerte ko ngang sakin napunta kasi maganda talaga angrole," says Paolo. "I play Fidel, a culinary arts graduate from a Swiss school whos working as a chef in Macau casino hotel. Im asked by my mom, Maricel Laxa, to come home to our province dahil first death anniversary ng papa ko. Habang nasa hometown namin ako, maraming nangyari. Im challenged by my uncle, Michael de Mesa, na nalimutan ko na raw ang roots ko. Foreign dishes na lang daw ang alam kong lutuin but not a good local lechon. So pumayag akong mag-apprentice with the town lechon master, Mang Carding, played by Jun Urbano, and in the process, I fall in love with his daughter, si Karylle. Marami pang nangyaring problema sa family namin kayaacting vehicle talaga ito for the title roler of Litsonero."

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Gladys Guevara was grilled by the host of "Showbiz Central" in the "Intriga Crossfire" portion recently. She has obviously gained weight while out of the limelight and is a bit fat now. Does she regret resigning from "Eat Bulaga"?

"Noong tumino na ako, doon naging sobrang laki ng pagsisisi ko. Nami-miss ko talaga nang husto. Kung may offer, gusto kong bumalik. Tita Malou (Fagar), go!"

Did you miss "Eat Bulaga" o yung pagiging sikat?

"Di ko na-feel na sikat ako. Ine-enjoy ko lang talaga ang Eat Bulaga dahil para lang kaming naglalaro."

Totoo bang ayaw ka na raw i-manage ni Jun Nardodahil pasaway ka?

"Aminado akong nagka-attitude ako noon. Pasaway ako. But I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. Kaya ako alis nang alis. Sinubukan ko ang buhay sa US, hindi ako nagme-make up.Pero na-realize ko, sa Pilipinas, I didnt count my blessings.Nang mawala ang lahat, doon ko lang na-realize. Pero okay na kami ni Tito Jun ngayon."

Is your depression the reason na naging two-timer ka?

"Thats not true. When I left, akala ko, si Phillip (her Fil-Am boyfriend in New Jersey) na ang mapapangasawa ko so I lived there. E, na-culture shock ako. I wasnt able to adjust. Ang hirap dun, na-miss ko talaga ang Pilipinas at ang mag-perform."

Ikaw ba ang nakipag-break sa kanya?

"Yes, umalis ako, pinagtaguan ko siya. Sorry. Pero okay na kami ngayon. Bumalik ako rito and did a show sa kabila. (PBB with ABS-CBN, where she wasnt able to last and had a breakdown while inside Bahay na Kuya.) When I returned to the US, ang dami na niyang binibintang sakin. Naging marumi na. Nagkaroon ako ng new boyfriend sa L.A., si Daniel Smith. Pero hindi sila sabay, magkasunod sila. Luka-luka ako that time at payag na akong pakasal kayDaniel nang di matuloy yung kay Philip. Pero na-late siya ng pagpapadala ng ticket sa akin, so I did a show in the Middle East. Hanggang ngayon, nakikiusap siyang bumalik ako sa US."

Kung papipiliin siya ngayon, lovelife or career?

"Career. At sa lahat ng nakitaan ako ng pangit noon, ibang Gladys na po ako ngayon. Im now more professional."

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Mel Chionglo is directing "Bente" in the DGPI-APT Entertainment project, Sine Direk. He got depressed and was not able to start shooting when his choice to play the role of a student activist in the story died in real life, the late Marky Cielo. The project was delayed. It was supposed to be shown on May 27.

The other major characters in the story are a radio commentator, a corrupt town mayor, and the assassin assigned by the mayor to kill the commentator whos been criticizing him. Those tapped to play these roles are Ricky Davao, Jinggoy Estrada and Richard Gomez. But it seems they would have to replace Goma even if hes the one who requested the role of the hired killer. Hes long been waiting for the shooting to start and now that its finally about to, he has other commitments. Hes taping for "All About Eve" regularly, hes also busy with his Goma Cup, and hes going abroad on vacation with his wife Lucy. Wonder wholl replace Goma if he begs off from the project. Meanwhile, PBBs Aldred Gatchalian is replacing Marky. The female leads are Lani Mercado, Iza Calzado and Jewel Mische. All of them are getting only an honorarium and not their usual talent fee because they really believe in the project, which is about the murder of crusading media people so common these days.

Source: Malaya