Ogie protective of Regine

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Dream Factory

GMA-7?s Sunday afternoon showbiz program, "Showbiz Central," invited us again to be part of its Central Jury last Sunday and Annabelle Rama was in a fighting mood against columnist Dolly Ann Carvajal who she said kept on writing things against her and daughter Ruffa Gutierrez. Dolly Ann earlier explained that the information that Yilmaz Bektas? dad is a drug lord did not come from her but from a reader. Still, Annabelle feels it?s a personal affront and she alleged that she always gave money to Dolly Ann whenever she?d ask for help. (Wonder what Dolly Ann will say about this.)

About Yilmaz? pronouncements against Ruffa (like calling her a traitor), Annabelle says she understands he?s just too emotional after realizing that Ruffa is not going back to him anymore and that she?s now the happiest mother in the world, knowing that Ruffa won?t be returning to Istanbul ever.

About Yilmaz? claim that he?s the one who?s filing for divorce, she says this is well and good, so that they don?t have to be the one to spend for the proceedings anymore.

One moving episode that afternoon showed actress Aiza Marquez and her family being driven out of their apartment for not being able to pay the rent. Aiza was honest enough to admit she?s hard up and being the family breadwinner, it?s her responsibility to look for a new place for her mom and siblings. Right now, she has no regular TV show, so no income as well. It?s good that right after her appearance, "Showbiz Central" paid her talent fee so she earned something before she left the studio. Also, we were told she just won about P100,000 in Jaya and Allan K.?s "All Star K," so she?d be paid her winnings right away to help solve her financial problems.

Also appearing live at the studio were Billy Crawford to promote his dance show "Move," Polo Ravales and Francine Prieto to promote their sex drama "Silip," Iza Calzado and Sunshine Dizon to plug "Impostora" (who we got to interview on air), and Boots Anson Roa who just won the Gintong Ina Award. In the segment where fans are allowed to meet their favorite stars in person, a hairstylist named Junjun got the chance to meet teen idol Jennylyn Mercado on the set of "Tiyanaks" in a haunted house in Pampanga. Not only that, he also got to meet Jen?s leading man, Mark Herras, who even hugged him.

Ciara Sotto also answered live via phone patch the accusations against her and her parents. About the rumor that she?s pregnant that?s why she?s hiding in the States, she says she has a project in Las Vegas (with the help of Lani Misalucha) and she didn?t want to let go of the opportunity to work there, so she left the country even if her dad, Tito Sotto, was in the midst of campaigning for the last election. Regarding the scuttlebutt that her dad and mom Helen Gamboa have separated, she says her mom just wants to accompany her personally in Las Vegas until her shows there have started. Tito and Helen continue to communicate on the phone everyday and they have not split up at all.

Due to lack of time, the final story about a diva who gave birth recently, when she?s already pushing 50, was no longer aired. This is actually top belter Dulce, who had what?s considered a menopause baby. We think it is a gift from God, since her kids from her first marriage to Danny Cruz are now grownups. God gave her a new baby with her new husband. Her story will be aired this coming Sunday.

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Rikka Dylim hosted the monthly dinner for their talents celebrating their birthdays in May and Carla Humphries is one of them. She turned 19 on May 20. How did she celebrate? "We had our rehearsal then for our ?Abt Ur Luv? dance number and I later treated my co-stars to ?Shrek 3?," she says. "Simple lang, kasi last year, I had a bonggang party for my debut."

In "Abt Ur Luv," which now airs at 3:15 p.m. on Saturdays, she?s paired with Victor Basa. How does she feel about the rumor that he?s gay? "Halos araw-araw kasama ko siya and I can vouch for him, he?s not gay. Galing lang siya kasi sa modeling world kaya mas maalaga siya sa hitsura niya compared to other men."

Carla returns to school this June and she?ll take up entrepreneurship at the Center for International Education in Makati. Two other "Abt Ur Luv" stars who celebrated their birthdays in May are Zia Marquez and Christopher Gutierrez. Zia turned 15 on May 10 and is the daughter of Joey Marquez and Brenda del Rio. A high school junior at Reedley International School, she plays Giselle in "Abt Ur Luv." Christopher is the grandson of Gloria Romero. He turned 15 on May 9 and is a high school sophomore at La Salle Greenhills. He plays Rickson in "Abt Ur Luv" and belongs to the barkada of AJ Perez and Angelo Patrimonio.

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Ogie Alcasid left for a series of concerts in the US and Canada last Thursday and guess who saw him off at the airport. Regine Velasquez, who else? "Talagang hindi na nila itinatago ngayon ang relasyon nila," says someone who saw them as Ogie kissed Regine goodbye.

The protective Ogie begged the writers who saw them to just interview him and spare Regine. "Ako na lang ang magsasalita," he said. "I didn?t want to talk after the Yes interview came out kasi nakakahiya at nataon sa promo ng movie niya with Piolo. Now that the film is doing very well, nakahinga ako ng maluwag. I?m also happy that Regine and I can now show freely that we love each other. Ang tagal din namin itong itinago, but now we?re open about it. Noong mag-taping nga ako for ?Ay Robot? bago ako umalis for abroad, sinamahan niya ako sa set. Regine will be the last woman in my life, I swear. Michelle understands us and she knows about us. Magkaibigan sila ni Regine at walang problema sa?min. No conflict at all. All I ask is for people not to judge us."

Regine will follow Ogie later this month to join him in his shows with Ai Ai de las Alas.

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Iza Calzado?s boyfriend, Jerry Garcia, is 11 years older than her but she says it works to their advantage as she really likes someone who?s more mature in outlook and thinking. Jerry is now based in Manila and managing a band here, but he has not given up his job in L.A. and handles it through modern technology. Is this also in preparation for their wedding?

"No, walang wedding na mangyayari," she says. "Not this year or even next year. Enjoy pa ako sa trabaho ko. I?m not ready to start my own family and he understands naman."

She?s excited with her new show, "Impostora." "Not only because it reunites me with Sunshine Dizon who has become my sister since we worked in ?Encantadia,? but also because first time ko to play dual roles. One has a disfigured face and very withdrawn. The other is more aggressive, palaban. I find playing both roles very challenging."

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K Brosas has gained her own fans after appearing regularly in two GMA-7 shows, "Bitoy?s Funniest Videos" with Michael V. and "Hokus Pokus" with Bong Revilla. She also sings regularly at Zirkoh Greenhills on Monday, Klownz Araneta on Wednesday, Ratsky Morato on Friday and Ratsky Malate on Saturday. Now, she also ventures into theater playing the lead role in "Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah," the stage musical, to be shown at the RCBC Tower in Makati from June 15 to July 1.

"They first offered it to me last year, kaso ang dami kong raket kaya hindi ko tinanggap and they got Eula Valdes who did good," she says. "Now, medyo libre ako kaya tinanggap ko na, but I?m still alternating with Eula in some days. Original cast ito, ako lang ang nadagdag. I did plays with PETA before pero nahinto after I went into TV. I?m glad to be back in theater now."

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Paolo Paraiso plays a villain as the rapist of Valerie Concepcion in the "Daddy?s Angel" episode of the trilogy "Angels," produced by Angel Locsin and her manager Becky Aguila. He was at the presscon with Marvin Agustin and he patiently waited while the press was still busy interviewing Marvin. Paolo says it?s no longer possible for him and Mylene Dizon to reconcile. Is it because he?s really courting Angel Locsin?

"No, nagkataon lang producer ko siya rito, but I?m not courting her," he says. "Very complicated na ang situation namin ni Mylene. Habang tumatagal ang pagsasama namin, we saw our differences with each other. I won?t go into details anymore. The important thing is we parted nicely for the sake of our son, Thomas. Wala kaming samaan ng loob at maganda pa rin ang samahan namin since we both want the best for our son. Wala pang nagiging kapalit si Mylene since we broke up."

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The pilot telecast of "Impostora" last Monday night was well received by viewers. It showed the birth of the conjoined twins, Sara and Lara, to a poor couple, Adelle (Gelli de Belen) and Henry (Romnick Sarmenta). Because they?re poor, Romnick is forced to seek the help of his half-brother, Delfin (Gary Estrada), whose wife is Betty (Jean Garcia). Henry inherited some money from their late dad, but Delfin won?t give it to him.

The twins grow up to be an object of curiosity and people say it?s a jinx to have kids who are conjoined twins. Romnick and Gelli will do their best to separate them, but they don?t have the money to finance the operation and it turns out one of the twins has a weak heart. Watch out what happens to the twins when they finally get separated from each when they reach their 8th birthday. Iza Calzado and Sunshine Dizon will appear in the show next week yet as the grownup twins.

Source: Malaya