Rufa Mae, Mo ignoring each other

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Freehand

VIEWERS of "Showbiz Central" last Sunday were expec-ting fireworks as Rufa Mae Quinto returned to the show after being absent for several weeks due to a series of shows in the U. S. and Canada.

While she was away, it was revealed that she is mad with co-host DJ Mo since she felt that the latter didn't protect her when he interviewed Dr. Vicki Belo in the show while she was abroad. DJ Mo asked Dr. Vicki about the rumored clandestine affair of Rufa Mae with her ex-lover Hayden Kho and the famous cosmetic surgeon said she really believes that something happened between them. Rufa Mae says the issue is already dead but DJ Mo revived it again.

But "Showbiz Central" started and ended last Sunday with no fireworks happening. John Lapus said Rufa Mae and DJ Mo just simply didn't talk to each other. "Abangan nyo na lang next week, baka mag-usap na sila," he said.

Last Sunday's "Showbiz Central" featured a story on Manny Pacquiao. It's obvious that things have been patched up between him and GMA7. The Kapuso network is now supporting him again full blast. It's reported that Pacman felt like "nabunutan siya ng tinik" after the brouhaha has been ironed out. He now claims that it's ABS sports host Dyan Castillejo who tried to convince him to transfer to ABS.

The show revealed that despite his intense training for the Hatton fight, Pacman is also recording an album in the U. S. while he's resting on Sundays. He has already recorded the song "Lahing Pinoy" which will be the entrance song to be played when he enters the ring on his May 2 bout with Hatton. The song is composed by Lito Camo who has prepared an entire album of new tunes for him.

Another segment showed the interview of "Showbiz Central" reporter Ruel Mendoza with a sexy actor who admitted on cam that he now moonlights as a male prostitute. His only condition is that his identity be kept a secret. Ruel addressed him as Boy and he said he started having experiences with gays when he was 18 when a talent manager offered to help build him up as an actor. "Sa kagustuhan kong mag-artista, pumayag ako," he says. "Ginawa ko rin ito to support myself. Parang pyramiding ito. Isang bading, ipapakilala ka sa ibang bading hanggang lumaki ang network mo ng customers. "

He said his biggest customer is a famous actor. "He comes from a showbiz clan at sikat na sikat siya. He's also married. "

Because of his job, he was able to buy his own house. But he feels guilt and regret about his kind of work at times. "Kung minsan, naiiyak ako kung bakit napasok ako sa ganitong trabaho, lalo na't kalat na kalat na sa Internet na nagpapa-booking ako. Siyempre, gusto ko rin namang respetuhin ako kaya hindi puwedeng ganito ako habambuhay. Mga 26-27 ako, I will stop na when I become more stable. "
FIRST FILM SUBMITTED TO CANNES

SCREENWRITER Armando "Bing" Lao has won numerous awards for his work in films like "Takaw Tukso," "Itanong Mo sa Buwan," "Pila Balde" and "Tuhog. " He now debuts as a film director in "Biyaheng Lupa," which is being submitted in the Cannes International Filmfest this coming May with the international title "Soliloquy. " Producer Joji Alonso says it has a good chance of being accepted in the section meant for first time directors as the feedback from those who have seen it is very favorable.

Bing is honest enough to admit that his script for "Biyaheng Lupa" has already been bought by a female director. "But some years have passed, pero hindi pa rin nagagawa, so I bought it back from her when Atty. Alonso asked me for a project na puwede naming gawin. I think this is the right project for my first directorial job kasi the whole film happens inside a bus that travels from Manila to Bicol. We used the Cagsawa Bus at pabalik-balik kami from Manila to Bicol in five days. Mas mahirap kung ang debut movie ko, maraming locations. "

The film has 16 major characters. "Everything happens inside the bus, with short breaks during the bus stop overs when all the passengers get off to eat or go to the restroom. It's a road movie, but what makes it different is that we hear what's going on inside the head of each passenger while they're seated inside the running bus. The movie is an existential take on life and death. Jaclyn Jose plays a passenger who boards the bus in Lucena. She's the mistress of a man she's meeting in Bicol.

Si Julio Diaz naman is involved in networking or pyramiding. Siya 'yung passenger na galing from Manila at diretso sana sa Legaspi until the bus meets a fatal accident in Guinobatan. Allan Paule plays the bus conductor. These actors are all long time friends of mine. Matagal na ang aming pinagsamahan so they insisted kasama sila sa first directorial job ko. Dapat sana, kasama rin si Cherry Pie Picache, another old friend, but she's busy taping with her soap, so hindi puwede. I got Sharmaine Centenera instead and she's okay as a married woman who is getting disillusioned with her marriage. Her real life husband, Noni Buencamino, has a cameo role as her hubby who fetches her at the bus station.
EUGENE TURNS SERIOUS

COMEDIENNE Eugene Domingo plays a serious dramatic role in "Biyaheng Lupa" as the mother of a young boy who she is taking to her relatives in Gumaca so she can be an overseas worker in Oman as a female driver. "It's not an easy film to do," she says. "Kahit sabihing nakaupo lang kami sa loob ng bus most of the time. Talagang tagtag kami sa biyahe at iisa lang ang suot naming damit all throughout. Kaya when we get home after each shooting day, we'll just wash our clothes para gamitin uli sa next shooting day namin. Before we started the shooting, we already recorded all the lines that are supposed to be going on inside our head while we're inside the traveling bus.

"Now, as the lines go inside your mind, hindi naman puwedeng nakatulala ka lang doon sa pagkakaupo mo sa bus. Your facial expressions should reflect what's being said in the dialogue inside your head. Hindi madaling gawin, ha. Kailangan, swak na swak 'yung expression ng mukha mo doon sa linya at dapat, hindi ka nago-OA at all. But I'm really glad to be part of this meaningful movie. Walang bida rito sa amin kundi it's a great example of ensemble acting. "

Eugene continues to get positive feedback for her hosting job with Anjo Yllana in GMA7's late Saturday night show, "Cool Center. " "Naku, nakakahilong gawin kasi live siya, pero masaya, we're all having fun. "

She will also soon have her own back story in "Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang. " We tell her that at the rate the story is going, we won't be surprised if it'd be eventually revealed that she's the real mother of Dingdong Dantes and not Carmi Martin. "Parang doon nga yata ang itinatakbo ng kuwento," she laughs.
JOBLESS DIRECTOR TURNS TO ACTING

DIRECTOR Andoy Ranay is part of the cast of "Biyaheng Lupa. " "I play the gay owner of an ukay-ukay store in Manila who's relocating in Atimonan at may nakabanggang ibang passengers inside the bus," he says. "Aside from this, I'm also acting in two films with Cine-malaya, '24 K,' which is about treasure hunters in Ilocos, and 'Kolorum,' with Alfred Vargas where I play the role of a writer who'll kill himself. "

So he's not directing any new soap with ABS-CBN after "Ligaw na Bulaklak. " "I'm doing the Judy Ann Santos teleserye pero napalitan na. I resigned from the show and from ABS. "

Why? Is it because he was replaced by Wenn Deramas in the Juday show? "No, I didn't burn my bridges naman with them. Wenn is my mentor so wala akong sama ng loob sa kanya. I just want to explore other things. So I'm into acting muna. "
FEMALE DIRECTOR'S HUSBAND IN FATAL ACCIDENT

MEANWHILE, Direk Andoy is one of those who were shocked upon learning of the passing away of Philip "Epoy" Molina, husband of blockbuster director Cathy Garcia Molina ("A Very Special Love," "You Changed My Life") in a freak accident in Baguio. It's said he was biking along Kennon Road last Sunday afternoon when he fell into a ravine. "He was my CCU sa ABS, fixing the cameras and the lighting," says Direk Andoy. "Mahilig talaga sa biking yun, e. How sad kasi baby pa lang ang bunso nila ni Cathy. "

To Direk Cathy, our condolences and let's all pray for the repose of the soul of Philip. His remains will be at Arlington Funeral Homes in Araneta Avenue, Quezon City.

MARCH CELEBRANTS

PBB recruit Cassandra Ponti remains busy with the female group Koolchx regularly performing in "Wowowee" and "ASAP", but she has also gone into business in her native Davao. She now has her own plantation of fruit trees with her mom supervising it. She was able to renovate their house there and added rooms for her married brother who lives with her mom. "Para naman sa pamilya ko kaya talaga ako nagsisikap na kumita sa showbiz," she says. "At least, ngayon, may sarili na kaming property at business doon. "

Cass celebrated her birthday on March 1 and she's one of the Star Magic talents for whom Rikka Dylim hosted a special birthday dinner. Cass will perform with the Koolchx in shows in Isabela on March 30 and in Lipa City on April 4. Other PBB discoveries who celebrated their birthdays in March are Alex Ancelmuccio (PBB Teens 2) and Fred Payawan (PBB Teens 1). Alex is best remembered as the housemate from Italy who had his circumcision while inside Bahay ni Kuya. He became a regular in "Tayong Dalawa" as the friend of Gerald Anderson in the Philippine Military Academy. He admits his one setback is that he's still not able to speak Tagalog fluently. But he's reading a lot of Tagalog pocketbooks to remedy this. He was taping for "Tayong Dalawa" when he turned 19 on March 4 and his co-stars gave him a birthday treat on the set.

Fred also turned 19 on March 12. He is a regular on TV 5's youth oriented show, "Lipgloss," which is now on its third season. Although he's getting good reviews for his role in the show, he has not neglected his college studies and is now a marketing-management junior at La Salle. He plans to concentrate on acting after college and he hopes to do a show with his batchmates Gerald Anderson and Kim Chiu someday. He's now also busy with wakeboarding.

Another birthday celebrant is former child actress Kathryn Bernardo who turned 13 on March 26. She is best known as Makisig Morales' leading lady in "Super Inggo" and they were both surprised when it was rumored that they're already officially on and were even living in. "Ang babata pa po namin para gawin 'yun," she says. "Hindi papayag ang parents namin. " She will be seen again with Makisig in the telefantasya "Utoy" and she was last seen as the young Bea Alonzo in "Maalaala Mo Kaya. "

Source: People's Journal