'Rustom is dead' -- Bb

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Freehand

Rustom Padilla has killed his old self as a man and has now proclaimed himself a woman, although he won't admit that he had a sex-change operation while in the U. S. "I'd rather not comment about it," he said on "Startalk," where he sashayed and posed like a model after he was introduced.

He came back from the States a few days ago in female getup saying he will really appreciate if people would now call him BB Gandanghari, with BB standing for Binibini (which is not original as Joyce Bernal was the first one to be addressed like this. ) He said that from now on, he'll no longer accept male or gay roles but only roles for women. He added that he's now a real woman "psychologically, biologically, emotionally, spiritually and even financially. " His vital stats are 35-26-35.

He has forgotten his old self and will now face the future in his new self as BB, adding "BB's here to stay. " He has talked to his family about this, including his mom Eva Carino and brother Robin and they've accepted him as he is now: "a God-fearing and lovely lady. I'm only asking for their pang-unawa. Wala naman akong sinasaktang tao and I promise I will be a good girl. "

Lolit Solis quipped that he looks like ex-wife Carmina Villarroel. What if Carmina's current, Zoren Legaspi, falls for him? "Ayoko," he says. "I want them to be together as husband and wife. "

He said he underwent psychiatric counseling and also took up modeling lessons while in New York to prepare for his being a woman now. "I've never been happier," he adds.

Is he now ready to talk about his relationship with a hunk actor? "Si Rustom 'yun, not me. Hindi ako 'yun dahil patay na nga si Rustom. Nakukulitan na ako kay Nanay Lolit. Let Rustom rest in peace. "

There's an interview with Carmina and Zoren later about BB. "I have no ill feelings towards him," says Carmina. "As long as he's happy, kahit anong gawin niya, go. "

"HIndi kami magkaaway," says Zoren. "He says he wants me to direct him. I have a project nga at baka tawagan ko siya. "

BB says he's open to producers getting his services as a leading lady and he wants Richard Gomez as his leading man. Any takers?

IYA BUSY WITH WORK, LOVELIFE

Iya Villania is happy to be part of the cast of GMA Films-Regal's "When I Met U" even if she's now with the Kapamilya network. "I have a contract kasi with Regal kaya napasama ako rito," she says.

She plays Tracy, the rich girlfriend of Richard Gutierrez. "I'm the one who sends him to school para siya maging pilot. Also, he has a father here na sugarol, played by Dante Rivero, at ako naman, pinapautang ako lagi ng pansugal kasi I want Richard to be beholden to me. Gusto ko tumanaw siya ng malaking utang na loob sa'kin so I can control him. But then, he meets KC and falls for her. "

Is she playing a villain role? "No, hindi naman kontrabida ang dating ng role ko. I'm a good person at may pagka-martyr nga kasi I'm willing to give everything kay Richard.

It's just I'm so much in love with him, so I try my best to fight for him. But eventually, when I saw and realized na wala akong laban kay KC, I give way. I'm really glad to do this movie kasi my first show when I got here from Australia five years ago was with Richard, 'Click'. We were introduced there by GMA-7 along with Angel Locsin. Then I moved to ABS. This movie is also a reunion for me with Direk Joel Lamangan, who has previously megged me in Regal's 'Aishite Imasu'. Si KC naman, nakakasama ko na sa 'ASAP' kaya masaya kaming lahat lagi sa shooting. "

Iya is now busy promoting her first album, "Finally", released by Viva Records. On TV, she's busy with "Us Girls" on Studio 23, "ASAP" on ABS-CBN, "OMG" on TV-5 and she also does VJ work on MYX. She's open with her relationship with Drew Arellano and they've been on for three years now.

NO RIVALRY BETWEEN GERALD, JAKE

Gerald Anderson says the rumor that he considers Jake Cuenca a rival in "Tayong Dalawa" is simply not true. "We help each other nga when we tape together," he says.

"Nagtaka nga ako when someone wrote na nag-aagawan daw kami sa pahabaan ng exposure in the show. Jake has done action scenes before in 'Palos' and this is the first time I do action scenes kaya he gives me advice on how to execute them. I'm really thankful to him at walang sapawang nangyayari sa amin dahil pantay ang roles namin as half brothers. "

Someone said, though, that there's no doubt that Jake is just a major support in the show as it's the love team of Gerald and Kim that's the foremost selling point here. "At alam din naman natin kung kanino mapupunta si Kim sa ending, di ba? Imposible namang kay Jake. Di nagwala ang Kimerald fans. "

How come his alleged butt exposure with Jake is being sold like it's a big thing for the show? "I don't know. Marami yatang excited about that. Hindi naman ako sexy actor. So far, we haven't taped that shower scene na may butt exposure daw. Abangan na lang ng viewers kung matutuloy o hindi. Ewan din kung papayag ang MTRCB na ilabas such a scene on TV. "
NO MORE NASTY EMAILS FOR RHIAN

Rhian Ramos says she's glad that her detractors have stopped sending hate mails about her to various writers. "They won't be credible anymore as the show (La Lola) is really rating well," she says.

"And the story is bound to be even more engrossing these next few weeks kaya mahihirapan ang audience na bitawan ang panonood dito. "

This week, Matias (Yul Servo), who has become Lalo (Wendell Ramos) through the magic of Patricia Ysmael, tells Gaston (Marvin Agustin) that Lola (Rhian) is starting to be suspicious about his real identity. Gaston tells him to just ignore the doubting Lola. Aguirre (Eddie Garcia), in turn, wants to get Lola back to work for him again but Lola tells him she just can't leave Susanna (Eula Valdes) who's been very good to her. Gary (Keempee de Leon) is already feeling icky with Vicky's efforts to seduce him even if he's gay. The babaylans pray for the fake Lalo to return to his former self and Lalo indeed transforms back to being Ma-tias.

EXCITING FLICKS

EXCITING comedy and adventure flicks await TV 5's 5Max Movies this week starting with "White Chicks" tonight at 9, starring brothers Shawn and Marlon as two black guys turned into white bombshells. Tuesday features the third movie in the classic "American Pie" series, "American Wedding" with Jason Biggs. On Wednesday, high-intensity action is shown in "Bad Boys 2" with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence as cops fighting drug traffickers. Thursday, a mad doctor repairs Rob Schneider's body with animal parts in the wacky film "The Animal. " Friday, anime fans will enjoy "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children" based on the highly successful 1997 role-playing game with the same title. Saturday, it's Steven Spielberg's award-winning classic "Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark. " Sunday, Robin Williams and Kirsten Dunst star in the blockbuster hit "Jumanji," combining magical special effects with fantasy, adventure and comedy.
MOTHER RICKY PAYS TRIBUTE TO MOM

MOTHER Ricky Reyes invited us to the 90th birthday celebration of his mom, Mrs. Amada Tianes Enriquez Zabarte last Wednesday but we were in Club Paradise, Palawan that time. In honor of his mom, he staged a musical entitled "Ada, The Musical" with Ayen Munji Laurel as his mom and Paolo Ballesteros as the young Ricky Reyes. Directed by Floy Quintos and with Danny Tan as musical director, it also starred Jonalyn Viray, Maricris Garcia, Aicelle Santos, Jan Nieto, Gian Magdangal and Gerald Santos of GMA-7. Ada had 10 children and those who live abroad all came home just to celebrate her 90th birthday with her.

Mother Ricky is also busy with his Fil-Hair Coop's 25th anniversary celebration on May 19. He wants to be in the Guinness Book of Records assembling the most number of hairdressers in one place cutting hair for 8 hours. He's now assembling about 400 hairdressers to join the event. There will be preliminary competitions in General Santos City (February 18), Zamboanga City (February 25), Davao City (February 28), Cagayan de Oro City (March 5), Tacloban City (Mar. 7), Cebu City (March 9), Iloilo City (March 10), Baguio City (March 13), La Union (March 14), Dagupan (March 15), Tuguegarao (March 18), Tarlac (March 20), Pampanga (March 23), Malolos (March 24), Lucena City (April 21), Naga City (April 23), Calamba (April 27), Antipolo (April 29), CaMaNaVa (April 30), and Muntinlupa (May 4). For details, call Lito Pantig on 726-8218 or Bong Soriano on 0917-4628128.
'SERBIS' SHOWN IN NY, REVIEWED IN VARIETY

READER Denesia Sy Collins of New York emailed us to report that Dante Mendoza's "Serbis" is now being shown in theaters in the U. S. It was released locally last year. She also forwarded to us this review from the respected Hollywood Bible, Variety, by Jay Weissberg. It's quite long so we're printing some parts of it to show local readers how an American critic views the film.

"Explicit fellatio, blocked toilets and a crudely exploded ass-cheek boil form some of the more unsavory elements of "Service". Brillante Mendoza's latest opus that revels in shock value. Largely set in a rundown porn cinema called "Family," whose proprietors share space with male hustlers plying their trade, pic's rabbit-warren storylines, complete with half-dug trails, match Mendoza's marked predilection for endlessly following characters walking through spaces.

Like their cinema, the Pineda family of Angeles City has seen better days. As the morning unfolds, Nayda (Jaclyn Jose) wanders through the labyrinthine bowels of the establishment �"which serves as both living and work space �" in search of her mother Flor (Gina Pareno). The matriarch has an appointment at court in a bigamy case against her husband, though the lawsuit is dividing the family. Nayda's tramping up and down the staircases allows Mendoza to introduce the entire family, including Nayda's husband Lando (Julio Diaz), her cousins Alan (Coco Martin) and Ronald (Kristofer King), and sister Jewel (Roxanne Jordan). Latter is first seen naked in an extended sequence where the camera pruriently and excessively explores her nubile frame.

All this �" mixed with scenes of cinema patrons getting serviced �" may sound vaguely reminiscent of "Goodbye, Dragon Inn" or Jacques Nolot's "Porn Theater," but "Service" has none of the elegiac elements of the former nor the yearning for connection of the latter. With so many characters floating about, there's little opportunity for real exploration, and the constant influx of patrons and "service providers" breaks up sustainable sympathy until a temporarily broken Flor returns home, her radiant inner dignity ultimately rising above the family's tribulations. Vet actress Pareno is beautifully cast here, joined by Mendoza regulars such as Jose (memorable in Neal Tan's "Ataul: For Rent") and Martin. While employing a far wider range of hues and less jiggly lensing than last year's "Slingshot," pic is mostly composed of handheld shots endlessly following characters as they move from floor to floor in a matter-of-fact voyeurism that can feel overly calculated. Mendoza appears to have jettisoned his early faith in his audience's intelligence, continually reinforcing signs ("No Loitering," cheaply lurid soft-core posters) with unnecessary close-ups, and gimmicky final shot adds nothing. Most scenes are practically drowning in noise as the cacophony of the streets continuously invades the cinema's public and private areas. "

Source: People's Journal