ENTERTAINMENTNEWS
Year 38, No. 16 / April 18 - 24, 2008

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Still pining for Gabby C?

Sharon Cuneta (r.) with ABS-CBN and Star Cinema big boss Gabby Lopez.

By the Inquirer Entertainment Staff

There are two versions of this story that many, for sure, have heard by now. Both versions are supposedly from unimpeachable sources. How is this possible when the settings and circumstances are different and only the conclusion is the same?

Either it happened twice, or it didn't happen at all.

Version 1 was thrown at us, not so casually, as we ran down the stairs at the workplace on April 2: Sharon Cuneta is said to have broken down before members of media while replying to a question about the possibility of daughter KC and herself bumping into ex-husband Gabby Concepcion and having no choice but to exchange words. That's the digestible part. The unpleasant part is that the media people were asked daw not to write about the incident.

Version 2 puts mega in front of Boy Abunda during a taped interview. The question is not clear, but Sharon's alleged response was, "I taught my daughter to love and respect the man who broke my spirit." This was reportedly followed by a torrent of tears, and a decision to edit the portion out.

As we said, either this never happened, or it happened twice. We're befuddled, to say the least. Mega is one of the strongest and most stable people we know in local show biz. From her we've heard volumes of quotable quotes on moving on after a severed relationship. And she's not here to respond to these allegations.

Whether there's some truth to any of this, or it's just the handiwork of eager spinners (do we smell a "reunion" movie?), the fact remains that it is unfair to mega, who is not in the country, by the way, to clarify things. She's in London shooting "Caregiver," her comeback movie this year and the 15th anniversary offering of Star Cinema.

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Who cares about 14-year age gap?

Aga Muhlach and Anne Curtis.

"When Love Begins" have both Aga Muhlach and Anne Curtis portray lovers who are both afraid of being in a relationship. A co-production of Star Cinema and Viva Films, the film was shot in Boracay from March 25 to April 2. It will be shown across the Philippines on April 30.

Despite the 14-year age gap between Aga and Anne, the director, Jose Javier Reyes, believes that they were very effective and believable as lovers afraid to fall in love.

Direk Joey at first was worried how the two would appear together. Aga is 38, while Anne Curtis is 23.

"I was worried because people might say, 'My God, he's been around for so long and she's so young.' But it doesn't matter. He's so good-looking and she's so sexy," said the director.

This is the 18th movie of direk Joey with Aga, but his first time to work with Anne.

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Kris on U.S. TV

Howie Mandel

Americans will soon see how the game show "Deal or No Deal" is played in the Philippines.

Kris Aquino will co-host this special episode with Howie Mandel when the U.S. program visits the Philippines from April 22 to 25 as part of its ongoing world tour.

ABS-CBN business unit head Alou Almaden said American contestants will be playing the game according to the rules of the Philippine version with R.P.'s own Banker and the 26K girls.

"We are proud and excited that the Philippines has been chosen to be part of the show's world tour," she said. "It will be an opportunity for us to show our creativity in localizing a global hit program and, at the same time, showcase the best of our country in the special two-hour episode."

Since its debut in the Netherlands in 2001, Endemol's "Deal or No Deal" is now seen in more than 50 nations globally. In the U.S. version, contestants play and deal to win the top prize by opening 26 briefcases with prizes ranging from one cent to U.S.$1 million.

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Lani, SOS end Vegas stint, vow to return

Lani Misalucha (c.), as Beyoncˇ, performs with the Society of Seven at the Flamingo Hilton on April 9. (Photo by Steve Marcus)

Lani Misalucha and the Society of Seven (SOS) staged their final performance at the Flamingo Casino Hotel in Las Vegas on April 13.

The group will now focus on its U.S. tour that will also bring them to Atlantic City's Showboat Hotel & Casino (House of Blues) on May 4.

"This is the perfect opportunity for those in the East Coast to catch them in Atlantic City," said Dr. Ching Legarda of Group Ole, producer of the Showboat concert.

In an article in the Las Vegas Sun, writer Jerry Fink discussed how Lani and SOS are now mapping their next move. Here's the article:

"We're confident we will find something," Tony Ruivivar says. He and Bert Sagum founded the show band more than 40 years ago. "But we have some commitments for a tour. We'll be coming back here (in Vegas), hopefully around September."

Once known as the Fabulous Echoes, SOS arrived in Vegas from the Philippines in the mid-60s. In 1969, the band took its act to Hawaii, where it performed for more than 30 years. In 2001, a second SOS troupe stayed in Hawaii and the band returned to Vegas where it has performed at the Las Vegas Hilton, the Golden Nugget, the Aladdin, Bally's and the Flamingo.

The cast includes Ruivivar, who is the host and singer; Sagum, vocals and percussion; Hoku Low, bass; Roy Guerzo, keyboards; Wayne Wakai, saxophone; Vince Mendoza, drums; and Michael Laygo, vocals. (Gary Bautista, who had been with the group for 22 years, died in 2006 at age 54.)

Singers Lani Misalucha, who joined the group four years ago, and Martin Nievera, who joined two months ago, have increased the cast count to nine.

Though SOS members don't complain, they expressed surprise that the Flamingo is pulling the plug when the show is drawing large crowds. Ruivivar says it was doing so well there was talk about trying to move the show to an evening slot.

"Harrahs' people had been talking about an extension - a year, two years, three - and suddenly they changed," Ruivivar says. "They told us they had made a corporate decision to go in a different direction, which surprised us a little bit."

Part of the added vitality of the production is due to Nievera, a superstar in the Philippines. His father Bert was a member of SOS in the early days, when it was based in Hawaii.

"When I was a little kid I watched these guys from the audience," Nievera says. "But when I joined the cast I thought when I was backstage I would see complacency - they've been doing this for 40 years. A lot of acts on the Strip just do their job and go home. But not these guys. These guys honestly love what they do. They get upset when the audience sucks. The mood of the audience is important to them, and they will do anything to get you off your seat."

New energy

Nievera and Misalucha, another Philippine superstar, have added new energy to the show - not that it needed it. The core of SOS is made up of multi-talented performers who play a variety of musical instruments, sing, dance, do impressions and mix serious music with comedy.

"There is a lot of chemistry between Lani and Martin," Ruivivar says. "We feel the combination is amazing. Each complements the other. It takes the show to another level."
The two are charismatic entertainers whose repertoire covers the musical landscape, from breathtaking opera to ballads to rock.

When the show ends Nievera and Misalucha have commitments for their own concerts in the United States and in the Philippines, but when SOS finds a new venue they plan to rejoin the show.

"This break will give me a chance to breathe a little bit," Misalucha says. "And it will give the group time to decide what to do next."

A lot of fans will be eagerly awaiting that news.

Fan loyalty was tested this week when technical problems with the sound equipment caused an almost hourlong delay of the start of the show.

Folks usually start lining up before 2 p.m. when the doors open for the 3 p.m. performance. On the day of the equipment failure the line began as usual but the doors didn't open until almost 3:30 p.m. By then the line was stretched halfway around the casino and people were becoming agitated. A few asked for refunds - but the majority stayed and almost filled the room.

The agitation faded as soon as SOS took the stage. One of the most loyal of the loyal fans is Oakland, California native Sharon Heinemann who will follow the group wherever it goes.

She first saw SOS at the Outrigger in Honolulu in 1978 and since then has seen it more than 500 times at venues across the country.

Hers isn't even the record. A fan in Hawaii has seen the show more than 1,000 times.

"This is the only show I see. It's wonderful," says Heinemann, who flew to Vegas for three days just to see SOS.

She will have seen the show three times this trip before she leaves tonight.

Heinemann won't make SOS' final performance Sunday, but that's OK because she says she plans to attend its shows at the Cache Creek Casino near Sacramento, California on June 13 and 14. Then there's the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center on June 20, and maybe even John Ascuaga's Nugget in Sparks on June 27 and 28.

"I just love it," she says. "They are so talented.

You can take little kids. There's no cussing. You can take anybody to see them."

Heinemann says she has the stubs of every SOS ticket she has purchased over the past 34 years. And her house is adorned with framed SOS posters she has collected from theaters across the country.

"Everyone I've recommended the show to, they all come back and say it's the best they've ever seen," she says. "I turned my brother and his wife on to them, and now they've started squeezing in and saying they've seen SOS more than me.

There's a lot of family arguments about that.

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Zany 'Hitmakers' back in AC

ALL OPM KINGS: From left, Rey Valera, Rico J. Puno, Hajji Alejandro
and Marco Sison.

Four of the Philippines' finest entertainers team up this May for one riotous show at Boardwalk Hall.

Filipino pop icons Rico J. Puno, Hajji Alejandro, Rey Valera and Marco Sison bring their distinctive sound to the Adrian Phillips Ballroom on Saturday, May 24 at 4 p.m. for an encore performance of greatest hits.

This event is presented by Calla Lilly Entertainment Production.

Dubbed "The Greatest Hitmakers 4," the concert will feature all-time favorite OPM hits that audiences around the world have enjoyed for decades from these artists.

Among them will be Rico's "Kapalaran" and "Macho Guapito;" Hajji's "Panakip Butas" and "Nakapagtataka;" Rey's "Pangako Sa Iyo" and "Maging Sino Ka Man"; and Marco's "My Love Will See You Through" and "Always."
Musical director Gerry Matias will oversee this unique collaboration.

Tickets are now on sale at $75, $65, $55 and $50, and can be purchased at the Boardwalk Hall box office; all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com; or by calling 800.736.1420.

Tickets are also available at Filipino store outlets. For more information, e-mail thehitmakers_2008@yahoo.com" or visit www.boardwalkhall.com

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Lolit indicted

Lolit Solis

By BONG GODINEZ
Lolit Solis was formally indicted for libel by the Office of the Manila Prosecutor in connection with her Oct. 15, 2007 column in Pilipino Star Ngayon, where she wrote that she chanced upon actors Piolo Pascual and Sam Milby sharing a "sweet" moment together at the poolside coffee shop of the Sofitel Hotel at 4 p.m. on Oct. 12.

According to the March 24 resolution released on April 11, both Lolit and former Pilipino Star Ngayon entertainment editor Veronica Samio are liable to face the court to formally answer the legal complaint filed against them. The court disregarded Samio's repeated appeal that she was no longer at the helm of the tabloid's entertainment section as she had officially resigned during the period.

Assistant city prosecutor Eufrosino Sulla explained the court recommendation by saying, "We believe that all the elements of the offense were established, that there was sufficient evidence that libel was committed."

Sulla added that upon filing, Lolit and Veronica would be entitled to post a P10,000 bail each for their temporary liberty while the case is being heard. "They can also file a petition for review with the Department of Justice," noted Sulla.

During the height of the issue, Lolit defiantly refused to retract what she wrote in her column. Piolo and Sam's lawyer Joji Alonso had relayed her client's request for Lolit to issue a public apology to clear the name of her subjects.

Lolit agreed to issue an apology but refused head on to make a retraction. Having a change of heart, the feisty columnist, who is also a host and talent manager, made known her intention to retract provided that Piolo and Sam produce an affidavit stating their willingness to drop the complaint. Failing to sway both parties, Lolit then made a last ditch offer: she will retract on the condition that everything will be considered as "an honest mistake."

ABS-CBN's Johnny Manahan, who also stands as Piolo and Sam's adviser, brushed off Lolit's offers and cited all for their alleged lack of sincerity.

Backing up Piolo and Sam's affidavit are Cristy Fermin, Pokwang, Angel Locsin and Rica Peralejo. All claimed that both actors were on separate locations during the date and actual time mentioned by Lolit in her article.

Lolit, on the other hand, failed to present enough solid evidence to strengthen her story.

Stating that "mental anguish, besmirched reputations and social humiliation" afflicted them because of the published writeup, Piolo and Sam demanded P5 million each plus P1 million each for exemplary damages.

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