Fake surprise for beleaguered stunner

Handlers made a big fuss about Beleaguered Stunner’s new project. An insider says the bosses didn’t exactly spring the “surprise” on BS at the last-minute.

It would have been more dramatic if BS had feigned astonishment, in public at least. As it was, BS failed to convince people who saw through the charade.

Does this mean an earlier mishap surrounding BS was a media concoction as well? Perhaps it really occurred, but was it leaked to make BS more notorious? After all, notoriety and celebrity are often confused as the same thing these days.

Alas, it has also been bruited about that BS’ big assignment was hastily unveiled so as to preempt a similar endeavor from rival company.

Oh dear.

‘Billingitis’

Even Graying Artists have billing problems.

GA1 was slighted when GA2’s name came ahead in a project’s credits. GA1’s camp made a lot of noise and the producers swiftly responded, giving GA1 prominence over GA2.

Actually, the complaint had some merit because GA1 had joined the biz way before GA2.

And their parts in the project were equally weighty.

Manhandle

No wonder Vociferous Celebrity was insistent about including Beefy Hottie in a splashy project. VC had coveted BH for the longest time.

Finally, VC could grope BH in front of an audience. Did VC “manhandle” BH away from the cameras, too?

No big deal. BH was a lover-for-hire before joining the biz.

VC’s motto seems to be: Why buy… when you can rent?

Notorious flirt

From the Inquirer Radio program “Inquirer Entertainment” (dzIQ 990 AM, Monday to Friday, 3 to 5 p.m.):

A mole claims that Disgraced Celeb is an incorrigible flirt. At least two former coworkers, unable to stomach DC’s creepy behavior, walked out on the job.

Turned out, DC is Playboy Honcho’s self-appointed “procurer.” If the victims fell for DC’s ruse, PH would pounce on them. In short, DC sort of paved the way for PH.

If the mission of seduction faltered, DC would badmouth the victims, making sure they were ruined in PH’s eyes.

Karma soon caught up with DC, who was unmasked as a reckless Lothario.

Bad reviews

From the Inquirer tabloid Bandera:

Glib Personality is having problems finding a new love. Is it because GP has been dishing the dirt on Estranged Partner?

GP disparages EP in front of everyone, even in front of prospective lovers, who naturally got spooked.

Then again, GP doesn’t really need to blab about the gory details on EP. GP is doing a great job reinforcing that nasty reputation, without any help.

 Top of the Talk Shows

• Joey de Leon on the Vhong Navarro controversy: “Kanya-kanyang problema ’yan, eh. Ako, ang problema ko si Wally Bayola pa rin.” (Not a half-meant joke, we hope?)

• Lawyer Alma Mallonga on his client Vhong Navarro being accused of attempted rape: “Gusto lang naming liwanagin na si Vhong ay isang biktima sa kaso na ito… maaaring hindi siya santo, pero siya’y isang mabuti ring tao. At definitely, hindi siya kriminal.” (We’re staying out of this one.)

• Vhong on being mauled and accused of attempted rape: “Hindi ako rapist. Hindi ako nagda-drugs. Matino akong tao. May takot ako sa Diyos. Mahal ko ang mga magulang ko. May respeto ako sa mga magulang ko kaya gusto ko kung ano ang gagawin ko, hindi gagayahin ng mga anak ko.” (Way out.)

• Vhong on cheating on his girlfriend: “Kung mayroon man akong kasalanan, isa lang po ’yun. Sa girlfriend ko. Sana magkaroon ng hustisya ito dahil ayaw ko na pong maulit ito sa akin or kahit kanino lalo na sa mga ordinaryong tao. Kung nagawa sa akin, pwedeng mangyari sa kanila.” (Way, way, out.)

• Maricel Soriano, asked if she really thought about returning her MMFF Best Actress trophy for “Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy”: “Hindi totoo ’yun.” (If people think she didn’t deserve it, that’s their problem, right?)

• Maricel, asked if she recently had a bout of depression: “Lahat naman tayo may dala-dala. Simple lang ’yan—’yang dala mong mabigat, bitawan mo na. Sus!” (Spin a win!)
  

  LUIS Manzano: His mom defends his ex from intrigue mongers.

• Maricel, asked what part of her body she would enhance, given the chance: “’Yung mga braso ko malaki. ’Yung puson, na para bagang feeling ko two months pregnant!” (Lahat naman tayo, may dala-dala. Huhuhu.)

• Vilma Santos on son Luis Manzano’s breakup with Jennylyn Mercado: “Huwag na nating bigyan ng intriga ’yan. Naging malapit ’din sa ’kin si Jen.. Huwag na nating palakihin.” (As Maricel said, “Sus!”)

• 

  JENNYLYN Mercado finds all breakups hurtful.

  Jennylyn, asked about Angel Locsin admitting that she still loves Luis Manzano: “Wala na ako diyan! Siguro dapat sila na lang ang tanungin niyo.” (Tumpak, korek at… right on.)

• Mark Herras on his past relationship with Jennlyn: “Two years ako bago ako naka-move on!” (Mas mabilis si Luis!)

• Jennylyn, asked which breakup hurt more—the one with Luis or with Mark: “Pareho… kapag natatapos ang relasyon masakit talaga kahit ano pa ang rason.” (The girl has become soundbyte-savvy, huh?)

• Marian Rivera, asked about “Carmela” leading man Alden Richards saying he was thrilled by a kissing scene: “Okay!” (’Yun lang.)

• 

  ALDEN Richards found love scene with Marian Rivera “thrilling.”

  Marian, asked if she was ready for married life: “Ang buhay may-asawa ay isang mabigat na desisyon. Masaya ako sa buhay ko [ngayon] sa lahat ng aspeto… pero open ako diyan.” (She told Inquirer this, too, in nearly the exact same words.)

• Daniel Padilla on working with his family in “Sa Ngalan ng Ama, ng Ina at ng mga Anak”: “Masaya to get to know and bond with them. Before ‘Sa Ngalan’ kasi, ’di pa ako close kina Tito Robin.” (So now you know who to bond with!)

• Robin, asked if he saw himself in Daniel: “Lahat naman kami ganun ’yung pagkakahulma… si BB (Gandhanghari) noong araw ganun din ang hulma. Medyo nagising lang isang araw!” (Smiley here.)

• Robin on Daniel: “Proud ako, kasi ’yung pagiging humble, dala-dala niya pa rin. (Uh, no smiley here… muna.)

• 

  WORKING with the Padillas daunted Mariel Rodriguez. Arnold Almacen

  Mariel Rodriguez on producing “Sa Ngalan”: “Intimidating, kasi in-laws ko ’tong mga ’to, eh!” (No, no, no. That’s because they’re the Padillas.)

• Angel Locsin on her similarities with her character, Monica, in “The Legal Wife”: “Maraming pagkakamali sa pag-ibig, ganun din si Angel. Pero pareho silang bumabangon. At kapag mahal nila ang isang tao, ipaglalaban nila.” (Maybe one day we’ll know the real reason she broke up with Phil Younghusband.)

• 

  GRETCHEN Baretto wants her old “loving, kind” sister back.

  Gretchen Barretto on testifying against sister Claudine: “Kung mali sa tingin ng tao ang ginawa ko, I’m sorry but ’yun talaga ang desperate move naming magkakapatid.. I did not betray her; I only spoke the truth as I know it and it is the right thing to do.” (Ayyyyyyyyy, enough!)

• Gretchen, asked if she hated Claudine: “I don’t hate my sister—I hate what she’s doing. I hate the cases that she has filed. I want the old Claudine back. Bunso namin ’yan. She was a doll… she was the most generous and loving and kind person. But somewhere along… she just lost it.” (Another primal scream here: All together now…)

(“Startalk,” “Buzz ng Bayan”)