Senior stars forever

FONDA AND TOMLIN. Reunite in “Grace and Frankie.”

A lot of the show-biz news we get these days is negative and downbeat, quite in keeping with the cynical times. Today, however, let’s fight that dark and desultory tendency and counter it with consciously upbeat reports that put smiles instead of scowls on people’s faces:

First, let’s celebrate the good news that some feisty “mature” stars are refusing to call it quits and be folded away in storage—and dotage!

Instead, stars in their 70s are delighting us with their new projects, like Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, who are reviving their hit “9 to 5” partnership with “Grace and Frankie,” a new TV series on Netflix.

To make the new production even more fun, they’ve hit on a plot scheme that is edgy, current and provocative, and will make curious viewers not just eager but even antsy about catching the show when it starts telecasting:

The big twist is, Fonda and Tomlin’s ex-husbands have finally come out of the closet about their preferred sexual orientation—and now want to get married to each other! That’s the sort of loopy but relevant plot conceit that makes for a hit TV show—so, we’ll be watching!

Other senior stars who are putting smiles on viewers’ faces these days include local luminary Tirso Cruz III, who has successfully fought off a medical challenge, and is set on resuming his thespic career.

For her part, Tirso’s signature screen partner, Nora Aunor, has assured her fans that she’s finally getting that operation that will bring back her golden singing voice. Should that finally happen, as promised, all will be well with our world!

Looking ‘different’

Of late, we’ve noted that quite a number of starlets and stars are looking rather, ah, “different” from how they used to project themselves before. —Fairer compexion, much better-toned body, stylist-assisted sophistication and trendiness—the works!

Some of these improvements are decidedly welcome, but others are more cautionary, because they don’t stop at improvement and enhancement, and go on to actually change the star’s appearance in a major way, to the extent that she or he becomes well-nigh unrecognizable!

Instructively enough, the stars who most readily come to mind in this regard are singers. Perhaps actors can’t be too radical in their physical, transformation ploys, because their performances have to be more “real” than singers’, who can do a lot more in terms of creating artistic and musical moods and illusions?

Whatever the operative reason, actors generally need to be instantly recognizable, even if they’ve been greatly enhanced since their first entry into show biz as raw and gauche starlets. Imagine if John Lloyd looked more like Piolo, and vice versa? Or Kim being mistaken for Angel? —That would never do!

The first singing star who comes to mind in our gallery of excessively “transformed” performers is based abroad. When she comes back, she looks even more “different” than before—the product of the latest in a series of “enhancement” procedures?

We hear that she’s trying to look more “Latina” to better suit the US market, and we wish her lots of luck in achieving that goal of hers. —But, the last time she came home for a singing and TV-guesting visit, we honestly couldn’t place her! Now, that isn’t good for her local career, so we hope that she adjusts her look accordingly—whenever she’s in town!

Another perplexing experience of ours happened just last month, when we caught a weekend musical TV show and witnessed a song number performed by—Sarah Geronimo? No, it wasn’t Sarah. It was—duh, we couldn’t figure out who this coifed, made-up and styled (to the max) performer was—until somebody told us.

Now, we’re all for this younger singer trying to make-over her image in a major way to add to her allure and marketability—but she should still be instantly recognizable as and for herself—otherwise, what’s all the image-enhancing fuss-and-bother for?