'ON AND OFF' COUPLE: Jennylyn & Mark US-bound

Lack of work is driving a lot of entertainment industry members to take other, less wholesome jobs.

There's this sexy star who used to be big in television. Her career is on the wane so she's forced to offer her "services" to men hankering for some action. She's expensive - her asking price is P50,000 a night - but she's reportedly fully booked. Her usual clients are Chinese businessmen, I'm told by my source who used to a customer of the sexy star.

A hint about Miss Sexy Star's identity: She was a good dancer and even appeared in a movie.

* * *

For many gay men, a sex change is the culmination of a yearning to be what they really want to be - a woman.

Not Jeffrey Salonga, a.k.a Ghie Kinis, the half brother of Lea Salonga. He's happy with the body that God had given him. Besides, his boyfriend is not pressuring him to make the cut, so to speak. "He's kind, and he realizes that even if I have a sex change operation, we can't have a baby," said Ghie, who is one of the participants in the extra challenge-type contest named "The Chosen Ones" going on in Klownz comedy bars.

Ghie belongs to the Maldivas group who won in the first elimination round of the tournament. Coming in second was D'Novas, third was F.Y.I. and fourth, Himatsu. With Ghie in Malidivas are Nikki, Pola and AJ.

* * *

GMA-7 is deadset on taking on ABS-CBN's The Filipino Channel in the US.

GMA has scheduled a spectacular launch of its international channel, GMA Pinoy TV, at the Billy Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California on July 23.

Through Pinoy TV, GMA hopes to introduce its top-rating shows to Pinoy audiences in the States.

For the launch, the network is flying in the cast of "SOP." It chose the 7,000-seat Billy Graham Civic Auditorium because its stage has been graced by such high-class entertainers as Bette Midler, Celine Dion, The Rolling Stones and Madonna.

Asia's Songbird Regine Velasquez leads the "SOP" mainstays performing at the auditorium on July 23. Regine will be joined by Ogie Alcasid, Janno Gibbs and Jaya, R&B Prince Jay-R, Dingdong Dantes, Karylle, Malik, KC Montero, Gabby Eigenmann, and Jolina Magdangal.

"SOP" Gigsters Richard and Raymond Gutierrez, Chynna Ortaleza, Jennylyn Mercado and Mark Herras will also be there. Other GMA talents like Joey de Leon, Richard Gomez, German Moreno and the respected broadcast Mel Tiangco will make special appearances.

Through the gala show, the Kapuso Network would like to bring Filipinos in America to its embrace.

Before the GMA Pinoy TV is formally launched, there will be a Fiesta GMA in the auditorium, with booths showcasing Philippine products.

Admission to the GMA Pinoy TV launch is free.

* * *

Jennylyn Mercado, Mark Herras and Kris Aquino bumped into each other in the US Embassy last Tuesday and naturally Kris was eager to know if the two are back on again.

But Mark and Jen only replied with a mysterious smile.

Kris has been close to Mark and Jen since the three of them starred in the movie, "Happy Together" last December. It was also then that romance blossomed between Mark and Jen.

Jennylyn was glad that she was given a working visa for the US but she would have been happier if her surrogate mom Lydia Mercado would be coming along. Lydia usually chaperones Jen during her trips abroad but this time GMA refused to allow its stars to have traveling companions.

"I'm afraid because I might get lost," Jennylyn told me last Wednesday. I just advised her not to go out on her own.

Mommy Lydia meanwhile is confident her ward won't get into trouble in the US.

Jennylyn told me that the only question the interviewing consul at the US Embassy asked her was, "Are you excited?"

Her answer was yes.

The GMA group leaves for San Francisco on July 18.

* * *

Brad Pitt has been discharged from the hospital after being treated for flu symptoms that turned out to be viral meningitis.

The Hollywood heartthrob had just returned from a trip to East Africa with his reputed sweetheart Angelina Jolie when he began to experience flu-like symptoms.

Up until now neither Brad or Angelina refuses to formally acknowledge that they're on. That's probably because Brad is still in the process of getting divorced from Jennifer Aniston.

The star of the "Tomb Raider" films went to Ethiopia to collect her new daughter, Zahara Marley, at an orphanage last week.

Angelina already has an adopted son, Maddox, a Cambodian.

* * *

A photographer has been hauled to court after he tried to blackmail actress Cameron Diaz by asking for up to $3.5 million for topless pictures he took of her before she became a Hollywood star.