Willie speaks up - FUNFARE by Ricardo F. Lo

Curtain-raisers:

• Willie Revillame may be gone from MTB but the double-meaning green jokes, no thanks to the two co-hosts he left behind, John Estrada and Randy Santiago, who are "still at it" (cracking jokes referring to the reproductive system) especially in the Calendar Girl portion. Oh, well, some people just never learn.

• Mike Planas, who’s running for Congressman in the third district of Quezon City, led 300 couples yesterday in a mass wedding, with Joyce Jimenez and Eric Quizon as special guests. Mike’s infanticipating wife, Pat-P Daza-Planas, was around to assist in the ceremony.

• Ina Raymundo, confirmed to be seven weeks pregnant by her Canadian-Ukranian boyfriend Bryan Poturnak, is expecting twins (but the ultrasound showed one of the fetuses without any heartbeat). Ina said that the "crime" was committed in Boracay on Dec. 29 last year (she’s giving birth in September along with Sunshine Cruz and Christine Jacob). The object of Ina’s paglilihi (infanticipation)? Yes, none other than her boyfriend whom, according to Ina, "I watch with loving fondness when he’s asleep."

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After a week-long silence, Willie Revillame has finally spoken about his "expulsion" from Magandang Tanghali Bayan (MTB) but only to Funfare (it was The STAR who broke the story Sunday last week).

No, Willie didn’t sound bitter at all; neither did he say anything negative against ABS-CBN or his colleagues on MTB which has three new co-hosts in the persons of Rico Yan, Dominic Ochoa and Marvin Agustin (let’s hope that the three "wholesome" guys won’t be infected with the "green-joke syndrome" by John and Randy).

Yes, admitted Willie, "I was terminated, but I have no hard feelings against ABS-CBN." In fact, a few days ago, Willie sent flowers to ABS-CBN bigwigs Freddie Garcia (known as "FMG" at the station) and Charo Santos whose mother, Nora Santos, is like "a second mother to me," added Willie.

No, Willie denied, it’s not true that he wanted some people dropped from the MTB staff or that he was making so many demands. "It’s not true that direk Bobot (Edgar Mortiz) and I were fighting," Willie explained. "Mayroon lang kaming conflict of ideas. Mayroon silang ipinagagawa sa akin sa show na hindi ko gusto at mayroon din naman akong gustong gawin na hindi nila gusto."

Yes, Willie said he’s thankful to ABS-CBN for giving him a chance to be close to the masa via his hosting job on MTB.

"Because of ABS-CBN," said Willie, "I was able to buy a house, a Range Rover, a van and other luxuries in life. I’ll be forever grateful to ABS-CBN."

Asked what his plans are, Willie turned mum.

"I guess it’s God will that something like this should happen," he mused. "Maybe it’s a signal for me to go solo, be on my own."

Before our chat ended, Willie said again, "wala akong sama ng loob sa ABS-CBN, maski na sa mga kasamahan ko sa MTB. ABS-CBN will always be in my heart."

Lani: No comparison

No offense meant to Jaya but many music lovers (this one included) believe that Lani Misalucha happens to be the more versatile singer, gifted with a voice that can do wonders with a song, much like the way the inimitable Mariah Carey turns singing into a personal art form.

Why is Funfare singling out Jaya in the same breath with Lani? Well, they belong to the same "league," don’t they (sila ang magka-level daw)?

The ever-humble Lani dismisses such comparison with a smile. "Pero nakakatuwa," she said. "Actually, okay kami ni Jaya. I don’t feel any competition with her whatsoever."

Surprisingly, however, even if some people claim she sings "like Mariah Carey," Lani steers clear of Mariah Carey songs – "Kasi parang ayaw niyang ipakanta sa ibang singers ang mga songs niya. She seems to put so many (vocal) acrobatics into her songs, so ang hirap talagang kantahin."

That’s why on her show The Love Concert tomorrow night at the Araneta Coliseum (co-starring Zsa Zsa Padilla and Freestyle), Lani won’t be doing any Mariah Carey songs but those of her favorites (Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston, etc.). She’s doing solo numbers and duets with Zsa Zsa, plus production numbers with both Zsa Zsa and Freestyle and a Whitney Houston medley (I Will Always Love You, Saving All My Love For You, One Moment in Time, etc.). The Love Concert is Lani’s first big concert in such a big venue (in the past, she was usually billed as a "guest" performer).

Singing is in Lani’s genes. Her father, Benjamin Bayot, is a tenor; while her mother, Esperanza Dimalanta, is a coloratura. A graduate of B.S. Management from the Philippine Christian University, Lani didn’t have any formal training in music (she "vocalizes" when she has to put her two children to sleep). Well, when you have it, you have it!

She started singing with a band in 1991 and ventured as a solo artist in 1993, making heads turn and keeping people "on their ears" by winning awards both here and abroad (second-placer at the Musika Manila Songfest, first prize at the Metropop in 1999, etc.). In 1997, Lani recorded an album called More Than I Should for Alpha, followed in 1998 with another one (with the carrier single Tunay na Mahal). Her third album, All Heart, was produced by Viva Records.

Away from the spotlight, Lani loves nothing more than being wife to Noli Misalucha (connected with PLDT) and mother to their two kids, Louven (9) and Liean (7). So proud is Lani of her family that she has opted to use her married surname. "Lani Bayot won’t sound good as a showbiz name, will it?" she laughed.

(The Love Concert is a production of Viva Concerts and Uniprom, Inc., with Mossimo as sponsor. Official concert stations are Mellow Touch 94.7, Yes!FM 101.1, Magic 89.9 dwTM, 93.9 KCFM, and 90.7 Love Radio. Musical Direction is by Louie Ocampo while TV and Stage Direction is by Rowell Santiago. Tickets to the concert, priced at P1,200, P800, P600, P300 and P100 are available at the Araneta Booking office at 911-5555, all SM Ticketnet Outlets and Viva Concerts at 413-2572.)