A bagful of ‘ecstatic’ surprises

I’m sure this little item will make you "ecstatic" with surprises like it did to me when the Funfare DPA huffed and puffed the "breaking news."

The former young sweethearts (coming from rival stations) have remained friendly and cordial to each other even if they have long broken up. The actor is now romantically linked to a pretty young actress from the same station while his former actress-girlfriend is said to be carrying on a "secret" romance with the (non-showbiz) son of a showbiz couple.

One time, according to the DPA, the actor came upon the bag of his former actress-girlfriend (I surmised that he opened it by accident or maybe intentionally to find out for himself what the truth was, even if it hurts) and, to his horror and surprise, found 40 Ecstacy pills (euphemistically called "Party Pills") inside. The furious actor (who genuinely still cares for the actress) soon learned (after some sleuthing) that the precious pills (said to be P1,000 apiece in the market, so the bagful of "ecstatic surprises" was worth P40,000) came from the actress’ non-showbiz boyfriend.

Now, did the non-showbiz boyfriend ask the actress to sell the precious pills? Was he forcing her to taste those precious pills? How come she was so daring to be carrying those precious pills in her bag?

To make a long story short, there was a confrontation of sorts among the actress, her former boyfriend, her "current" and the actress’ father. In a huff, the clean-living actor (yes, he’s drug-free, being a fitness freak) asked the actress’ father, "Ngayon, ito ba ang ipinagmamalaki ninyong boyfriend ng anak n’yo?"

Ouch, ouch, ouch! It hurts, doesn’t it?

Janette, Mo really an item

At about the same time last Sunday that Janette McBride was confessing in a taped interview with The Buzz that she and Mo Twister (unwed father of a love child with Bunny Paras, younger sister of Sharmaine Arnaiz) are, indeed, going steady (it was an anti-climactic confession, actually, because their going steady has long been a public secret), she and Mo were in Boracay locked up in a passionate kiss after Mo got his tattoo (a dollar sign, as in $) at the Tattoo Studio.

The kiss must have been Janette’s way of easing the little pain Mo got during the tattoo-ing just above his knee. Earlier, Janette also got a similar passionate kiss from Mo after Janette got her own tattoo (a dolphin). Those "consolation" kisses were exchanged, according to Funfare’s Boracay DPA, "while the sweethearts were holding hands," much to the amused approval of the big crowd watching them.

Yes, it’s also true that Janette is quitting showbiz (goodbye, Talk TV which she co-hosts with Tintin Bersola, Julius Babao and Ryan Agoncillo) and going back to her native Australia, as Janette said on national television yesterday, her 18th birthday, "to continue my studies."

On The Buzz, Janette smilingly denied that she is, as rumors have it, pregnant (although she’s visibly gaining weight as you must have observed her on Talk TV). Janette is leaving in three weeks time. (Could it be true that Mo is also resigning from his ABS-CBN show A.S.A.P.? Where could he be going? Back to his native America to, uh, also continue his studies?)

It’s, of course, a pity that Janette is making this crucial decision right when her career is starting to boom (she won praises for her acting in her movie debut, Tanging Yaman, as Dina Bonnevie’s US-bred rebellious daughter). Dozens of aspiring girls would give an arm to be in her shoes.

Let’s hope that in Australia, Janette will be as happy as she apparently isn’t in showbiz. The only problem is that, maybe a year from now when she does decide to come back, she might find no more space left for her. Her loss will be some other girls’ gain, that’s for sure.

HBO Band of Brothers promo quiz

And here’s the next set of questions (for episode 4, entitled Replacements, telecast last night) in the HBO-Funfre tie-up promo for the mini-series Band of Brothers now being shown on HBO.

1. "Buck" Comption is left-handed. True or false?

2. One of the new replacements took off the unit citation badge that he was wearing after being confronted about whether he was worthy to wear the badge. What’s his name? (a-James Cook, b-James Frost, c-James Miller, or d-James Fuller)

3. Carwood Lipton was promoted to_____ in this episode. (a-First Officer, b-Lieutenant, c-First Sergeant, or d-Battalion commander)

4. Operation Market-Garden is said to be an even bigger operation than Normandy. True or false?

5. The soldier nicknamed Bull was missing after an attack by the Germans. Who is he? (a-Winters, b-Randelman, c-Lipton, or d-Nixon)

(Note: Send answers to: Funfare-Band of Brothers Contest, P.O. Box 512 Greenhills Post Office, San Juan, Metro Manila. Each of the seven winners for each episode will get a free Band of Brothers T-shirt.)

Three cheers to Von Arroyo

Funfare congratulates "small but terrible" singer Von Arroyo on the release of his third album, Maisip Mo Lang Ako, his first for Prime Music. Von’s first two albums, But If You Leave Me (with Tagalog lyrics, an adaptation of the popular song) and Mr. Lonely (also an adaptation, with Tagalog lyrics), were produced by Viva Records.

But despite his considerable success with "adaptations," Von politely rejects the "title" Adaptation Prince, saying his third album carries no "adaptation" at all but nine original songs (by Jimmy Borja, Boy Christopher, Nonoy Tan, etc.) including a revival, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes. Von is also promoting Regalo, a cut from his Christmas album simply called Pasko.

Von is a graduate of Ryan Cayabyab’s music school. From age nine to 12, he was a member of Mr. C’s 14-K group (composed of promising kiddie singers), after which Von went back to his native Mindoro to finish high school (at St. Joseph Academy). He came back to Manila for college, tucking up a Masscrom degree from Perpetual Help College (Manila) cum laude.

Then he joined the band Voice Ov Her before forming his own, Von’s Army. And then, he decided to go solo, first as a non-exclusive contract singer of Viva Records.

That plaintive voice you hear on radio (and TV) singing Sino sa Aming Dalawa belongs to Von. The song is from his Maisip Mo Lang Ako album.