Idle minds active during Holy Week

Curtain-raisers:

• Correction 1: Rico Yan’s spiritual adviser and good friend is not Toti as Funfare wrongly reported yesterday but Fr. Tito Caluag of Ateneo, one of the trus-tees (along with Rico’s parents Roby and Sita, sisters Tina and Geraldine, and brother Bobby) of the Rico Yan Youth Foundation. The Yans are requesting that, instead of flowers, donations be made to the Foundation. Those interested may call Fr. Tito Caluag at 4251893 (direct line) or 4266001 (trunk line, extension 4088 or 4081).

• Correction 2 (from reader Eller de Leon of Milpitas, California, USA): Lalaine Bennette was third runner-up (not fourth) in the 1964 Miss Universe Pageant. You probably meant "fourth place." (Note: You’re right, Eller!)

• Here’s another tie-up promo between Funfare and HBO. All you have to do is answer this question – On what movie channel will U2 Live in Boston concert be shown on April 11 (Thursday), at 9 p.m.? – and e-mail your answers to U2 HBO Contest, c/o Funfare, nespinosa@virtusio.com. Remember, don’t send your answers any other way but by e-mail. The senders of the first seven correct answers will each get a copy of the U2 album All That You Can’t Leave Behind. Deadline is April 11.

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The Holy Week was supposed to be a time for reflection and prayer. But sadly, there were idle minds who used the solemn occasion for evil designs by spreading alarming but false text messages. Texting was admittedly helpful in informing everybody, both here and abroad, of the sudden death of Rico Yan because during those two days (Good Friday and Black Saturday), there were no newspapers, no radio broadcast and on television. Only the ABS-CBN News Channel ANC was operating.

But during the weekend, all sorts of dire text messages, victimizing the likes of German "Kuya" Germs Moreno and Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos who, Funfare assures everybody, are up and about, hale and happy.

Yesterday, there were frantic inquiries if it was true that Richard Gomez and Lucy Torres have broken up, a piece of news that can send showbiz-watchers into a tizzy especially since some showbiz couples are careening toward splitsville.

I checked with Douglas Quijano, manager of both Richard and Lucy, and Douglas happily announced that, no, it’s not true, that it was a kuryente news. "Richard and Lucy are still in Ormoc City vacationing with Lucy’s family." In fact, the couple is celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary 28th of this month.

So there.

All’s well with Kuya Germs, Ate Vi, and Richard and Lucy.

Kuh takes insult with a smile

When Kuh Ledesma mounted her For The Love Of... concert two Mondays ago at the Puerta Real Gardens (organized by the Power Network International Foundation to help raise funds for a free nationwide leadership training program for the youth), she recounted to the audience a not-so-nice incident during her other concert, On Higher Ground, at the Music Museum weeks ago.

As usual, in-between songs, Kuh would remind her audience how important it is to have faith in God (as she also did during her Puerta Real concert). An ex-beauty queen who was among the Music Museum audience, hearing Kuh talk about God, made this snide remark, "Ang sarap niyang (Kuh) batukan ng tsinelas!" The ex-beauty queen didn’t know that seated next to her was Kuh’s friend who later relayed the nasty remark to Kuh (who became a Born-again Christian four years ago). But instead of being mad, Kuh simply shrugged it off, praying that the ex-beauty queen would be "enlightened." She took the insult with a smile.

On April 12 and 13, also at the Music Museum, Kuh will do a repeat of On Higher Ground, again with daughter Isabella as special guest, and don’t be surprised if, in-between songs, she reminds the audience about the importance of having a close relationship with God.

Sponsoring the two-night concert are Artists in Touch (AIT) and the Ministry of Philippine Campus Crusade for Christ (PCCC) for the benefit of the PCCC Center for Discipleship and Evangelism. Other sponsors are Goldilocks and Givaudan Route PTE. LTD. (For ticket inquiries, call Ticketworld at 911-5555, Music Museum at 721-0635 or 721-6726, Good News Cafe at 551-7251 to 55, or the PCCC office at 372-3682 to 84.)

What’s up?

• All "alumni" of the Philippines Daily Express and its sister publications are invited to a grand homecoming on May 7, the 30th anniversary of the Express. The affair, to be held at the National Press Club, will be highlighted by a "Recognition Lunch." The Daily Express was the "alma mater" of many editors and deskmen in today’s publications, as well as executives and staffers in production, marketing and circulation. Delegations from the US, (particularly the West Coast), Australia, Europe and the Middle East and those from Singapore have expressed their desire to be one with their former co-workers on May 7.

• The British Council announces dance auditions for the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts (HKAPA) on April 14, 5 to 8 p.m. at the Chameleon Dance Studio, 38 West Avenue, Quezon City. Susan Street, Dean of the School of Dance of the HKAPA, and Tom Brown, Associate Dean, will conduct the auditions. The school is in search of gifted young Filipinos specializing in ballet and modern dance to be awarded one-year scholarships in pursuit of a Professional Diploma in the Performing Arts. For inquiries, call Ahrni Planco at the British Council at 9141011 to 14.

• Mandy Navasero will hold two workshops this summer. Basic Photography in black-and-white for seven weeks includes dark room procedures. Besides learning the technical aspects of photography, there will also be actual shootings every week in Metro Manila and out-of-town shoots beginning April 17 to May 29, from 2 to 5 p.m. Classes are open to hobbyists from 10 years old and above. Participants should have their own 35mm camera with interchangeable lens, preferably 105mm, 20mm or 28mm. Registration is ongoing at 1935 Dominga Street (near the corner of Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue) in Pasay City. For further inquiries, call 522-1905, 522-5185 or 522-5189, or 0916 306-0841.