Pops: No more lonely nights?

Curtain-raisers:

• Could it be true that Bobby Ante is retiring from RMN Network after almost two decades with the company? What could be the reason behind Bobby’s sudden(?) decision to quit RMN to which he has given the best years of his career and his best efforts (including the recruitment of top artists such as, among others, Chico and Delamar)? The Funfare DPA said that Bobby is retiring "only from RMN." Does that mean that Bobby might resurface in another (a rival?) company soon? Stay tuned.

• The list of "stars with a college degree" printed in Funfare a few issues ago was not, as I’ve said, complete. It didn’t include, among many others, Manila Councilor Robert Ortega who finished Human Resource Management in La Salle (and is now taking his Master’s Degree in Public Administration at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila).

• Reader Jem Rodriguez pointed out that Talk TV co-host Ryan Agoncillo finished Organizational Communication at La Salle and not, as Funfare wrongly mentioned, Business Administration. (Note: Funfare will soon put out an additional list of "stars with a college degree." Watch for it.)

Yes, it’s true: Pops Fernandez and Jacques Dupasquier, with whom she broke up three months ago after going steady for barely a year, took the same Philippine Airlines flight (PR 102) to L.A. third week of March. Pops went there for a week-long vacation with younger son Ram (older son Robin opted to stay behind because he was involved in their community church’s Holy Week activities).

In fact, Pops (and Ram) sat behind Jacques (who was travelling alone) in the first-class section, so throughout the 13-hour direct flight to L.A., Pops must have been watching the back of Jacques’ head – that is, when she wasn’t snoozing. I’m sure Jacques did turn his back every now and then to check how Pops and Ram were doing.

Before you jump to any conclusion, I’ll hasten to add that, no, Pops and Jacques didn’t ravel together; their having been on the same PAL flight was mere coincidence (although it must have given their co-passengers the wrong impression that they had "reconciled").

"I have no love life," Pops admitted during a brief chat at the presscon for her and Robin Padilla’s first team-up, Videoke King, Star Cinema’s 9th anniversary offering. "Do I feel empty not having a love life, a boyfriend? Not at all. You can be happy without a love life."

She doesn’t even have lonely nights, according to Pops.

"I’m very busy, I’m forever doing something and working and I have no time to feel lonely at night."

Saying men are intimidated by women like her, Pops denied that there’s anything between her and Troy Montero, between her and Piolo Pascual or between her and any other guy (showbiz or non-showbiz).

"Yes," said Pops, "it’s true that my friends and I went to San Diego to watch the Hunks concert. They (Piolo, Jericho Rosales, Carlos Agassi, Bernard Palanca and Diether Ocampo) are my friends, so what’s wrong with it? I didn’t go there just for Piolo."

No, it’s not true that Pops was "slighted" by rumors that her good friend Kris Aquino "snatched" Troy away from her.

"In the first place," said Pops, "wala kaming relasyon ni Troy, then or now. If he and Kris are, indeed, going steady, I’m happy for them. Kris is my good friend and I want her to be happy."

She has remained "good friends" with ex-husband Martin Nievera who himself is happy with his beloved Katrina O.

Pops counted out Robin Padilla outright as a "future boyfriend."

"He’s married," said Pops. "Besides, we can never be more than friends. During our kissing scene in Videoke King, we had a hard time because we were embarrassed, we were laughing; nakakailang pala doing such a scene with a friend."

The two most important men in Pops’ life are sons Robin and Ram with whom she usually spends weekends at the Manila Peninsula where Pops recently treated Ram on his birthday.

"With my sons around," smiled Pops, "what do I need another man for?"