It’s a girl for Franco and Ayen!

Curtain-raisers:

• Congratulations to Jose Mari Chan and his wife Mary Ann Ansaldo for being brand-new lolo and lola. Their first grandchild, to be named Ramona Isabel, was born on Independence Day at 3:52 p.m. According to the baby’s parents, Jose Antonio Chan and Ana Patricia Bunyag, Ramona weighed 7 lbs. and 12 ounces and measured 49 centimeters long.

• Did you know there’s a so-called Langaw King and Langaw Queen in Filipino communities abroad because the two singers usually perform in near-empty venues (as in nilalangaw)? If you want to know who these two "royalties" are, ask your relatives in the US.

• From reader Eller de Leon of Oakland, California, this rejoinder: In addition to your list of Mutya winners who ventured into showbiz, there are also Baby Delgado (now based in New Jersey), Tetchie Agbayani (who was a Mutya Tourism), Miriam Pantig (who bagged the Miss Talent special title in a tie with Rosemarie de Vera, the title-holder) and Maricel Morales (now Mrs. Ace Espinosa).

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I got the following "flash" report yesterday afternoon while typing this column:

It’s a girl for Franco Laurel and his wife Ayen Munji, due on Oct. 28 ("By normal delivery," said Ayen) and to be named Maria Yllena Angia. The couple themselves relayed the good news to Funfare as soon as they got the ultrasound result. Yesterday was Ayen’s fifth month of pregnancy.

Ayen has some difficulty during her first few weeks of pregnancy and she was advised by her OB-Gyne to rest. Three weeks ago when she had a concert at Music Museum (as part of the promo for her self-titled album), Ayen felt dizzy and almost collapsed onstage, forcing her to sit on a stool. She apologized by saying, "I cannot see you," touching her forehead.

Henceforth, Ayen will have to slow down, confining her album promo to radio programs. But she’s working out, doing mostly stretching exercises and light aerobics, so she won’t have a hard time during her October delivery.

Paolo: Did he or didn’t he?

Did Paolo Bediones collapse at the Incheon Airport in Korea last Sunday?

That’s what some people have been asking me after Paolo announced on S-Files, three hours after arriving from Seoul, that he suffered from chills at the airport and nearly collapsed but thanks to me who rushed to his rescue.

Paolo and I were among more than three dozen entertainment journalists who interviewed Will Smith, Lara Flynn Boyle and Tommy Lee Jones for the Asian regional promo for Men in Black (a.k.a. MIIB).

It turned out that before going to Seoul, Paolo did advance episodes for his other show, Extra Extra, and had hardly rested. Even in Seoul, Paolo was coordinating with GMA 7, sleeping only a few winks on our first night there and watching late TV, with no sleep at all, on the second night. At 7 a.m. on our arrival at the Incheon airport, Paolo said, "I’m going to collapse anytime. Nagtsi-chills ako!" He did look bad, so I asked him to take a seat while I checked in for both of us.

I asked for a doctor but no one was available. So I asked for a wheelchair instead and told Paolo to jump onto it. I wheeled him to the nearest coffee stand and bought him a cup of coffee.

At the departure area, I knew that Paolo was feeling better when we started swapping tidbits about showbiz folk.

He slept all the way from Korea to Manila during the nearly four-hour flight, and that same afternoon I saw him with Richard Gomez and Janice de Belen on S-Files.

Paolo should refrain from working so hard. Not all the money in the world is worth your health, is it?

Right on, Madame ‘V’!

If Violett Films producer Violeta "Madame Violeta" Sevilla is smiling even wider (than she did during the presscon) these days, it’s because her and husband (lawyer) Romy’s first venture, Cass & Cary (topbilled by Bayani Agbayani and Vhong Navarro), is doing very well at the tills, raking in more than P15 million during its Manila run (over-taken by the two-week Manila Filmfest) – and counting in the provincial circuit.

"Now I’m convinced that our going into movie-production is a right move," said Madame Violeta (a "title" given to her by the movie‘s drumbeater, Lolit Solis). "Romy and I didn’t have any problems at all during the shooting of Cass & Cary (directed by Joe Carreon, a relative of the Sevillas). Mababait ang stars namin, including Gloria Romero who is my idol."

Now in the planning stage is Violett Films’ follow-up movie, 3 Hari, an action-fantasy, and a light drama (low budget) to be directed maybe by Jeffrey Jeturian. The Sevillas might also go into a co-production venture with Viva Films and are negotiating with GMA 7 for airtime for a soap opera a la Betty La Fea.

The Sevillas are into several other businesses (construction, trucking and janitorial services).

They should be given all the encouragement, or any new producer for that matter, especially in times like this when the industry badly needs new blood.

Fidel contest

What is the Father’s Day movie showing on Hallmark Channel tonight at 9 and tomorrow night (same time)?

Name the lead actor who plays the title role as Fidel (Castro).

Watch the showing of the two-part mini-series Fidel and answer those two questions. Send your entries to: Fidel Watch and Win Contest, P.O. Box 3802, MCPO, Makati City. Or e-mail to [email protected].

Prizes at stake are five wine sets and 10 autographed posters of Fidel’s Victor Hugo Martin. Senders of the first 15 sets of correct answers will be declared winners. Deadline is on June 22 and names of winners drawn on June 24.

Winners may claim their prizes from Buensalido & Associates, Suite 701, 7th Floor Greenbelt Mansion, 106 Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Bring your I.D.

Movie writing workshop

The Rotaract Club of Kakaiba is holding a 10-day Movie Writing Workshop at the Rotary Center on Roces Avenue, Quezon City, starting on June 30 and every Sunday from then on. Sessions will be from 1 to 4 p.m.

Workshop fee is very minimal, with the registration slated for Sunday, June 16, 1 to 4 p.m. For inquiries, call Loi Villarama (0917-744-0949), Simonette Ramos (0917-7923401 or 922-34-23) or Louise Jean Luis (0917-4804585 or 757-20-60 to 63).