Jolina w ows ’em in the US

Curtain-raisers:

• Just when everybody thought that the romance between the action star and a sexy comedienne was over, guess who were seen together last week at a posh restaurant in Cebu – yes them! Oh, well, maybe they bumped into each other, uh, by accident? "Accidents" do happen, don’t they?

• Dear Kris Aquino is out of Morning Girls, replaced by Carmina Villarroel (as co-host of Pops Fernandez and Zsa Zsa Padilla). No, Dear Kris wasn’t "kicked out"; she resigned due to heavy work load. Carmina is helping a great deal in bringing decency – and sanity – to the show. Right on, Girls!

• I agree with the opinion of Funfare readers that Alessandra de Rossi should stop "meddling" in the personal life of her sister Assunta, specifically as far as Rep. Jules Ledesma is concerned. Why, does Assunta "meddle" in Alessandra’s romance with Polo Ravales? Assunta doesn’t. It must be recalled that before Assunta turned "rebel," it was Alessandra who was accused (by the media) of answering back at their poor mom and defying her word all because of her love for Polo. So, Alessandra should better keep her mouth shut. Right, Jules?

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Funfare readers have been asking how the recent US shows of Jolina Magdangal went.

Here’s a detailed account, written by no less than Jolina’s dad, Jun Magdangal, who was with the entourage:

• Jolina left for the US on Aug. 1 via Philippine Airlines. There were some fans and friends who were present at the NAIA Centennial airport to send her off. There were also TV crew and broadcast journalists who covered her departure.

• On Aug. 3, her first stop was San Francisco where she performed before an excited crowd at the prestigious Palace of Fine Arts in the posh Presidio area near the Golden Gate bridge. This was Jolina’s second time to perform in the same venue and her third time in the area. The fans were united in saying that her show is getting better all the time. There were many familiar and new faces in the audience. She was taken from her Hampton Inn suite by a limousine to the concert venue. There was overcrowding at the theater lobby right after the show when Jolina appeared to greet the existing crowd and sign autographs.

• The following day, Aug. 4, a limousine brought her to Sacramento for another concert, this time at the McClaccy Senior High School Auditorium. With the same energy, Jolina impressed the crowd no end. Kids, teens and their elders showered her with gifts, flowers and letters in the middle of her song numbers. During the autograph signing, she did not leave the lobby until the last person was given an autograph. Joey Camins, the concert producer, hosted a dinner party at Tito Rey’s Restaurant, a major sponsor of the show.

• After a post-concert dinner hosted by the South Villa Restaurant, she was driven back to San Francisco for a much-needed rest. Together with her mom and dad, she spent another day in San Francisco and met with business partners to discuss the opening of a Jolina’s Fashion Gallery retail store in the area before the end of the year.

• On Aug. 6, she left for a nine-hour drive to San Diego for a series of promotional sorties and rehearsals. This time she was joined by her special guest, Nikki Valdez. She was billeted at the Windham Hotel in downtown San Diego, a stone’s throw away from her concert venue, the prestigious Spreckles Theatre.

• Come the evening of Aug. 10, eager fans started milling in front of the theater, with late-comers lining up for tickets to the concert. With a slight delay, the concert commenced with a big bang. Jolina’s highly-energized opening number roused the audience to wild cheers and applause. Just like Jolina, the energy of the huge San Diego crowd remained high all throughout the show. They were treated by Jolina to a "meet and greet" session at the theater lobby after the show. She was practically mobbed by her excited fans who stayed with her for more than an hour. Her concert producer, Eric Sta. Maria held a post concert party at the Manila Tokyo Restaurant, which is also a major concert sponsor.

• With only a couple of hours sleep, Jolina moved to Los Angeles in the morning of Aug. 11, checked-in her things at her Holiday Inn Suite and proceeded to her concert venue, the Center For The Performing Arts in Baldwin Park, Los Angeles. The crowd started to swell early. The concert producer, John N. Ling failed to provide a good sound system. The concert was disorganized. But being real troopers, Jolina, her band and guest, Nikki did their best to provide a good show. They made it a point that the audience wouldn’t know what was happening at the backstage. The group’s professionalism saved the day and the crowd went home with smiles on their faces.

• With only a day to rest, shop and see some sights, Jolina flew back to Manila, arriving on the 15th and started taping for GMA-7’s Kahit Kailan on the 16th, still reeling from jetlag.

• Back home, she is faced with a very hectic schedule: a TV guesting with international composer/balladeer David Pomeranz in SIS; the opening of Jolina’s Fashion Gallery and her new snack bar, Chuva Chicha at SM Fairview’s Storyland; the launching of her new album, Jolina Sings The Master’s; and shooting of her upcoming movies (one of them with Dolphy).

Letter for Ate Luds

Meanwhile, here’s a letter for Inday "Ate Luds" Badiday, from Sydney-based journalist Oscar Landicho:

Dear Ric,

I have just learned that Inday Badiday is suffering renal/kidney failure. This is a life-threatening ailment. Treatment is very expensive. A kidney transplant operation is not a cure but only a treatment. I should know because I also suffered renal failure in June 2000 when I was in Manila.

I had to return to Sydney because bawal magkasakit sa atin. In Sydney, I just present my Medicare Card to pay for my hemodialysis. When I undergo hemodialysis at a hospital here I am provided free sandwiches and drinks. This is only possible when corruption is not the rule but only an exception.

I am writing you to inform Inday Badiday and kidney failure patients that I have written a book Living With Malfunctioning Kidneys after I got sick. That is, I interviewed and asked my doctors, nurses and nutritionists how I got my ailment. National Book Store is selling my book for P100 a copy. I understand the National Kidney and Transplant Institute is displaying my book at its lobby.

I’ll appreciate it if you can include this information in your column.

All the best and maraming salamat. Please include me in your prayers.