For the Rolling Stones, the show must go on!

Curtain-raisers:

• For the first time in many, many years, GMA 7’s Fronptage beat ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol in the ratings (not by an alarming margin, though) last week. Frontpage’s winning episode featured the Ruffa-Yilmaz wedding. I guess it’s a wake-upper. Televiewers must be sick and tired of the continuous coverage of the US-led war in Iraq. You know, give us a break!

• As I was saying, the resignation of Pops Fernandez and Ariel Rivera from AS.A.P. (and several others before them, including Richard Gomez and Jolina Magdangal) might generate an exodus – that is, if ABS-CBN doesn’t do immediate damage control. Now also secretly negotiating with GMA 7 is an ABS-CBN male TV host, the first one of his kind to be pirated by GMA 7. Clue? He’s one of the first faces which greet you in the morning.

• Ruffa Gutierrez finally left Monday night not for L.A. as originally planned but for Istanbul to join her brand-new husband Yilmaz Bektas who will welcome Ruffa with a 12-carat ring (an heirloom piece from his mom, Nurhan Celik, said to be as mataray as Ruffa’s mom Annabelle Rama). Ruffa will give birth to a girl in L.A. sometime in August.

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As you must have learned from wire dispatches, the Rolling Stones have cancelled their shows in Hong Kong and Singapore due to the SARS scare. But their Asian tour continues, with a concert slated in Bangkok on April 8. It’s a pity that the Stones didn’t include the Philippines in their itinerary because they wouldn’t have worried about the SARS while here.

Before, it was terrorists’ threats that made foreign artists cancel their shows in Asia. Now, it’s the SARS.

In connection with the concert tour, EMI Music, distributor of the Stones’ new album 40 Licks, is conducting a contest (similar to the one in Funfare early this year) in K-Lite 103.5 FM, good until Sunday, April 6. The lone winner will get as prize a round-trip ticket to Bangkok (with hotel accommodation) where he/she will watch the Stones concert.

It’s easy to win – if you’re lucky. Tune in to K-Lite which will announce the mechanics round the clock. Good luck.

The 40 Licks album contains 36 vintage Rolling Stones classics, including Satisfaction, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Honky Tonk Women, Start Me Up and Brown Sugar. If you haven’t got a copy yet, check the record bar nearest you.

And try your luck in the K-Lite Rolling Stones contest.

Blame it on his manager

If a young, handsome and likeable TV-movie actor gets "blacklisted" by show promoters/producers bringing local talents abroad, blame it on his over-bearing manager who makes unreasonable demands.

Recently, the actor went with other local talents to Japan for a promo show. "But that would be the last time I’d ever hire him," said the disgruntled show promoter. "Ang hirap kausap ng kanyang manager who made so many demands that, at one point, I was tempted to invite him to the Tokyo Tower and let him ‘fly’ from there."

The manager demanded a 50 percent down payment months before the group left for Japan and for the 50 percent balance the day before they took the PAL flight on which the manager wanted a "first class" seat no less, never mind if the other artists in the group, all of them far bigger and more popular than the "pampered" actor, were contented with "economy-class" seats.

"The manager gave me so many other headaches that just by thinking about them I get a giant headache," said the show promoter.

If the word spreads, the poor "pampered" actor would surely scare away other promoters/producers.

"He wouldn’t be such a loss," sneered a veteran journalist. "He doesn’t know how to sing, he doesn’t know how to act. All he knows is magpa-pretty. Dump him!"

Who’s that actor?

The clue is in your door bell.

John Ferriols:

Is he, isn’t he?

Here’s an interesting item from Funfare’s hardcourt DPA:

Female fans of FedEx rookie heartthrob John Ferriols went "gaga" after seeing him with a gorgeous girl at the pre-game of the FedEx Express versus Alecks Aces in Bago City.

According to rumors, the mystery girl was none other than John’s wife though, of course, he hasn’t publicly acknowledged it (his civil status).

Admirers of the Bacolod-based player were fuming because they couldn’t approach their idol since his "wife" was clinging tightly to him.

Hey, if they wanna know the real score between him and this girl, maybe they can ask John’s cousin Mickey Ferriols (of MTB) for confirmation.

More on PBA: the whole FedEx Express team put a smile to the resident of the Saint Vincent Home for the Aged, as part of the PBA on the Road project.

The oldies were overwhelmed with joy because of the inspiration and importance that the team gave them, plus several souvenir treats.

It was unfortunate that a reunion between "Aerial Voyager" Vergel Meneses and his ex-yaya did not happen, for the latter has left St. Vincent and is now staying in a different facility.

And did we hear right that fans stormed and rooted for Rem Rem Ritualo, proving that the sophomore from La Salle is one of PBA’s certified superstars.

He and "hometown idol" Ferriols (Bago City is beside Bacolod) powered the Express over the Aces, receiving loud cheers and admiration.

Mayor Janet Torres definitely provided her constituents an awesome treat by successfully hosting the event. and it’s sure that This is only the start of PBA’s visit to Bago City.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected])