Cindy turns down Panday

Three issues ago, Funfare reported that Melissa Riggs quit the role as the wife of Jericho Rosales in Panday, the ABS-CBN fantaserye based upon the legendary komiks superhero created by Carlo J. Caparas (who only acts as the fantaserye’s supervisor), directed by Toto Natividad. Panday is now shooting in Ilocos.

The reason given was that the 15-year-old Melissa was "too young" to be credible as Jericho’s wife. But didn’t the brilliant casting masters of ABS-CBN know that from the start? A Funfare DPA, however, said that when the rushes were reviewed, Melissa was deemed not just "too young" but much "too inexperienced" (euphemism for, to put it bluntly, "bad acting").

As in the case of the Judy Ann Santos starrer Krystala (which is on its final week), the ABS-CBN wiseguys had to trash negatives of the initial shoots. Goodbye, tens of millions of pesos!

Now, the clincher: Cindy Kurleto, Jericho’s ex-girlfriend, was offered to replace Melissa and was given until last Friday to make up her mind. The "deadline" was unnecessary. Even before that Cindy gave ABS-CBN a flat no as answer. Could it be Cindy’s way of getting back at ABS-CBN for dumping her from the unlamented noontime show MTB and at Jericho for ungentlemanly denying (after their break-up went public) that he ever went steady with Cindy?

"No," said a Cindy sympathizer, "Cindy has a commitment to GMA and she doesn’t want to renege on that. It’s as simple as that."

Can ABS-CBN try either of Jericho’s two "exes" for the role, Kristine Hermosa or Angelika dela Cruz?

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After the Hair Grower Tonic which has been sufficiently discussed in this corner, Claire dela Fuente is coming up with a more potent formula which she herself has been concocting.

"My new formula will eliminate the normal shedding process of the human hair," assured Claire. "It also stops the hair’s resting period which is also normal. Thus, hair growth is faster."

The "super-strength" hair grower tonic will soon be available in Claire’s Skin Shop outlets at Robinsons Galleria (telephone 635-5041), Virra Mall (724-4566), Alabang Town Center (842-3306), Market Market (275-8243) and Festival Mall. Among the growing clientele (this one included) of Claire’s hair grower tonic are durable actors, some comedians, singers, broadcasters and actor-politicians. Members of a showbiz clan are also regular customers of Claire’s Skin Shop.

Besides this new hair grower "formula," Claire is also set to spring more "surprises" this summer and, with this announcement, they just cease to be, well, "surprises." They include a line of fragrances and skin essences.

"Now it can be told," said Claire. "I have been perfecting the formula of this cologne line since last year but I kept mum about it. I’m introducing it in my newly opened Skin Shop at Festival Mall in Alabang (775-0648)."

Also to be released this summer is Perfect Skin talcum powder (in different scents), ideal for both babies and mothers.

What is not a surprise, however, is Claire’s US concert tour with Imelda Papin and Eva Eugenio starting next month, with more cities being added to the itinerary.

Won’t Pinoys in America be surprised to discover that, after all these years and despite the influx of new singers, Claire, Imelda and Eva have remained as good singers as they have always been? Look, can anybody sing Claire’s Sayang, Eva’s Tukso and Imelda’s Bakit better than the original?

Can PAMI and the TV stations clean up the ‘mess’?

Only a few weeks ago, the PAMI (Professional Artist Managers, Inc.) separately met with representatives of ABS-CBN and GMA to find ways to, well, "clean up" (you know, "sanitize") showbiz-oriented talk shows which have become bolder and, should I say...more "brazen"?...in laying bare the alleged sexual misbehavior of the stars, complete with videos some of which have turned out to be fake (such as those of Troy Montero and Piolo Pascual).

The meetings sadly didn’t produce the desired results and, I guess, mainly because the stations themselves haven’t started policing their own ranks (or are the bosses looking the other way?).

Anyway, in reply to a letter from Juan L. Manahan (a.k.a. Johnny Manahan a.k.a. Mr. M), PAMI has scheduled yet another meeting not only with ABS-CBN but with all TV stations. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and pray very hard that something concrete will finally come out of the new meetings.

Here’s PAMI president June Torrejon-Rufino’s reply to Manahan’s letter (published in Funfare a few issues ago along with the ABS-CBN official statement on the Piolo Pascual case and another letter to MTRCB complaining against GMA’s Startalk which aired "blurred" less salacious excerpts of the Piolo Pascual video):

Mr. Juan L. Manahan

Senior Vice President

ABS-CBN Star Magic

Dear Mr. Manahan:

Thank you for your letter dated April 4 seeking the assistance of our group, The Professional Artist Managers, Inc. (PAMI), in reference to your complaint against GMA 7’s Startalk insinuating that your talent, Mr. Piolo Pascual, is one of the male players in a sex video. In our special PAMI meeting this afternoon, we previewed the Startalk segment and are of the concensus that the treatment indeed has "grave insinuations." As artist managers, PAMI sympathizes with your predicament, despite the lack of conclusive statement in Startalk’s feature, that damage has been done.

It has come to our attention that Mr. Pascual has decided to discontinue any legal actions earlier contemplated.

We appreciate your awareness and full support of our campaign against unethical journalism that continues to malign and subsequently smear the general reputation of our actors in the film industry. We welcome any and all the help we can get from your organization. It is high time that we get our acts together, as PAMI cannot continue this fight alone.

Please be informed that PAMI has initiated discussions and dialogue with ABS-CBN, GMA 7 and ABC 5. RPN 9 and IBC 13 have responded and we shall meet with them soonest. Our group is not in a position beyond seeking such cooperation from these networks.

Although, we appreciate the networks’ conscious effort to take extra caution in featuring artists represented by a PAMI member, we have and made it clear during our discussions that PAMI’s concern is its adverse effect on the movie industry as a whole.

PAMI is relentless in its campaign against the unethical treatment of all actors in TV talk shows and will continue to seek the cooperation of various groups in the community to achieve its objective. We shall inform you of these actions at the appropriate time and could only hope for your support and cooperation.

Thank you and best regards.

Very truly yours,

– JUNE

TORREJON-RUFINO

president

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