Meet the Startalk darlings

Startalk usually tries its best to bring the guests live to the studio every Saturday afternoon. But due to various circumstances, this isn’t always possible. The stars may have other commitments (tapings, foreign or out-of-town trips, meetings, etc.) on this day, which is why the next best option is to interview them on VTR. But even this is not all that easy because some stars are not always cooperative to the TV crew. But there are some who are such darlings and they will always be special to the Startalk people for always giving their full cooperation to the show. Here are among the Startalk darlings:

* Alma Moreno – She tops the list of Startalk’s favorite interviewees, "Kasi walang ka-arte-arte – at madaling kausap," everyone in the staff chimes in. You can wake her up in the middle of the night to confirm if a particular issue about her is true. More importantly, she trusts the show’s writers, which is why she always speaks her heart out because she knows that the Startalk people will never put her in a bad light.

I have experienced this myself because I’ve interviewed Alma Moreno countless times – especially when she and Joey Marquez were still together. In their Tahanan Village residence, she (and for that matter even Joey) treated us very well – welcomed us warmly and even fed the crew snacks or dinner.

The most delicious part, however, is the interview because whenever Alma is confronting an issue, she minces no words and doesn’t even ask us to edit out statements she already uttered. That’s how much she trusts us.

* Melanie Marquez – "She’s very honest, frank–at dere-derecho kung magsalita," is how Startalk casting director Josie Manago describes this world beauty. There are times when it is Melanie who tips off Startalk about an impending issue about her–and you can be sure that the crew is at her doorstep in a matter of hours.

* Ara Mina – Although she is perpetually busy, she always finds time to grant an interview with Startalk – sometimes even without asking for permission from her manager Dondon Monteverde and publicist Boy Abunda. And yes, she always feeds the crew – especially when the interview is set at her Osteria restaurant in Tomas Morato.

* Jinggoy Estrada – You can ask him anything–no restrictions–and he would gladly talk about everything. The best place to catch him, of course, is at the Senate because he’s always there.

* Pilita Corrales – All you have to do is call her up and she’ll ask you to come over to her house or at her Kookabar restaurant in Greenhills. As soon as she sees you, the first thing she’ll ask you – in a very jovial tone – Is: "Ano ba ang tsismis?"

* Ali Sotto – I need not interview her because I know everything about her (being one of my best friends) and she tells me every issue pertaining to her – but in private. But the Startalk staff from time to time finds it necessary to interview her (the last one about Angel Locsin, girlfriend of our beloved Miko).

As an interviewee, she is the easiest to locate since she is in the booth of DZBB everyday where she goes onboard with radio partner Arnold Clavio. Ali is also considered part of the Startalk family because she has worked with most of its staff members previously in Katok Mga Misis.

In 2003, when my Startalk family asked me to throw a blowout on my birthday at my house, Ali Sotto was the special guest and–being family–she blended right in with all of us, including Rosanna Roces, who had a blast eating, chatting and laughing with the staff. Oh, those were the days.

* Angel Locsin – Josie Manago has only one thing to say about her, "Mabait na bata." As an interviewee, she is definitely the nicest and most charming among our young stars – which is why everyone is so happy about her success.

* Jaya – The Queen of Soul is also accessible to the Startalk people because all they have to do is track her down during her rehearsals for SOP. She’s very accommodating– swears everyone in Startalk.

* Cindy Kurleto – She would easily agree to an interview on one condition: The interviewer should never talk to her in English–Tagalog only (to practice her mastery of the Filipino language all the more). This one simple requirement from her end actually makes her more charming and endearing to the Startalk staff.

* Paolo Bediones – He always grants interviews to Startalk – never mind if it would preempt his own show, S-Files, which airs the following day. But this all the more makes him lovable to the Startalk people.