And now, Tolits is dancing!

First, a "disclaimer": Even if Forbes is really his surname, Child Wonder BJ "Tolits" Forbes is not related to the billionaire, not by a long shot.

"How I wish!" said Tolits whose stepping stone to the limelight (after winning as Eat, Bulaga’s That’s My Boy) was his star turn in the series of Tide commercials (you know his familiar line, "Ako, ako, ako! Palagi na lang ako!"). "Hindi po, pero sana nga po!"

But Tolits doesn’t have to be the son of the Forbes to be on top of the world, which is how he feels right now, thanks to the offshoot of the Tide commercials. He has appeared in two movies with superstars, Ispiritista with Vic Sotto and Exodus with Bong Revilla; is now a regular member of the Eat, Bulaga family; and has just come up with an album called Tolits Dance Hits from Universal Records (UR), not as a singer but as a dancer like Mark Herras in a similar album also by UR. (Recently released, the album carries all danceable tunes such as I Like You, Umpapa, Birdie Song, Fast Food Song, Axel F., Good Boy and Hey Oh Cappuccino, its carrier single which has been translated into a music video included in the album as a "bonus cut.")

Asked how long it took him to master the Cappuccino steps (choreographed by Geleen Eugenio), Tolits said, "Only a few minutes," because he really loves to dance. "My dance idols are Mark (Herras), Abstract and Kids at Work."

In school (at the Muzon Elementary School in Angono, Rizal, where he used to study; he has moved to Angelicum in Quezon City on home-study arrangement), Tolits usually participated in programs as a dancer.

"What I really want to be is a scientist," insisted Tolits who’s the only kid I know who can namedrop Albert Einstein as if the author of the Theory of Relativity is his playmate, "like Einstein."

That’s why he’s determined to finish college.

He transferred to Angelicum for convenience because every day he has to be at Eat, Bulaga. He studies by modules but he still has to be present in school twice (Tuesday and Thursday) a week.

Although considered to be the new Child Wonder (after the likes of Snooky Serna and Niño Muhlach) of Local Showbiz, Tolits (who turned eight yesterday, a Taurian) remains unaffected. In fact, he doesn’t at all feel, nor act, like a star. He still plays with the same set of playmates and eats at their neighbor’s house especially if the food on the table is either pusit or sinigang. "At home," said Tolits, the youngest of five children, "I sweep the floor. I also cook, pansit canton."

So isn’t he spoiled?

"Yes, I am," he broke into a toothless grin (his four front teeth are missing), "not with my mom (his constant chaperon) but with my kuya. When my mom is mad at me, I sleep with my kuya in his room.

Understandably, his favorite subjects are Science and Math – "And English," he hastened to add.

Asked why he wants to be a scientist, he explained, "Because I want to invent a pink-colored bulb. Mahilig sa pink ang mga babae, di ba? Magugustuhan nila ‘yung pink na ilaw na iimbentuhin ko."

Besides Einstein, Tolits’ idols (favorite drama actresses) are Lorna Tolentino and Iza Calzado; and (singers) Karylle and Kyla."

All from GMA 7?

"Wala akong kilala sa ‘2’, eh," he said and quickly checked himself. "A, si Sam Milby pala!"

For his album’s promo, Tolits has to wear dentures. He hopes his permanent teeth will grow soon.

Asked why Universal Records signed up Tolits as an artist (dancer, though not a singer), UR PR executive Ernie Pecho said, "The Mark Herras dance album was a hit, so why not an album by Tolits that his fans can dance to? Besides, he’s a good dancer, so why not?"

What’s up with Dayanara?

So what’s the latest word about Dayanara Torres (who recently went under the knife at a New York hospital for an obstruction in her stomach)?

The ex-wife of Marc Anthony has remained fancy-free, after an "abortive" romance with Terrence Howard who was nominated for an Oscar Best Actor for Hustle and Flow (he’s also in the cast of 2005 Oscar Best Picture winner Crash).

Here’s a report on Dayanara and Howard in the Scoop section of the latest issue of People magazine, entitled Howard: The Single Guy:

What’s one sure sign that a guy is unattached? When his dating mentor is George Clooney. "He tried to give me some tips," Terrence Howard told Scoop at a March 10 awards show in D.C. But Howard, 37, won’t reveal what nuggets Clooney passed on. "Men don’t divulge that information," he says. He did, however, disclose his relationship with Marc Anthony’s ex-Dayanara Torres. Despite reports of an engagement, "we were never dating," he says. "She’s a dear, close friend of mine...I’m still single." At least one other guest at the show was pleased to know he’s available. "He sure is fine," said Aretha Franklin of the Oscar nominee, "Twenty years ago, I would have hustled and flowed with ya!"

What’s up?

• Oops! #1: Yes, of course, it’s Roberta (not Victoria as Funfare wrongly reported) Flack who sang The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and other hits like Killing Me Softly and The Closer I Get to You.

Thank you to Funfare readers who called my attention to the error.

• Oops! # 2: Reader Jun Abuel of Harrisburg, Philadelphia, USA, pointed out that FPJ’s last movie was Pakners (with Efren "Bata" Reyes) and not Alamat ng Lawin (as Funfare also erroneously mentioned).

• Oops! # 3: Part of the opening paragraph in yesterday’s Funfare should have read, "Rudy Fernandez is not suffering from an illness as serious as (not ‘more serious than’) cancer," according to his wife, Lorna Tolentino. Please pray for Rudy’s speedy recovery.

• In celebration of Women’s Month 2006, the various associations of women scientists, inventors, educators and technologists have organized a Mini-Trade Fair featuring Filipino inventions and innovations from today (March 28) to March 31 at the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) grounds, Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City. A symposium will be held on March 31, with the theme "Women Scientists, Inventors, Innovators, Educators and Technologists for Development." Keynote speaker is DENR Secretary Angelo T. Reyes. Everybody is welcome. (For inquiries, call Juliet at 928-9510 or Sonia de Leon at 374-3005.)

* * *

E-mail reactions at [email protected]