Gretchen takes a ‘vow of silence’

Curtain-raisers:

• Text message forwarded to Funfare by Pete Lacaba: FLASH REPORT! Cherie Gil just gave Vic Agustin a "douse of cold water," saying, "You’re nothing but a second-rate, trying-hard copycat!" (Note: If you don’t get the joke, it means you are behind the news.)

• Ultrasound showed that Donna Cruz and husband Dr. Yong Larrazabal’s new and third child is a boy, to be named either Matias Renato or Vito Renato. The couple, based in Cebu, has two children, Belle, seven years old, and Cian, three. Donna is scheduled to give birth on May 22 next year at about the same time Kris Aquino will deliver her and husband James Yap’s first child. Donna and Yong have just moved to their new house located in the mountain area which has a sweeping view of Cebu. By the way, Donna is the voice behind the song Payapang Daigdig for the Pampers All-Nights Diapers which we often hear on the radio these days.

• For diabetics only: Test your blood sugar with Accu-Chek Active Blood Glucose Monitoring System which gives you accurate results in five seconds and requires only a tiny drop of blood. The Accu-Chek has an appealing color design, rubber grips for safer and non-slipping handling, with a large easy-to-read display and small enough to fit into your breast pocket. Price is more affordable than that of other brands. (For inquiries, call Roche at 893-4567.)

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Yes, you read today’s banner right: Gretchen Barretto is taking a "vow of silence" which simply means that between now and end of the year, she’s not giving any more interviews whether to the print media or to national television.

"I have said more than enough this year, haven’t I?" asked Gretchen in an exclusive one-on-one with Funfare. "Otherwise, I might run the risk of just repeating myself and sounding like a broken record."

She has let off quite a mouthful about everybody and everything you can think of – the Barretto family feud (Gretchen against her mom Inday and sisters Marjorie and Claudine) which will be settled hopefully before the year ends, her and Tonyboy Cojuangco’s long-impending wedding, her public misunderstanding with Tonyboy’s mom Imelda Cojuangco ("It’s water under the bridge. Okey na kami ng mother ni Tony"), the non-issue between her and Lani Mercado (wife of Bong Revilla who was once upon a time romantically linked to Gretchen) and the recent ugly "prima donna" (non)-issue between her and Dawn Zulueta.

But knowing Gretchen to be unstoppable, I told her that she would break that "vow" before she knew it.

"Well," she joked, "unless properly provoked..."

Gretchen has been a very good girl with a very positive image this year so she deserves a gift from Santa Claus (masquerading as, ehem, Tonyboy Cojuangco?).

"People think that I’m fond of expensive gifts," she said in self-defense. "What they didn’t know is that I’m easy to please; mababaw ang kaligayahan ko. Give me mongo hopia or siopao or Toblerone, especially the big bar, at masaya na ako."

But, of course, she would be "plastic" if she said that she didn’t crave for "branded" items.

"I know naman na kaya ni Tony," she said. "Although what touches me more than his expensive gifts is when Tony comes home and brings me maybe a burger or whatever from whatever restaurant he comes from. From Dominique, you know what I consider her most memorable gift to me? An ‘award’ that says ‘The World’s Greatest Mom.’ I turn misty-eyed everytime I look at that ‘award.’"

It has been 13 years since she had a filmfest entry so Gretchen is looking forward to the Parade of Stars on Dec. 24 which ushers in the annual (2006) Metro Filmfest in which her Canary Films starrer Matakot Ka sa Karma is one of the nine official entries (it’s her "comeback" movie).

"I’m excited," she said.

Will she be throwing pieces of diamonds into the crowd along the parade route instead of maybe just candies and autographed pictures?

"What do you think?" also jokingly added Gretchen who has been (unfairly?) criticized for wearing vision-challenging jewelry to showbiz functions, thus making some (envious?) people dismiss her as a "social climber" and a "prima donna." "Seriously now, I miss the parade and I just want to enjoy myself... to see and be seen."

Asked where, if ever they planned to, she would spend Christmas with her beloved Tonyboy and their 12-year-old daughter Dominique, Gretchen didn’t have any second thought: "San Francisco. The city holds beautiful memories for me. I was six months pregnant when I went there and I fell in love with the city instantly. It was where I gave birth to Dominique, a beautiful baby who is fast growing up to be a lovely lady. Dominique has changed my life in a great way. Up to now, she sleeps between Tony and me."

Any plan to have another child...soon?

"We don’t plan it," she said. "If ever it comes, I hope it won’t be another difficult pregnancy. Did you know that with Dominique, I had to take fertility shots?"

Back to Karma, her Metro Filmfest starrer...

"Why this one and not any of the other offers? Well, let’s just say that Orly (Ilacad, big boss of Canary Films) made an offer which was hard to turn down."

Another presscon was scheduled for Karma yesterday but it was scrapped at the last minute.

"What for?" shrugged Gretchen. "What more can I say in another presscon? I have said what I have to say; I have said more than enough. I can be very talkative and once I have the floor, I can talk and talk and, without my intending nor wanting to, I hurt people in the process. So it’s time for me to keep my mouth shut."

Thus, her "vow of silence."

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