BREAKING NEWS: Karen Davila is entering her fifth month of pregnancy with her and husband DJ Sta. Ana’s second child but she plans to keep on working until the day she experiences labor pains.
“I’m giving birth either late December or early January next year,” said Karen who hosts (with Ted Failon and Julius Babao) the ABS-CBN early-evening newscast TV Patrol World and the weekly XXX, plus Pasada 630 (with Vic de Leon Lima) on dzMM Mondays through Fridays. “Then, I will go on maternity leave and enjoy my time with my baby whom I will breastfeed.”
David Jr., the first child of Karen and DJ (news director of ABS-CBN), is five years old and in pre-school.
“DJ wants a girl but we don’t really mind what the baby’s gender is as long as it’s healthy,” said Karen. “A baby is a blessing.”
Asked if she’s naglilihi, Karen said no.
“I just eat healthy. I can manage my weight. Oh yes, ang pinaglilihian ko ay si David,” referring to the little David and not the big David. “He’s my Cutie Pie.”
Fierce rivalry on GMA’s Duets
The elimination round of the GMA’s new talent show Duets, hosted by Regine Velasquez and Ogie Alcasid Saturday nights (after Michael V’s Bitoy’s Funniest Videos), starts in tonight’s episode and will go on through the next seven.
Who will survive?
Will it be Wyngard Tracy (the Pavarotti of the show)? Anna Theresa Licaros? Tessa Prieto-Valdes? Dr. Manny Calayan? Dr. Hayden Kho? Jessica Rodriguez? Frederick Peralta? Or Tim Yap?
It’s hard to guess. What is sure is that, according to the grapevine, some — or just one? — of the contestants is taking the “competition” so seriously that he has reportedly been texting his clients to text-vote for him...or else?
I watched the first episode Saturday last week and I should say that all eight contestants are “promising,” even if one or two of them had to strain and punish his/her vocal chords in a vain effort to hit a high note without, you know, piyoking.
My friend Wyngard sounds so professional, so relaxed with his “tenor” voice that, well, don’t you think he should be “disqualified” for his obvious edge over his opponents? But then, is a contest like Duets, the decisive factor is not really “talent” but logistics because a good percentage of the total score is determined not so much by the nod of the judges (Mitch Valdes, Buboy Garovillo and Louie Ocampo) but the text votes.
If “cuteness” and “kaguwapuhan” were among the criteria, Dr. Hayden should easily emerge the winner. The matinee-idol-type doctor last week sang That’s All (in a duet with Agot Isidro) with his eyes fixed on his dear Vicki Belo (who was in the audience). Want Dr. Hayden to win? Then, text duets hayden and send to 367 for Smart and Talk n Text; and 2344 for Globe, Touch Mobile and Sun Cellular subscribers.
3 new Regal Babies
Regal Matriarch Mother Lily has just signed up three new Regal Babies, namely
• Lovi Poe, 18, a Colegio de San Agustin High School graduate (and now taking up Management at an international business college) and one of the rising stars in the GMA stable;
• Jennica Garcia, 17, daughter of Jean Garcia and Jigo Garcia (no relation), who is on the GMA soap Impostora and, soon, Pasan Ko ang Daigdig; and
• Mart Escudero, 17, the 2007 StarStruck winner, who is being built up as Jennica’s loveteam-mate (on Impostora and Boys Next Door) and has appeared as Marian Rivera’s brother on Agawin Mo Man Ang Lahat, also on GMA, and in the Joey Javier Reyes movies Kung Ako Na Lang Sana and Malikmata.
Watch Mother Lily transform the three into big stars with her magic wand.
* * *
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph)