Young lovers splitting up?

Curtain-raisers:

• It pains me to learn that the sugary sweetness between a popular actor and his equally popular singer-actress-girlfriend is, alas, turning sour. Could it be because the actor is slowly but surely falling for his teleplay leading lady who has already broken up with her non-showbiz boyfriend? When last heard from, the actor and the singer-actress are trying to iron things out, patching whatever loopholes here and there, but it seems that they are helplessly headed for splitsville. How sad!

• Are the MTRCB members too busy (or too “lazy”) to review Lav Diaz’s Death in the Land of Encantos, the nine-hour epic drama about the Bicol storm tragedy which won an award at the Venice Filmfest and was critically lauded all over the world? It might not be shown as scheduled tomorrow (one screening only) because it has reportedly been bumped off the review schedule even if the movie’s DVD copy has been with the MTRCB for weeks now and the P4,000 censorship fee was already paid. Reason given by the MTRCB for the delay? The movie is too long. Ganoon!?! Paging MTRCB chief Ma. Consoliza Laguardia!

•  Have you, like me, been missing the voice of Ogie “Miss O” Diaz over the airlanes after his show RMN-dzXL program Wow, Ang Showbiz (with co-host Fernan “Miss F” de Guzman) was cut off the air after three years? Don’t fret. Ogie has resurfaced last Sept. 22 on dzMM, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday, on the program Talakan which mixes news/tidbits/juicy-items about politics, showbiz and whatnot. His co-host is Alwell Paz (international event organizer and one of the judges of the dzMM Sunday program Laugh Out Loud). Interesting program. Try tuning in. It would even be more interesting if Ogie and Alwell bring in Miss F as foil to their witty repartee.

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Christmas has taken on a sad note for Claire dela Fuente after her husband, Boy de Guzman, died two Christmases ago.

Could it be the reason why Claire didn’t include Blue Christmas in her first ever Christmas album (released by Viva Records)?

I guess Claire would choke everytime she sings especially the first line of the song — I’ll have a blue Christmas without you...

Selections on the album include: O Come All Ye Faithful, White Christmas, O Holy Night, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Kahit Ilang Pasko, Mary’s Boy Child, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, You’re All I Want for Christmas, Silent Night and Pagdating ng Pasko, Claire’s favorite.

“I got the idea of doing a Christmas album after my Something In Your Eyes album (also released by Viva) turned gold,” said Claire.

“Something was the song Richard Carpenter composed for his sister Karen who never lived long enough to record it.” (It was first recorded by Dusty Springfield.)

The Christmas album is also produced by Grammy-nominee Christian de Walden, co-produced and arranged by Ralf Stemmann, and with Claire herself and Viva Boss Vic del Rosario as executive producers.

Incidentally, on Oct. 17, Claire will topbill a concert billed as Timeless at the Music Museum, also featuring Rico J. Puno, Eva Eugenio and Dr. Hayden Kho as guests, and MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando and Energy Sec. Angelo Reyes in special participation. The concert, with Jun Latonio as musical director, introduces Claire’s singer/composer son Rafael dela Fuente. Producer is Viva Concerts & Events, Inc.

(Note: For ticket inquiries, call Viva at 687-6181 locals 620 and 745, TicketWorld at 891-9999 or Music Museum at 721-6726.)

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Did you know that Paul Potts’ touching success story will be made into a Hollywood movie?

This piece of good news was fed to Funfare by Concertus, Inc. which is producing Potts’ one-night-only concert at the PICC on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

Here’s the full story from Concertus:

Paul Potts’ milestone audition and triumph on Britain’s Got Talent is arguably one of the most amazing discoveries of our time. It has catapulted into stardom a once coy and awkward mobile phone salesman who inspired the world with his exceptional voice. It continues to be an exemplar of hope and inspiration for the millions who viewed it on YouTube. It has also prompted producer Simon Cowell, whose usually hard-hitting criticisms were remarkably non-existent during the audition, to turn the real-life story and overnight success of Paul Potts into a movie.

UK’s The Press Association reports, “The story of Britain’s Got Talent winner Paul Potts is to be made into a Hollywood film produced by Simon Cowell. The former Carphone Warehouse salesman became the unlikely star of the TV talent show with his performance of opera classic Nessum Dorma. Now he is to get the big screen treatment after Paramount Pictures snapped up the rights to his story, according to industry magazine Variety. His rags-to-riches tale is being hailed as “another Billy Elliot.”

Cowell, the caustic but revered talent judge of American Idol and Britain’s Got Talent, will produce the film about the humble beginnings of the singer and his meteoric rise to a £1 million deal with Cowell’s record label after winning the show.

According to Cowell, “This was his last chance, and he literally decided to enter based on the toss of a coin. And despite his success off the back of the show, the only difference I see in him is that he got his teeth fixed.”

The 37-year-old Potts is currently doing several shows in Europe. He’s arriving in Manila on Monday. At his PICC concert, expect Potts to deliver a spectacular offering of both contemporary and classical pieces, such as R.E.M.’s melancholy ballad Everybody Hurts, favorites such as Music of the Night and his award-winning rendition of Puccini’s masterpiece Nessum Dorma. One of the highlights of the concert is a duet from La Traviata with our very own soprano, Rachelle Gerodias.

(Note: Paul Potts Live In Manila is presented by McDonald’s and 2nd Avenue. Co-Presented by Nescafé Body Partner, Hav it All, Cerveza Negra, San Miguel Premium All Malt Beer, etc, Jack TV, Crime & Suspense, British Council and SonyBMG. Official residence is Makati Shangri-La Hotel, official car is Mercedes-Benz. Media partners: The Philippine STAR, BusinessWorld, Sunday Inquirer Magazine, Lifestyle Asia, Expat Magazine, 105.1 Crossover, Magic 89.9, Monster Radio RX 93.1, RJ 100, XFM 92.3 and Mellow 94.7.

For ticket inquiries, call TicketWorld at 891-9999. For VIP tickets, call Concertus at 813-2612 or 813-2617.)

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