Sharon has no reason to worry

Curtain-raisers:

?  Stay tuned for Ted Failon’s new show, Failon Ngayon, which premieres on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 5:30 p.m. on ABS-CBN. Ted will surely be at his usual best as he dissects current events and presents extraordinary tales. Segments to watch for are Most JuanTED in which the week’s most controversial personalities will take the hot seat and Isyu-sero intended to be a venue for people to voice their opinions on various topics.

? Congratulations to Janice de Belen, Gelli de Belen and Carmina Villarroel whose GMA mid-morning show SIS won the 2009 Catholic Mass Media Award (CMMA) for Best Talk Show. For eight years, SIS has remained to be the viewers’ most preferred show in that slot, unchallenged by the competition.

? Good news for American Idol Kelly Clarkson’s fans: Q-11 is giving away a once-in-a-lifetime chance to watch Clarkson live in Las Vegas via the “How Well Do You Know Kelly Clarkson” on-line promo of the channel’s highly-interactive portal, WMN.ph. Fans may simply log on to WMN.ph to answer each of the five questions in the 10 sets of trivia quiz. For every five correct answers, a participant will be entitled to one entry which gives him a chance to get hold of up to 10 raffle tickets to the Las Vegas leg of Clarkson’s All I Ever Wanted US Concert Tour in November. Name of the winner will be announced during the one-hour TV special Kelly Clarkson: All I Ever Wanted on Q-11 on Saturday, Oct. 24. 

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The case was actually blown “out of proportion” by some quarters, sending unnecessary minor shock waves across Sharonlandia.

Last March, Sharon Cuneta found three cysts in her left breast. Since this kind of ailment runs in her family, she promptly flew to an Asian country with husband Sen. Kiko Pangilinan for a series of tests.

“All the results were negative,” said Sharon. Yes, benign! “Praise God! If it were serious, I would have flown at once to the US for further treatment.”

Back home, Sharon resumed shooting Star Cinema’s BFF (Best Friends Forever) with Ai-Ai delas Alas, directed by Wenn Deramas.

“I showed Ai-Ai and direk Wenn my plates from the hospital and all. Recently, I mentioned casually on SNN (Showbiz News Ngayon, hosted by Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino late nights on ABS-CBN) that I had a cancer scare this year but benign nga. Pinalaki lang yung balita ng hindi nakaintindi.”

Sharon explained her condition to movie reporters who witnessed her first shooting day at the Sofitel for Mano Po: My Mother, the sixth installment in the smash-hit Regal Films franchise intended for this December’s Metro Manila Filmfest, directed by Joel Lamangan. Playing the coveted role as Sharon’s pasaway daughter is Heart Evangelista, with Kris Aquino (a “graduate” of an earlier Mano Po) who  agreed to do a “special participation” gratis et amore as a nod to Sharon and Kiko’s support for Kris’ brother (Sen.) Noynoy Aquino’s 2010 presidential bid, as well as that of Regal Matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde who, as to be expected, will call a movie presscon as soon as Noynoy formally files his certificate of candidacy (together with running mate Sen. Mar Roxas presumably when the Nov. 30 deadline nears).

Next month, Sharon and some members of the cast, along with select members of the movie press, will shoot some scenes and do pictorials in Beijing as did most of the Mano Po movies. They will be there for four days.

Incidentally, women are advised by doctors to undergo a mammogram once a year. The earlier anything wrong is detected the better are the chances for cure. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Cesar’s timely second movie

Glad to know that GMA field reporter Cesar Apolinario (above right) is back with his second movie after his award-winning debut, Banal, which won Best Picture in a Metro Filmfest.

Like Banal (which is an insider’s look at the military), Puntod (Baby’s Tomb) tackles a serious concern: environment preservation. It’s about the life of people living and making a living by collecting garbage in Vitas, Tondo, Manila. Produced by investigative reporter Arlyn dela Cruz-Collantes (photo), Puntod (an indie film) is featured in the Panorama Programme of the ongoing 11th Cinemanila International Film Festival, with a screening scheduled today (12:15 to 2 p.m.) at Cinema 6 the Market! Market! It stars Mark Gil, Sheree, Lovely Rivero, Mike “Pekto” Nacua, Arnold Reyes, Ruth Alferez, Patricia Gayod, Daniele Louise Camarao, Irene Delarmente, Christian Galindo and introducing TV star Barbie Forteza (of the GMA Koreanovela Stairway to Heaven).

The timing of the movie is perfect, with its showing coinciding with the hottest headlines related to environmental neglect and abuse highlighted by the very recent devastation brought about by Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

According to Arlyn, they submitted Puntod for preview in other international filmfests.

“But unfortunately, we have yet to get their interest. But while we did not intend to time the showing in the midst of news about loss and devastation brought about not just by natural calamities but also by man-made calamity due to neglect and abuse of nature and the environment, we are in a way grateful that it will be shown in a period when many are now asking the basic question: What have we done to the environment entrusted under our care?”

Yes, what have we done? Watch Puntod and be prepared for some kind of an “awakening.”

What’s up?

?  Rayver Cruz’s father who died last Monday was Rudy (not Rico) Ilustre, also the father of Rayver’s stepbrother Gino Ilustre, a former PAL flight attendant and sexy actor. Rayver’s mother is Melody Cruz, Rudy’s second wife, who was a member of the Cruz family’s 747 band. Other members were the late Ricky Belmonte (Jessie Cruz in real life) and Danny Cruz, the late father of Sunshine Cruz.

? Tomorrow (Oct. 23) at 6 p.m., guitarist Jon Corsiga takes center stage in Paco Park Presents in a program of popular guitar pieces. Venue is the historic Paco Park in San Marcelino, Manila. Thea Perez-Prosia is program host...On Sunday, Oct. 25, 5 p.m., the Rizal Park Open-Air Auditorium, Manila, features the Cagayan Valley String Ensemble headed by Sugar Durante. It formally closes the October calendar of Concert At The Park. It’s an hour of classical music hosted by Minette Padilla. Admission is free.

? From reader Jahanara of New Jersey, USA: I was watching Wowowee’s Hep-Hep Hooray segment last Oct. 17. They had a healthy lady contestant (from Michigan). Pokwang and Mariel Rodriguez kept commenting in Tagalog, “Naku, ang bigat nito!” and “Akala Ko natabunan na ata” (referring to the contestant next to the Michigan lady). Jokes are fun, but I think we should do it in a way that we don’t hurt people’s feelings or don’t disrespect them. I think the Wowowee people should be grateful na dinadayo sila ng mga Balikbayan. Let’s show respect for other people and decency on television, kahit na sa kapwa nating Filipino. Hindi porke’t pang-masa ang Wowowee, eh, ganito na ang mga klase ng pagbibiro nila. Sana ay bigyan nila ng respeto ang lahat ng manonood at mga guests nila. After all, they owe the viewers everything.

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