Richard will help late aide's family

Curtain-raisers:

• Pokwang is now a Regal Baby. She has just signed a two-picture contract with Regal Films. Her first film for the company is the remake of Temptation Island, the Joey Gosiengfiao camp classic. “I grew up watching Regal movies,” said Pokwang.

• 2010 Bb. Pilipinas-International Krissa Mae Arrieta (real name: Krista Mae Kleiner) has accepted the offer of Julio Iglesias to perform with him on his world tour for three months. She’s leaving tomorrow for Australia where Iglesias will have a concert, his second stop on the Asian swing of his tour, the first having been in Manila last Saturday at the Big Dome. “I will dance a solo number and do back-up singing and dancing,” Krissa told Funfare. “Mr. Iglesias told me to learn some duet songs so I can possibly do duets with him during the tour.” Krissa will have enough time when she comes back to prepare for the Miss International contest scheduled in China later this year.

• Mike Gayoso, one of those behind the Gustavus Steak Lounge (C. Palanca St., Legaspi Village, Makati City), is reminding patrons that Gustavus has just launched its bar menu. Mike said that early favorites are the Balut na Balut (duck egg wrapped in smoked bacon and spinach), Goat Cheese Fondue and the Pinoy Artisan Cheese Platter (an assortment of local goat and cow’s cheeses served with fruits and bread toasts). The bar menu is served daily starting at 5 p.m. Mike added that Gustavus will be closed from Maundy Thursday (April 1) to Easter Sunday (April 4), and will resume regular operations on Monday, April 5, at 5 p.m. “Gustavus sits only 40 (bar included),” said Mike, “so reservations must be made a day or two in advance.” Call Lina at 813-0475.

• From Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre, this post-Oscar comment: I think it’s high time the biggest movie outfits in the country like Star Cinema, Regal Films, Viva Films and GMA Films joined forces kahit once lang to produce an epic Filipino motion picture na Oscar caliber...’yung tipong pelikulang Pilipino na yayanig sa mundo like Himala or Genghis Khan...hindi ‘yung minadali o pinaspasan na film na naghahabol ng deadline... kailangan ‘yung pagbubuhasan talaga ng creativity, passion, time and budget (including promotions, of course, with the help of the government and other sponsors) like how Chinese, Taiwanese or Japanese filmmakers do...at kailangan din puro de kalibreng Filipino artists ang kasama, mga tipong Christopher de Leon, Phillip Salvador, Bembol Roco, Vilma Santos, Nora Aunor, Gina Pareno, Gina Alajar, Jaclyn Jose, to Piolo Pascual, John Lloyd Cruz, Angel Locsin, Coco Martin. Gusto ko nang makakita ng Filipino film nominated sa Oscar Best Foreign Film. Tumatanda na ako sa kahihintay.

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With the “reckless imprudence resulting in homicide” case filed against him by Lorayne Pardo, the widow of his personal assistant Nomar Pardo has been dismissed by the Department of Justice (DOJ), Richard Gutierrez can now breathe easily.

Pardo died in a car accident last year in which Richard, who was driving, was injured. A victim like Pardo, Richard could have lost his life.

“Para akong nabunutan ng tinik,” said Richard after the thanksgiving Mass offered by the Gutierrez family last Friday at the Imperial Palace Suites. “I’m relieved that I’m vindicated.”

It was a second “victory” for Richard in barely two months. The libel case he filed against PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) was upheld also by the DOJ but the case was settled amicably out of court between him and PEP editor Jo-Ann Maglipon who apologized for the erroneous PEP story that Richard poked a gun at Michael Flores.

Nomar was like a brother to Richard.

“I will help his family,” said Richard. “Even before Lorayne filed the case, I was ready to talk to her. I’ve been helping Nomar’s family even before the accident. Gusto ko tulungan lalo na sa edukasyon ng mga anak nila.”

Added Annabelle Rama, Richard’s mom, “We are waiting for (Lorayne) to make the move. Nakahanda kami tumulong sa kanila anytime.” 

With the two cases behind him, Richard is moving on.

He’s now taking an acting workshop with Claudine Barretto for the GMA Films/Viva Films movie they’re doing with Anne Curtis, to be shot partly abroad. He’s also taking over Paolo Bediones as host of Survivor Philippine (Celebrity Edition), a challenging task, admitted Richard, “kasi ako ang makikitungo sa castaways.”

The other day, Richard rehearsed his dance number for Party Pilipinas, the GMA noontime show which premieres on Sunday, March 28, with Ruben Monet Ludlow (popularly known as Fusion) who arrived last March 17 to conduct dance workshops with the PP stars. The 30-year-old half-Mexican/half-American choreographer has performed with A-list celebrities like Will Smith (in his Men in Black video), Beyonce Knowles, Akon, Diana Ross, Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, SisQo, Missy Elliot, Puff Diddy, Lil Kim, Justin Timberlake and Ludacris.

* * *

Joyce Jimenez flew in from San Diego, California, with her little bundle of joy, five-month-old daughter Georgia Ely, not yet for a full-time showbiz comeback but to promote her Private Joyce lingerie collection. Her husband, Paul Ely Egbalic, might follow shortly.

In the States, Joyce is plain wife and mother.

“I’m not working,” said Joyce. “I just keep our home and take care of our baby. Like other families, we don’t have maids and no yaya, so I’m a hands-on mom. I’m breast-feeding Georgia for as long as I have milk.”

As in the case of nursing mothers, Joyce’s daily schedule has been radically changed.

“I have become domesticated. I adjust to Georgia. She wakes up at around 6:30 a.m. and then she eats. She plays for a while and sleeps again. She wakes up at 1 p.m., eats and plays again. It’s when Paul comes home from work in the evening that I have time for myself. I have to find time to do the laundry, clean the house and even do the grocery...and pay the bills.”

It’s okay with Paul Ely for Joyce to continue her showbiz career.

“We’ve talked about it even before we got married. He’s not the type who would stop me from doing what I love doing. He has accepted the fact na artista na ako when we met.”

How many more kids do they plan to have?

“I want two more but my husband wants three more,” said Joyce. “We will compromise.”

From the Philippines, Joyce and Paul Ely will attend a relative’s wedding in Key West, Florida. When she comes back, Joyce said she’ll stay longer.

Readers’ reactions

• From Susie Nepomuceno-Pineda: I want you to know that my mom, Teresita Villa-real Nepomuceno, was 1951 Miss Philippines. She was crowned by Armi Kuusela, the first Miss Universe (1952). According to my mom, it was Armi who paved the way for the Philippines to be invited to join the Miss Universe pageant and the country did send a representative the next year. One of my siblings is Paeng Nepomuceno, the world bowling champion.

• From Datin Maryam Daud: I am a niece of Guia Balmori, Carnival Queen of 1936. I always hear my grandma, Rosario Gonzalez Balmori, mention that Tita Guia was a Miss Philippines. Tita Guia Avelino’s daughter Ester is married to Vernon Gamboa, the only brother of Helen Gamboa-Sotto. Grandma Rosario is the sister of Nieves Moran who is the grandma of 1973 Miss Universe Margie Moran. I was surprised to learn from your story that Ambassador Brillantes is married to a former Miss Philippines. My husband is a Malaysian ambassador. I remember meeting Ambassador Brillantes when he was the Philippine ambassador to Malaysia in the ’90s. We lost contact with him because we went to Washington, D.C. When we came back a few years ago, I heard that he was in Canada.

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