What has Sharon got against Aga M.?

From all counts, Ai-Ai delas Alas’ Akin ang Tronong ‘To concert at the Araneta Coliseum last Friday night was decidedly successful as far as the audience attendance and performances were concerned. The Big Dome wasn’t filled to the rafters but it was, according to somebody who was there, big enough to be considered impressive. Ai-Ai, “Her Comic Highness” (as Butch Francisco called her), is always a show by herself and the roster of “royal” guests — Regine Velasquez, Christopher de Leon, The CompanY, Sharon Cuneta and Lea Salonga — for sure added more weight to the show.

“It was a happy concert,” said the one who was there, “except for one thing.”

That “one thing” proved to be the fly in the ointment, so to speak.

As is customary in a concert like that with star-friends present to give the top-biller moral support, Ai-Ai acknowledged the presence of, among others, Gov. Vilma Santos, Eugene Domingo, ABS-CBN executives led by president Charo Santos-Concio, and Aga Muhlach and his wife Charlene Gonzalez.

When it was Sharon’s turn to sing, as usual Ai-Ai did a small talk with her.

This was how that small talk went more or less, according to the eyewitness:

Ai-Ai: Andito si Aga Muhlach. (Spotlight searched for Aga)

Sharon (without any expression): Sino ‘yon?

Ai-Ai (Pointing to Aga): Hayun s’ya, o. Si Aga Muhlach. Di ba isa s’ya sa naging leading men mo, katulad nina Gabby Concepcion, Robin Padilla, Christopher de Leon at Richard Gomez?

Vilma and Aga with Aga’s wife Charlene Gonzalez and celebrity photographer Raymund Isaac (who furnished Funfare the photos)

Sharon (still without any expression, without looking where Aga and Charlene were seated): Sino nga ’yon?

Ai-Ai: Siguro si Richard ang favorite leading man mo, ano?

Sharon (sidetracking the question): Gagawa kami ng pelikula ni Gabby.

Ai-Ai (Insisting, presumably clueless): Eh, kayo ni Aga?”

Sharon (still without any expression): Alam mo, nagdi-delete na ako ng mga friends.

Ouch! What’s going on? Because Sharon was obviously not joking or, you know, taking Aga for a ride, the audience felt that there must be something wrong between her and Aga. In short, what has Sharon got against Aga?

Anyway, if ever Sharon did have something, anything, against Aga, it was definitely not the right time nor the right place to show it. It was supposed to be a happy occasion, remember? The audience was there to enjoy, have a relaxing night of songs and fun and laughter, and not to be dragged into whatever bad blood there is between whatever stars. That matter must be sorted out and settled somewhere else, not in public, and just between the two stars involved.

In contrast to Sharon’s cold-shoulder treatment of Aga, Lea Salonga was very warm and she even sang Sana Maulit Muli, theme song of her and Aga’s starrer of the same title, and how the audience loved and admired Lea, prompting them to ask for an encore! Before she sang, Lea acknowledged Aga’s presence and gave her a loving greeting.

When asked (was it by Ai-Ai?) if she could sing Kung Ako Na Lang Sana, theme song of Sharon’s Star Cinema movie (same title) with Aga, Sharon approached Homer Flores, the musical director, and announced that Homer didn’t have the “arrangement.” Was it a not-so-polite way of saying no?

“I thought Aga (and Charlene) would quietly walk out,” said somebody else who was there, relieved that Aga did not. Aga was much of a gentleman to have done that, not in front of thousands of people anyway. In fact, with his quiet dignity, Aga handily won the admiration of the audience, according to the eyewitness.

Moral of the story?

Never let ill feelings get the better of you, especially not in public. As Michael Jackson sings, give love on Christmas, not hate.

(Postscript: A Funfare DPA has a good guess why Sharon felt “that way” toward Aga: “She wanted to do another movie with Aga after Kung Ako Na Lang Sana when Aga politely begged off, Sharon must have felt rejected.” Ah so?)

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