Willie home alone this Christmas

The sprawling house (some people call it a “mansion”) at a prominent corner of Ayala Heights, Quezon City, is awash with Christmas lights, as bright as the prospects of a new, better year.

There are half a dozen maids, three guards and a few drivers. But the owner says that like last year, this Christmas is going to be a blue one because he’s home alone (believe it or not), meaning he has nobody (yet!) to keep his cavernous bedroom with.

Willie Revillame is “loveless,” would you believe!

“It’s my second Christmas in this home,” Willie sighs when he stops at our table, busy entertaining guests this Sunday evening as he hosts the Christmas party of his TV5 show Willing Willie which has been the subject of, so far, two TROs (Temporary Restraining Orders) filed against it by ABS-CBN, Willie’s former studio which aired his defunct show Wowowee.

Willing Willie co-host Shalani Soledad.

 But how come he’s smiling?

“Because the court has just dismissed the second TRO,” says Willie, referring to the one ABS-CBN had filed, giving as reason that Willing Willie is a Wowowee copycat.

But tonight, court cases are farthest from Willie’s mind. He talks about them only because we’re asking him. He adds that he has a good reason to celebrate because Willing Willie is doing well in the ratings.

TV5 big boss Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP) is at the den. Can he be discussing something important with Willie, Viva boss Vic del Rosario and Ernesto “Bong” Sta. Maria Jr. (chairman and CEO of Cinemabuhay, the network’s sister company which produced the 2010 Metro Filmfest entry Rosario, directed by Albert Martinez, which got an “A” rating from the Cinema Ratings Board)? Others at the “power table” are Dr. Vicki Belo and daughter Cristalle Henares, lawyer Boy Reino, TV5 executive Bobby Barreiro and Willie’s daughter Meryl Soriano (who happily announces that she will finally pursue the two-year course Industrial Design in London starting early next year)?

...with daughter Meryl Soriano.

The 75-plus strong Willing Willie stars, staff and crew are all accounted for, led by Willie’s lone co-host, Valenzuela City Councilor Shalani Soledad, who arrived very early, left to make a quick appearance at another party in Makati City and came back (with her mom) just in time for the singing and dancing and the raffles and the games. Nope, Shalani and Willie are not yet an “item.” They are just friends, insists Shalani. “Trabaho muna ang focus namin,” she says.

Food was catered by Florabel. A drizzle earlier that day forced the Florabel staff to move the tables inside the visitor’s lounge, brought them back when the drizzle stopped and moved them back inside when the drizzle came back.

The drizzle doesn’t dampen the spirit and enthusiasm of the host and the guests.

Those who stayed behind said that the party lasted until way past midnight.

The morning after, the host must be nursing a little hangover — alone again, naturally.

But it may not be for long.

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