Is John off the hook?

Did John Estrada punch Alex Magbanua, floor manager of the ABS-CBN early-afternoon show Happy Yipee Yehey which John is co-hosting, or didn’t he?

The incident reportedly happened when Alex, a long-time ABS-CBN floor director who has worked on many shows (including Willie Revillame’s defunct show Wowowee), prevented two elderly ladies from going back to their seats from the restroom during a commercial break. (Audience members are not allowed to move around while the show is on air.) John said he came to the ladies’ defense. He and Alex exchanged words, prompting John to punch Alex according to reports.

But John insisted that what he hit was the wall and not Alex. In a statement, John said that he defended the ladies because he was taught by his parents to respect older people. Should he be forgiven for perhaps having forgotten that Alex is also “an older person,” in fact old enough to be his father? That is, if John indeed hit Alex.

Alex has kept mum about the incident.

ABS-CBN-watchers said that if a Willie Revillame were involved in a similar incident (“But, of course, Willie would never harm any co-worker physically,” said a Willie defender, “siguro dadaanin lang niya sa salita”) the network would have imposed disciplinary action against him.

But as far as ABS-CBN management is concerned, the case is closed.

Here’s the network official statement sent to Funfare Update by Bong Osorio, head of ABS-CBN Corporate Communications:

The alleged report that John Estrada hit Alex Magbanua is not true. The incident between the two has been discussed and quickly resolved by the Happy Yipee Yehey production unit. John and Alex have patched things up.

Kylie Minogue set for Manila concert

When the Australian pop icon comes to Manila for the first time to perform in her much-awaited Aphrodite Live 2011 World Tour on July 5 at the Araneta Coliseum, expect Kylie Minogue to set the stage on fire with her powerful presence and world-class production sets.

Kylie Minogue (at Big Dome on July 5): A generous serving of love, beauty and sexuality

The show producer noted that everywhere she performs (in Europe, North America, Japan and her native Australia), Kylie has turned venues into one big concert and party place, quoting a rave from a Japanese fan, “Kylie turns an arena into a dance floor with her stunning voice, costumes and props. In addition to her impressive voice, she dazzled waiting fans with an elaborate show of flamboyant costumes, visual effects and choreography. She remains an iconic leader in the world of pop music and fashion to this day!”

Even celebrity blogger Perez Hilton commented, “Kylie will make your life better! We didn’t think she could possibly outdo herself, but she has!!! The Aphrodite show is non-stop brilliance from beginning to end. The production value is through the roof!”

And The Washington Post, too: “It was a show of epic proportions. With Cirque du Soleil-style dancers, eight costume changes and a stage fit for a disco queen, Kylie’s Minogue’s Saturday night concert at the Patriot Center was an escape to another world. The $25 million tour boasts three sprawling staircases, aerial acrobatics and a series of larger-than-life props including a Pegasus statue set among mighty Grecian columns, plus her staggering Dolce & Gabbana custom gowns and elaborate headdresses.”

The producer assured that Aphrodite Live can give the Manila audiences what she has so generously served her fans everywhere — love, beauty and sexuality. It’s the kind of spectacle a reviewer for the Washington Blade said could rival the grand-scale productions of Madonna, Cher and Bette Midler.

Over the course of her extraordinary 20-plus-year-career, Kylie has been a global force in pop music and is one of the world’s most successful female artists with more than 60 million albums sold worldwide and over 50 chart-topping hits, including Locomotion, I Should Be So Lucky, Got To Be Certain, Especially For You, Spinning Around, On a Night Like This, Can’t Get You Out of My Head, In Your Eyes, Love at First Sight, Come Into My World, Slow, I Believe In You, Wow and All I See, plus her latest chart-toppers All the Lovers, Get Outta My Way and Higher duet with Taio Cruz.

(Note: For more details, call TicketNet 911-5555 or Wilbros Live 374-9999.)

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