Model-actor moonlighting as valet

Curtain-raisers:

• Did you know that Mike Enriquez has officially retired (mandatory) from GMA? The good news is that he has been re-hired as consultant for GMA Radio of which he continues to be president. Yes, he’s still co-hosting 24 Oras (with Mel Tiangco) and Imbestigador. Can you imagine radio and television without Big Mike? It would be empty.

• GMA talents Iza Calzado and director Mac Alejandre have left GMA, the former for ABS-CBN and the latter for TV5 (with the David Archuleta soap as his first Kapatid project). It was GMA exec Wilma Galvante who groomed Mac who was Kapuso for more than 13 years. “Nagpaalam naman siya ng maayos,” said Wilma who welcomed the movement of talents as a healthy sign. “It gives the networks a chance to build up new talents.” Correct. Ten years from now, talents in the “merry-go-round” will be “over the hill” and playing mothers and fathers to today’s upcoming talents. That’s how fast turnover and take-over in showbiz happen.

• The Stylistics concert has been reset from Jan. 26 and 27 to April 12 (at the Smart Araneta Coliseum) and 13 (at Waterfront Hotel & Casino in Cebu City) due to the recent calamity in the Visayas.

* * *

The pictures on this page should speak well for Steven Chan, a 6’2” model-actor whom my friend Raoul Tidalgo and I “discovered” recently at the five-star Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills where Steven is moonlighting between assignments as valet together with Pinoy Vela brothers Benjamin and Chris (grandchildren of the late Helen Vela).

A cross between James Yap and Diether Ocampo, Steven caught our attention and curiosity when we saw him hurrying here and there driving to and from the basement luxurious cars of the hotel’s well-heeled clientele.

Besides his good looks and graceful manner of walking (“As if he’s gliding on the ramp,” observed Raoul), it’s his winsome smile that, we presumed, endeared Steven to hotel guests.

In an “ambush” interview, Steven said that he’s pure Chinese born in Detroit, USA. He has been modeling for 12 years, on the ramp, on magazine covers and in print ads, sometimes doing bit parts in short films. He started modeling in New York and after almost two years he decided to move to L.A. not only to do more modeling but to pursue his dream of breaking into Hollywood.

“I’ve been to the Philippines with Benjamin,” said Steven who, like most aspiring actors, works as valet (some work as waiters, etc.) while waiting for the big break. “We were there for a holiday. We went to Boracay.”

Asked if he’d like to try modeling in the Philippines, Steven smiled, “Why not?” 

We asked him to say hi to Bench big boss Ben Chan (they could be very distant relatives, who knows?) and Steven did so in fluent Mandarin.

He’s a perfect Bench model (for underwear, maybe?). About time we saw another Asian face (isn’t Mario Maurer refreshing on those Penshoppe billboards?) gracing the scene, isn’t it?

Take note, Ben Chan!

* * *

Evanescence with Bush coming for show

FLASH: Evanescence (above) with Bush (right) as special guest will have a post-Valentine concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Feb. 19. Billed as Evanescence With Bush Live in Manila!, the concert is produced by Ovation productions, with The Philippine STAR among the sponsors. Tickets are priced at P5,500, P4,500, P3,500, P2,500, P1,500 and P500. Call Ticketnet at 911-5555. (More on Evanescence and Bush in a future issue.)

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit http://www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on http://www.twitter/therealrickylo.)