Yes, James is happily moving on – on a bike!

Curtain-raisers:

 ABS-CBN is now making a short list of possible replacements for Amalia Fuentes (photo) who quit the soap Muling Buksan ang Puso after shooting for only one day at a town in Batangas. Here’s the Kapamilya Network’s official statement sent to Funfare by Bong R. Osorio, head of the network’s Integrated Corporate Communications: Ms. Amalia Fuentes has resigned as actress for the upcoming teleserye, Muling Buksan ang Puso, due to creative differences with the production team and the challenges and demands of regular taping schedules. Her resignation has been accepted and her replacement will be announced soon. The teleserye would have reunited Amalia with Susan Roces after 45 years, with Dante Rivero as the man between them. Heard that being eyed as possible replacements are two US-based actresses, the multi-awarded Marlene Dauden and Hilda Koronel, with Pilar Pilapil as “dark horse.”

 The repercussions of the controversial Ai-Ai de las Alas/Jed Salang break-up are getting uglier and uglier. Could it be true that a photo of Ai-Ai’s private part was uploaded on the Internet but was promptly deleted by whatever evil mind did it? I don’t believe the rumor that Ai-Ai will retaliate by also uploading a picture of you-know-who’s private part. Remarked somebody close to the un-couple, “Napakaliit na bagay para gawing issue.”

 Those in the know are amused by reports linking a newly-elected young governor to a popular singer-actress. In 2010 when the governor’s father ran for reelection, the think tanks behind him cooked up a gimmick in which the son (newly-elected governor) was touted to have sent flowers to the singer because she’s his big crush. “The truth,” according to the Funfare informer, “is that the newly-elected governor and the singer haven’t even met. Actually, he has a girlfriend.”

* * *

If you see somebody who looks like James Yap blithely riding on a Niner Bike, you’re not imagining. It’s really James Yap moving on, with the bike as a symbolic vehicle of the no-looking-back-at the-past direction he’s now pursuing.

“Biking is an effective way to relieve stress,” James told Funfare in a phone interview the other day (he was in Escalante, Negros Occidental) to attend his hometown’s fiesta later this week and to bond with his family. “I started biking only two weeks ago and I usually bike out of town with my friends. Ang sarap pala mag-bike! Iba ang bagsak ng pawis. It helps strengthen your legs and your stamina. Nakakatanggal ng stress.”

Asked what he meant by “stress,” he asked back half in jest, “Kailangan pa bang itanong ‘yan?”

Mum on his love life, James added that he’s very happy with everything without elaborating. Somebody close to James told Funfare that James has indeed finally found Miss Right (who works for a big bank and not the daughter of a bank executive as erroneously identified in previous Funfare reports).

“Hindi siya maarte,” the Funfare source described the girl (half-Italian and half-Filipino). “She’s very simple. She’s supportive of James. She even goes with James when he has his car washed.”

I asked James if Miss Right goes bike-riding with him.

“No, she doesn’t. My Niner bike is too big for her.”

What about his son Bimby? Isn’t it nice to have the boy ride in tandem with him?

Oops! Sorry, James is prevented by court from seeing (or even getting near) his son.

James bought his Niner Bike for P250,000. Any plan for him to buy another one (maybe another branded bike that costs up to P500,000)?

“I can’t afford it,” said James but I didn’t believe him. (Maybe Niner should get James as endorser and gift him two bikes, one small for Bimby.) “Sana,” added James. “Why not?”

With the PBA off season, James might take a break abroad. My guess is that he’s headed for Italy with Miss Right.

The right Miss Canada-Universe finally enthroned

Remember Riza Santos, the Canadian beauty queen who was here for a short-lived showbiz career (and was romantically linked to Mark Bautista)?

Here’s the latest about her, reported by Funfare’s “beauty experts” Felix Manuel, Joey Cezeare, Gery Yumping and Francis Calubaquib:

Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) finalist Riza Santos was proclaimed the new Miss Universe-Canada a day after the pageant scores were validated. The full-blooded Pinay will be competing against Ariella Arida at this year’s Miss Universe Pageant later this year. Riza represented Canada at the Miss Earth and Miss World pageants in 2006 and 2011, respectively.

Here is the official statement from the Beauties of Canada organization:

The 2013 Miss Universe Canada pageant took place on Saturday, May 25, at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts in Toronto. During the validation of the computerized scoring results (which occurs the following day), a typo was discovered in the Top 5 entries, which significantly impacted the final results of the competition. This is the first instance of this type of error in the 11 years that Beauties of Canada (BOC) has produced the Miss Universe Canada pageant.

This is an unfortunate circumstance where a human error was made, and in such a situation, as difficult as it is, it is only right to correct the error. Therefore, the official results of Miss Universe Canada 2013 are as follows:

Miss Universe Canada 2013 ­ Riza Santos (Calgary, AB)

1st runner-up ­ Siera Bearchell (Moose Jaw, SK)

2nd runner-up ­ Diana Martin (Mississauga, ON)

3rd runner-up ­ Denise Garrido (Bradford, ON)

4th runner-up ­ Michelle McKay (Sarnia, ON)

We would like to offer our sincere apology to Denise Garrido for this human error discovered while validating the results. Miss Garrido’s example and grace represents all we look for at Miss Universe Canada. We have no doubt she will continue to succeed in her endeavors and we wish her well. We truly hope she remains a strong part of the Miss Universe Canada Organization.

Beauties of Canada congratulates Riza Santos as the winner of Miss Universe Canada 2013 competition, and looks forward to working with her as she prepares to represent our country at Miss Universe 2013. BOC would also like to congratulate all the runners-up on their proper placements at the pageant, as well as the other 52 extraordinary young women who competed for the title in Toronto.

Riza, 26, stands 1.70 m tall. This Calgary beauty was born in Canada to Filipino parents and has worked as a professional actress in the Philippines. Not a stranger to the “Grand Slam” scene, Riza represented Canada in the Miss World 2011 competition in London. She will now compete in the Miss Universe 2013 pageant in December.

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