The Best and Worst Dressed at the Star Magic Ball 2014

It's again that time of the year when even ordinary people, like me, get to have their say about glam and fashion, thanks to the yearly star-studded ball of Star Magic/ABS-CBN. There were some artists, which fashion sense, leveled up, but there were more misses this year than last year.

First, let me take this off my chest.

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Woooowww... I can't get over this picture. Hands down, KimXi or the Kim Chiu and Xian Lim loveteam, watta fab pair.

They did not win, of course. This is the winning couple of the Fabulous Pair award - Piolo Pascual and Iza Calzado.

Instagram: Starmagicphils

Papa P, please get a haircut, like how you looked in your film with Toni G. I'm not sure about Iza's gown, it's not really something that is wishing for an award, but this may be part of the promo of their on-going series, Hawak Kamay.

The Couple of the Night, for me, if it is still going to be based on how they dressed, is real life partners, Jericho Rosales and Kim Jones.

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Jericho and Kim looked very regal. Real life sweethearts, Angelica Panganiban and John Lloyd Cruz won the award for being the Couple of the Night. To be fair, Angelica's make-up suits her and oh well, John Lloyd is a stunner no matter what he is wearing.

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The winners of the best dressed, according to Star Magic, are Paolo Avelino and Julia Barretto.

Instagram: Starmagicphils

I am not sure how to pick the best dressed for men since they all look the same haha! The difference only lies on how they carry themselves and there are instances when some men opt to really stand out from the rest, like Enchong Dee's unforgettable German Moreno inspired get-up last year and Daniel Padilla's red overall in an event with a black and white theme this year.

For the men, I'd go for Jericho Rosales, Xian Lim and Richard Gomez for the best dressed category.

CTO (cropped)

The best dressed among the ladies, for me, are Dawn Zulueta, Gretchen Barretto and Kim Chiu.

credits to Rappler (cropped)

If only there is an award for the sweetheart of the night, or the best dressed among teens, it rightly belongs to Janella Salvador. She looks every bit of a teenager, from her clothes, accessories, to her hair and make-up.

CTO (cropped)

Let's go to the worst dressed.

CTO

Come on, Bangs Garcia, you can do better than that. And why not bring Phil Younghusband at the next ball? You never know, but a gorgeous beau might change the appeal of your ensemble.

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The gown of Alex Gonzaga, for me, is too simple, for this big and glamorous event.

Hands down for the number 1 worst dressed at the 8th Star Magic Ball - it's Kristel Moreno.

The gown looks cheap and it is either she doesn't really look fit or there is a mistake with the camera angle. At least, many people would now wonder who you are, since I don't think she is that visible on TV, but sighs, all for the wrong reasons. Better luck next year =)

The Legal Wife is Way Better than Dyesebel and Ikaw Lamang

When summer was about to begin and the kids' classes were to end, my nieces were quite excited with the bombardment of teasers of ABS-CBN's yet to be launched fanta-serye, Dyesebel. My nieces, aged 9 and 4, were hoping that the lead star would either be Kim Chiu or Kathryn Bernardo.

The first disappointment of the show came from the announcement of who would play not only Dyesebel, but so much more, Fredo. In this household, where everybody loves Kim, it also follows that we abhor Gerald. It does not matter whether or not Kim had already made amends with him. He would always be the jerk who broke Kim's heart and the moron who caused the breakup of the once ideal friendship between Kim and her ex-best friend who is now Gerald's current lover.

I don't have anything against Anne. She is not perfect. She is a socialite who lets her real self out once drunk. Given that nature, she could have been assigned to more mature roles and not the ones that are intended for younger audiences because for me as a guardian, she is no longer an ideal figure to be looked up to. She is a good actress though. She can still excel in roles that are more spiteful and bitchy. And yep, age does matter for this kind of role.

I have caught some episodes of the series and oh boy, it is cringing to watch Anne, acting like someone so naive and so kind. Dyesebel is someone who is only beginning to realize what love is. Anne cannot convince her audience that she's innocent and pure as how the character, Dyesebel, ought to be. Why? For one, the issues that are hounding her greatly affect people's perception about her. And she looks so mature to be given dialogues asking about how it is to be in love or how it is to be kissed. No matter how good of an actress she is, she cannot fake her age. It is similar to actor Jericho Rosales given the role of a high school student in the movie ABNKKBSNPLAKO, now that he is in his 30s. It is awkward to watch.

Watching Sam Milby struggling with his dialogues is already a pain in the tail, haaaay. He cannot fake that he finds it quite difficult to deliver his lines in Filipino. And then there's Gerald, who does not only sound slang, but also has a thick Visayan accent, which he has still not gotten over with. He sounds like his character from his past soap opera, Budoy.

The series looks low-budgeted as well, with cheap effects and the story is really bad. It seems like it does not know where to take the story of this well-loved mermaid, which has been told a lot of times in the past. I am a fan of Charlene Gonzales' film adaptation of Dyesebel. It was fun to watch because of the great chemistry that Charlene had with her leading man in the film, Matthew Mendoza.

Chemistry.

This is the problem with Ikaw Lamang, Coco Martin's current primetime teleserye. Coco is undoubtedly the current eye candy of whoever is responsible in giving projects to ABS-CBN stars. It appears that somebody is now closely following his lead, JC de Vera. It used to be Paulo Avelino and yep, let us not forget Jake Cuenca as well as Gerald. This is the first problem with this serye - favoritism.

Okay, Coco and the rest of the network favorite "boys" may have a huge following on free TV. They may have the talents and charisma to their bosses. But with the network greatly favoring them, there are a lot more talents who may even have bigger fanbases than these boys' fans combined, who are not getting the right exposure despite the people's clamor.

This has been going on with the network for quite some time now and I don't think that this is going to change, just because many people are already stating their dismay. This practice is going to continue, not unless another network will come up with better offerings than what we are seeing on ABS-CBN, which will pose as a serious threat.

Let us look into the second problem with this series, which is chemistry. You need not watch it to conclude that Kim Chiu looks better when paired with Jake, who is the antagonist in the series, than with Coco. The contrasts between Kim and Coco are so pronounced that it will make you feel uneasy watching them pronouncing love, hugging and kissing one another.

Aside from the lack of chemistry between Coco and Kim, the story is something that its producers have already used over and over again - lost child, separated siblings, love against all odds.

Another problem with Ikaw Lamang (and most of the dramas that are produced by Dreamscape) is that it gives out the impression that women only live in search for true love, for the man who will finally give meaning to their lives. Ain't that the premise of the currently airing Mirabella (also produced by the same team)? A girl whose skin resembles a timber, but instead of searching for how it all came about, she wanted to find the one perfect man who will finally accept and love her for who she is. So sad...


I was able to watch an episode of Ikaw Lamang where all the character of Kim Chiu did was to defy everybody and voice out her serious intent of doing everything to be given the freedom to be with the character of Coco. And Coco's character is not even that lovable. He does not have what it takes to be loved by someone who has it all. This period drama is not giving anything about the period it is supposed to be in. They can set the same crappy material in the modern era and they can still pull it off. It will be even easier since the characters need not inject deep Filipino words every now and then just for the drama to be qualified as a period piece. Ang pangit =(

Primetime Bida's Saving Grace

What started as a dragging and another overused story, has redeemed itself and is now the only local drama on ABS-CBN's primetime block that is worth to watch. I am not watching this because I don't like Maja, but I am aware of people's reactions towards the progress of the story and the great acting of the actors, especially its main female lead, Angel Locsin, because the show has become the talk of the town.

The way that the story of The Legal Wife is being handled, not including its dragging beginning, the group that created it must be commended for a job well done. This is the same group that handled the Kathryn-Daniel serye, Got to Believe. I don't approve of the latter's storyline's extremely close resemblance to Meteor Garden, but I liked the fact that even though they injected family problems, the teamup of Kathniel remained to be in the spotlight of the show in its entirety. This would not have been the case if the group that is handling Dyesebel and Ikaw Lamang created G2B. It would have lots of subplots and sulpot characters who will be given more exposure at the expense of the leads no matter how popular they are.

Why am I ranting? It is summer. The kids are free to watch TV. I used to enjoy local dramas and they watched with us too. Now all that they want to do is to watch DVDs of Frozen, Bride for Rent and Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo over and over and over and over again and again and again.

The Success of Bride for Rent and the Decision to Break Up the Kim Chiu and Xian Lim Tandem on TV

Credits to Xian Lim's Instagram account - xianlimm

This is a long overdue review of this film that made me laugh so hard and fall in love even more with its two leads. I watched it along with my family, including my 3 and 9-year-old nieces who both adore KimXi. We made sure that we were at the cinema before the first screening, but the line was so long that we ended up 10 minutes late for the screening, but at least, we were still able to secure good seats.

I am not really a fan of the director in terms of her visuals. But Direk Mae Cruz is a genius when it comes to storytelling. She makes sure that she does not leave anything hanging or missed out.

Story wise, Bride for Rent is quite simple and formulaic. Based on the casts' past interviews, they started filming this without a finished story and script, so at the start, they did not have any idea as to where this would lead. The writers of this film, I believe, were on-call on the set most of the time. I can just imagine the rigorous brainstorming sessions that took place after each working day or even after each take, while the group was still creating this bound to be blockbuster hit.

The finished film was a group effort and they appeared to have a happy ambience on the set most of the time, based on the Instagram and Twitter posts of many of the people involved in its creation.

It is not the story that lured many of its viewers to pay in order to see the film. Even with the trailer, you would already know that it is a cliche type of story. Most people flocked the cinemas for three reasons: 1. Kim Chiu was very funny. Even in the trailer, one will laud at Kim's comedic timing. She was good in BHKCNCM, but she was at her best (in terms of comedy) in BFR. 2. Xian Lim already has gotten a lot of swooning girls' following from BHKCNCM and he looks even sexier in BFR. He has also improved a lot in acting, especially with his dramatic moments. 3. The most important reason why many people could not get enough of the film and many are willing to pay for it over and over again to take another peek is the enigmatic chemistry between Kim and Xian. When I watched it, people were so kilig each time Rocco and Rocky would share the screen time. This loveteam has the magic that is quite hard to ignore.

After the first screening ended, we were supposed to transfer seats, so that we could be nearer to the exit since we would only be catching up on the few scenes that we did not see. But there seemed to be an onslaught of people in the cinema that no one could leave their seats, even just to take a CR break, worried that they would lose their places. It was even more surprising when we were about to leave the cinema. We could not find the stairs. People were all over. There were people up to the CR’s doors and they were all willing to endure such viewing experience in order to watch this flick. It was the first time that I experienced this in the cinema. It was the first weekend run of BFR. The next weekend, they already opened two cinemas, which both became full-packed.

Congrats to the BFR team and its coherent director. Congrats to the writers and other creative staff for coming up with memorable lines. Congrats to the efficient supporting casts. Congrats to Kim and Xian and their overflowing chemistry.

After the hit and success came the KimXi break-up on TV:

Rocco and Rocky are ordinary characters that were given life and excitement by Kim and Xian. For sure, many viewers have become fans of the team-up after seeing the film. They weren't given this kind of exposure on their TV projects. Most of the time, especially on their last TV soap, Ina, Kapatid, Anak, it appeared that they were only used, especially Kim, since she was the bigger star, in order to boost the career of the other actors. The horrors of IKA, there were even nights when Kim would have fewer scenes in favor of Maja Salvador's character, even if the latter would only frequent the bar and other unimportant scenes that could have already been omitted.

Well, that's the difference between TV and film. Although I am not happy with the news that ABS-CBN has decided to break the KimXi tandem on TV, giving Kim different partners (both actors whom are favored by the drama unit known as Dreamscape, Jake Cuenca and Coco Martin) and not having announced regarding what they plan about Xian's TV career, I think that it is already expected, although it still hurts.

From the fans' point of view, both Xian and Kim are not their drama unit's favorites. As a KimXi fan, I am already looking forward to their movies. If ever Xian would be delegated to another drama unit, I also look forward to the roles that would be given to him. As for Kim, I am pretty sure that many of her fans are now worried that she might again be given the kind of treatment that she had with IKA and, of course, Tayong Dalawa, which eventually became a Coco-centric soap and they even killed Kim's character in the end. Both soaps were produced by Dreamscape. At least, this new soap that stars Kim along with Coco Martin, will be handled by her director in My Binondo Girl, Malu Sevilla. I hope that Direk Malu will give Kim the proper exposure and airtime that she deserves with her status, being not only a hitmaker on TV, but on movies as well. I will watch it for the love of Kim.

I will miss the KimXi tandem on TV. I will miss Kim doing comedy. It is hard to be a fangirl, especially when the actors that you are rooting for work in a station, where favoritism is the name of the game. Well, at least, I still could hope for their future movies and while it is still showing, let us all watch Bride for Rent over and over again.

Kim Chiu and Xian Lim New Movie, Bride for Rent, Opens on January 15, 2014

CTO

After the success of Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo, for sure, many fans of Kim Chiu and Xian Lim are eagerly waiting for this one, entitled, Bride for Rent. 'Hoping that this will surpass the success of BHKCNCM and may this begin the new year on the right path for these two well-loved personalities. The film is being helmed by Direk Mae Cruz.

Kim Chiu and Xian Lim Performs Magkabilang Mundo in ASAP

Less than three 3, indeed! I am pretty sure that many people are already waiting for their next movie and teleserye. Hopefully, they will be given more chances to perform something like this in ASAP, mall or out of town/country shows. Is it too much to ask for a KimXi album? =) Good job, Kim Chiu and Xian Lim. More!

The Unforgettable Sights of the Star Magic Ball 2013

Is it just me, or many stars really opted to be simple on the recently concluded Star Magic Ball 2013? There are only a few who stood out, but those who did really shone that night and gave the viewing public great examples as to why they ought to be called stars.

This is the list of my favorite attendees at the glamorous ball.

Kim Chiu, as always, never failed to prove why she is being looked up to by many fashion enthusiasts. She looked like a princess at the ball, with the equally good looking escort, Xian Lim, who made Kim glowing and even more beautiful.

Another belle who carried her ball gown with such confidence, glam and style is Julia Barretto. Her overall style, from the hair, make-up and gown, is quite fitting for her age.

Ella Cruz looked sweet and very cute at the ball.

Janella Salvador or Ma'am Nicki to those who watch TV-series, Be Careful with My Heart, looked like a sweetheart that night.

This may not be a stand-out gown, but Nikki Gil's attitude made it all up for whatever's lacking in her ensemble. When asked to describe her style by a staff of The Buzz, she happily said that this is her "moving-on" look.

Ms. Dawn Zulueta has already mastered the art of elegance.

It is not so much about Rica Peralejo's gown, but she looked very happy and pretty, and still sexy even though she's pregnant.

For the men, I'd be biased because after watching "Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo?", I no longer find any male local celebs who can match the appeal of Xian Lim.

And I am quite sure that many girls, including this blogger, were quite envy of Kim Chiu with the very sweet gesture of how Xian invited Kim to be his date for the ball, as Kim gave us a peek how on her Instagram account.

This is my favorite KimXi picture at the ball. They really deserve the Fabulous Pair award.

There were also certain celebrities who were unforgettable for other reasons.

Maricar Reyes had managed to look quite appealing and classy in the past Star Magic formal events, but she opted for a simpler overall this time. Although she still looked pretty, her chosen style made her look like she would only go and dine out with someone and not attend a glamorous occasion like this one.

Kean Cipriano in a messy overall.

Ansaveh ni Kiray?! Tarush! Very Doña Guada in the body of an 8-yr-old kid.

Photo credits to: Instagram - chinitaprincess, xianlimm; StyleBible.ph & PEX

The Magic of the Kim Chiu and Xian Lim Tandem Perfectly Showcased in Bakit Hindi Ka Crush Ng Crush Mo

I watched Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo mid-afternoon on a weekday in a cinema in Bulacan and I was really surprised that the venue was almost full. We were of different ages. There were kids, teenagers, yuppies, professionals and there were also a lot of senior citizens. I was with a friend who only came with me because she knows how fond I am of the film’s female lead, Kim Chiu.

From the beginning, it will captivate you because the film talks to its audience via its wacky narrator who happens to be the author of the book where this was based from, Ramon Bautista. He uses a language that is direct and will really affect those who have experienced the beautiful and ugly sides of falling in love.

Kim is very beautiful in this film and she blooms even more whenever she shares screen time with leading man, Xian Lim. I watched two of Kim’s films on the big screen in the past, Paano na Kaya and Till My Heartaches End, but I must commend that she’s at her prettiest in BHKCNCM. She’s also very natural here, with the way she delivers her lines and convincing the audience that her character, Sandy, is in love with Xian’s character, Alex.

People may be used at Kim with drama because of the typical roles that she gets on TV, but in this film, she has proven that she can be good with comedy as well. Her laughter is contagious and it just seemed so real.

Xian was an eye candy and will get your attention from the moment that his character was introduced. He really was yummy. I can no longer count how many times I uttered “Ang gwapo ni Xian” when I was watching the film until now that I am typing this blog entry. More than his looks though, he was able to deliver a very convincing take on his role. He excels at scenes where he was tasked to play the guitar and sing.

Before I watched the film, I thought that its main selling point would be the genre, as it was marketed as an all out wacky comedy. As the film progresses, you can’t help but be captivated with the powerful chemistry of Kim and Xian. Their love (or their characters’ love) for one another will get through you. It would not be hard to convince people that they really feel what their characters were going through. There were no “pilit” moments. The “kilig” happens every time they were together on screen. They deserve to be given the best screen kiss award for this film.

I am a KimXi fan even before, but my companion was not. This film made her a KimXi fan as well and it feels so good that I now share my craziness about the tandem with my friend. Judging from the audience’ reaction, it seems as if the legions of KimXi fans have broadened after witnessing their magic on screen via BHKCNCM.

The movie was fast-paced. Star Cinema tried to inject the family angle in both Kim and Xian’s characters. While it worked for Xian’s side, it was not that needed for Kim’s character. They could have simply explained her back story without dwelling a lot on her family. Pokwang, who could have helped in providing more laughs with her brand of comedy, played the role of Kim’s mother, was tasked to do solely light drama scenes.

Unlike the Sarah-John Lloyd films where you will also love the supporting players because of the witty lines and great execution, BHKCNCM stood out mainly because of its two leads, no more, no less. They both delivered well and have I already mushed over their chemistry and magic? Haha!

So I went to watch this film as a fan who was more inclined to Kim, with a friend who could not care less about Kim or Xian. I went out as a solid KimXi fan and now a die-hard Xian admirer, with a friend who also became a fan of the team-up and someone who’s now arranging groups to go with us to watch the film again for the love of Xian Lim.

Hopefully, this film will perform well in the tills. I want to see more of Kim and Xian on TV and on the big screen. The team-up will surely remind you that life and love can be sweet and beautiful just by looking at these two.

The Outspoken Paras Kids, EB Super Sireyna Scandal and the Billy-Nikki Breakup

Wow, the local showbiz industry is once again alive, with facts and rumors that inject life to the gossip-mongers like mwah!

This one first – the Kobe and Andre Paras feud (?) with their mom, former actress, Jackie Forster. I understand the press and their need to voice out their concerns regarding the apparent dislike of these kids to their real mother. As many have already said, most people in this country have high respect for moms. This may be the reason why there are a lot who are now judging the boys because they could not contain their dislike for Jackie.

CTO: Philstar.com

In the first place, would we hear these teenage voices speaking their angry hearts out towards their mother had they not been asked about the matter? They were asked. They spoke the truth about how they really feel at the moment and they were bombarded with criticisms.

I may not like what I’ve been hearing from the sons of Benjie Paras, but I also feel for them in a way. When I was at their age, I also spoke and thought like them. I may not be placed in a similar situation, but I would react the same way if I was. I mean, I would feel like I already have an ideal family and an ideal mom who treated me like her own and made me forget about the misgivings of my real mom. By entering into the picture at this time, it may feel as if the real mom is trying to destabilize the world that the step-mom has already perfected for them.

We must also take into consideration that Jackie had these kids at the same age that Kobe and Andre are now in. If Jackie was so hard-headed at the time to give up her career for love and not mind her own family, you will no longer wonder where these kids have gotten this similar attitude from.

Oh well, now that they have entered the business, it is only expected that they are going to be asked about the tinniest details of their private lives. They must now be more guarded and learn how to say, no comment, especially if they can’t lie about how they really feel about the matter that is being talked about.

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CTO: gmanetwork.com

OMG, with the nude photo scandal of the recently crowned Eat Bulaga Super Sireyna, the one who used Kim Chiu as his moniker during the pageant. I doubt if Eat Bulaga will dethrone him because they were not clear in the first place if they have strict rules that are similar with prestigious beauty pageants like Bb. Pilipinas. It is sad though because after the scandal, I don’t think that he would get the kind of respect that he may have been after, even from the very outspoken hosts of Eat Bulaga, such as Joey de Leon.

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What did Billy Crawford say as the reason for the breakup of his romance with Nikki Gil? He felt lost. He was not happy. He ought to find himself first. How can he cause happiness to other people if he himself is not happy?

Too many words, but for many showbiz onlookers, these only meant one thing – he fell out of love. Poor girl. But what do we know? This might give Nikki more opportunities to shine in her career, which in the past years, had only gained attention for her involvement with Billy. She is a good character actress and can follow the lead of Angel Aquino.

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Oh well, as they say, in life, shit happens. You just have to flush the toilet and move on =)

Kim Chiu and Xian Lim - BAKIT HINDI KA CRUSH NG CRUSH MO

The first movie team-up of today's hottest loveteam, KimXi or Kim Chiu and Xian Lim, hits the big screen on July 31. Let's all watch and support Bakit Hindi Ka Crush Ng Crush Mo.

Kim Chiu and Xian Lim Star in Bakit Hindi Ka Crush Ng Crush Mo

After the hit flick, Monsters University and the oooh-so cute Minions on Despicable Me 2, watching a local rom-com with today's hottest loveteam would be a sure-fire treat. This July, Kim Chiu and Xian Lim will bring to life the phenomenal self-help book by Ramon Bautista, Bakit Hindi Ka Crush Ng Crush Mo?

CTO: James Banaag

Aside from the oozing chemistry of the pair and the proven wittiness of the book's author, no other than Bb. Joyce Bernal is at its helm. Here's a quick teaser of the film, Bakit Hindi Ka Crush Ng Crush Mo?

CTO: Pacifist Thug

Kim Chiu is @Prinsesachinita on Twitter

The Primetime Princess, Kim Chiu is on Twitter! Follow her: @prinsesachinita

A kilig trivia for KimXi fans: Xian Lim was the first one that Kim followed on Twitter =)

Ina, Kapatid, Anak - A Stereotype Story till the End

I want to make a blog post about the recently concluded soap opera of my most favorite local star, Kim Chiu and her, bedazzling reel (and real-life?) partner, Xian Lim, but I can’t make up my mind on how to do this without sounding like a hater, which I became at the course of this crap, I mean, show, Ina, Kapatid, Anak.

I chanced upon this post from ABS-CBNNews.com about what they think were the 10 memorable scenes from the show. The list includes the following:

10 memorable scenes in 'Ina, Kapatid,Anak'

1. Celyn finds out she's a Marasigan

2. Celyn, Margaux celebrate 18th birthday

3. Margaux, Celyn in intense slapping scene

4. Margaux drives Celyn's car, figures in accident

5. Margaux finds out she's a real Marasigan

6. Liam, Celyn become a couple

7. Celyn, Margaux patch things up

8. Celyn gets kidnapped

9. Celyn gets beat up by Mio

10. Liam proposes to Celyn

For me, although this is from a KimXi fan perspective, since I would always turn the TV off when the story was becoming too focused on Margaux or the oldies’ characters, my favorite and most memorable scenes from the show are:

1. The young Celyn, selling slippers while shouting one of the most memorable lines from the soap – “Tsinelas ni Tere!”

2. Celyn’s scenes that showed her talking to the replica of Sto. Nino. Such trait of Celyn even became the topic of several homilies in the church, where I frequently go to. It is sad that as the show progressed, they took this for granted and focused on too much anger and violence instead.

3. When Celyn went back to the landlady that gave her a place to stay when she was new in the city, and gave her gifts to show her gratitude and to live up to her promise that she would go back when she’s already rich.

4. The first time that Celyn and Liam met in the campus. Their chemistry was overflowing that I never thought the story would never give them a chance to shine as a couple.

5. When Liam learned that they were his dad’s second family.

6. When Celyn was introduced to Tiny. They were the exact opposite that was why they clicked on screen as friends, co-workers and allies. Where did the writer take Tiny’s character as the story progresses? Nada. He was not a favorite.

7. When Celyn spent the night with Liam at the beach after finding out the truth about her character. This could have started something magical for the two, but instead the writer made Liam’s character one confused dude.

8. When Liam came to Celyn’s aid when she needed to practice for the ball and her escort backed out.

9. When Celyn was finally rescued from Mio and the tender hug and kiss that Liam gave her after.

10. The anguish and pains of Celyn when she thought that her Nanay Teresa died, both at the old, gloomy building and at the hospital.

The story had a very promising premise – something unique and rarely tackled. It could have been developed in so many unique ways, but it did not happen. The story started to lag when too much emphasis was given to Margaux’ character. I started to withdraw from my habit of watching it nightly when this happened. All the casts’ problems revolved around the character. It was too obvious that they wanted Maja Salvador to shine, but instead of achieving such, more people started to feel irritated. Most of its viewers watched the show, not for Maja, but for Kim, whom they delegated as the second lead for a time.

For the creatives’ part, they were justifying the turn of events by saying that this is a family drama and not a love story. For most of the viewers though, this has become a Margaux drama. They could have at least tried to balance the story and give equal exposures to all the casts in its entire run. They only passed on the torch of responsibility to Kim Chiu when the ratings dropped phenomenally and almost reached the 20s.

Everything has become so rushed since then. The story stood out for being poorly written, but well-acted. For the CeLiam parts, they either repeated romantic scenes from another Kim Chiu and Xian Lim teleserye, My Binondo Girl, or imitate what was happening with Kim and Xian in real life. The chemistry may be strong, but the story was very weak and yes again, rushed.

Oh well, time to move on. I can’t say that I’ve wasted my eight months watching this because I only watched maybe half of its run. I just hope that they can give Kim Chiu a good story on her next project and give Xian Lim a material, where he will also shine as well. Stop playing favorites, ABS-CBN. Look at what happened to the story of this promising show when you have decided to give the highlight to your favorite. Okay, time to end my rants. I am looking forward now to the Kim and Xian movie, which was based on the book of Ramon Bautista, Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo. For now, I will forget that Ina, Kapatid, Anak ever existed haha!

PS: For those who missed the bloopers, here it is:

Kim Chiu and Xian Lim Plead for Mali to be Transferred to a Sanctuary

Popular local young actors, Kim Chiu and Xian Lim, do their share to increase the public’s awareness about Mali, and why it is important for the elephant to be transferred from the zoo to a sanctuary.

Sarah Geronimo and Kim Chiu - Girl Power

Aaaww... This is the kind of sentiment that one would feel when they hear the winning song of the recently concluded Himig Handog PPop Love Songs Finals Night, "Ano'ng Nangyari sa Ating Dalawa." The song itself was quite simple, but it became very sentimental and tagos sa puso when it was sung by Aiza Seguerra.

There was another Aaaww... moment that happened behind the scenes of the show as seen in the pictures below.

CTO: Gerrome Esguerra

Sarah Geronimo and Kim Chiu looked very happy. They are both winners in life and they will continue to get people's adoration and love, just because they have both chosen to be real in this showbiz world that is full of make-believe. Kudos to you, girls.

In Line with the Kim Chiu, Maja Salvador Rift over Gerald Anderson - Is It Okay to Date Your Best Friend's Ex?

In line with the latest happenings in the local showbiz scene, an interesting topic is now the talk-of-the-town at schools, in the offices, segments at shows like Umagang Kay Ganda, social networking sites and so many more.

Is it okay to date the ex of your best friend? 

When the news about the Kim Chiu-Maja Salvador rift broke out, I can totally relate with Kim. No one needs to ask, I just thought that I don’t think that any girl would want to be in the position of Kim. It may be okay if the Maja in the story is a mere acquaintance or a classmate or a former colleague, but if this was done by the person whom you consider the best among your friends, it can really get confusing and unfathomable on how could they do this to you.

I have read some articles, which commented that this only happened because Kim still has feelings for Gerald. Most of these articles were written by gays. I still have to see a woman write that this scenario is okay or a straight man. This draws me into the conclusion that for gays, they would be fine with it. Is it?

The scenario here is this. Gerald was Kim’s first love. She has suffered lots of heartaches, and even Gerald admitted that he has hurt Kim’s feelings over and over again. Kim used to be meek. She even defended this guy amid the Pauleen Luna issue even when Pauleen herself was posting pictures of Gerald and her together, along with the same friends (cohorts) whom he would always be seen whenever Gerald would have controversial pictures out with different girls, both from showbiz and out of the industry.

Kim was able to keep her silence. To get past the broken-hearted stage, she turned to Maja and told her everything about this person who has given her biggest heart break. As a best friend, you would think that Maja would always keep a safe distance from Gerald for hurting her best friend (the best friend who has showered her with material gifts and helped her to be noticed in the business where Maja has been stuck as a starlet for a long time).

Maja may be a friendly person and she extended the attitude towards Gerald, the one person who made her best friend feel like a trash at one point in her life. I don’t know what’s the real score between them. With Gerald’s history and reputation, he would not tell the truth even if he is already caught red-handed. He was seen with Pauleen at the time that he was still in a relationship with Kim.

Gerald said. Not true. He doesn't even know the girl

He was seen going out with Bea Alonzo, while his relationship with Kim was said to be on the rocks.

Gerald said. Not true. Bea was only his crush. (Yeah, I know, he was forced to admit the truth after Bea turned her back on him for not having enough balls to defend her against the detractors that were throwing the stones at the wrong person.)

He was seen being intimate with a non-showbiz girl while he was professing on screen his admiration for Sarah Geronimo.

CTO: Google and all original owners of the pictures above 

Gerald said. She was just a fan.

I already saw the teaser for tomorrow's The Buzz episode (January 13), so I'll add it here. Regarding Maja...

Gerald said. I would love to (court her) if she will give me the chance.

Court talaga? Based on the pictures and recent twits of sighting of these two, parang di na kailangan ng ligawan e =)

All these images can be found in Google. And I did not search for anything that relates to Gerald being linked with gay benefactors. I am not sure that I am ready with what I’ll find and a part of me still believes that he would not do that. Don’t tell me Maja was not aware of these brouhahas because all you need is to type Gerald’s name and name of the person whom you think he is dating or used to date, on Google, and you will see trails of this playboy’s favorite game – girls.

In my opinion, if Maja was a real friend of Kim, she would not dare date or even think of getting close to Gerald.

If the Gerald in the story was part of a girl-boy romance that ended because they realized that they did not click, but parted as friends and the girl still regards the boy highly, then I don’t see anything wrong if the best friend would later on enter the scene. The former girlfriend would even try pairing up the two if she believes that they are more right for each other.

Well, as we all know and also Mr. Google, the Kim-Gerald romance did not end the typical way. One was left badly hurting, while the other just went on doing what he does best – girl hunting.

To make the story more complicated, Maja was a good friend of Sarah as well. They may not be the best of friends, but they would always have good words towards one another and Maja even showed her support by watching Sarah’s shows.

If this happened to commoners like me, I would even be fiercer than Kim. After asking Maja to help me get through my trust issues, she would be the last person I’d think of who will break that trust. If I were Kim, I would not plead to the bashers to stop hating on the two. I will cheer them on. Haha!

On the part of Gerald, knowing that her ex girlfriend is the best friend of his current eye candy, he would have the decency not to make the latter fall for him, if he was sincere in saying that he was sorry for hurting Kim in the past. Well, I guess that decency is not part of Gerald's vocabulary.

I have read somewhere that Sam Milby asked John Pratts’ permission before he started dating or asked Shaina Magdayao out. The case here is that Shaina gave John a bad heartbreak for dumping him to be with John Lloyd Cruz. It is just that John also has the image of being a playboy, so I guess, he would not really mind this development.

Oh well, papel, is it really okay to date your best friend’s ex?

See related articles here:

Kim Chiu on Maja Salvador and Gerald Anderson - And So the Story Goes

Fiercer Kim Chiu and Sarah Geronimo, Lovebirds Maja Salvador and Gerald Anderson, and Other Local Tsismis

Kim Chiu on Maja Salvador and Gerald Anderson - And So the Story Goes

And just like that, the truth is out. Kim Chiu stood and braved all questions thrown at her during the Ina, Kapatid, Anak presscon held Tuesday night. This is quite far from the broken person she was once back in 2010 when the news broke out on the truth about the Gerald-Bea Alonzo romance.

Here's a summary of what transpired at this very intense press conference:

The issue here is not about Gerald Anderson at all. Kim has trusted Maja with all her heartaches from this one person whom Maja is now singing romantic tunes with. Para lang syang humanap ng pagkakataon para sya naman ang maging “It” girl sa buhay ni Gerald. Maja had chosen to stand by this man who once treated her best friend like trash. That speaks volume of the real Maja Salvador.

I don't want to badmouth anyone, but with how things turned out, it was like Maja had chosen to take a stand. And between Kim and Gerald, she had chosen the latter, a lover over a friend, wow!

Uh-oh, Gerald, I don’t think that an ambulance would suffice when you try to emotionally explain your side to the public this time. You must rent a hospital for a more dramatic effect.

CTO: Sarah Anderson and Fashion Pulis

Looking into the positive side, at least Kim has found Xian Lim amid all the troubles that she has encountered with her past love and scheming best friend. 

Okay, kalma haha! Here are some of the statements from the fiercer and fearless Kim Chiu at tonight's presscon:

CTO: abs-cbnnews

From this piece, these are the statements that I liked the most:

"Nakakapagod na din po kasi yung tanong kayo ng tanong sa akin tungkol kay Gerald eh ang dami niya na pong dinaanang babae, hindi ba? Hindi lang naman ako. Bakit hindi niyo po hingin ang opinyon ng ibang babae since marami naman po sila"

"We are good, we are OK. I don't care, I don't care, bahala na siya. She knows Gerald, who Gerald is." 

"...I'm happy for them, pero parang nalungkot lang ako na yung taong sinabihan ko noong time na down ako eh parang kinain niya lang yung sinabi niya."

I can totally relate with Kim and I think that every girl who have experienced being involved with a jerk who unabashedly turned to the best friend of his ex, would feel the same way like how Kim reacted. She is concerned with Maja, above everything else. 

This whole story also vindicated Mommy Divine of Sarah Geronimo (take note, Ogie Diaz). Ogie is one of those who keeps on insisting that there is something wrong with how Mommy D has handled the Sarah-Gerald interrupted romance. She may be strict with her girl, but young girls would realize when they have become adults that no mother would want any harm for their kids. It is a good thing that Sarah G stuck to her parents' side and defended them, especially Mommy D., when the criticisms won't stop even after Gerald stopped from pursuing Sarah.

These are some of the tweets that really made my night and made me a proud fan of Kim Chiu.

This one also made my night because as I have said in my previous post - 
Fiercer Kim Chiu and Sarah Geronimo, Lovebirds Maja Salvador and Gerald Anderson, and Other Local Tsismis, I have developed total respect for Sarah G.

This image is really inspiring. This signifies that although these showbiz sweethearts have been hurt and bruised, they have found their voices and are ready to face the future with a fiercer and fearless attitude.

CTO: Pam Nicole

And to cap off this very intense and intriguing night for all Kim Chiu fans, here's a funny but very meaningful tweet that made my night.

I don't really know how to end this post because the story is only beginning. For sure, there will be more developments as days (or hours) go by. I'll just end this with a retweeted quote of Kim's make-up artist, Haidz Fernandez:

Here's the full video interview of Kim Chiu, along with Xian Lim. Aside from the issue upfront, what caught my KimXi heart at this interview was the slip of the tongue of Xian that they were together in Hong Kong last Christmas (or I only misheard this part) and that he also celebrated New Year's with Kim. (Ayiiiie, another round of press con, please, for these two. And if this is going to happen, kindly eradicate Maja from the scene and avoid asking Kim about Gerald like a plague =)

video credits to: Chikkaness Ave

PS:

For all those who can't understand why Kim reacted this way, either you are a man who does not have much contact with women, you don't have a best friend or you are MAJA SALVADOR, here's the most important rule according to the Girls "Secret" Code.

CTO: Ms. Lean via Twitter

See related articles here:


Fiercer Kim Chiu and Sarah Geronimo, Lovebirds Maja Salvador and Gerald Anderson, and Other Local Tsismis

In Line with the Kim Chiu, Maja Salvador Rift over Gerald Anderson - Is It Okay to Date Your Best Friend's Ex?

Fiercer Kim Chiu and Sarah Geronimo, Lovebirds Maja Salvador and Gerald Anderson, and Other Local Tsismis

Move over, Sarah Labati, because a more interesting showbiz happening is starting to unfold.

If you were able to watch ASAP even on your TV screens, there were lots of interesting and awkward moments that happened on its January 6, 2013 episode. I waited for the production number of Ina, Kapatid, Anak to catch Kim Chiu and Xian Lim. To add to its production value, it started with the trio of Kim, Maja Salvador and Enchong Dee. There came a point when Enchong left so that Xian could take his place. Wow, when the two girls were left on stage on their own even for a short time, you can sense that there was a certain level of discomfort with the two who used to be the best of friends. Maja's eyes would skip Kim and looked around as if she was eager for Xian to come out on stage. Kim looked like she was finally able to breathe when Xian was already by her side.

KimXi did not fail to deliver at that production number. It was super kilig even though they only looked at each other's eyes and held one another. There was what seemed like a pilit effort for the other pair to appear that they were sweeter than KimXi. They even shared one mic, which failed to get any responses.

And then there was the spiel where Kim and Xian were together with Enchong Dee, Cristine Reyes, Vina Morales and I am not sure if he was part of it, but Gerald Anderson also joined the group. It became rowdy, with Enchong, Cristine and Gerald at the helm of being childish on national TV, not minding that there were other people in the group who felt like the teasing and jokes were just too much.

Many fans felt the same way, too, and some of them blurted their reactions at a photo that was posted on Instagram by Kim's make-up artist, Haidee Fernandez. To which Kim replied:

At the time, Kim has already unfollowed Gerald on Instagram. What's more mind-boggling is that Maja also unfollowed not only Kim but Xian on this popular and now controversial photo sharing app. Kim followed suit and unfollowed Maja as well the day after.

So what's the big deal with this follow-unfollow thingy? Before this happened, it was evident that fewer pictures of Kim and Maja together were being posted even though they were both in the same places or events. Maja had more pictures with Gerald circulating over the internet, including their vacation pictures in Misibis Bay with other friends during the holidays.

Before this whole brouhaha, the local entertainment news was filled with Sarah Geronimo's fierce statements in defense of her parents and strong words about what happened or what she has learned with her life's episode with Gerald.

And now, the latest gossips are about Maja and Gerald being together for over a year now. It may be okay for them to become a couple, but this is quite complicated.

Maja was Kim's best friend and Kim is Gerald's ex-girlfriend. Kim is a good friend of Matteo Guidicelli who is Maja's ex. Maja is or was a good friend of Sarah G or that she claimed to be. If this has been going on for a year, it happened while Gerald was still pursuing Sarah and Kim was still helping Maja and Matteo to patch things up.

Wow, talk about being complicated. Let us just see where this story leads. For this blogger, I never liked Maja, and this gives me more reasons to continue doing so. The story made me a bigger fan of Kim though and I have developed total respect for Sarah G.

As for Sarah Labati, you have placed yourself in a position where you will never win because you are fighting with your boss. If you will keep on saying things against them, they will just use these to ruin you even more. The best thing to do is to finish the contract and do your work obediently and leave immediately after it expires.

And 2013 is only beginning, hmmm, this is shaping up to be a more controversial year to the local entertainment industry.

Related Articles:


Kim Chiu on Maja Salvador and Gerald Anderson - And So the Story Goes

In Line with the Kim Chiu, Maja Salvador Rift over Gerald Anderson - Is It Okay to Date Your Best Friend's Ex?