Jennifer Aniston – On Brad Pitt and Everything Else that Came After

Both their films are set to open come Christmas day. So it is just very natural for us to hear about Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt more and more before their films hit the big screen. And also be prepared to hear more about Angelina Jolie. She's part of the equation now and she will always be, whether we like it or not.

After Jolie gushed over how her romance with Pitt bloomed at the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith while the latter was still very much married with Aniston, it was expected that people would wanna hear about Jen's reaction. And what she said, of course, toppled off all news about the new US president.

Jennifer told in an interview with Vogue magazine that what Angelina said regarding the issue was very uncool. When Jen sat with Oprah for the promotion of Marley & Me, she explained that she was asked a question that she answered as honestly as she could.

During the Oprah interview, Jen was asked about her former husband. She said that she is happy for him. She appreciates the amazing things that Pitt was able to do for the last couple of years. She exclaimed that she is happy for Mr. & Mrs. Smith, er, Mr. & Mrs. Pitt (or Mr. Pitt & Ms. Jolie?). And she also said that she is over with Pitt and feels like the separation happened 100 years ago.

Oprah was also able to ask Jen about her current flame, John Mayer. Her reply was, "I've been unbelievably lucky in love… It just might not look the way it's supposed to look at this point."

Since Jen's very public split with Brad Pitt and the circumstances that brought the incident, people have been wanting to see her happy and settled. Well, as a fan, John Mayer was not exactly the kind of guy that I imagined her to end up with. But well hey, if he makes her happy, so let it be.

As for the clash of her film with Pitt's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Aniston joked if they can just have a tie. Well, it will be up to the viewing public now. Both films have promising premises. Pitt's movie deals with a man who ages backwards. And Jen's film is about how the world's worst dog was able to change the life of the people it dealt with for the better.

There is Hope for My Only Hope

Okay, so I am still watching My Only Hope, Sundays after ASAP 08 at ABS CBN. First of all, thank you for the obvious effort to bring kilig to the fans. But what used to be a promising start seems to be dwindling to the sloppy-story road.

Come on, creative peeps of ABS CBN, you know you can do better than that. The latest episode seemed to be done on a rush. Yeah, people would love to see the main leads fall in love, kiss, hug and everything else that was shown on the latest episode. But this completely shattered the good foundation of this Sunday drama series.

The show has already set up so many good points.

• Gerald’s emo character has paved the way for this kind of get-up and attitude to become popular and known to this day’s generation. I wasn’t really paying attention to such before My Only Hope aired. And Gerald was good playing the role of Keeno. He really has done a lot to make the character very convincing.

• The Boracay setting for the show’s first airing was a sight of fresh air for weekends’ couch potatoes like me. It was new and it contributed to the excitement over the progress of the story.

• Gerald and Kim have shown lots of improvement in terms of acting. And Enchong Dee must not be overlooked. He is also beginning to show signs of progress by portraying his role the best he can.

• Tomy Abuel, being the veteran actor that he is, showcases what old school and powerful acting is all about. He sets a good example to the younger casts of the show.

• The new guy who plays the role of Rick, Keeno’s brother, is also promising. But he still has to overcome some apparent shyness and learn how to act tougher.

• Kudos to Miguel Escueta for a very fresh, innovative rendition of the main theme. This was like what David Cook has done for Always Be My Baby. Miguel was able to make me forget about the original version of Mandy Moore.

Let’s go to the negative points.

• The story is becoming too predictable. It’s like showcasing the best or memorable scenes from both local and foreign dramas and collating them all on this one. So Keeno was the one who accidentally killed April’s (Kim’s character) father. Jessie (Nina), who already died, has a twin who looks exactly like her. The rich family of Keeno will not approve of his relationship with poor girl, April. Yang (Regine), who has owned up to the responsibility for most of his boyfriend’s expenses, is actually a call girl (oh wow, very 80s eh?) I am just waiting for an amnesia element and I’ll conclude that the creative team for this drama is composed of 50 to 70 year old folks.

• When I watched My Girl, I thought that David Chua who plays April’s brother on this one was only faking his enunciation to make people believe that he cannot speak Tagalog. But hey, he still sounds like he cannot speak the language on this one even if his role is very much a Filipino.

• Another character that wasn’t able to come out of her My Girl’s character is Alex Gonzaga. She was funny at My Girl because she sounded gay and she was supposed to be comic. But now, the manner that she speaks is already becoming too irritating since she is not a funny one in My Only Hope.

The latest episode brought many disappointing turns with regards to the flow of the story.

• After one date, April loves Keeno already. Um, this can be true, I don’t doubt it. I am a believer of true love, naks! But we must remember that April is only recovering or is actually in the process of forgetting about her feelings for Jhun (Enchong’s character). Keeno’s presence must cause her to be very disturbed and lost for rational explanation why she’s all of a sudden feeling the way she does whenever this emo guy is around.

• And Keeno is also recovering from a loss of a loved one and guilt for what happened. It will be better if we will see him fighting his real feelings for April and thwarting her from becoming too close. Rather than saying that he used to dislike people like April who has so much happiness in life, he must have demonstrated that first before becoming involved with her type.

• The Jhun-April story should have been given more depth. It couldn’t end one night after April’s first date with Keeno. It would really be hard to decide, especially when the intention of June (Keeping his promise to April’s dad) was so pure. At June’s proposal, April should instead have said that she’ll think about it. And then she will be torn between the two.

This is the problem when you put in too many details, too many conflicts and loads of characters that have lots of emotional baggage with them, in a series that will only be watched once a week.

Kim, Gerald and Enchong are becoming too good as actors for the confused story that they were made to portray. The creative team should focus more on fixing the story of these three and making it more believable and well-thought of. Forget about the twin of Nina’s character. She shouldn’t be given too much exposure. She might cause a little jealousy between April and Keeno, then she should be out of the scene completely.

While I am on my Kimerald addiction last Sunday, I also saw the trailer of the upcoming primetime teleserye of the two, Tayong Dalawa. They will be with my most hated Kapuso transferee, Jake ‘Yabang’ Cuenca. Oh please, there is no hope for this guy. Throw him back to GMA or to your Kapamilya freezer and thaw one talented actor to hone for the role, just like what you did with Enchong.

As for My Only Hope, I really wish that they can still fix the script before the story becomes too predictable and too old as a concept. If that’s the case, ABS is only proving that they are running out of good creative talents, reason why they have to resort to remakes of hit TV series from other countries. But I know that this is not true, so prove me wrong, will you?

The News that Hit and Failed the Spot

Big News: Barack Obama was elected as the US' 44th President.

Sad News: Jurassic Park author, Michael Crichton died of cancer. He was 66.

Intriguing News: "I'm off women now." That is according to Idol judge, Simon Cowell, after it was reported that he has broken up with long time girlfriend, Terri Seymour. Let's just wait and see if Cowell is bound to the direction that Clay Aiken has gone to.

Get your pillows ready, for here are some boring news:

As for the local showbiz scene here in the Philippines, nothing much is happening. The pages of the dailies as well as online showbiz magazines like PEP, are bombarded with showbiz tidbits about stars who aren't really worthy to be read.

• Karylle and Dingdong breakup. Honestly, when they were still on, did you even follow what was happening to their relationship? Now that they have admitted that they have broken up, after so much beating around the bush, Tsismosa says, SO WHAT?
  
• Marian Rivera's breakup with her non-showbiz boyfriend and her non-involvement with the breakup of Dingdong and Karylle. Yeah, yeah, you know, these people are not using such issues for the promotion of their upcoming boring movie (but I am open to be proven wrong). Believe it or not, Tsismosa says, NEXT!


• Jennylyn Mercado continues to hate Patrick Garcia and she's being very vocal about it. Yeah, it is understandable for this girl to feel that way. But can't she just keep it off the record? It is becoming a redundant issue that no matter how I may sympathize with the girl at first, even if I don't really know her and haven't seen any of her projects, I am just getting too fed up with this. Tsismosa says, ENOUGH ALREADY!


• The Yasmin or Jasmin-JC something calling names or not calling each other by their names hehe! Confused? Me too! I don't even know who these people are. Tsismosa says, SINO DAW!
  
• The sikuhan issue of 2 GMA starlets, Jewel and Bubbles. Owkay... so whose elbow hit what, where and when? Tsismosa says, NEVER MIND!


• Becky Aguila vs Mel Pulmano. The issue? Money! Becky accused Mel of stealing big amount of money from her roster of talents. The controversial manager made it appear that Mel would release some negative publicity about her prized talent, Angel Locsin, if the issue would come out in the public. But have you seen Mel? You know how Becky looks like, eh? I know, a book must never be judged by its cover. But just one look at these 2 and you will get a feeling of who is really telling the truth. As for Ms. Aguila, she has proven how greedy she can be when she chose money over loyalty in the case of Angel when she made her jump off onto a lonelier fence. Tsismosa says, WHAT'S NEW?


• The continuous domination of GMA 7 on Mega Manila's ratings game. I can't really appreciate their shows. Most of them, especially on the primetime block, are too un-original and nakakasawa na! It's not enjoyable to watch stars who lack the needed X-factor to shine. But it's becoming more painful as you get to see them perform in a mediocre way, makaraos lang! Tsismosa says, WORKSHOP YOUR TALENTS, GMA!


• Criselda Volks admitted that she was the girl on the sex video. Um... okay. This girl has done enough damage to her life. She should start cleaning up her acts before it becomes too late. Hay, Tsismosa says, NEXT!


• Snooky Serna has a new man in her life. Okay, good for her, end of issue.


• Willie Revillame's house was robbed. Tsismosa says, DO NOT DO UNTO OTHERS WHAT YOU DO NOT WANT OTHERS DO UNTO YOU.

There are some stars that people love hearing about even if the news is only about their usual day-to-day activities. And there are those who are becoming involved in complicated situations but yet, fail to catch the interest of the viewing public. This only means that not because you are in the news, not because you've got the most headlines on PEP, or your manager is writing about your feats in showbiz columns at Pilipino Star Ngayon or even The Philippine Star and Inquirer, means that people actually care about you.

Showbiz news, especially on the local scene, can never be the measurement of who is hot and who is not in the industry. There are really those "stars" who fail to hit the spot no matter what they do for the sake of being talked about.

Prove Me Wrong, Marian and Dingdong

GMA network is confident about their newest gems, Marian and Dingdong, enough to produce a film for this love team. The two rose into fame when Angel Locsin decided to leave GMA to what she (or her pa-kontrobersiyal manager) thought would be a better choice (but is proving to be disastrous). The team-up was warmly accepted by the public via the TV show "Marimar," despite their lack of good acting abilities.

Through time, the two keep on proving that they really have captivated the hearts of the boob-tube fanatics. They have been trusted with product endorsements as well. Their latter venture hinted that they are not that picky with the projects that they get. Marian looked like a bold star with her last ad for a soap or something. I can't recall because I always change the channel whenever she's on. And they have done ads for liquors and alcoholic beverages. I will not be surprised if they will agree on endorsing condoms in the coming days. But this is just my take on this.

Personally, I don't like Marian. There is something about her that turns me off. I stopped buying the products that she endorses. As for Dingdong, I used to like him way back his TGIS days. But through time, I still haven't seen him grow as an actor. He seems to be following the career path of Piolo Pascual. But one thing that he has to improve on is the reality that Piolo can act while Dingdong still has to do a lot of catching up.

I hope that Dingdong will really take his profession seriously. He will not forever look like a hunk. He has to show some real tears and poignant emotions before he loses the body that he is becoming more known for.

I cannot blame Dingdong though, or Richard Gutierrez for this matter. These two are popular stars of these days that lack the ability to convince people about what real emotions are all about. They are not still being given the right roles to hone their craft. They are continuously pampered with the kind of roles that their network thinks they can handle. Richard's non-acting prowess isn't that much obvious with fantaseryes or action fantasy series. Dingdong can just flaunt his hot bod and no one would mind if he is carrying out a sloppy performance.

GMA still has a lot to learn from ABS CBN in handling talents (but do not follow their lead in freezing their careers), especially those who are on the rise. John Lloyd wouldn't be where he is now had ABS CBN did not plan his career right. This also goes for Lloydie's team-up with Bea.

Unlike the Marian and Dingdong love team, John Lloyd and Bea took calculated steps in order to become successful multimedia artists. ABS planned what roles they must play, when they would be allowed to kiss on TV, then on films, when they would be given more matured roles, etc. This way, the two are becoming prepared and honed for the next roles that come their way.

With the Marimar duo, people have already seen them do everything on TV. They kissed, made love, kissed, shown off some skin, kissed and well, this is where they are good at, kissing.

What more can people expect from their film that they still haven't seen them do on TV? The only thing that is left for them to do is frontal nudity that I don't think they would be willing to do just yet. And knowing GMA Films' track record when it comes to love stories, the soon-to-be-released Marian-Dingdong film will be a familiar one and something that will not prompt the non-fans to pay at the cinemas just so to catch the film.

The non-fans are the people behind the success of films like "A Very Special Love." These are the people who are only waiting for good movies and do not really care about the stars. Yeah, Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz already have a following of their own. But the non-fans helped the movie hit its blockbuster status.

And how is GMA going to promote the film of Marian and Dingdong – Kakaiba? Maraming halikan? May bed scene? GMA may appear to be the number one network in Mega Manila. But Mega Manila is not the whole Philippines. And the sources of ratings are only composed of few households. Are these people who brought the pair to stardom on the little screen will be willing to pay their hard-earned money to see the team-up on the big screen?

I doubt it. But I am very much open to be proven wrong.

Jennifer Hudson – In Times of Grief

Jennifer Hudson's world started crumbling down Friday after the murder of her mother and brother. But the singer/actress and an American Idol alumna fought back to bring justice and at the same time, kept her hopes up in finding her missing 7-year-old nephew who was with the slain victims at the time of the crime.

To make matters worse, the boy was found, Monday, at the backseat of a 1994 Chevy Suburban that was abandoned at Chicago's West Side, dead and was shot multiple times.

As of today, police say that this crime is domestic related. The Chicago police have taken William Balfour into custody. He is the estranged husband of the mother of the slain child, Jennifer Hudson's sister, Julia, although he is not the father of Jennifer's nephew.

Balfour spent almost 7 years in prison and was out on parole. He was convicted before for attempted murder, hijacking and possession of stolen vehicle. He is now being held for parole violations which were not related to the Hudson investigation. Balfour's mother denied her son's involvement with the killings.

Jennifer's colleagues in the industry and the American Idol judges expressed their support for the actress/singer. This may be a tough time for Jen. She had a lot going on for her. Her star is on the rise and she has also gotten engaged this year.

For Jen and her family, may you find peace, justice and the courage to be able to stand tall and strong and fill the holes that the tragedy has created after all these hurdles.

Still Crying Over Grave of the Fireflies

I was expecting to cry. But I did not expect that I will not easily get over the depression that it brought.

Life is a hopeless venture. This was what I deemed as the theme of Isao Takahata’s powerful animated film, Grave of the Fireflies.

I have heard so much about it and I’ve been wanting to see the film. I finally got a DVD copy. On a Sunday, I sat with my 3-year-old niece and we watched it together. I was telling to her the story all along.

We instantly got hooked. I, as an adult and the child beside me can easily relate with the protagonists love for their mother and their love for one another. The movie was set at the latter part of the World War II in Japan when times were tough and people were all hard up as to how they will get their food and how they will go on with their lives.

The focus of the film was with the journey of Seito, the big brother in his teens and Setsuko, the adorable child, who is maybe the same age as my niece and even looks slightly similar.

Every emotion was poignant. Every hurdle that the siblings face that leads to other obstacles was well-planted.

I kept on telling my niece what was happening in the film until I could no longer bear the tears. My niece asked me why was the movie so sad. I told her that because it was the kind of life that people experienced during the time of war. Towards the end of the film, I was telling my niece why Setsuko died. It was shown that the child was left by Seito by herself because the brother had to look for food so that they will not starve.

Setsuko, being an innocent one, will try to entertain herself. She will play with insects. She will create anything out of nothing. This includes make believe food made out of mud that she would eat because no one was there to look out for her when she was on the age when she still has to be constantly looked after by an adult.

But the siblings had no other choice but to do what they had done. They could have made better or wiser decisions. They could have just apologized to the family who once had made them stay at their home. But what do they know? They were only children.

I don’t want to tell you the complete story. It was a marvel to watch it, but be prepared to get really depressed. Watch it with your family. This will make you treasure the littlest things that you have in life. This will make you go on even if you think that life is difficult because you will realize that it can be worse, that it can be tougher.

Cristy Fermin is Out, Who’s Next?

The latest development about one of the most hated showbiz host, writer and reporter, Cristy Fermin, is welcome news to all local tsismosos and tsismosas. Ms. Fermin was suspended for two months as anchorperson of DZMM’s Showbiz Mismo and co-host of ABS CBN’s Sunday showbiz-oriented show, The Buzz.

If you have read my previous post, you will know that I am among the happy tsismosas these days because of what happened. Now I think that ABS CBN can focus its attention on giving The Buzz its needed boost by letting Kris Aquino (just a suggestion) grab the mic from the silenced Femin. It will also be of added value if someone who is funny will be included on the show. I wonder why John Lapuz was ever axed from it when he/she is more enjoyable to watch than Joebert Sucaldito. But who is deserving of the spot?

There are fans clamoring for Ogie Diaz’s TV comeback along with his Locomotion gimmick on The Buzz. Ogie has been recently axed on his morning show on ABS CBN, Umagang Kay Ganda, because he had conducted services as a member of the press which was in conflict to his role as a UKG co-host. Well I admit that Diaz is funny and the Locomotion is nakakaloka. But this guy has also gotten himself into trouble with fans because of his biased reporting about celebrities, including the Kapamilya stars. And this is how Cristy started to get herself into the mud. She is biased. She sticks to what she was paid to believe in and will even include innocent children to her expose just to make her statements sound true.

According to the official statement of ABS CBN that I read over Inquirer.net:

“It was deemed that Ms. Fermin did not conduct herself with due regard to social conventions and public morals. Her statements went beyond the bounds of decency as they involved innocent children who are not party to their personal dispute. Ms. Fermin's statements violated the highest standards of professionalism and journalistic integrity.”

This is a good move for ABS CBN to start cleaning up their acts and give people what they want and what they deserve. So who will be next to be voted out? I’d go for Willie Revillame and then Mariel Rodriguez. What a delight TV viewing will be if we will no longer see these kinds of people who fill the boob tubes despite the fact that people want them removed.

What happened to Cristy Fermin must also be an eye-opener for showbiz reporters and showbiz-oriented shows to be responsible with the power they were given as part of the media spectrum. You don’t know the gravity of the effects of the tsismis you bring out for all people to devour to the celebrities involved in those. Stars, despite the glitz and glamour, are also humans. They deserve to be respected and their private lives must stay private.

Mr. and Mrs. Brad Pitt - Too Good to be True?

It seems like Hollywood is all about Brangelina. What are they doing? What are they up to? They can sell their every family picture and people are actually going to buy them. It seems weird. Sometimes I envy Angelina for having hooked up with a guy like Brad Pitt (I mean in terms of looks). He is the perfect model for every brochure printing paper and other types of media as well.

But as I go about reading the entertainment pages online and read about their every step on this planet, I stop feeling envious. From my point of view, it seems like a surreal life. Big Brother is watching them and they are selling all the rights to be followed by the cameras for a price, of course. Oh well, it has been publicized that the money that they are getting from selling the photos of the beautiful members of their family goes to charities that they support.

They are beautiful. They are happy. They help save the world. And all these seem fake, well for me as a spectator of all these at least. Is this all fake or their PR people are the best in the industry?

This week, we all have read and heard about how Angelina loves Brad. She said that he is the reason why she was convinced to get pregnant. She talks about how he helps her in raising the children, how Brad loves all their children. And she has a movie that she is promoting and people cannot think of anything to ask her but about her most photographed family.

I’m sorry. I am really not a fan no matter how I try to convince myself that these are good people, if not the perfect couple. They are so perfect that they are becoming a bore. There will come a time when people would no longer care.

At least with Suri, daughter of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, not everything is in perfect position. The child has parents who are being criticized every now and then. But despite all that, even with the issue of Scientology surrounding them, they appear more human than the family of Angelina and Brad.

In the case of Jennifer Lopez, she has finally become human in my eyes when I read the interview that she wanted to stop from getting on print. I hope that celebrities do share such facts to their fans. J-Lo revealed how she suffered from depression for a time and how she acted and resolved the problem. She shared how she was also affected of postpartum depression 10 days after she gave birth to her twins. The interview answered in a humane way why she opted to sell her babies’ pictures. Asked if she gave the $6 million that they got from it to charity, she said that they donated a little to a good cause and saved the rest for the twins.

I miss those days when Britney Spears was going all crazies and people were absorbed with all her antics. At least the news at the time was not splattered with Brangelina and all their children and how perfect they are.

It is ideal for celebrities and non-celebrities alike help out to raise awareness about good causes. But the public do not have to know every detail that goes into it. But that is just my take on this. I know that there is a clamor to see everything that is happening to this perfect family, hence the proliferation of their images may it be in print or the broadcast medium.

Jason Priestly Heads Back to His Former Home

Another original 90210-er is bound to head back home. It was announced that Jason Priestly is going to be involved in the production, but this time, he will no longer be the on-cam eye candy. Instead, he will try his hands directing an episode that is set to air this spring. Read the rest of the entry here.

Okay, I admit my mistake on my previous entry about this spin-off. So there are people who are excited about the show’s revival. But after the guest appearance of old stars like Shannen Doherty and Jennie Garth, people want to see more of them and more of the old casts. They are proving that they are still worth to pose for billboards or even custom size brochures.

So will the younger and new 90210 batch supersede the fame of the original casts? All I’ve been hearing about the new babes of the show is that they look so thin that people have been clamoring for them to eat. What a way to be famous, eh?

What make the old casts special are the characters that they have given life to for the 10 years that the show aired. People want to see Brandon Walsh, Brenda Walsh, Kelly Taylor, Dylan McKay, Donna Martin and so on. If not for the show and the characters, I don’t think that people would like to see much of Jason Priestly, Shannen Doherty, Jennie Garth, Luke Perry, Tori Spelling and the rest of the grown up casts of this 90s hit show.

So am I smelling a complete reunion soon? That will be nice and something to look forward to.

GOOD SUNDAY TV UNTIL THERE WAS CRISTY FERMIN

Over the weekend, there were triumphant feats on local TV. There was the successful launch of Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson starrer, My Only Hope. The show proved to be a big threat with its attractive visuals, good story and talented leads. I wonder if this is the reason why a GMA 7 starlet who used to be a Kapamilya is hinting that Gerald is courting her and fetches her every day. And the news broke out at a time when the remarkable love team is out of the country for a series of shows. This starlet had already caused a former hit Kapamilya love team to part ways. Will she be able to do it again?

I haven’t heard this starlet say anything about the issue because I don’t watch her shows because I don’t like her. But I have read some write-ups of showbiz reporters under GMA 7’s payroll about the issue. Now, now, GMA 7, if you feel so threatened with the Kimerald team-up, you might as well work your butts out to create stars instead of demolishing the hard-earned careers of good people like Kim and Gerald. Give out groceries or what have you to make sure that people tune in from Unang Hirit to Walang Tulugan. But please, stop the demolition jobs to the Kapamilya stars.

There is really a reason why Judy Ann Santos did not leave ABS CBN despite all the efforts of GMA 7 to acquire her services. But there are still no demolition jobs being set up by GMA 7 to the young superstar. Not yet. They are still courting the actress and giving her what her home studio seems to neglect. Is GMA 7 secretly hoping to get the exclusive rights of Judy Ann’s wedding to Ryan, whenever that will finally happen? I think so. But having observed Juday's, or should I say her manager's love-hate relationship with the Kapamilya network, she might surprise us all by jumping over the bakod one of these days. A piece of advice to Juday, do that only if you want to semi retire from showbiz. See what happened to Jolina Magdangal, she is visible all right, but she fails to shine.

Back to the starlet, a little bird told me that she appeared on the late night comedy show of Joey de Leon at the Kapuso network, Nuts Entertainment, and said that only one guy is courting her at the moment. And that is none other than Deither Ocampo. So it will be better if GMA 7 will watch their own shows to set their facts straight before coming up with issues.
Okay, breathe in, breathe out. Another good thing that happened over the weekend was when Philip Nolasco bagged in the title of being the first champion of the PDA Little Dreamers. Now, now, this child has a lot more potential to be a star than the winner of the PDA adult division, Laarni something who still have to make her presence felt in the industry. But Philip, you must be warned. Once you become a star, GMA 7 might pay some tabloid reporters and create issues linking you with Kapuso starlet. Haha! Spare the child, please.

In between My Only Hope and PDA Little Dreamers, there was The Buzz. So I switched channels because I didn’t want to hear whatever Cristy Fermin would say. But oh well, it has become an item and a bigger issue than the root of all this which was… just to refresh the memories of those who have become lost with all the hullaballoo, the conflict between Gabby Concepcion and his foul-mouthed manager, ex-manager. Gosh, her existence makes Lolit Solis looks like an angel.

So Cristy, in order to get people’s attention, said something that even if it’s true or not, should not be made known to the tsismis-hungered public. My God, tsismosa ako but that is already a private matter that I don’t think people would still want to know, especially from a person who have long kissed her showbiz career goodbye.

I haven’t done the part two of my "Why Do ABS-CBN’s Ratings Keep On Plunging Down." But Cristy Fermin is definitely a big part of that. Why this liar still has a show on a good timeslot, I cannot understand. Does ABS CBN fear Ms. Fermin? That is the only conclusion that I can arrive at. Well, give her a Walang Tulugan rip off. People are talking. People are clamoring for her to be removed from The Buzz. Don’t you read her Pilipino Star Ngayon column? I don’t. But I read the comments’ section. And nobody seems to like her anymore. She has no credibility. And keeping her on the show that caused Ms. Kris Aquino to drop it off is a big mystery, since nobody likes her.

My Only Hope is for Kris to go back on The Buzz and remove Cristy on the face of local TV. And may Philip be given more projects that will make his star shine the brightest.

Borat Strikes Again!

I never was able to watch Borat, but it is something that never leaves my soon-to-watch list. But even before I can get myself a copy of that film, I have read about another antic that Borat, er, Sacha Baron Cohen, has done one more time.

What did Borat do? Well, first things first, call him Bruno, another of Sacha’s alter-ego that will soon be bound to fame. He crashed at the Agatha Ruiz de la Prada’s show on Friday held in Milan. He strutted out of nowhere on the catwalk wearing an oversized black cape with too many out of place accessories. The organizers were surprised by the appearance. The designer was upset. The show was halted for a bit until Bruno left the venue.

Such antics were intended for Sacha’s new mockumentary entitled Bruno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Male. Kewlness! =) I can already imagine the hilarious outcome of the movie posters printing that will be done for its promotions.

One thing that I realized out of all such fuss, oh well, Borat ain’t bad looking, eh? I was looking at the pictures of the said event and I was wondering all along, where the hell is Borat? I got stuck with this image of him on my mind.

That when I was browsing for the Bruno mess-up with the fashion event, I really thought that he was the man at the right side who was wearing brown.

Now, now this newest flick from Sacha Baron Cohen will definitely be on my must-watch films. I only hope that he gets to finish the film without getting into any real legal trouble.

Awww! The Coming Out of Clay Aiken

The headlines are saying it all. Now this news story is worth more than the technology of digital image printing. It feels good when you confirm what you’ve always believed is true. And here are the headlines that will definitely fill the gossip-landia for quite a time. Read the comments as well. They offer much insight and more gossips than the real news.

Finally!!!!!

Clay Aiken Coming Out

Clay Aiken: 'Yes, I'm Gay'

Clay Aiken to reveal he is gay

New dad Clay Aiken comes out of closet

Do I need say more? The title of this blog was influenced by the magazine picture. Isn’t that cute? I mean the baby, Parker Foster Aiken ?

And well, for Clay, bravo. It takes courage to do what you’ve done, especially because he isn’t doing this for himself alone. To quote him:

"I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things."

And cheers to that!

My Only Hope - Soon on ABS-CBN

Now, now, this seems to be exciting. I am already looking forward to this new Kim Chiu-Gerald Anderson starrer. What makes this exciting is the fact that this has an original story. This is not a 'nakakasawa' tele-fantasy like Diosa. This is not another remake of a canned show from other countries like Betty la Fea. And this is not a rehash of old Phillipine soap operas like Iisa Pa Lamang. I am reserving any comments for Kahit Isang Saglit because I still haven't caught a glimpse of it.

My Girl was good. In fact, the directors and writers made the show fit into each cast member. But it also alienated many of the Kimerald fans, my 3-year-old niece included. First, the show had too many kissing scenes. I guess that ABS-CBN really wants their young stars to grow up fast. This was okay for matured fans like me. But the Kimerald has a following of people ranging from newborns and up. And second, the network decided to place it on a very late timeslot. This could have been a better hit if it was given the former timeslot of Sana Maulit Muli.

Why not place My Only Hope on Primetime and re-run My Girl on Sundays after ASAP? That would be ideal. But that will remain a suggestion because My Only Hope will start on October 5, Sunday, after ASAP.

Here's the trailer of My Only Hope. Credits to jamatias18 on YouTube.

Pinoy Dream Academy Hailed Its Champ, the Network's Soon to Be Frozen Delight!

...Forgive me for the title. I just don't really like the winner.

Last Saturday, we were treated to the grand performance of the top six scholars of the Pinoy Dream Academy Season 2. The other ousted scholars also joined in the fun by having a production number.

This was how I felt that night. For the unlucky ones who weren't able to join the top 6, Chivas stood out. He could have been the one if he didn't get sick that caused him to voluntarily exit. Yeng Constantino, being the champ of the previous season, will be hard to replace. But this guy could have easily done that. Like Yeng, Chivas is cool but when he sings, he rocks. And besides, he seems to be a sweet partner to Bunny and a good father to their son. He can be packaged as the dad that rocks, hehe! But with the limited exposure he had on the show, I don't think that it is possible to achieve now.

For the top 6, this is how I felt about them and about how they performed. Chris is pretty and has improved a lot, but she doesn't have the x-factor to make it big in the industry. Van is cute but he really looked gay with his makeup, especially in the eye area. I don't know, I just feel that he'll easily be forgotten as well. Miguel is boring, period. Bugoy sounds good, but it will be hard to sell someone like him. Or maybe I am not just used to the idea. I don't like Laarni from the start, so I switched channels when she sang. Liezel was always amazing and she stood out that night. She sang like she was telling us that "I deserve the title and I am bound to be a star."

So you can just imagine how I felt come Sunday night when Liezel was announced as top 4. And what's worse? Laarni was announced as the winner. She couldn't believe it. And so do I! I don't know where her votes came from. I even jested my sister that maybe, GMA 7 has something to do with this. They voted for Laarni to make sure that the PDA champ is not going to be popular, just like the winner of Philippine Idol, whom until now, I don't have any idea what he/she looks and sounds like.

My hunch is that Laarni is going to be the next frozen delight of ABS-CBN. At least, she has the million and the house and the car and the business. She doesn't need the fame, especially if somebody else deserves that more than she does.

WHY DO ABS-CBN'S RATINGS KEEP ON PLUNGING DOWN?

I've long wanted to do this. I even wanted to e-mail this to ABS-CBN's bigwigs. Kapal no? =) But the fact is, I am a customer and I want to get what I want. And ABS-CBN is not giving it to me. But do not get me wrong, I happened to switch channels last Sunday because ABS was showing a boxing match of I-don't-really-care who. And God, SOP sucks! They've got no stars. And even the established singers like Ogie and Janno cannot get their notes right. I promise never to watch SOP ever again! And as much as I love to hate ABS-CBN, I cannot transform as a Kapuso either. They are lucky to have good show formats, except for SOP! But star-wise and quality-wise, they still cannot compete with ABS-CBN.

So without further ado, allow me to rant and rant and rant...

Kapamilya ako, but I'm no longer watching most of their shows. I don't know what's gotten on their bigwigs' heads but they are no longer fighting to win. Why do its ratings keep on plunging down when they literally have all the big stars? Here are my thoughts about it.

1. They keep on acquiring 'unwanted' stars. Not because Angel Locsin became the queen of GMA soaps means that the Kapamilya viewers will accept her with open arms. I'd rather see Roxanne Guinoo or Kristine Hermosa on Lobo than the ex-Kapuso star. And the same sentiment also goes to 'kairita' Valerie Concepcion and Cristine Reyes.

Valerie should have been loyal to GMA. The network didn't let her down when she became an unwed teenage mom. As for Cristine, she doesn't have the charisma to be a big star. If ABS wants a sexy star, pick someone from your frozen delight beauties and I'm sure that they'll perform even better than this one.

And oh, is Ara Mina still on ABS? She was on her way down. Gravity seems to keep on pulling her down because of her not-so-nice-to-look-at extremely big boobies. She should have stick with GMA. At least there, they provide work for those who are loyal to them, even though they no longer have the spotlight on them. Just look at the old That's Entertainment stars resurfacing on GMA shows. And other stars like Antonio Aquitania and Wendell Ramos are still active despite the fact that they are maturing and are not as hot as before.

I pity the child star, I think her name used to be Charming when she was on GMA. She was already getting enough exposure. If her manager really cares for her, she should have let the child stay with GMA. She's barely visible now at ABS.

Other stars who should repent and seek GMA's mercy are Long Mejia and Dennis Padilla. They had everything going well for them until they were tempted to jump fences and forgot about gratitude. They were funny. But ABS doesn't have shows to accommodate their talents. I didn't include Dagul here because he still has Going Bulilit. But he could have more had he opted to stay a Kapuso. And Brod Pete could thrive wherever he chooses to. He will shine as a comedian or as a writer whether he's with GMA, ABS, even TV5 or RPN 9 or NBN 4, simply because he is genuinely funny.

And I will not forget to mention Jake Cuenca. This 'yabang' looking guy even became 'Palos' when the then frozen star Jericho Rosales could have done better justice to the role.

The only welcome addition to this roster is Billy Crawford. He shined better when he transferred to ABS. He needed the exposure because he needs to be seen as much as possible by the viewers abroad. And this guy is indeed talented, makes me want to open the TV again whenever he's on.

2. Speaking of freezer, ABS does not care about their talents. If they are no longer bringing in the cash as they used to, the network will freeze their careers until the damage becomes irreparable. And what does this say about them? It is fair enough that they are not the one using the Kapuso tagline because they've got no heart. They don't deserve being called Kapamilya either. What suits them best is Kanegosyo. I pity the stars who have dreamt of becoming big only to be stuck on the rut.

Other worthwhile stars opted to find other gigs at other networks. Kapamilya should have given Charlene Gonzales a better show. People love her. ABS is nuts to let her go so easy.

Sandara Park was brought to stardom by ABS. But the network also brought her to star-doom. This girl was unique in many ways that she could have been given roles where she would excel. But nope, they let her star lose its glow until she decided to go back to her home country. Hopefully, she will become big there that ABS will realize what a gem they had easily let go. Just look at how they are trying to rush deals for the soon to be Hollywood-bound Charice? She was being groomed then by ABS to be frozen. But thanks to YouTube, this young girl's life was changed forever.

Where is Geoff Eigenman? This actor has a lot of potential other than hosting ASAP segments. He is not just given the right roles. No thanks to the surge of the ex-PBB hunky English-speaking stars. They are getting all the attention. John Avila became the dubbed Kapitan Boom. I wonder how they will remedy Will Devaugn's twisted tongue on the next Judy Ann soap. You already have Sam Milby. This guy is really talented so I have no objections with the attention that he is being given. But enough of his likes already. Masakit sa tenga. Sam just became an exception because he sings really well. And who will ever forget the lines, "I never… said… that I-lahv-you."

3. The horrors of Wowowee. This show should have been suspended from the time it caused a lot of deaths. Willie should have been made liable for all those lives. Whatever they say, it is a fact that the pre-taped shows of Wowowee before the incident happened showed Willie encouraging people to keep on coming to the venue. No one even cared to flash updates or caution that it will be safer for other people to stay at home because of the crowd buildup. ABS wanted good TV. And the hoards of people who flocked the venue may be it. They were not prepared that they would become the news itself. And as a sign of respect to all the deaths that was caused by the network's inefficiency, Wowowee should have been cancelled.

4. The horrors of Mariel Rodriguez. She exposed her real self on her PBB stint. She was far too different from what she's projecting on TV. She thinks that the masa and she referred to the Wowowee crowd as mabaho. She thinks that showbiz is baduy. And she curses so much, I don't think she's suitable to be watched by children. But she's still not being dumped by the network on the freezer. If only this is the 'Apprentice,' I'd tell Mariel, 'You're fired.' She will never recover from her blunders. No one will ever forget her real self. And as part of the masa crowd, if she doesn't like us, we don't like her either.

5. The news and current affairs. How do you expect us to keep up with the ever changing hosts and formats of the shows on this department? You started the early morning news/talk show format on Philippine TV. But you don't show any mercy for the likes of Tin-Tin Bersola among so many others being axed on the show without any replacement for the lost job. With these kinds of shows on TV, I think that viewers have to develop certain level of leaning and association with the programs that they choose to watch. It is better to trust old friends in this regard. You'll have better confidence in learning from the shows that have been around for a long time.

And this is what GMA is good at. They don't just cancel a show in this department just because it didn't get the desired rating for a month or so. Look at where "Imbestigador," "I-Witness," "Wish Ko Lang," just to name a few, are now. These shows are still being watched because like the real sense of "Kapamilya," hindi tayo basta iniwan na lang ng mga shows na to. I cannot cite same samples for ABS-CBN. Yeah, TV Patrol has been around for the longest time. But they were not sensitive to its original hosts. The show was transferred to Korina Sanchez, right? Then it was given to the then new-transferee from the other network. I cannot really understand if ABS even knows the meaning of compassion.

The same feeling goes for Magandang Gabi Bayan. It was a good show. It was better than the one with Kuya Kim now where he's really trying hard to be Steve Irwin. Had MGB been retained, it will still dominate the 6PM Saturday timeslot. Yeah, its ratings may fluctuate from time to time. Pero babalik-balikan pa rin yun ng mga tunay na kapamilya. But the damage has been done and it's getting too hard to repair.

(I'll have a part two on this. I still have much more to rant about. And the second part will focus on the drama block.)

to be continued...

One Big Group Hug for the Fab Four!

I know, I haven't been updating this, especially after all the drama that transpired on the much awaited Eraserheads' Reunion Concert. For now, I'm sure you already know how Ely had to rushed to the hospital during the band's 20 minute break because of chest pains. Then he had to go an angioplasty procedure. But he is okay now and latest reports say that he's resting at home (maybe gathering his strength for the second part of the reunion?) Ooh, what would it be named if that will push through? "The Continuation"? "Second Set"? Or the now infamous "Group Hug"?

It was touching to hear that after every song the band played that night, the crowd will chant "Group Hug." It was an evidence that people went there not merely to see them perform, they want to see them patch things up. But I guess that things are on clearer perspective now.

Many shows have aired different versions of what happened after that fateful concert. But here are the links to the most detailed interviews with the guys, except for Ely, after the event.

THE DRUMMER WILL DRUM: Raymund Marasigan

THE BASS MAN HOLDS THE LINE: Buddy Zabala

THE GUITARIST HANGS LOOSE: Marcus Adoro

THE SESSIONIST: The fifth e-head

Eraserheads Reunion Concert - The Drama Continues

This is the latest update on the reunion concert of the Eraserheads.

"What: Eraserheads Reunion Concert
When: August 30, 2008 (Saturday)
Tickets are available at Ticketworld (891-9999) starting August 28, 2008 (Thursday)
Patron: Php 1, 300++.00
General Admission: Php 800++.00
Brought to you by Radiohead Media Inc. in cooperation with Sony BMG Music Entertainment Phil. Inc."

But the drama of this very controversial gathering of the Fab4 continues. People are still speculating if this will indeed push through with Ely Buendia's mother passing away just this morning. Local reports say that the show will go on.

This will be such a memorable day for the clammoring fans, for the equally talented members of the band and most especially, for the grieving son. It is always sad to write about deaths, especially when I have also gone through a personal ordeal in this regard just last month. But to Ely, my condolences to you and your loved ones. Life may be tough but be strong and put on a good show.

Zorayda Sanchez Passes Away

Her claim to fame was her ugliness, thanks to the Andrew E. '90s hit song, Humanap ka ng Panget. Zorayda Sanchez became a household name for her own brand of comedy. She used her distinct features to earn from the cruel world of showbizness. She was always the subject of slapstick brand of jokes by her fellow actors. And she did not complain. But when she had enough, she silently exited the limelight to use her brains as a writer, university professor and a stage actress.

We seldom see her on showbiz gatherings the past years. This is why I was so stunned upon hearing about her death August 27 due to breast cancer. She was 57.

To the one person who opened the doors of local showbizness to people without the perfect face and body to match that, may you rest in peace. And condolences to the family.

The Latest Pieces about the Whole Puzzle of the Eraserheads' Reunion Concert

All ye Eraserheads fans out there, good news and bad news. Well, the good news is that their very controversial reunion concert will push through. It is going to happen on Aug. 30 at the Fort Bonifacio open field, Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. It will no longer be sponsored by Marlboro. So to those like me, non-smokers, who were forced to choose what brand of cigarette we smoke, just so we could register to the very mysterious event, we just have to settle for the bad news.

The concert is no longer free. Further details as to how you will be able to avail tickets is going to be announced in the coming days. For the blow-by-blow account as to what lead to what, where and when, check out this site.

And this is the e-mail that Raimund Marasigan sent to the Sandwich's yahoogroup mailing list about this whole brouhaha:

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From: raymund marasigan
date: Sun, Aug 24, 2008 at 8:37 PM
subject: [subsandwich] eraserheads aug 30 08 confirmed

dear everybodyafter much ado. the eraserheads concert is most definitely pushing through.philip morris and its brands have pulled out from the concert. but another company is taking over the production.

the turn over startedyesterday and they have already started work on the site in the fort. so you can check.there are good news and bad news.unfortunately it's no longer free. all the long winded registration procedures in the red nation site is now void.the good news is that the age limit is now 12 years old (for safety reasons) and tickets will be sold so you don't have to wait for confirmation and what not.

the official announcement and ticketing details will come out in major newspapers and on the radio on tuesday.these are the only details i know for now so no need to email me. i'm just the drummer.btw. i just got home from the last rehearsal. the band is cooking. we will see you all on the 30th.

raym

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So to the real E'heads fans who have been waiting for this to happen, don't miss out this chance.

The New and Upcoming Hollywood Babies

Digital printing must be so in demand in Hollywood these days because of the fact that everybody seems to be having a baby! Wee! What is with the season that people seems to be inspired in creating their masterpieces as well as letting them out?

Who are these new and soon to be famous moms and dads? For sure, the paparazzi are all gearing up to get the first shots of the equally famous tots.

Baby Number 1: Parker Foster Aiken was born August 8. This baby boy resulted from the process of an artificial insemination. The dad, of course, is former “American Idol” runner-up, Clay Aiken. The mom is Jaymes Foster, Clay’s friend, record producer and now his baby producer as well.

Baby Number 2: Another product of science, twin boys of Ricky Martin. The man, of course, is known for his butt, er, his hits like “Livin’ la Vida Loca” and “She Bangs” (well, until William Hung stole the scene). It was said that the twins were delivered through gestational surrogacy this August. No further announcements have been made. So the gossip-landia still isn’t satisfied until it finds out who the surrogate mother is. Now that Ricky is a real papa, he plans to take his career aside for the moment and focus on raising his twins. Aww!

Baby Number 3: Gia Zavala Damon was born August 21. Her proud parents are “Good Will Hunting” lead, Matt Damon and his wife, Luciana. This is their second child. The eldest, Isabella, is now two. And they are also raising Luciana’s daughter from a previous marriage.

Baby Number 4: Zuma Nesta Rock was born afternoon of Aug 22. His famous parents are Gwen Steffani and Gavin Rossdale. This is their second baby together, the eldest being another son, Kingston. And Rossdale has a daughter who is already a teenager with Pearl Love, a fashion designer.

Baby Number 5: Another twins in the making. “Ugly Betty” star, Rebecca Romjin is five months pregnant with twins. The soon to be famous dad is Jerry O’Connell. The twins are yet unnamed but the couple are in deep thoughts as to what they will name them. The choices include Mary-Kate and Ashley and whatever as long as the monikers will be rhyming.

Baby Number 6: She has announced it, but Jennifer Garner remains mum about when will be the due date for baby number two. Jen and Ben Affleck’s first child, Violet, is among the most photographed children in Hollywood these days. For sure, this tot will gain more media frenzy.

Baby Number 7: Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have already tied the knot. Now they are thinking about their future but well, still undecided whether to have babies sooner or later. The fact is that the couple is constantly talking about it. As to how they will do it, let us give them the free will to decide on their own.

The entertainment scene looks much better with news like these, eh? There were phases in the showbiz world when all you can read about are deaths, accidents and well, Britney Spears.

How Far China is Willing to Go to Achieve Perfection?

Now it is proven that China will do anything for people to deem the country as perfect. But this image really gives me creeps, especially whenever I hear about what will it do just to prove the point or create that image. This all seems like coming from the scenes of a sci-fi movie.

Forget about canvas prints as the real show is unfolding every day. This Olympics at Beijing, China has too many dramas, I can only imagine what will happen next. It all started with the fireworks. It was magnificent. It was dramatic to watch. It was perfect. But not everything you see was real. Instructions were given to broadcast mediums that were going to telecast the event as to the special effect that should be incorporated while the real event was happening. So what we saw was actually just an illusion that China wanted us to view so that we will praise the country and drool over the kind of perfection that they can do.

I've read over another blogsite about Yao Ming's dilemma. If you will look at him play, limping and looking as if he is always in pain, you will wonder how come he is still playing when he could be better off in a hospital ward. That is because Ming owes China a lot. The country made him what he is now. And this is the price that he has to pay for such situation.

And then there are the gymnasts. After winning the Gold in the event, people started to wonder if Chinese girls are really blessed to look so very young than what their real age are or if these girls are really younger than what they were supposed to be? Is this part of the perfect image that China is trying to achieve? But what will happen if the investigations go deep and these girls were found to be fraud? Whose future are they putting on great shambles?

What captures the heart of people all over the globe is the situation of the real singer and the one who was made to lip synch the part. An official judged that the real voice who sang "Ode to Motherland" was not cute enough, or did not fit to the image of perfection that the country is trying to convey. So Yang Peiyi remained to be hidden behind the perfection of Lin Miaoke's cuteness. The idea here was to combine the perfect voice and the perfect face. But these are only children who have a lot ahead of them. And with the situation they were put into, both girls won't easily escape the wrath of the idea in years to come.

Nobody's perfect. The way China is handling the Olympics, the behind the scenes are upstaging the sporting events. How many medals do Michael Phelps has now? I don't know. But as the drama continues and unfolds before us, the Olympics might end with our views of China being completely the opposite of perfect.

Leave Jennifer Alone!

Jennifer Aniston’s love life is as sticky as an adhesive vinyl, eh? I mean this Friends’ star remains to be in the hot public eye long after the phenomenal sitcom stopped airing. Cameras were there to capture her bonding moments with Courtney Cox Arquette’s family. More cameras appeared when she was making sweet music together with John Meyer. And now many people are speculating about her romantic involvement with model Matt Felker.

As the famous blogger turned TV personality and a Britney advocate, Chris Crocker, said, “Leave Britney alone.” Of course, in this case it would be more apt to say, “Leave Jennifer alone.” But these two have something in common. People can’t seem to get enough of the latest happening about them.

For Jennifer, this all started since she got entangled then disentangled with Brad Pitt. As people remain to be curious about how Brad and Angelina are doing, they want to hear something juicy about Jen as well so that they can start comparing her to the female half of the Brangelina tandem. But they are worlds apart. Angelina knows how to play her cards right in her career as well as in her personal life.

As for Jennifer, she always seems to be testing the water. People are speculating that this happened only after Brad Pitt. She married him, for one. But if the rumors are true, Jen wasn’t ready yet to become a mom whether to her own or to adopted kids, much more so those that come from different nations.

But whatever Jen chooses to do or chooses not to, she’s lucky because she’s cute. What a statement. But it’s true. People will still be curious about her even if she prefers to remain single or hook up with someone who looks so far from Brad. The important thing is that she’s still a star. She’s making movies and TV appearances and people are still interested about her.

And to segue to Chris Crocker fave celeb, Britney has the same fate. No matter what she did, people will forgive her because she is still a star. But people will not always be so forgiving. So she should straighten up before it is already too late. She must get back to shape and get back to what she is known for, singing and producing hits.

I no longer care about Britney’s love life. Actually, for me, she shouldn’t have one for as long as she still hasn’t settled her sons’ future. She must work hard for their sake. And she must make sure that the money from her hard work will go to her son and not to Kevin Federline.

Okay, this blog was supposed to be about Jennifer. As of this writing, Felker’s publicist denied that the two are dating. But whatever will make Jen, happy, she must do it. She deserves to be happy, just like Angelina and oh well, to end this piece, just like Britney as well.

Studies about Red Bull Showed Worrying Results

As I go over the Internet today, I was shocked to read about Red Bull. The fact is that when I used to have my shift at work on a graveyard for almost two years, I depended on this energy drink to stay awake. I actually had so many rituals at the time. I used Red Bull like my vitamins. During breaks, I’d still drink coffee or soda. I just wanted to stay awake. But now that I am going over this, I am thinking like, was I trying to kill myself back then?

Oh no, really now, I was just really trying to stay awake. Now this controversy about Red Bull will worry people just like me. And what this is all about? Red Bull, created by Dietrich Mateschitz, an entrepreneur in Austria in 1980, based on a Thai energy drink.

The study was conducted by Scott Willoughby. He is the lead researcher at the Cardiovascular Centre, Royal Adelaide Hospital. He told an Australian newspaper about the conclusion. Willoughby’s team had 30 young adults whom they tested the cardiovascular systems one hour before and then one hour after drinking a 250 ml can of Red Bull that is sugar-free.

The results showed that after taking in the drink, normal people actually develop warning signs that can be linked to cardiovascular disease. Actually, this energy drink is already banned in different countries such as in Norway, Denmark and Uruguay. The reason for this ban was the ingredients that are listed on the cans of Red Bull.

To the company’s defense, Linda Rychter, its spokeswoman in Australia said that the report that came out will be looked into and assessed by their head office in Austria. One can of Red Bull has 80 mg of caffeine. For such fact, Rychter said that the effects that were found are similar to the effects of drinking one cup of coffee. So that would still be considered as part of the physiological range that is normal.

This study is worth the budget that one could allocate to commercial printing and other types of ad mediums. This is due to the fact that the product is being sold in so many parts of the world. And many people will be affected by such news.

Come on guys, my heart is palpitating right now. But this doesn’t have anything to do with my previous Red Bull addiction. I just really want to know what is the real score behind this all. Should this product be banned or is it still safe to drink this after all?

BRANGELINA TWINS’ FIRST PHOTOS SOLD AT $14 MILLION

Whew! I still couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this morning that the Jolie-Pitt infamous twins’ first pictures were settled to be sold for $14 million. Of course, of course, proceeds will go to charity, whatever. I mean, when Brad left Jen for Jolie, was he even aware that he could turn the relationship into a money-making scheme simply by making as well as adopting kids.

Sorry, couldn’t help the cynicism. I know some of people would feel for the couple, like they are rich and famous. They may be selling their kids’ photos and handling the negotiations very well. But they are doing this for good reasons, you know, for charity. I actually like these two for their involvement for different humanitarian activities. They are not your ordinary beautiful people who would be seen in obscene places, partying hard or caught in a middle of something unacceptable to the eyes of the public.

But for me, there are other ways to earn funds to be given to charities aside from selling your kids’ photos. I so admire Tiger Woods for his thoughts about the matter. Remember when he had his child? Of course, he had so many offers for the first pictures of his child from magazines, TV spots, maybe even postcards and pocket folders printing. After all, he is a celebrity in his own way. But he didn’t think about the dollar sign. He celebrated the birth of his child with all the people who were there for him through all his triumphs, his fans. He posted the pictures for everyone to see for free.

Actually, the news was just leaked to the Associated Press by a person who doesn’t want to be named. But the latter said that the amount will be paid by People Magazine and a British tabloid, Hello! magazine. When this happened, Vivienne Marcheline and Knox Leon, the twins, will carry out the title of being the most costly celebrity baby pictures ever sold. They have knocked off J-Lo and Marc Anthony’s twins on the top spot that was worth $6 million.

Pitt and Jolie seem to be taking this whole photo thing professionally. They were able to seal a reported sum of $4 for Shilo’s first photos. They sold candid shots of adopted son, Pax, who was then 3 years old to Hello! and People. And now this deal with the twins. But yeah, let us not forget that proceeds will go entirely to charity.

For now, we’re in awe to see such cute pictures of these famous people’s babies. But when they grow up, would they be happy to know that their mere pictures when they were babies worth a lot? How are they going to live with that truth? Are they gonna be proud? It will depend on the life they would be leading when the time comes. But in the meantime, go buy the magazines in order to help charity in your own way or just go help out even without buying the ‘zines. It’s all up to you.

Remembering the Last Lecture of Randy Pausch

Death is something that everybody cannot really be prepared for even if you are as wise and as brilliant as Randy Pausch. The first time that I was introduced to his lecture was when “Good Morning America” featured him and made available on ABC’s site Dr. Pausch’s “Last Lecture.”

It was a life changing lecture. I enjoyed his every word, his every brilliance. It made me think of my own dreams and how I’ve already forgotten some of them. He made me unbury those dreams and realize them even in my own little way. As he had said, “The brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough.” It was a strong push for many of us who easily gives up when the going gets tough.

Life is too short. But Dr. Pausch’s short life was lived to the fullest. It made me think like where I was and what was I doing while this dying man was accomplishing all his dreams. In front of the television maybe, catching up on the episodes of Friends and Sex and the City or wondering if I’ll accept the new promo I’ve read on some postcard mailing marketing campaign.

In times when nothing seems to be going right for me, I remember his words, “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.” This inspiration actually made me experience my journey through life. I look ahead to where I am going to, but I am in no hurry. Sometimes, a new route will present itself or some hurdles will come up. I live it up so that when I reach my destination, I’ll have so many things to say to the people waiting for me on the other end aside from complaints.

For those of you who are still naïve about his genius, Randy Pausch was an alumnus and a popular professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon. The famous “Last Lecture” was delivered on September 18, 2007. It was a tradition for popular professors at this university to give out lectures about their final message like that would be their last chance to give it.

Dr. Pausch was diagnosed with cancer in August 2006 and was told by his doctors that he only had few months to live. He had undergone every advanced medical procedure but after a year, his cancer became terminal. He was at that state when he gave that lecture. It was well accepted. He shared an excerpt when he was invited at the Oprah show. And his video became a hit at YouTube. Here is where you can watch it - Randy Pausch's Last Lecture.

He has succumbed to his final rest on July 25. He was 47. In the lecture, he said that those words were for his kids to watch and listen to when he is gone. But now that he is really gone, many kids and adults alike will learn a lot about the life he has lead and the legacy that he was able to leave behind.