KC Montero: The 'uncut version'

During our three-day coverage in Tokyo of Britney Spears' album launching and press conference (for Oops! I Did It Again, released by Universal Records), I had a chance to pin down KC Montero and needle him into speaking up on certain issues raised against him, such as:

1. His being, uh, "uncut"

2. His romance with Geneva Cruz (estranged wife of Paco Arespacochaga), and

3. The Bb. Pilipinas Pageant incident where he mispronounced some of the judges' names (you know, Magseysey for Magsaysay, etc.).

Here's KC's "uncut" version of all this brouhaha:

1. "I guess it was circulated, according to some people, by an actress who once guested on our show (GMA's Beh Bote Nga). It happened last year but the ugly rumor began spreading only this year. I don't know if the actress really said that because she wouldn't have known. How could she have known when she never saw 'it'? All I can say is that I am not Jewish. You can ask my Mom."

2. "Geneva is just a friend. There's a story that I sleep in her house and even cook for her. I don't know how to cook. There's nothing but friendship between Geneva and me." (Note: Things usually start with "friendship." In fact, sometimes showbiz friends end up having love kids.)

3. "I plea 'guilty' to mispronouncing some names during the Bb. Pilipinas Pageant. You see, the names of the judges were given to us (including co-hosts Dingdong Dantes and Ralion Alonso) only minutes before I was asked to announce them, so there was no chance for me to ask what the correct pronunciations were. I apologize to the judges involved."

Why we'll hate Ricky again

After playing a dirty cop (who killed a kid flying a kite) in Saranggola, Ricky Davao plays an even more hateful cop-character in his latest movie, ReynaFilms' Azucena (released through Millennium Cinema), one who batters his wife (Glydel Mercado) and who molests his stepdaughter (newcomer Alessandra de Rossi). Remember Sukdulan where Ricky beat up his wife (Snooky Serna) to a pulp, winning an award for it? You'll hate Ricky even more in Azucena, directed by Carlitos Siguion-Reyna from the Palanca-winning screenplay by Eric Ramos.

In the movie, Ricky recalls that he and Glydel have so many love/kissing scenes that he started smoking again, a habit he had kicked years ago. How did it happen?

"Everytime we had a love scene," explained Ricky, "I would brush and brush my teeth. Later on, I noticed that Glydel would be smoking before our love scenes, so I decided to ask a stick from her before shooting would start, para pareho ang amoy ng hininga namin."

Luckily, Ricky's resumed bad "habit" lasted only until the end of the shooting. Now, he's smoke-free again.

ABS-CBN cries, 'Foul!'

We were all amazed by the scoop report of Arlyn dela Cruz on the Abu Sayyaf kidnapping case in Mindanao, weren't we? Well, there's another story to it, with ABS-CBN as the aggrieved party. Read on...

ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation denounced the unethical journalistic practice of freelance journalist Arlyn dela Cruz in the coverage of the foreign hostages in captivity in Sulu last April 29, 2000.

ABS-CBN News & Current Affairs sent Dela Cruz to Sulu after she offered her services to the company as a Guest Correspondent. Having already done stories on the Abu Sayyaf, Dela Cruz was apparently the only journalist invited by the group. She assured the news organization that she can get footage of the hostages and do a story on the hostage crisis. ABS-CBN provided Dela Cruz with plane tickets, a camera, a cameraman and an assistant, as well as access to its satellite fly-away system in Jolo and the network's satellite station in Zamboanga City.

However, unknown to ABS-CBN the company turned out to be an unfortunate victim of an unethical journalistic practice as Dela Cruz also entered into another agreement with the foreign wire service Reuters. After getting the video footage, the ABS-CBN crew were told to hand over the tapes to a Reuters team. The ABS-CBN News group had to wait for Reuters representatives to first preview the tapes and feed from ABS-CBN's Zamboanga facilities before they could even see the footage.

According to Angelo Castro Jr., SVP for ABS-CBN News & Current Affairs, the company "strongly believe that it is the rightful owner of Dela Cruzes' video material of the hostages and their captors, which was taken with our camera." Castro also condemned Dela Cruzes' actions and sent a letter of protest to Reuters saying that the network "protests this breach of professional ethics."

A successful concert was staged by the San Beda High School Glee Club in Balungao, Pangasinan, last week. The free public performance held at the town plaza was the first in a series of out-of-town concerts staged in celebration of San Beda's 100 years.

The group (composed of the Glee Club, San Beda's High School medical mission, faculty and school administrators) was met by the Honorable Mayor of Balungao, Wilfredo Mina. The good Mayor greeted each member of the entourage as they came out of the bus. A hearty lunch was served at the Mayor's house. While rehearsals were going on, a medical mission was being conducted by San Beda volunteers.

It was the first performance of the San Beda High School Glee Club in Balungao. Local talents from the place performed the front act numbers to the delight of the locals. The show, which started at 7:30 p.m., was a full house. The crowd loved the Glee Club's rendition of choreographed numbers like Larger Than Life, Peksman and Di Bale Na Lang, as well as the novelty numbers Humanap Ka ng Panget and Sa Tabi Ng Punong Saging, and the folk songs Ti Ayat Ti Meysa Nga Ubing, Inday Sa Balitaw.

Not to be outdone were guests Calvin Millado and Dessa who brought the house down. Teenagers came hovering around the performers for autographs and pictures after the show. Mayor Mina who was obviously happy with the turn of events is asking for a repeat hopefully, next year.