Ruffa coming home on June 5

It was Ruffa Gutierrez who relayed to Funfare the good news that Dayanara Torres and Marc Anthony have at last gotten married in Las Vegas. Ruffa said she heard the news over the radio in Amsterdam while she was in a limousine (provided for her by Century Productions with which she's under contract as a TV host) to the airport. She was flying to Cannes to cover the international filmfest there where she'll interview showbiz bigshots (actors, actresses and producers) in attendance.

For sure, while in Cannes, Ruffa will bump into Raymond Red whose short film is in competition. (Reader Romy Castillo wrote to inform Funfare readers that Red's work is "the only Filipino film in competition" at Cannes, topbilled by Ronnie Lazaro, Eddie Garcia, John Arcilla, Ronnie Pulido and Ermie Concepcion. The short film is about a poor church photographer taunted by an evil being outside a church. Later, he wanders into the realities of life in Old Manila. His camera is stolen by a kid. He encounters intimidation in his search for the kid and goes through other misadventures. The film is 15 minutes long.)

Anyway, back to Ruffa...

She has been so busy that she is, so to speak, living out of a suitcase, always on the go, hardly ever having time for herself. Last week when she was in New York to interview celebrities present at the Lewis-Grant boxing bout, Ruffa could only see her mom and dad, Annabelle Rama and Eddie Gutierrez (given free tickets by Century Productions), for a quick lunch or when they were about to retire at night (they shared a suite at a plush hotel, Ruffa in one bed and Annabelle/Eddie in another bed).

"Ruffa is recognized by New Yorkers when she walks around," reported Raoul Tidalgo, Entertainment Editor of the New York-based Filipino Reporter who interviewed Ruffa. "They tell her, 'Aren't you the girl who was on the Lewis-Grant fight?'"

Ruffa's schedule is so hectic that from New York, she and her parents flew to L.A. (where she has a condo unit in Beverly Hills) but could stay only for one night because she had to rush to Amsterdam.

But on June 5, Ruffa will be flying home for the auditions of the film her family's Royal-ERA Productions is co-producing with Ken Botelho's Century Productions, a romance story to be topbilled by Ruffa herself. Ruffa will stay only for five days and fly to her next assignment in another part of the globe.

Royal-ERA/Century is looking for two girls, one as kontrabida and the other as Ruffa's friend in the movie, and three guys (one Ruffa's leading man, the other as kontrabida and the third to be cast in a supporting role).

Ruffa will be so pressed for time that, even if there are offers waiting for her, she won't have time to do a movie here or even just a TV show.

The Miss Universe Pageant will have its grand finals in Cyprus tomorrow (covered live by RPN 9 starting at 9 a.m.). Miss U observers and "experts" claim that our bet, Nina Ricci Alagao, is among the top favorites. But nobody can be too sure until judgment day.

Meanwhile, a Funfare Miss U "expert" has sent his own predictions (worth a thought or two). Here they are:

My predictions are based on, well, logic, as well as political trends and the past patterns that the pageant itself underwent.

The top five are what I call as a "must" since they are expected to perform well and for the past years their countries sent top-calibre contestants

1. USA, Lynette Cole

For the entire history only twice did USA fail to make it to the top 10. First was in 1976 and the second was last year when Kimberly Ann Pressler did not make it at Trinidad-Tobago.

2. India, Lara Dutta

Afer winning the Miss U 1994 title, Indians proceeded to capture various crowns in major international beauty contests. After capturing its fourth Miss World crown last year, courtesy of Yukta Mookhey, India claimed to be a "beauty superpower". Now talk about power.

3. Venezuela, Claudia Moreno

The beauty capital of the world cannot afford to lose. Ask Osmel Sousa about it.

4. Philippines, Nina Ricci Alagao

Our very own is a strong contender. One website said her interviews in her bio are very "thought provoking".

When asked what question she would like to be asked with she answered:

"I like to be asked about my views on racism. The Philippines is still a developing country. Many Filipinos work in different parts of the world, including some places where they are discriminated against. What people do for a living should not be considered a basis for who they really are. I don't speak of Filipinos, per se, but for every citizen who is discriminated against. I believe that every person, great or small, should be treated equally as human beings."

5. Spain, Helen Lindes

Spain's contestant was controversial. She posed topless on a magazine! But she was allowed to compete and she won as Miss Photogenic during the pre-finals. Her country's achievement? Ask Amparo Muñoz!

6. Puerto Rico, Zoraida Fonalledas

A country that sends wonderful contenders. This year, their bet created quite a splash at Cyprus.

The next set of ladies are based on geographic and political background of the host country. Remember how we were bombarded with surprises last year?

Names that we never thought before like Botswana or Ghana came in! And it's because Cyprus is the host, the next four ladies on the top 10 could be:

7. Greece, Elena Skafedi

Cypriots have affinity with Greeks. They even once wanted to unite with mainland Greece.

8. Finland, Suvi Miinala

Europeans will be the focus on this year's pageant as much as blacks became favorites in the black-majority Trinidad. In that case, Finland will lead the way.

9.Sweden, Valerie Aflalo

Will have a great chance because of the Europe-effect syndrome.

10.Italy, Analiza Guadalupi

A neighbor of Cyprus and one of the countries with myriads of wonderful women without a Miss Universe.