It’s John’s day!

If John Lloyd Cruz gets all wet today, feast of St. John The Baptist (avoid San Juan if you want to stay dry), he has a very valid reason: He’s turning 21 and he can celebrate by, that’s it, getting wet (maybe in his bathroom which is his favorite part of the house).

John Lloyd has spent seven of those 21 years as member of the ABS-CBN Talent Center (he was 14 when he joined the Star Circle).

"I’ve gone through a lot these past seven years," says John Lloyd who is a hit in the ABS-CBN soap It Might Be You with Bea Alonzo who was also his love interest in the previous soap, Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay, and in the forthcoming Star Cinema romance-drama Now That I Have You (follow-up to their first movie team-up, First Romance). "I’ve grown up so fast that I can hardly catch up."

He’s also an in-demand endorser (for, among others, Silka Papaya Soap, Outland Shoes, Urban Bags, Sara Lee Cool Guy Cologne, Libresse and Blue Soda Apparel).

Now that he has broken up with Ciara Sotto, John Lloyd admits that he’s getting closer to and more comfortable with Bea. Getting over that break-up was not easy.

"For a while," reveals John Lloyd, "I developed a phobia; I didn’t want to be alone. I made sure that I was dead tired so when I went home, I’d be ready to sleep. Or I read myself to sleep. The phobia lasted for several weeks. But I’m recovered now."

And because it’s John Lloyd’s birthday, Funfare is granting the request of readers for their idol to "play favorites" (and, in the process, reveal more about himself). Here he goes:

• Actor – Sean Penn ("The only actor who lives up to my expectations. He’s unpredictable and that’s what makes him an exciting actor")

• Actress – Charlize Theron ("Because of her performance in Monster")

• Movie – 21 Grams (topbilled by, of course, Sean Penn)

• Singer – Chris Cornell

• Song – End of the World (by, of course, Cornell)

• Komiks Character – Nik-Nok

• Hero – Superman ("I grew up fantasizing him")

• Flower – Sunflower ("It goes where the sun is; it reminds me of another, brand-new day")

• Perfume – Gendarme

• Car – 5 Series ("I love big cars, ’yung executive-type")

• Time of Day – Morning ("I love waking up early when there’s no work. I love to take breakfast, my favorite meal")

• Day of the Week – Saturday ("Because there’s usually no work the next day") and Sunday ("When I go to worship; I’m a member of the Christ Commission Fellowship")

• Part of the House – Bathroom ("I linger in the bathroom where I do a lot of things – read scripts, make phone calls and do the unthinkable")

• Part of His Body – Eyes ("I love seeing things, looking around")

• Part of a Girl’s Body – Boobs and back

• Sleeping Wear – Boxer shorts

• Sleeping Position – On his stomach ("I’m a pillow person; I sleep with one long pillow and three small ones")

• Food – Pinoy ("Tuyo, itlog na maalat and sinangag. That’s why breakfast is my favorite meal")

• Pastime – Watching movies (Last movie seen: Day After Tomorrow)

• Book – Five People You Meet in Heaven and Tuesdays with Morrie, both by Mitch Boom

• Color – Black ("Anything dark challenges me; it makes me search for the light")

• Possession – His talent

• Expression – Gravy!

What? No It Baluga?

>Just when I was getting excited about it...

A few issues ago, Funfare reported that ABS-CBN might cook up its own kwelaserye, It Baluga, to match rival channel GMA’s Marinara which is very obviously a spoof inspired by the smash-hit ABS-CBN fantaserye Marina.

I just got a letter from Ms. Leah Salterio, PR Director of Government Corporate Affairs and PR Department of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, denying that ABS-CBN has such a plan.

Here’s Ma’am Leah’s reaction letter, unedited:

Dear Mr. Lo,

We are writing in relation to the article Marinara vs. It Baluga?, which appeared on June 14, 2004 in your Funfare section of The Philippine STAR, and reported on the possibility of a "spoof" kwela-novela from ABS-CBN Channel 2.

The article, released with a plot’s overview and a list of characters that lent substantial credibility to it, informed of a show that is nowhere in even the remotest plans of ABS-CBN’s think tanks.

ABS-CBN, which has its own pool of creative minds that comes up with innovative and exciting concepts for its programs, is very happy with these concepts turning into phenomenal TV series, facilitating the shows’ ascent in the ratings scale.

Considering your column’s popularity and credibility to the readers, we really hope that you will take immediate and appropriate action on this matter.

Thank you.

Thank heavens that ABS-CBN has refused to, you know, "stoop to that level" and bring the network war to such a low level where pirating of story ideas may be encouraged.

What’s Up?

• Correction from reader Loreto Bonifacio Concepcion: Yul Servo was not just nominated but won as Best Actor for both Laman and Batang Westside. "We Bulakeños are proud of him," said Loreto.

• Correction from Lily Almedilla: Noli, the husband of Lani, is surnamed Misalucha and not Bayot as you mentioned twice. Bayot is Lani’s maiden name.

• US-based readers are asking if it was Martin Nievera whom they saw on the reality-TV show The Casino. The episode was obviously shot at the Golden Nugget where Martin did a series of successful shows a few months ago. Was that you, Martin?

(E-mail reactions at [email protected])