Jolina reinvents herself

Curtain-raisers:

• Regal Films/APT’s TXT, opening today in Metro Manila, was rated A by the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB). Starring Angel Locsin, Oyo Sotto and Dennis Trillo, the movie is the directorial debut of Mike Tuviera (son of Antonio P. Tuviera, co-producer).

• Reaction from L.A.-based Baby K. Jimenez to Funfare’s item on The Lettermen yesterday: I work with Dawna Butala, wife of Keith who is the nephew of Lettermen leader Tony Butala. Here’s the scoop: Tony’s ex-wife Judy died in a car accident late last week. A drunken driver hit her SUV on Highway 121. Tony and Judy’s very close friend Connie Stevens was among the first to condole with the family.

• Congratulations to RJFM for having been named No. 1 "listened to station" for all ages among ABC classes, and No. 5 among D/E listeners. "It’s the only ‘niche station’ to make it to the Top 5 which is dominated by seven stations for the masa. We beat Joey Crossover, Lite Rock, NU and all the niche radio stations," RJFM head Ramon "RJ" Jacinto texted Funfare.

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Parting is such sweet sorrow, or so they say – even if it’s just with your hair (and especially if it has become your showbiz trademark).

"Nalungkot ako," admitted Jolina Magdangal in another Funfare exclusive, " I felt sad because I’ve been wearing my hair that long ever since I started in showbiz 17 years ago. Same length. Every now and then, I would have it trimmed or ‘styled,’ but always the same length."

Fourteen inches was cut by Jolina’s favorite hairstylist, Alex of Propaganda Salon (Greenbelt, Makati City), who has been Jolina’s "collaborator" in the dozen or so tricks (coloring, etc.) she has been doing with her hair.

So why did she decide to have it cut – finally?

"Part of my continuous reinvention," smiled Jolina who is one of the few truly colorful stars around. "It’s my current fashion statement."

She has also timed it with the start of the GMA reality-TV talent search StarStruck The Next Level (starting in December, with Dingdong Dantes as co-host) and the Book 2 of the new GMA Sunday show Hoooo U? (with Marvin Agustin as co-star), the Book 1 of which has been rating so well that GMA bigwigs decided to extend it.

Can she, will she, do the same magical tricks with her new short hairstyle the way she did with the long one?

"Dare me," laughed Jolina. "Alam mo naman ako, creative!"

Did she donate the cut hair to the group cleaning up the oil spill in Guimaras?

"No. I took a lock for souvenir and let Alex dispose of the rest."

Half-Pinay Miss Netherlands here

Here for a week-long visit (leaving on Friday, Oct. 20) is the reigning Miss Netherlands Sheryl Baas, half-Filipina, who competed with our very own Anna Maris Igpit (and 102 other beauties from around the world) in the Miss World contest held last Sept. 30 in Poland.

"No," the 22-year-old charmer told Funfare in yet another exclusive interview, "this is not my first visit. Since I was born in The Netherlands, I’ve been here eight times. My first visit was when I was three years old."

Her mom, Rosanna Okba Paderes (from Leyte, the Cebuano side), works as a registrar; while her father, Jan Baas (a Dutch from South Holland), works at a telecommunications company. Sheryl is the older of two children.

"I’m 50 percent Dutch and 50 percent Filipino not only in blood but also in attitude," said Sheryl who passed up competing in the Miss Europe contest in favor of this sentimental visit to the Philippines. "But in The Netherlands, I stand out for my being Filipino. My friend tease me that I’m 80 percent Filipino and only 20 percent Dutch, because I’m always saying that I’m proud of my Filipino heritage but I believe that I’m 50/50."

The Miss Netherlands contest was the first beauty contest Sheryl has ever joined.

"I don’t aspire to be a model or a movie star," she stressed even if she has the qualifications for both. "What I want to be is a fiscal lawyer and that’s what I’m taking up in school (she has three years to go before she graduates). As a fiscal lawyer, I believe I have better opportunities in the labor market in The Netherlands."

A civic-minded beauty, Sheryl heads her own Sheryl Foundation.

Asked who her bet was to win the Miss World title, Sheryl said, "None. But I hope that someone who was sincere would win. Not all the girls were sincere. And someone who has a good heart. Miss Czech Republic has both and she really deserves the title. I was with her in the group and she’s sweet and sincere, with a good heart."

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