It's a boy for Tintin, Julius

Curtain-raisers:

• As Tintin Bersola hinted in her new STAR column ParenTIN Talk a few days ago, she gave birth last Sunday, Jan. 31, to her and husband Julius Babao’s second child at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Global City, Taguig City. The couple’s first child is named Antonia and the new one, Antonio Francesco, in honor of one of Tintin’s favorite saints (Anthony). “It’s answered prayer,” said Tintin who, together with Julius made a novena to St. Padre Pio, their other favorite saint. The attending physicians were Dr. Catherine Lim, Dr. Jonel Lim, Dr. Alma Enriquez, Dr. Regina Capistrano and Dr. Nelida Billones (see photos above).

• Done deal: Dolphy (photo) and Maricel Soriano have signed up (non-exclusive) with TV5. Dolphy will star in a sitcom while Maricel will initially do a special to be followed by a drama series. The two are the newest addition to the fast-growing roster of talents from both ABS-CBN and GMA lured by TV5 with huge talents fees, with juicy fringe benefits on the side. Who are the other talents marching (merrily?) to TV5? Stay tuned.

• From Funfare’s “flying high” DPA: Perhaps you would be interested to know that Jake Cuenca (photo)and Melissa Ricks attended the 8:15 p.m. Mass at Santuario de San Jose in Greenhills, San Juan City last Sunday, Jan. 31. Mag-”on” na ba sila? Kasi throughout the Mass, nakapulupot si Melissa kay Jake -- at sa simbahan pa mandin! We were seated beside them in the last row. It was the first time that I saw them there.

Has ABS-CBN overlooked Cheryl?

Did Cheryl Cosim decide to move from ABS-CBN to TV5 because she felt that her (soon-to-be?) former home studio has overlooked or taken her for granted in the 14 years she’s been working there while building up the likes of Pinky Webb and GMA-7 transferee Bernadette Sembrano?

Said a Cheryl defender, “She practically lives in the station, working seven days a week from early morning until late evening. You see her on TV and hear her on DZMM radio.”

That’s why Cheryl didn’t have any second thought about biting TV5’s lucrative offer which ABS-CBN is said to have found difficult to match. But there’s a hitch.

“Although she has accepted the TV5 offer,” said the defender, “Cheryl hasn’t signed the contract yet.” Hmmmm, is ABS-CBN making a counter offer?

Aside from a public-affairs show, according to reports, effective March Cheryl will anchor TV5’s primetime newscast with Paolo Bediones, another GMA-7 recruit now also holding an executive position at TV5.

Now, what will happen to Cheryl’s health program Salamat Dok? She pioneered the show which has reaped numerous awards.

At TV5, Cheryl will be working with Luchi Cruz-Valdes who also came from the Kapamilya network and now heads the TV5 news department; and DJ Sta. Ana, the husband of Karen Davila, who also used to work at ABS-CBN news desk and is now with TV5’s News & Public Affairs.

Did Julio ever kiss Pilita?

Here’s a rejoinder to last Sunday’s Conversations with Ricky Lo which featured Julio Iglesias who’s coming for a concert at the Big Dome on March 20:

Dear Ricky,

Greetings!

This is Carlos Lopez, husband of Pilita Corrales (photo).

The subject of my letter was a topic debated in Cebu during Pilita’s rehearsal for the closing show of the spectacular Sinulog Fiesta just recently.

We were talking with a couple of friends, some promoters and precisely about Julio Iglesias and I asked them blatantly, “Does anybody here know if Julio ever kissed my wife?”

The opinions were divided and I gave them the right answer: Yes!

I’m sure you must know that Julio was a guest in her TV show, An Evening with Pilita. Someone dared Julio to kiss her on national television and the daredevil did.

If anybody says that Julio not only kissed Pilita but he also spent An Evening with Pilita, now you know both statements are correct.

Besides the trivia above, the reason of my letter is to share with you a dream of an idea you can make it come true, if you see any merit in it: a dream duet, Julio and Pilita!

Even if it’s just one song, as Julio’s special guest artist at the Araneta Show.

That would be historic! It may also be the last opportunity to make that kind of cultural history.

No other female entertainer gives that romantic and sensual feeling to the Spanish words like Pilita does. Songs like El Dia Que Me Quieras, Historia de un Amor and others that Julio sings with such an unique style and makes them untouchable for other balladeers, are the same songs Pilita sings like only she can.

With Pilita’s 130 albums and thousands of trophies from all over the world, I am surprised nobody ever thought of having her in a local show with the greatest male recording artist in the world when both share the same Spanish blood and love for the Philippines.

I hope you do to Julio what he did to you and call him at 3 a.m., his local time, to tell him about this idea; I bet he will not say no to you.

Ricky, may you have a beautiful Sunday, wherever you are.

Sincerely,

Carlos Lopez

(Note: How about that, Jorge Araneta? Good idea, isn’t it?)

Briefly noted

• L.A.-based concert producer Amy Almirol is producing a sitcom titled Ay, Buhay America to be telecast on Channel 18 in L.A. and hopefully either TFC or GMA’s Pinoy TV. Her first guest is Manny Pacquiao together with the Team Pacquiao as main cast headed by Jovi Halog (former boxer and personal friend of Manny), Edward Lura, Alex Oreto (Manny ’s sidekick), Rhen Fuentes and Danny Halibas. Amy herself will play the mataray owner of the resto-bar where the guys work. “Manny will be guesting everytime he’s in L.A.,” said Amy who produced Marco Sison’s concert Simply Marco at the Biltmore Hotel in L.A. last Jan. 22.

• Yes, of course, my favorite bookstore is Borders (not Boarders as mispelled in last Sunday’s Conversations). Thanks to reader “Joseph” for calling my attention. Sad to find out when I was there in December last year that the Borders outlet in Beverly Hills, just across from the Beverly Center, was closing. The items on “closing-out” sale were very cheap. Suwerte ko!