Sharon unfazed by 'weight issue'

Curtain-raisers:

?  I just got from my e-mail a letter from a woman who claimed to be a relative of a Filipino classic singer (kundiman, etc.). She said that 46 years ago, she was given for adoption by her father (“Who could be the brother or relative of [the singer]”) who handed her to a woman in Las Vegas whose stage name was Marnie Pepper. She added that she has been searching for her biological father. “If (the man) is her brother,” she said, “then she (the Filipina singer) is my aunt.” She wrote Funfare as a last recourse in her long-drawn search for her long-lost father.

?  Could it be true that a foreigner artist and a local singer-actor performed not only onstage but also off-stage (using, ehem, “wireless microphones”)? “Once,” according to the Funfare VDPA, “the foreign artist requested his other Filipino special friend, also in a way connected with showbiz, to have a tryst with him in Hong Kong. Imagine how pleasantly shocked the special friend was when he realized that the singer-actor had beaten him to the rendezvous!” The VDPA didn’t say if the three guys decided to do a “trio act.”

?  During an out-of-town shoot for a soap, the female lead and one of her leading men didn’t know that they were the favorite topic of gossip-mongers on the set. You can’t blame them. The actress and the leading man kept each other company inside the tent that served as dressing room, coming out only for the take and going right back inside for heaven knew what. No problem really, except that she’s supposed to be “happily” married but the guy is, yes, happily separated.

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Is Sharon Cuneta affected by the new round of jokes about her weight?

Hardly.

In his on-the-spot report from California, STAR correspondent Carlo Orosa said that Sharon even made fun of it.

“She was in high spirits when she opened her series of full-house shows at the Club 88 of Cache Creek Casino Resort in California last weekend,” reported Carlo who is with the entourage in his capacity as manager of Christian Bautista, Sharon’s guest performer. “After a few songs, she began laughing off issues regarding her weight saying, ‘Naku, alam ko kung anong sinasabi n’yo lahat n’ung lumabas ako dito sa stage, hindi naman pala s’ya mataba, eh!’ Instantly, the crowd cheered and applauded Sharon, some of them screaming how much they love her.”

In the concert series, Sharon performed a showcase of her hits from the time she began her career at 12, including Tawag Ng Pag Ibig, Mr. DJ, Bituing Walang Ningning and more. One of the highlights of the evening was a medley of How Did You Know and To Love Again (arranged and beautifully played by Louie Ocampo) with Christian (who co-hosts with Sharon the ABS-CBN talent search Star Power).

“In the middle part of the show, Sharon acknowledged her older half brother Butch Cuneta who drove an hour and a half from Daly City to watch her. Butch and Sharon grew up together in Dasmariñas Village in Makati City.”

Carlo added that all the shows ended with a standing ovation, after Sharon sang her signature song Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas. She and Christian obliged to a meet and greet session with the fans, which was received warmly by the concert attendees.

40, not just 26, chosen as 2011 Bb. Pilipinas bets

For the first time in the pageant’s 47-year history, the preliminary screenings for the Bb. Pilipinas search were opened to the media. More than 112 aspirants showed up. During the three screenings, the last of which was held last Saturday, the number was trimmed down to 40 instead of just 26.

“There were too many beautiful aspirants, so we decided to increase the number to 60,” said Madame Stella Marquez de Araneta, head of the Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI).

They are the 40 aspirants for the 2011 Bb. Pilipinas pageant set for April, chosen last Saturday after three rigorous screenings. Only two titles are at stake this year, Bb. Pilipinas-Universe and Bb. Pilipinas-International.

Stella herself chaired the screening committee that included BPCI executive director Pitoy Moreno, artist Betsy Westendorf, Miss Universe Philippines Venus Raj, fashion director Raymond Villanueva, and past and present binibinis.

The 2011 Bb. Pilipinas official candidates are Jenette Noguchi, Elizabeth Clenci, Gianna Quintos, Shamcey Supsup, Diana Arevalo, Mary Jean Lastimosa, Jenilyn Oliver, Teresa Ludovice, Marie Kristina Marasigan, Queenierich Rehman, Camille Alexis Baltazar, Glennifer Perido, Krystle Ann Grant, Jennielyn Natividad, Patricia Tumulak, Paula Camille Figueras, Roxanne Cabanero, Marish Marquinez, Hazelyn Santos, Arabella Hanesh, Carla Lacson, Martha McCulley, Dianne Necio, Luzelle Felipe, Jenn-Roe Gubat, Isabella Manjon, Ma. Paula Bianca Paz, Ladylyn Riva, Kathleen Subijano, Wendy Lucas, Sabrinne Al-Tawil, Janine Tugunon, Kenneth Dimaapi, Angelina Ong, Samantha Purvor, Zephorah Mayon, Carolyn Ty, Grendel Alvarado, Sarah Clenci and Suzette Hernandez.

Only two titles (Bb. Pilipinas-Universe and Bb. Pilipinas-International) are at stake in the grand finals set for April. The bet for Miss World (who used to be known as Bb. Pilipinas-World) will be chosen by a new franchise-holder.

The pageant will be aired live by ABS-CBN with which the BPCI recently signed a contract. It was GMA which telecast the pageant for 13 years. It’s also ABS-CBN which has been airing live the Miss Universe pageant, this year to be held in Brazil in September.

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