•Rejoinder to the Bimby-MJ item •Paul on wild rumors: Not true!

I didn’t know that yesterday’s story about Bimby Aquino-Yap’s “no-show” at the first birthday party of his half-brother Michael “MJ” Yap last Saturday (Aug. 12; actual birthday was Aug. 8) at the Blue Leaf Filipinas would stir the proverbial hornet’s nest.

First text message Funfare got yesterday morning was from MJ’s mom Michela “Mic” Cazzola who, after a perfunctory “thank you,” proceeded to deliver quite a mouthful that I refused to swallow with my first morning cup of green tea. Mic described the story as “not nice,” but I do hope she didn’t, as she threatened, burn her copy of The STAR even if I told her that it was her prerogative to do whatever she wanted to as long as she paid for her copy.

Very calmly, I recalled to her that on that Saturday afternoon, I was seated at the same table with Dr. Welson Yap (father of Jeffrey Yap who is, more than just a close friend of and like a brother to MJ’s dad James). From 3 p.m. when Doc Welson (with granddaughter Blake) and I arrived separately until around 6 p.m. when the party was about to wind up, we kept on wondering what time Bimby was arriving. It would be nice to photograph the cute kids together, wouldn’t it be?

The other guests (many of them James’ friends from the Chinese community) were asking the same thing, but Doc Welson and I said we didn’t know, that we didn’t have any idea, and neither did James who assured that Bimby (and presumably other half-brother Joshua) was invited. Before we left (Doc Welson bound for home and I for the STAR office where a blank page was waiting to be filled up), we asked an events coordinator if Bimby was coming. Answer was yes.

And that was the story (nothing subtracted, nothing added) that came out in Funfare yesterday. (Aside: It was one of the rare, rare times that Funfare honored an invitation from James and Mic who didn’t just text-message me but also e-mailed a reminder and had the invitation delivered to our home.)

Here’s what Doc Welson and I didn’t know, in one of the series of text messages sent by Mic in rapid succession yesterday morning:

“I told the (coordinator) to cross out Bimby’s name from the list because Kris and I have already agreed beforehand that the kids would be meeting in private…” adding, “I don’t want to create issues where everybody is OK already.”

Had Mic informed Doc Welson and me about her and Kris’ “secret agreement,” yesterday’s story would have been different and, I suppose, Mic would have the full-page spread framed for posterity.

There. That should clear the non-issue and bring Mic’s Italian temper down.

Henceforth, I reminded Mic to refrain from sending me any invitation to any of her and James’ affairs, thank you.

A word for Kris and other showbiz denizens who can’t help decorating the social media with posts of their children. Before Kris and other soc-med savvy moms scold people and remind them to please spare the innocents, they should be the first to spare their children by keeping them away from the social media. Otherwise, they themselves are (maybe unwittingly) putting their children in, well, “harm’s way.”

(P.S. Why isn’t this story accompanied by one or more pictures from that Blue Leaf Filipinas affair? What were published yesterday were more than enough.)

* * *

After a pregnant silence, direk Paul Soriano has finally agreed to clear the persisting rumor (going around showbiz circle) linking him to not only Erich Gonzales (whom he’s directing in a movie being shot in Siargao) but also, believe it or not, Maja Salvador (whom Paul directed in the movie Thelma) and Ellen Adarna (now being linked to K-Pop band Big Bang’s Seungri whom she met in Bali where she’s vacationing with a friend).

Good thing that Paul’s wife Toni Gonzaga has already dismissed the yarn as unfounded and she wasn’t affected by it. The rumor about Maja was allegedly a joke played on Toni by her younger sister Alex.

Paul’s reaction:

“All these stories are not true and unfortunately I hope and pray this isn’t the way our movie will be promoted. Let’s please focus on the film and the story we’re telling. Thank you, sir. Appreciate the concern.”

Paul and Toni are both Christian and they put Christ at the center of their family (including their son Seve who’s turning one-year old in September).

The couple is currently seen in the TVC as endorsers for Gold Seas Tuna Chunks. The brand believes in the importance of extending as much love and care to family by not compromising when it comes to the family’s overall health and well-being.

Ana’s turn to shine

Because her surname is Ramsey, Ana is often asked how she’s related to the late Elizabeth Ramsey, the mother of Jaya.

“She’s my grandmother,” confirmed Ana Ramsey who impressed the STAR family with two songs at this paper’s 31st-anniversary lunch last week. “My dad is Tita Jaya’s first cousin.”

Ana used to front-act for her Lola Elizabeth who always reminded her to work hard to achieve her goals.

“Makakamit mo ‘yon if you work hard,” Ana recalled her grandma telling her.

Ana said that she started singing at age 10 and joined contests in barangays and in school. In 2004, she won first place at the EuroPop contest in Berlin, making her not only the first Asian (and Filipino talent) to compete but also the first to emerge champion. Her winning pieces were Time To Shine (her own composition) and Jessie J’s Mama Knows Best.

Ana is inviting everybody to tune in to her program on MOR101.9 Saturdays and Sundays from 2 to 5 p.m. She’s promoting her single Walang Tayo which was released digitally by Star Music.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)