RUSHES
Brian blogspot, the movie
By Inquirer Staff
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:49:00 03/13/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Pat Benatar, we hear yah. Love is a battlefield, indeed.
And in this lightning-speed-information age, some wars move on to the Internet. And end there.
Case in point: The blogspot mentioned in the last regular edition of Rushes, the online telenovela that had indicted several “high” society peeps and media personalities as “cokeheads” and “scammers” … well, it purportedly resulted from a breakup.
A very, very nasty one. And very costly for half the couple.
The blog owner, Brian Gorrell, an Australian man who said he had been duped by his Filipino lover of $70,000, complained early this week that the influential clique and clan he had thus exposed were trying to shut him up. Yes, shut him up by force—one fired up enough to cross the equator.
Wednesday morning, the site was still running … no, galloping, sizzling, crackling … you get the picture.
That was nine days after the first post, and the cyber sensation, according to one blogger, had posted 162,069 hits—an average of 15,596 visits per day.
The comments sections attached to the blog had started taking on lives of their own.
A blogger suggested that the likes of villainess Bella Flores, pint-sized celeb Mahal and show biz reporters Jobert Sucaldito and Ogie Diaz be cast in the movie version of the online soap opera.
Rushes tried to reach Brian’s ex-lover for comment (his cell phone just kept ringing) only because we wanted to know if he approved of Ogie Diaz playing him.
What do you think, readers? Those of you who spent sleepless days and nights commiserating with Brian (or just checking if anyone you know has hit the comments sheets)—does the quirky casting compute?
Alas, we may never know.
Coup de grace
At press time, Gorrell had pulled the ultimate shocker: He announced on Wednesday night that he was ending his blog, citing many reasons: The site, he explained, “became bigger than me. Much bigger.”
He also said he was relocating to Canada.
He apologized to all the people he had hurt in his “rage,” but ended his missive on a wry note, reminding his former pals to have fun at their anti-Brian blog party that same night.
Still insisting on having the last witty word on his online telenovela. ‘Twas a short and sensational run.
Pia Magalona’s side
A show biz personality dragged into the word war was Pia Arroyo-Magalona, wife of Francis and mother of Maxene.
Pia had expressed her opinion in a friend’s blog on the hot topic that had gripped Netizens in at least six countries and was promptly barraged with negative comments on Gorrell’s site.
Pia would like to point out that it wasn’t her intention to “belittle” the amount Gorrell supposedly lost to his lover. “What I meant was, P2 million was small compared to the amounts involved in the ZTE scandal, for example.”
While she was at it, she also clarified that, contrary to what was posted on the blog, she was not related to President Arroyo. “We’re from Bicol, not Pampanga.”
She explained that she had learned of Brian’s blog through her daughter. “As a mom, I checked it out because I always want to know what my kids are exposed to.”
She reiterated, “I’m not super friends with any of the people involved. I’ve never been to the club mentioned in that blog.”
One-man text brigade
There’s a nasty rumor making the rounds via SMS: That a young heartthrob snubbed veteran performers at a show biz event abroad.
Funny thing was, said controversy was allegedly cooked up by the hunk’s publicist, who spread it from one of his many cell phones, said a source.
Sosi.
Scent of a man
At a recent music event, the son of a performer arrived looking unkempt and smelling like, well, freshly smoked pot.
As in weed.
A media person quipped: “Everyone near him just knew what he just did.”
Heath Ledger’s will
NEW YORK—Heath Ledger’s will leaves nothing to his former girlfriend and their 2-year-old daughter because it was never updated after they became part of his life.
A copy of the three-page will, filed in Manhattan Surrogate Court, shows the 28-year-old Australian actor left everything he owned to his parents and three sisters. The document, filed in Australia in 2003, offers no hint at the size of the estate he left.
Ledger’s father, Kim, has said the family would make sure the actor’s former partner, actress Michelle Williams, and their daughter, Matilda Rose, would be provided for. AP
Dancing with Marlee
LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE, California— Marlee Matlin had never danced before—well, other than at weddings and bar mitzvahs—but for the past two weeks, she’s been cha-cha-ing and quick-stepping for seven hours a day in preparation for her “Dancing With the Stars” debut.
Despite the unforgiving schedule and complaints of constant soreness from past contestants, Matlin, 42, says she’s remained pain-free.
“Everyone asks if I’m sore,” she said after a recent rehearsal at a nondescript dance studio northeast of Los Angeles. “Am I supposed to be sore?” AP
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