LOS ANGELES, California?Miley Cyrus said she?s embarrassed by an apparently racy photo spread appearing in the upcoming issue of Vanity Fair.

?I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be ?artistic? and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed. I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about,? Cyrus said Sunday in a statement through her publicist.

The photos, by renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz, were taken to accompany an interview with the 15-year-old pop star and her father, singer Billy Ray Cyrus. They include shots of the teen reportedly topless and wrapped in a blanket.

The Disney Channel, which airs Cyrus? TV show ?Hannah Montana,? was also critical of Vanity Fair. ?Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines,? a network statement said. AP

Love team?s history

Before ?Lobo,? Piolo Pascual and Angel Locsin were already a love team in a San Mig Coffee TV commercial.

During the shoot of the commercial?s latest version, Piolo was asked to explain what is perceived to be ?chemistry? between the two of them. ?It?s hard to define chemistry,? he said. ?But the fact that we are paired in ?Lobo? and are now doing another ad together means our tandem is effective.?

Jumping to conclusions? An information dispatch from San Mig says the tandem helped make the coffee variant the top sugar-free instant mix, ?according to a recent survey by the Nielsen Company.? But will there be a ?Lobo? Season 2?

Take two!

Speaking of commercial shoots, we heard that Aga Muhlach, after finishing another Jollibee Chickenjoy commercial, where he downs a drumstick, asked for a second serving.

After-show binge

And speaking of eating ? Guess what Duran Duran did after that blockbuster concert at the Big Dome on April 10?

They had a huge Japanese dinner at Red Kimono. Simon Le Bon reportedly had the biggest appetite, ordering crabstick rolls with wasabi mayo, layered spinach and tofu with miso, gindara and uni sashimi. Whew. The band?s other Simon?Wilescroft, saxophonist?was overheard asking restaurant owners Michael and Nameeta Dargani about the possibility of opening a branch in London.

Celebrity ?tiangge?

This should be interesting.

On Friday, May 2, Backroom Inc. will hold a tiangge called ?Tindahan ng mga Gamit ng mga Artista, Atbp.? Guess whose stuff will be on sale?

Ai-Ai delas Alas, Dawn Zulueta, Erik Santos, Rufa Mae Quinto, Mariel Rodriguez, Nyoy Volante, K Brosas, Keanna Reeves and, of course, Backroom boss Boy Abunda!

The tiangge will be held at Unit 206 CRM Building 2, 116 Kamias Road cor. Kasing-Kasing St., Quezon City. Call 928-3121, 435-1108 or 435-1120.

Sean Penn?s plea

INDIO, California?Sean Penn spoke at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, urging the young crowd to involve themselves politically. The Oscar-winning actor, a late addition to the music festival, jokingly referred to his out-of-place billing Sunday among the 125-plus performers.

In a T-shirt and jeans and smoking a cigarette while he sat on a stool, Penn said he unfortunately couldn?t perform his ?a cappella Celine Dion cover act? since he had ?compromised his upper register.? AP

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Top of the Talk Shows

For those who missed last weekend?s gabfests on TV. (And why we are moved, if we are moved.)

Richard Gutierrez, on the possibility of being romantically linked to his soon-to-be leading lady Heart Evangelista:

?Tingnan natin. For now, excited lang akong maka-trabaho siya. ?Yun ang importante.? (At si Echo)

Richard, asked what he would do if Heart fell for him:

?Wala tayong magagawa. Basta hindi ako mang-aagaw.? (Nakup.)

Annabelle Rama, asked if she would let daughter Ruffa Gutierrez find new love:

?Kailangan ni Ruffa maging happy. Di naman pwedeng naghihintay siya sa wala. [Dapat] lang, boyfriend na pwedeng mag-support sa kanya.? (Emphasis on ?boyfriend.?)

Regine Velasquez, on boyfriend Ogie Alcasid?s birthday gift:

?Bag. I haven?t been buying kasi nga nagbagong-buhay na ako ? so sobrang happy ako nu?ng binigyan niya ako.? (Ano kayang bag?)

Yasmien Kurdi, on observations that she has overtaken ?Starstruck? batchmate Jennylyn Mercado:

?Hindi naman dapat gawing negative ?yung nangyari sa kanya. Baka ?yung baby pa niya ang magbigay sa kanya ng blessings.? (Good girl.)

Meryll Soriano, on reconciling with Bernard Palanca:

?Hindi pa ako ready. In time siguro. Busy ako sa anak ko e.? (Parang kasali yata si Bernard do?n.)

Heart Evangelista on rumors about a split with boyfriend Jericho Rosales:

?We?re just doing our own thing now. At the end of the day, what?s important is, okay kami.? (Meanwhile, new love team muna.)

Radio jock Andrei Felix, on rumors of romance with Jennylyn Mercado:

?Hindi talaga totoo ?yun ? I don?t know where this is coming from.? (Kami, alam namin. Kainis nga e.)

Diether Ocampo on Kristine Hermosa:

?We?re not together anymore. Hindi rin kami nagkabalikan.? (Owss?)

Dennis Trillo on reports Carlene Aguilar has a new boyfriend:

?I?m happy for her ? Dapat iwan na nating lahat yung mga hindi magandang nangyari nung nakaraang taon.? (Is he reading from a dusty, old script?)

(Startalk, The Buzz and Showbiz Central)

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