MANILA, Philippines - Cesar Montano and Sunshine Cruz are still going through the obstacle course of their marriage. Buboy wanted to take Shine to the Beijing Olympics so they could settle the score there but Shine told me the trip won’t materialize.

Considering the volatile state of their marriage, I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up going to the “Olympics” after all. The Montano battle of the sexes must end. Let the peace talks begin!

Guess list

A movie bigwig warned a network executive about an actress who throws her weight around. “Mag-ingat kayo sa babaeng yan. Pag ‘di n’yo siya ma-control, she could cause the downfall of your network.” Beware of the negative vibes she spreads around. It’s a vexation to the spirit!

A young actress keeps saying that she and hunk actor are still in the getting-to-know-you stage. Truth is they reached the point of infanticipation, then the “knowing-how to-get (rid of it)” stage.

A band member got shocked when a young actor ordered him to get water backstage. “Obvious naman sa kaniya na performer din ako because I was holding my guitar while I got off the stage,” he lamented. “Sikat nga siya pero wala siyang right na utusan ako ng pasigaw.” Perhaps the actor thought that he was in Barrio Fiesta and mistook him for a singing waiter.

Equal measure

“I would rather have it equal in a relationship,” said Sam Milby, “than one partner loving more than the other. Anne (Curtis) and I make it a point to reassure each other of how we feel on a daily basis.” The Dermablend Papaya Orange skin whitening soap endorser gives his fans more reasons to adore him as Adonis with butt exposure and all. Some like it hot, Some like it SAM!

Record setters

“My most incredible experience was having breakfast with the USA basketball team in Macau recently,” gushed Paolo Contis.

He will feature even more astounding stuff played by international record setters in GMA 7’s “World Records” airing Tuesdays on the “Bilib Ka Ba Nights.”

Other shows on the TV block are “Ripley’s Believe it or Not” (Mondays, hosted by Chris Tiu) and “Masquerade” (Wednesdays, hosted by Ariel and Maverick) where Japanese costumers do weird stunts and wacky presentations.

It’s Pao’s first crack at hosting. “It’s hard because I’m used to being rude in my contrabida roles,” he said. “Now I have to look charming.” The villain in Pao will trade his guns for some deadly charms.

Paying it forward

Dr. Vicki Belo is a born giver. She’s never too busy to be a friend and never too famous to be attuned to the needs of the less fortunate. True to form, her Belo Medical Group launched the Ike and Nena Belo Foundation, a non-profit corporate charity meant to shape lives with education, surgical assistance and environmental protection as its advocacies.

It is in honor of Vicki’s parents who instilled in her the value of charitable giving. The launch coincides with the Belo Medical Group’s 18th anniversary as the country’s top name in dermatology and cosmetic surgery. Vicki pays it forward as her BMG’s success goes fast forward.

Anniversary show

“I’m excited because my kids are arriving with Michelle (Van Eimeren) from Australia to watch my 20th anniversary show at the Big Dome on Sept. 20,” Ogie Alcasid enthused. “I’ll dedicate a song to my kids.”

He’s also ecstatic that his “Great Filipino Songbook” album is topping the charts. How does this great Pinoy singer/songwriter prepare for a show?

“I wear the cross that my mom gave me for my 40th birthday and I wear red as soon as I wake up. The color energizes me.”

Twenty years filled with Ogie’s immortal love songs has kept countless hearts burping!

Kiko’s pride

It’s hard to picture someone as jolly as FrancisM in his sickbed. Kiko happens to be the ninong of my eldest daughter. I remember during his “That’s Entertainment” days, he would greet me on the air by saying, “Hi Barbara!”

When I asked him why he used that name, he explained that it’s because “Hello Dolly” was sung by Barbra Streisand. Kiko really has a gift of putting a new spin on even the most ordinary things. Just like the lyrics of his hit song “Mga Kababayan Ko”—“Kung may itim o may puti meron namang kayumanggi ... ”

He takes pride in the Pinoy blood that runs through his veins and reminds us to do so as well. May that same blood be kind to him in return and make him win his battle with leukemia.

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