MANILA, Philippines—Jed Madela is happy that Italians liked his rendition of “Nessun Dorma” when he sang it for a concert crowd... in Italy!

“I was afraid that I might mispronounce the lyrics,” Jed recalls. “Thank God, I pulled it off! The locals congratulated me at the end of the show.”

He shares funny anecdotes about the co-stars that he traveled with in Europe for a series of Kapamilya shows:

“Edu Manzano jumped over a fence and wouldn’t stop dancing when I played ‘Rock with You’ on my iPhone. Ai Ai de las Alas kept whining that she couldn’t understand what was written on the labels of the toiletries so she was afraid to buy any. Kim Chiu would sigh every time we sat down to a meal, ‘Tinapay na naman?’ Gerald Anderson has a queer habit of nibbling bottle caps and Jericho Rosales can’t stay put.”

Jed’s golden voice has launched a thousand shrieks, even from foreigners, and it has brought him priceless souvenirs des voyages.

New prince

Miriam Quiambao was as giddy as a high school girl when she came to my post-birthday dinner. “Kilig ako!” she exclaimed. Looks like a Prince Charming has swept the beauty queen off her feet. “But, despite our failed marriage, I still consider my ex-husband as my best teacher,” she says. “He taught me how to love myself more.” May the lovable beauty queen never be dethroned from her new prince’s heart.

Back to normal

I bumped into my bosom friend Pops Fernandez at the ritzy Members Only club at the Fort. I teased her, “I thought peace na kayo ni Jomari. Why isn’t he with you tonight?”

She laughed. “Di ako sanay when you ask me a show biz question, considering how close we are.” Then she turned serious. “Jom and I are back to normal. It was our first and hopefully our last major fight. Ako ang nag-inarte!”

Lovers’ quarrels serve as a renewal of love. Knowing Pipay, her heart is too soft to stay in tampo mode.

Lovi in concert

Catch “Lovi in Bloom” Oct. 16 at the Music Museum, with special guests Ogie Alcasid, Dennis Trillo, Aljur Abrenica, Jan Nieto and Jay-R (Call 891-9999). Wonder if her ex-future(?) BF Jolo Revilla will watch to pave the way for love to bloom between them again.

‘Family Feud’

After portraying various roles on screen, Richard Gomez tries hosting a game show, GMA 7’s “Family Feud” (weekdays before “24 Oras”). The long-running and popular game show worldwide invades local prime time TV. Celebrity families will be featured every Monday while non-celebrity families will try to outsmart each other from Tuesday to Friday.

His former political rival Cesar Montano has proven his worth as a game show host in “Singing Bee.” Will Goma’s new show ignite a healthy feud between them?

‘Pink Kitchen ’08’

Make room in your tummies for “Pink Kitchen ’08” on Oct. 18 and 19, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Rockwell Tent. Catch dinnertime performances of Bituin Escalante, Leah Navarro, Peppermint Jam, Renato Lucas and the University of Asia and the Pacfic Chorale.

There will be special demos on kids cooking, makeup tips, coffee preparation, cake decorating, healthy cooking and wine appreciation for the benefit of “Ating Dibdibin,” the country’s first and only community-based breast cancer screening program.

The event is held annually by the ICanServe Foundation, an advocacy group of mostly breast cancer survivors. Come to the Pink Kitchen to help people be in the pink of health.

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