MANILA, Philippines?Mark Herras and Jennylyn Mercado are working together again. ?Happy ako na nakabalik na si Jen,? Mark enthused. ?Mas matured na siyang mag-isip after manganak.?

Doesn?t he have plans of wooing her back? ?Ayoko munang ma-involve sa personal life niya. Kaka-comeback pa lang niya. Pero ?di ko talaga masabi what will happen. I?m happy to be her friend and ninong to her baby AJ.?

Their closeness has transcended the ?kilig? level. ?It?s been three years since we broke up. Di na kami pa cute lang. Dami na naming napagdaanan as individuals. We?re stronger than before.?

Jennylyn Mercado is back in show biz but not (yet) in Mark Herras? clutches.

Like a winner

Iza Calzado almost made it to the final list of nominees for Best Actress in the International Emmy Awards. ?I already feel like a winner even if di ako umabot sa final cut of choices,? gushed Iza. ?I was surprised because I forgot that our show ?Joaquin Bordado? submitted episodes to the Emmy?s. I?m grateful that God gave me another source of inspiration. Being noticed by a prestigious award-giving body is fulfilling enough.?

Emmy or no Emmy, Iza will show off her acting prowess in four gripping episodes of ?Obra? every Thursday of November (after GMA Telebabad). She portrays a woman possessed by an evil spirit with a sinister past in ?Sanib?; a female boxer torn between the man she loves and her father?s dream for her in ?Boksingera?; a losing contestant in beauty pageants who is determined to win a crown even if she joins gay beauty contests in ?Beauty Queer?; and an assassin who wants to change her life but her profession keeps haunting her in ?Stella .45.?

What about her role as girlfriend to Jerry Garcia in their long distance romance? ?I manage to stay faithful even if I work with gorgeous men. I?m more into beautiful souls.? Iza really knows and breathes beauty in all its forms.

New suitor?

I teased Alessandra de Rossi. ?Is it true that Joross Gamboa is courting you?? She laughed. ?Walang magaganap na ganun. Though enjoy siyang kasama sa taping, mukha siyang babaero (laughs).?

I countered. ?Baka naman ayaw mo kasi ?J? uli like your ex Jeremy Marquez?? She shot back. ?Marami pa naman letters sa alphabet!?

The long list of admirers of a goddess like Alex ought to be in alphabetical or chronological order?

Sam and KC?

Could it be true that Sam Milby and KC Concepcion are getting closer? How uncanny that Sam?s ex Anne Curtis is also the former girlfriend of Richard Gutierrez who?s said to be the guy closest to KC?s heart. When I cornered Gabby Concepcion about KC?s love life, he said, ?Wala pa naman siyang inaamin sa akin.? Nothing official, only superficial?

Deleted number

I asked Yasmien Kurdi for the number of JC de Vera but she said it was deleted from her phone book. I teased her. ?Did you delete it on purpose because you?re jealous of his love team with Rhian Ramos??

She laughed. ?Di naman. I have a new ka-love team, Dion Ignacio. I?m more at ease with him. Na-delete lang number ni JC accidentally.? Accidental or occasional partners?

Birthday wish

Pops Fernandez wowed the crowd when she was a guest at the 56th anniversary of the National Press Club. She teased Erap who was in the audience. ?To my ninong na wala pang nareregalo sa akin. Malapit na birthday ko and Christmas. Sana bigyan niyo ako ng gift na bongga. Greeting card na may enclosure (laughs).? Concert queen turned Queen of wishful thinking.

Solo concert

After the success of Sarah Geronimo?s launching movie ?A Very Special Love? (which outgrossed the Hollywood film ?Mummy 3? that was showing then), the Pop Princess will surely outdo herself at the Big Dome for the third time on Saturday, Nov. 8, 8 p.m. in her solo concert ?The Next One? (tickets 911-5555).

Joining her are John Lloyd Cruz, Billy Crawford, Jed Madela, Maja Salvador, Shaina Magdayao and Rayver Cruz. Backstreet Boys member Howie Dorough, with whom Sarah recorded a duet for her album ?Just Me? (Viva Records), will have a special video presentation.

After the concert, Sarah will record the theme song of the movie ?Baler? and start shooting the sequel of her hit movie with Loydie again. Pop goes the princess!

Women?s songs

Listening to Reuben Laurente?s ?Heartblends? (Real Talent Entertainment Co.) album would put you in chillaxing mode. It?s a good mix of ballads, middle of the roads and up-tempos that span three decades??70s, ?80s and ?90s. The carrier single is ?It Must Have Been Love.?

All the songs in the album were originally recorded by a female artist. Reuben is out to show the male?s sensitivity in his rendition of women?s songs. He?s now the featured artist on Mariner of the Seas of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

For sure, the passengers aboard the ship will get lovesick instead of seasick as Reuben serenades them.

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