AND WE THOUGHT THIS CHAMPION balladeer was the only singer in the country not plagued with gay rumors. CB has raised plucked brows at Quezon City Circle with his nocturnal trips to the cruising ground, where he hunts for boys he can play with in private.

P10M means ?no?

Major film company wanted Respected Actress to play the lead in an ensemble drama. RA, long retired and based in the US, asked for a copy of the script. After reading it, she sent word that her asking price was P10 million, plus housing and a cost-of-living allowance throughout the shoot. She probably hated the script.

Head-hunting foiled

TV Execs were furious at Veteran Reporter from rival network who, they suspected, had been dispatched to pirate Major Personality, a prized talent.

Clan of beauties

Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Pamela Bianca R. Manalo, 22, is not the only beauty queen in her family. Elder sister Katherine Manalo-Hernandez was 2002 Bb. Pilipinas-World and was in the top 10 of that year?s Miss World pageant. Bianca?s aunt, Nini Ramos-Licaros, was 1968 Bb. Pilipinas-International, and was in the top 15 of the global tilt.

Bianca says her four-month flight-attendant training with Philippine Airlines served her in good stead during the competition. She also believes her devotion to the Santo Niño and the Virgin Mary helped. She keeps an image of the Santo Niño at home, she says. She leaves for the Bahamas in August for Miss U.

New Mrs. Willis

LOS ANGELES?Bruce Willis? publicity agency, Rogers & Cowan, announced Sunday that the 54-year-old actor married Emma Heming, 30, a model/actress, in a small ceremony at his home in the Turks & Caicos Islands.

Guests included Willis? three daughters from his first marriage to actress Demi Moore?Rumer, 20, Scout, 17, and Tallulah Belle, 14, as well as Moore, and her husband, actor Ashton Kutcher. -- AP

Laid to rest

NEW YORK?British actress Natasha Richardson, who died on Wednesday after a skiing accident, was buried on Sunday, a spokesperson said.

Richardson, 45, was the daughter of Vanessa Redgrave. The funeral was held at Saint Peter?s Episcopal Church in Lithgow, around 150 kilometers north of New York City. Richardson married fellow actor Liam Neeson at nearby Millbrook in 1994. -- AFP

Top of the talk shows

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

Kris Bernal, asked to rate her relationship with Aljur Abrenica on a scale of 1 to 10:

?More than 10, kasi hindi naman importante kung committed kami o hindi. Ang importante maganda ang working relationship namin.? (Huh?)

Kris, asked if she was jealous of Ara Mina, who had intimate scenes with Aljur in a TV show: ?Siyempre, hindi mo maiwasan ?? (Pero walang commitment ha?)

Jennica Garcia, on mom Jean?s love life:

?Gusto kong ma-in love siya ulit. Gusto kong makita niya ang lalaking para sa kanya talaga.? (Gusto namin ampunin si Jennica!)

Pops Fernandez, on her break-up with Jomari Yllana:

?Sana ?wag na rin palakihin ?di ba?? (Up to you, girl. Entirely.)

Pops, on the verbal tussle between Jomari and ex-husband Martin Nievera:

?Hindi naman talaga kailangang mag-comment [ni Martin] but he chose to be a friend and [spoke up]. Hindi naman dapat na lumaki pa.? (Okay, stop na.)

Pops, on the reason for the breakup:

?It will never be clear ? but there is closure. The hurting part is a very long process and the healing part sometimes takes longer.? (Stop, please.)

Jomari?s reaction:
?At times when you are blinded and you don?t know what to do, you just pray.? (We can guess why they broke up, actually.)

Sam Milby, on Anne Curtis:

?We both moved on and ? agreed na we?d rather not talk about each other.? (Kami rin!)

Diether Ocampo, on the annulment of his marriage to Kristine Hermosa:

?I?m glad that I am alive again.? (Whoa.)

Diether, on his new love, Rima Lorza Ostwani:

?Dapat hindi natin itinatago eh.? (Eh, sino ba?ng nagtago dati?)

Gabby Concepcion, on meeting face-to-face with Sharon Cuneta for the first time since their separation:

?Tuwang tuwa ako. (Anyone asked Mega?)

(From Startalk, The Buzz)
With Gerry Plaza, Contributor