MANILA, Philippines?At least two moles have confirmed this flaming scuttlebutt:
Former Sexy Actor has been spotted in mall cinemas cruising for hunks younger than his sons. Uh-oh.
FSA reportedly wears basketball jerseys when looking for action. Another source relates that FSA is a regular in massage parlors featuring masseurs who service rich, aging gays. Double uh-oh.
Mole says he?d rather ?date? FSA?s gorgeous sons. Uh-oh-oh.
Versions of a word war
Rushes received an SMS relating that Veteran Actress was booted from an indie movie because she was three hours late. The texter said Veteran Director gave VA a rather colorful tongue-lashing in front of the cast and crew. A source claimed that VA cried foul in her Facebook account, complaining that she was ?publicly shamed.? Eye Witness has denied the rumors, saying VD scolded VA on the phone and VA wasn?t fired. ?That was the last shooting day,? said EW. ?She was merely written out of the scene.? (Not the same thing?)
Wanted: Perfect Manager
Talents ?orphaned? by manager Douglas Quijano had a longish closed-door meeting on Sunday night to decide their future.
June Rufino, president of Professional Artists? Managers Inc. (Pami), said Pami will help Doug?s talents in the interim. ?They can call any one of us,? she said.
Nadia Montenegro, a former ward of Douglas, denied the rumor that she?s a leading candidate as replacement. She said she?s focusing on the weight-loss challenge posed by a beauty clinic (Mikaela). ?We bet on it. I just won?t divulge the exact amount,? she quipped. ?Basta it?s pretty big.? A hefty incentive!
Not just the stars
Speaking of Douglas, not only the stars and industry leaders enjoyed the benefit and pleasure of his acquaintance. Even show biz journalists have fond memories of the man, including the staff of Inquirer Entertainment.
Pocholo Concepcion relates:
?In the early 1990s, I was a freelance writer. Whenever I bumped into Tito Doug, he would invariably say, ?Uy, nababasa kita ...? I remember being offered writing projects for TV and the music business because ?you were highly recommended by Douglas.? Doug never asked for anything in return. He just really liked helping people out.
?In ?93, Joey ?Pepe? Smith was just out of prison and I became his manager. I believe Doug was responsible for Pepe?s first TV stints. When Pepe guested on ?Palibhasa Lalake,? Richard Gomez and Joey Marquez brought their own guitars and jammed with him. A few weeks later, I thought of doing a feature story and pictorial on Pepe and Richard with their guitars. That took only minutes to negotiate because Doug arranged it. He was so easy to deal with.
?Months later, my life was in trouble and I went to get drunk in a restaurant. Lo and behold, there was Doug, grinning impishly and offering me a beer.
?Last time I saw him was a year ago, at Robinsons Ermita. When I approached him to say hi, the first thing he said was, ?Binabasa pa rin kita.??
Thanks, Tito Doug
Marinel R. Cruz was writing about show biz kids for a 2008 Christmas special. In the crush of deadlines, she called Douglas: ?Just a few phone calls and the schedules were set with the children of his talents Gelli de Belen, Anjo Yllana and Richard Gomez. He didn?t have to do that... It?s not like he was the children?s talent manager, too. But he did, and I?ll forever be grateful.?
Like a warlock
Emmie G. Velarde recounts: ?In 1992, though my daughter was turning 18, she hadn?t gotten over her childhood crush on Richard Gomez. I told Doug this when he asked about her. He guffawed and made me promise to bring the girl to a birthday lunch the following week. ?My treat!? he said. I should have known; he had giggled like a warlock. And what a treat it turned out to be: Halfway through the meal, Douglas told my daughter, ?Aren?t you in UP? You have a lot to talk about with Richard. Here he comes.? Then, just before dessert, as the birthday girl?s color was just starting to normalize, her Tito Douglas threw in two more treats for good measure: Jomari Yllana and Eric Fructuoso.?
Personal Oracle
Guess what Douglas was to Bayani San Diego Jr.?
?Since Richard Gomez was the first movie actor I interviewed, his manager Douglas Quijano was the first show biz personality I ever met. That was the early 1990s; I was fresh out of college. I know Tito Doug was a ?first? to many people because he was always ready to help anyone.
?He taught me a lesson in humility, too: Although we lost touch for a while, he would be the first to approach me whenever we saw each other anywhere. He was never too big to make the first move. He was the first to give me his cell phone number when beepers became passé. He was never too famous to reach out.
?Of late, we often bumped into each other in malls. His most recent favorite hangout was Figaro in Gateway mall. I will forever remember him people-watching from the smoking area.
?People jokingly call me Oracle because I?m a repository of useful and useless show biz trivia, but Tito Doug was among my many personal Oracles. As ward Janice de Belen puts it, he was a walking Wikipedia.
?Last time I got in touch with him was just a few days before his passing. The news desk asked about the background of a young golfer, the grandson of one of Doug?s fave actresses, Liza Lorena. All the way from Lucban, Quezon, where he was resting for the weekend, Tito Doug was quick to the rescue. As usual.?
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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.)
Vicki Belo, on how she?s taking her involvement in the Hayden Kho sex video scandal:
?Very well. I?m very happy? Nakakatulog pa ako ng mabuti. Wala akong problema sa mundo. Confident po ako na lalabas ang katotohanan.? (Kami rin, pero ang tagal, ha?)
Kris Bernal, on the success of her love team with Aljur Abrenica:
?Siguro po yung tinatawag nilang chemistry. Yung chemistry para sa amin yung may kombinasyon sa pagmamahal po namin sa trabaho.? (Pwede...)
Aljur?s answer:
?Yung totoong gusto namin ang isa?t isa.? (But this is more like it.)
Pops Fernandez, on her chance meeting with Jomari Yllana during Douglas Quijano?s wake:
?Nakapag-usap naman kami. Wala naman kaming alitan, nag-break lang kami.? (This cracked us up, honestly.)
Jomari, on meeting Pops:
?Nag-batian lang kami. Okay naman. Nagbabatian naman kami?First step yun, nagbabatian.? (Got that.)
Jomari, on teaming up with Aiko Melendez for a film project:
?Wala naman kaming problema ni Aiko. We?ve become better friends.? (First step din?)
Marian Rivera, on rumors she asked GMA 7 to drop Katrina Halili from a villain role in ?Darna?:
?Di po totoo yan. Wala akong karapatan na mamili kung sino man ang ibigay sa akin na kontrabida.? (Tumpak!)
Carmina Villaroel, asked what makes Zoren Legaspi stand out as a husband:
?Isa siyang tunay na lalaki.? (Ayyyy.)
John Lloyd Cruz, on a supposed romance with Ruffa Gutierrez:
?Alam niyo naman galing na ako doon. It?s still fresh. There?s no possibility for myself to jump into another relationship.? (Then stop titillating the nation, sabi nga ni FVR.)
Eddie Gutierrez, asked if daughter Ruffa and John Lloyd are ?more than friends?:
?Ang masasabi ko si Ruffa and John Lloyd?parang may nakikita akong malalim na friendship.? (Ang lalim no?n ha?)
