MANILA, Philippines?A network drumbeater was quick to spread the gossip that Leading Man whisked off his Leading Lady to a seaside resort for the weekend.

ND, however, failed to report that LM and LL were accompanied by LM?s good friend, Singer-Actor.

Three?s a crowd because there are rumors that LM is seriously in love with SA.

Which leaves LL as the ?odd? character in this bizarre triangle.

Hunk keeps cool

Stud Actor likes to keep his van?s motor running in the parking lot with the air-con on?so it would would be real cold once he returns from the set of his latest soap.

Production staff members, however, were shocked when they realized that someone was waiting for SA in the van: Handsome Singer who?s now rumored as SA?s latest love.

Terror director

There is talk that Hitmaker-Director is notorious for pushing scriptwriters to the breaking point by ordering countless rewrites.

Now, some writers in HD?s home network refuse to work with the slave driver.

HD seems to be a frustrated writer, quips a source.

Return of the musical

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) have teamed up to produce a movie.

First project of the two government institutions is a musical on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), to be directed by Chito Roño.

Auditions are currently underway. Roles up for grabs are for women ages 20 to 40 and Middle-Eastern-looking actors who can sing and dance.

Robbie Tan of Seiko Films is line-producing the movie.

Meanwhile, Tan denied that he?s shutting down Seiko Films. ?We are just down-sizing,? he said.

?Uber-cute?

SYDNEY?Australia?s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is even hotter than US President Barack Obama, gay fashionista Bruno declared Monday.

Bruno, the alter ego of British satirist Sacha Baron Cohen, declared his admiration for the bespectacled Australian leader while on a visit to promote his self-titled film.

Dressed in a schoolboy?s uniform, Bruno told assembled media that he had spent the night with Rudd after they both appeared on the same live TV chat show Sunday, adding: ?Nothing happened. We just stayed up all night talking.

?The reason I?m late is I just had breakfast in bed with Kevin Rudd. That guy is like, uber-cute,? he said. Agence France-Presse

Missing Michael

LOS ANGELES?Janet Jackson, in her first public appearance since her brother Michael Jackson?s shocking death, memorialized him as her beloved sibling and family member, eliciting tears as she vowed his memory would live forever.

?To you, Michael is an icon,? said Jackson, holding back tears at Sunday?s BET Awards, put on by Black Entertainment Television.

?To us, Michael is family and he will forever live in all of our hearts. On behalf of my family and myself, thank you for all of your love, thank you for all of your support. We miss him so much, thank you so much.? Associated Press

* * *

Top of the talk shows

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

Paolo Paraiso, asked if romance has been rekindled with former girlfriend Mylene Dizon:

?May konting pagka-romantically inclined kami ulit towards each other pero hindi eh. Yung pagka-team namin solid kami na parents na lahat ginagawa namin para sa mga anak namin. Hindi ko alam eh. Two months pa lang. But I think things are going better.? (Help, we?re confused.)

Richard Gomez, on talk about who will take over the late Douglas Quijano?s talent management duties:

?At this point, mas mabuti let?s relax muna kasi kamamatay lang ni Dougs. Let?s give it a little more time tapos pag-isipan talaga natin ng mabuti kung sino yung tatanggap sa amin. Kung sino ang mag-ha-handle sa amin.?

Katrina Halili, describing how the sex video scandal changed her:

?Mas mature, mas maingat. Mas alam kung anong gustong gawin.?

Marian Rivera, asked if her TV romance with Dingdong Dantes has become real:

?Yun na ?yon. Bahala na kayo mag-interpret.? (Good acting.)

Robin Padilla, on Bb Gandanghari:

?Iba lang ang hitsura niya. Pero mahal namin ang kapatid namin. Wala naman siyang ginagawang labag sa batas. Hangga?t masaya siya, masaya kaming lahat.? (Good answer.)

Anne Curtis, asked who among her ex-boyfriends she would have married:

?Siyempre si Sam (Milby). Hindi ko sinasabi ito dahil I?m waiting for him na makipagbalikan sa akin. I don?t want people to get the wrong impression. It?s just that siyempre sa lahat ng naging ex ko, he was the one I saw na pwedeng pang-forever.?

Annabelle Rama?s message to John Lloyd Cruz:

?Kung talagang nanliligaw ka sa anak ko, galingan mo at ?wag mo siyang lokohin.? (Fair warning.) With Gerry Plaza (Startalk, The Buzz)