MANILA, Philippines?Persistent rumor about the breakup of Hunky Actor and Pretty Actress: He put up with her out of good old fashioned pity.

HA felt sorry for PA, his close friends say. At the same time, he was frustrated with her.

Known for being chatty, HA is said to have complained that PA had nothing to contribute to any conversation and, in the end, to the relationship.

Bizarre triangle

Gay Producer pulls out all the stops to promote Veteran Hunk?s career.

GP even turns a blind eye when VH entertains other gay admirers, including Wealthy Cross-dresser.

Unconditional love?

Turns out, WC bankrolls VH?s projects, which GP is only too happy to supervise.

Actor/scam artist

Actor-Singer is notorious for rigging the raffles in events that he hosts.

A mole complains that AS favors friends and shamelessly reads their names, though the raffle stubs bear names of other guests. Paging DTI.

Mini-coup vs. director

During a shoot in the province, Senior Director reportedly withheld Bit Players? talent fees after verbally abusing them.

SD didn?t think the BPs would complain. However, they staged a mini-coup and even threatened to beat up SD.

Twitting after the storm

In ?Ondoy?s? aftermath, celebrities took to the Internet and made fine use of the social networking site Twitter to dispense tips and seek donations.

Miriam Quiambao enumerated dropoff points for relief goods (in Eastwood, etc.) and Twitted for WorldVision.

Howie Severino posted the Kapuso Foundation?s phone number (931-7013) and gave traffic situationers.

Antoinette Taus rallied Filipinos in the US. Lea Salonga shared cell phone tips to help people find missing relatives.

Jed Madela inquired if the roads in Cainta were passable.

Myrus in malls

Sony Music artist Myrus is touring SM malls in the metro and across Luzon to promote his album, ?Love Cycle Repackaged.?

(A big hit off the album is a smooth cover of Claire de la Fuente's ?Sayang.?)

Myrus performed last Sunday in SM Lipa and the tour continues in Marikina tomorrow; Baliwag, Oct. 3; Lucena, Oct. 11; Rosales, Pangasinan, Oct. 16; Pamplona, Las Pinas, Oct. 17; Molino, Cavite, Oct. 18; Taytay, Oct. 30; Dasmariñas, Cavite, Nov. 6; Sta. Mesa, Nov. 7, SM Manila, Nov. 14, and SM Southmall, Nov. 21.

Cannes champs

The movies of Cannes champs Brillante Mendoza and Raymond Red are prominently featured in the forthcoming Cinemanila International Film Festival at Market! Market! in Taguig City, Oct. 15-25.

This year?s Cannes Best Director Mendoza?s ?Lola? is the festival?s curtain raiser, while ?Himpapawid,? by 2000 Palme d?Or (Short Film) winner Raymond Red, will close the annual fest.

?Lola? was a surprise entry in the Main Competition of the recent 66th Venice Film Festival, where Oscar winner Ang Lee (?Brokeback Mountain?) was chair of the jury. Mendoza bested Ang and other international heavyweights like Quentin Tarantino and Pedro Almodovar in Cannes last May.

Top of the talk shows

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

Richard Gomez on his fellow talents under the late talent manager Douglas Quijano:
?May kanya-kanya na kaming managers but the friendship is still there. Hindi mababago yun.? (Nice bunch.)

Kris Aquino on plans for a second child with husband James Yap:
?We really want... for next year. I told him, parang ?yun na ang last chance.?

Kris on the choice of Dingdong Dantes as brother Noynoy?s youth spokesperson:
?Kasi it really made my mom so happy nung sinabi niya that dad was his idol.?

Patrick Meneses on Aiko Melendez?s movie, in which she stars with ex-husband Jomari Yllana:
?Full support ako talaga. She accepted the movie, it?s okay with me. Manonood nga ako eh.? (Good answer.)

KC Montero on wife Geneva Cruz?s alleged drug addiction:
?She likes to have fun. Sometimes, she?s weird ? parang ako.? (Uh, meaning?)

Ogie Alcasid, asked if Regine Velasquez?s recent sickness had something to do with her rumored pregnancy:
?Hindi... ?yung migraine niya bigla na lang uma-attack.? (Malayo yata.)

Gladys Reyes, on Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo rescuing her and her family from their flooded home:
?Sila yung nagpunta sa bahay namin... naisip ko talaga si Juday na i-text. Nakaka-ano talaga na bigla silang nakarating kahit ano.?

Maxene Magalona on reports that mom Pia Magalona is entertaining suitors:
?I wouldn?t be surprised kung maraming nanliligaw sa kanya. Okay lang sa akin ?yun.? (Good answer.)

Richard Gutierrez on the filing of a criminal case against him for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, over the death of his personal assistant, Nomar Pardo:
?We tried our best to talk to [Nomar?s family], to settle. But ayaw talaga nila. So we have no choice but to fight it out in court.? (Nakup.)

Lorayne Pardo, wife of Nomar, on the case against Richard:
?Tinanong niya kung ano ang pwede niyang maitulong. Sabi ko, wala akong hinihingi sa kanya kahit ano. Itutuloy ko ang kaso.? (Walang statement si Annabelle?)

Atty. Firdausi I.Y. Abbas, on the conditions of the Pardo family to agree to a settlement with Richard:
?Lorayne is open to an amicable settlement, provided that, aside from monetary compensation... They want Richard to apologize publicly to her for what happened, and Annabelle Rama-Gutierrez to also apologize for all the bad-mouthing that she did.? (Ah, there.) (Startalk, The Buzz, Showbiz Central)