THERE IS no polite way translate Ryan Agoncillo?s initial reaction (sent to Rushes? Bayani San Diego Jr.) to wife Judy Ann Santos? pregnancy, so we are reprinting it, verbatim: ?Gumagana si Manoy! Hehehe!? He?s just extremely pleased that he?s not shooting blanks.

His mother-in-law Carol Santos is just as tickled pink. ?When Juday told me by phone this morning, I kept screaming. We were so happy,? Carol, who was in Batangas, also told San Diego in a phone interview.

Carol said that the baby was the perfect gift for her daughter: ?She?s turning 32 on May 11 and it?s their first wedding anniversary on April 28,? she said.

It is Carol?s eighth time to be a grandma, but she is just as excited as the first time. Her only advice to Juday: ?Slow down.?

Juday?s perceived rival Claudine Barretto was hesitant to give pointers to the expectant mother: ?I am sure she knows what to do ? she?s been waiting for this for so long.?

Contrary to public perception, Claudine said they were constantly in touch. ?I even accompanied her to the doctor.?

Carol said her daughter had a tough time getting pregnant. ?She had to undergo ?workup? treatments.?

In a previous interview, Judy Ann explained that ?the treatments consisted of regular intake of vitamins and folic acid.?

Carol believes her daughter will be a good mom.

?I saw how she was with her [nephews and nieces] and with ? Yohan,? said Carol. ?She told me that she?ll be a hands-on mom.?

Carol said Juday would honor her commitments to movies she already started: the Viva comedy ?Hating Kapatid? and the Unitel drama ?Ikaw ang Pag-Ibig.?

?Fortunately, her ABS-CBN soap opera ?Habang May Buhay? is already in the can,? said Carol.

Raymond?s ire

In his diatribe against Kris Aquino on ?Showbiz Central? last week, Raymond Gutierrez said the hosts on his show were ?united.?

Raymond was obviously irked by some of Kris? pointed remarks, reportedly directed at his sister Ruffa, on ?The Buzz.?

Curiously, ?Central? co-host Mo Twister is joining Ruffa and Cristy Fermin on ?Paparazzi,? the new TV5 gab fest that will be pitted against ?The Buzz? and ?Showbiz Central.?

So much for unity.

New ?aswang? for Bossing

TV producer Malou Choa-Fagar has confirmed that Vic Sotto is having a new leading lady for his forthcoming TV5 sitcom inspired by his Metro Manila Film Fest hit, ?Ang Darling Kong Aswang.?

Instead of Ehra Madrigal, Brazilian beauty Daiana Meneses will take over the role originated by Cristine Reyes.

?We need a foreigner,? Fagar explained, ?because the character?s family is supposed to be from Transylvania.?

Top of the tabloids

The top show biz stories in Inquirer tabloid Bandera this week. (And why we are moved, if we are moved.)

Carmina Villaroel: Hindi ko kilala si BB Gandanghari. (Kami, kilala namin!)

Anne Curtis, Sam Milby matindi ang laplapan. (Because Sam can pronounce ?lasagna??)

Gerald Anderson natawa sa pagli-link sa kanila ni Jennylyn Mercado. (Kami rin!)