WITNESSES caught in the crossfire wanted to melt into their seats out of sheer embarrassment.

At a recent big celebrity bash, Top Manager 1 made the unfortunate mistake of greeting Top Manager 2.

Instead of pleasantries, TM2 pelted TM1 with a different p-word. The back story: TM1 allegedly criticized the cosmetic enhancements of one of TM2?s talents.

Wrathful TM2 was unstoppable and TM1 had no choice but to beat a hasty retreat.

Tirade sparked by GF

Reporters are aghast at the behavior of Hot Actor who was branded a party pooper in that same bash.

In a fit, HA allegedly harangued Former Friend, a funny colleague. HA was purportedly goaded by equally Hot Girlfriend who had gripes against FF. Unknown to HA, HG was at fault.

Cooler heads prevailed, preventing an embarrassing altercation ? especially since Top Official was present that night.

Battle of two queens

A war between two queens is threatening to erupt any minute. It could end up messier than the Claudine and Angelica tiff.

Gay Host 1 is insecure because Gay Host 2 is hogging the limelight. GH1 supposedly asked network bosses to increase his exposure and lessen GH2?s appearances.

Of course, GH2 wouldn?t take the back-stabbing sitting down. Nor standing up.

Reality bites back

A number of local (and imported) celebrities have been rejected as contestants in a region-wide reality show, according to a mole.

Imported Hunks, who get tongue-tied speaking in English, allegedly sent a demo tape that was promptly junked by producers.

Spy claims the show?s producers couldn?t understand the IHs? prepared spiels: ?IHs spoke like robots.?

Others who were dismissed were Imported Beauty and Unknown BFF; Handsome Do-Gooder and Cute Cousin; and Talented Actor-Director and Equally Gifted Brother.

TAD and EGB supposedly submit tapes every year, to no avail.

Fake reality stars

Pretty Starlet auditioned for the same reality show, with Sporty Guy in tow. PS claimed SG was her boyfriend.

Producers, however, suspect that PS and SG aren?t an item. ?We?ve seen enough audition tapes to separate the fakers from the real deals,? they said.

Mending fences

Amid the flurry of harsh words comes an attempt to mend fences between the warring camps of Claudine Barretto and Angelica Panganiban.

From Star Magic, Angelica?s handlers: ?[We are] constantly coordinating with Shirley Kwan [Claudine?s manager] as we hope to settle the issues involving our artists.?

In a report, Kwan confirmed that talks are ongoing.

Venus Raj does comedy

This year?s Miss Universe 4th runner up, our very own Venus Raj, plays ? a beauty queen, of course, in her first-ever acting stint in GMA 7?s sitcom, ?Show Me Da Manny,? starring Manny Pacquiao and Marian Rivera (after ?Mel & Joey?).

In tonight?s episode, Venus plays the character Rara Venus, former classmate of Ella (Marian Rivera). Rara Venus visits Barangay Buwis Buhay, where Ella lives, to conduct a feeding program, one of her projects as the ultimate winner of the Binibining 4th Runner Up title.

The resulting chaos is fanned by the antics of Ogie Alcasid, Paolo Contis, Benjie Paras, John Lapus, Rochelle Pangilinan, Lovi Poe, Kevin Santos, Mike ?Pekto? Nacua, AJ Dee, Onyok Velasco, Lito Camo, Karl Acosta and Jai Reyes.

ANC?s ?new face?

A new station ID and on-air look greet viewers of ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel, today.

The blue rhombus logo remains the key design element in the new look, but the new ID highlights the experiences of the station?s news anchors.

Breast cancer heroine

SYDNEY?Pop star Kylie Minogue has been voted the most inspirational breast cancer star for her willingness to speak openly and honestly about dealing with the disease.

The Australian singer, 42, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and underwent surgery and hair-losing chemotherapy.

But Minogue, whose career began on the TV soap opera ?Neighbours,? returned to the stage within a year and continues to perform. She toured 21 countries last year, and just released her 11th studio album, ?Aphrodite.?

Minogue topped an online poll of 1,000 participants by British-based mastectomy-wear specialist Amoena, coming ahead of other celebrities affected by breast cancer like the late Linda McCartney and singer Olivia Newton-John.

Amoena spokesperson Rhoda White said in a statement: ?Undergoing a mastectomy can badly damage a woman?s body confidence and self-image, and celebrities like Kylie play a vital role in raising public awareness.?

Other celebrities to publicly battle breast cancer include singer Sheryl Crow who campaigns for women to have regular mammograms, and British actress Lynn Redgrave who died of the disease earlier this year after writing a book about her battle.

The list also includes actresses Maggie Smith, Christine Applegate, Maura Tierney, Cynthia Nixon, Edie Falco, Jaclyn Smith, Kate Jackson, Sally Whittaker, singers Melissa Etheridge and Carly Simon, and US TV anchorwoman Robin Roberts. Reuters

Remaining optimistic

NEW YORK?Hollywood star Michael Douglas has admitted his throat cancer is more serious than first thought, but says he remains optimistic as he undergoes intensive treatment.

?It?s a stage four, which is intense, and they gotta go at it,? Douglas told chat show host David Letterman on the ?Late Show? Tuesday night.

Douglas, 65, married to another Hollywood A-lister, British actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, only recently revealed that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer when he returned to the United States from a family holiday three weeks ago.

He told Letterman Tuesday: ?I am head and neck, I am above the neck, so nothing?s gone down and the expectations are good. You like to be down at stage one but the big thing you worry about is it spreading.?

The son of screen legend, Kirk Douglas, who is now 93, Michael Douglas is one of the pillars of the Hollywood film industry, having starred in more than 40 films, including such hits as ?Fatal Attraction? (1988), ?Wall Street? (1987), ?War of the Roses? (1990), ?Basic Instinct? (1992) and ?Traffic? (2001).

His latest film (the sequel to the 1987 box office hit ?Wall Street?), ?The Money Never Sleeps,? directed by Oliver Stone, is due to hit movie theaters in the United States later this month. AFP

Top of the tabloids

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

Baron Geisler: Good boy na po ako! (Oh, promise me!)

Claudine Barretto wasak dahil kay Angelica Panganiban. (We doubt that.)

Sulsol na female star sinisisi sa bangayang Claudine-Angelica. (Very likely ha?)

Claudine iritang-irita na; Angelica deadma. (Good actors both: always in character!)

Richard Gutierrez hiniwalayan na si Jewel Mische. (Na naman?)

Kim Chiu, Bea Alonzo nag-isnaban daw dahil kay Gerard Anderson. (Parang hindi posible ito.)

Kasunduan nina Robin Padilla at Mariel Rodriguez: Ilihim ang kasal! (Hay, naku, please.)

Aiza Seguerra malapit nang mabuntis? (We gotta see this.)

Regine Velasquez gustong tikman si Dingdong Dantes. (And this, too!)
E-mail us: entertainment@inquirer.com.ph