High Pinay

According to the News

“After a short-lived success in the Philippines, Sandara Park is getting a big break in South Korea where she will be formally launched this month as part of the new Korean pop group 2NE1 (short for 21). The all-female group is slowly but surely becoming popular, with its debut single, Lollipop, already topping music charts….

2NE1 is reportedly being built up as the female version of the popular all-male Korean band Big Bang which performed the song Lollipop with Sandara’s group. The glossy music video (available on YouTube) is a visual delight with first-rate production, and young Koreans love it. Aside from Sandara, 2NE1 is also composed of Park Bom, Lee Chaerin and Gong Minji.

But, added Edmund (who provided Funfare the latest info about Sandara), “The sad part is the bad press Sandara is getting lately after the Korean media and bloggers have dug what they claimed was ‘embarrassing’ past photos of the star once known as the Pambansang Krung-Krung ng Pilipinas.” (Krung-krung is Filipino slang for weird or crazy.)

The “embarrassing” photos were those in UNO (Diether Ocampo’s men’s magazine) three years ago, showing Sandara in “sexy” poses. The Korean press describes the photos as “disturbing” and “inappropriate” especially for someone like Sandara who is being packaged as “sweet and innocent.”

According to My P.O.V.

Sandara “Dara” Parks, Sandy as we call her is very much loved by many Filipinos, we fondly call her “Krung-Krung” not because of its literal meaning in Filipino which is “crazy”, maybe she is a bit weird but because she is not afraid to express herself. She actually changed the meaning of that word into something positive, someone who acts according to what she likes and not of what others dictates her to do.

I believe that the photos were not embarrassing at all, if you still remember at the peak of her success and fame in the Philippines, she went to Korea to study acting, and when she came back, I just can imagine how lost she felt when she realized the world is not the same as when she left.

“She didn’t reckon with the sad reality that in showbiz, absence doesn’t really make the fans’ hearts grow fonder. Soon, Sandara was replaced by another chinita, Kim Chiu, then a Pinoy Big Brother Teen winner and now a superstar.”

The sexy pictures where just what I call a desperate move to regain what was lost without so much support from the bigwigs except for her “true fans” who remained faithful to her. It was not even that bulgar, she was just clad in sexy clothes but you can still see the sweet and young Sandara, not a sexy star ((badly seeking where she will fit in).

She never really acted opposite her character. She was just carried away by the misleading conception in our “showbiz system” wherein teen stars who are trying to be taken seriously as serious actress are posing in sexy magazines to change their image. Remember Rica Peralejo, Angelica Panganiban, Roxanne Guinoo and so on, they all did it. Maybe it worked out well for them, but sadly not for Sandy, and now it is being used against her. But knowing Sandara Parks, she will get by (hopefully!). Go Sandara!

What a relief because Diet is, in spite of everything – a Kapamilya! He almost gave most of his fans a dilemma and that is to choose to remain a Kapamilya or to follow him at Kapuso Network when he was rumored to transfer.

But good sense and choice still prevails in this young dramatic actor when he decided opted to remain a Kapamilya this 2009. And, because of that, ABS-CBN will reward him with projects, projects and more projects to support even further his charity works in the Kids Foundation and maybe to prevent him from thinking of another transfer hullabaloo.

Diether will have a teleserye with Angel Locsin. Another remake opposite the bidang-kontrabida Angelica Panganiban in Rubi, and hopefully a movie for this 2009. He will also continue endorsing Bench and Pizza Hut.

Even if Kristine Hermosa was not that visible in the entertainment scene last 2008, she still remains as one of the Prime Artists of Star Magic and we still adore the original Dyosa ng Kagandahan.

The good thing is many projects are already waiting for her this 2009, the primetime princess will be back with Maruja a remake for Susan Roces’ Cinema Collection. A love triangle soap opera with Jericho Rosales and the Malaysian superstar Carmen Soo will surely revive the Tintin –Echo fans. And she will grace the Metro magazine cover on its February issue.

Many of her supposed to be shows didn’t push through last year, just like her joining the Banana Split Girls, maybe because the management has something better in store for her. Perhaps Kristine status right now is very much in a very delicate situation, she really needs a good project to boost her career and to catch up with her status as a serious actress.

Papa P is definitely the hottest heartthrob of this generation. Noting his humble beginning when he was still struggling to be noticed in the entertainment industry as PJ Pascual, what he is now is definitely an achievement.

With his signature laughter, Piolo Pascual ended 2008 with the successful premiere of his movie with Ms. Angel Locsin in America and a Best Actor award from Star Awards for Television. And, he will definitely make 2009 even better, starting off right the year with his successful movie Love Me Again (Land Down Under) which is a certified block buster. The support of their fans is really tremendous, many of their fans were not allowed to enter the cinema anymore because of the huge crowd during the premiere night in Manila.

Next for the main man of Star Magic is an upcoming show together with the Princess of Showbizz Industry Ms. KC Concepcion, which is a remake of Lovers in Paris (I thought I already heard KC mentioning that as much as possible, remake is a big no to her during the heat of the Sarah Geronimo reviving Sharon Cuneta’s movie issue. Now, I just wonder why she is also doing a remake, anyway we still love KC J )

And, aside from that Piolo will also have a Valentine concert in Araneta Coliseum with ASAP Kapamilya stars Mark Bautista, Erik Santos, Sam Milby, and Christian Bautista. Provincial shows in Cebu, Bacolod and Davao. Plus watch out for his clothing line endorsement this 2009.

The forever Bettyful Bea Alonzo is proudly one of the prime artists of Star Magic, the main star maker of ABS-CBN along with Piolo Pascual, Kristine Hermosa, Diether Ocampo, John Lloyd Cruz, Sam Milby, and Angelica Panganiban.

Bea instantly became a household name when she started her outstanding portrayal as Beatrice Pengson in the successful remake of the Columbian soap I love Betty La Fea . In 2008, she was awarded the Box Office Queen by the Guillermo Memorial Mendoza Award.

Hence, what do we have to expect from Bea this 2009? Surely more hit movies and excellent performances. She is expected to be paired with Sam Milby again in a movie titled And I Love You So under Star Cinema. Bea Alonzo will also continue with her commitments as an endorser of Smart, Kashieca,4G Food Supplements, Clear Shampoo and Belo Essentials. And, hopefully 2009 will be a good year for Bea to fall in love to someone much deserving.

Dingdong Dantes ranked number 6 on E! Entertainment (USA)’s 25 Sexiest Men of the World 2008. Whoah! That was indeed very flattering to see a Filipino name on the list.

Definitely, Dingdong is one of the finest actor of his generation, no doubt about that. But as for me, I am really quite surprised to see his name on the list, honestly, I am really not a fan of him (ooopss, no offense meant to his fans ) , I just think that there are still more Pinoy actors who are also qualified to be on that list, aside from him. I am just not sure why it is only him they have picked out.

But anyway, since I am proud to be Pinay… it is still an honor for us to have a “kababayan” among the list.

Just for some thought… may I ask the Pinays out there, if you were given a chance to choose two more names, who would they be? <Derek Ramsey and Richard Gutierrez>
According to E! Entertainment, here are the 25 World’s Sexiest Men of the World 2008.
1. David Beckham (UK – soccer player)
2. Johnny Depp (USA – actor)
3. David Zepeda (Mexico – actor, model)
4. Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Ireland – actor)
5. Djimon Hounsou (Benin – actor)
6. Dingdong Dantes (Philippines – actor, model)
7. John Abraham (India – actor)
8. Freddie Ljungberg (Sweden – soccer player)
9. Maciej ZakoÅ›cielny (Poland – actor)
10. Ryan Reynolds (Canada – actor)
11. Dan Carter (New Zealand – rugby player)
12. Michael Lewis (Israel – model)
13. Raoul Bova (Italy – actor)
14. Michel Gurfi (Argentina – actor)
15. Edison Chen (Hong Kong – actor)
16. Keith Urban (Australia – singer)
17. Gilles Marini (France – actor)
18. Kostas Martakis (Greece – singer)
19. Til Schweiger (Germany – actor, director)
20. Takeshi Kaneshiro (Japan – actor)
21. Danny K (South Africa – singer)
22. Olivier Martinez (France – actor)
23. Mark Vanderloo (Netherlands – model)
24. Reynaldo Gianecchini (Brazil – actor)
25. Enrique Iglesias (Spain – singer)

First it was Mylene Dizon, followed by Angelica Dela Cruz and now another surprising preggy Pinay actress for this 2008 is Nancy Jane (formerly known as Nancy Castigliogne). Nancy is Luis Manzano’s ex-girlfriend.

Singer, actress and model Nancy Jane shared that “I’m having twin boys, I think. My last ultrasound we were really trying to check the sex of the babies. ‘Yong isa parang halatang halata na lalaki,” said Jane who is now five months pregnant.

Jane said she was surprised to discover that she and her boyfriend of two years are now expecting babies given that she is afflicted with a medical condition wherein it would be hard for her to conceive There is still no wedding plans yet and Nancy will give birth in Canada but she promised to go back to the country where she has stayed for the past 10 years.

Other, pinay celebrities with twins are Charlene Gonzales-Muhlach and Carmina Villaroel and Annabelle Rama.

Despite her wholesome and squeaky clean image Sarah Geronimo chooses to portray – that didn’t stopped Bench management to see something in her worthy to be one of their rooster of famous image models.

I always admire Sarah’s fashion sense, although sometimes I wish she could be more sexy and daring but Sarah really thinks she doesn’t have the body to flaunt.

Pinay’s Pride

Last year, Cherry Pie Picache won her first Durban International Film Festival Best Actress award in her role as a lesbian tricycle driver in Caleldo.

This year Ms. Picache, a Pinay Actress impressed foreigners again for the 2^nd time around in her much commended portrayal as a woman who is temporarily taking care of children about to be adopted in the film Foster Child.

Durban IFF is yearly done in South Africa with more than 20 films competing from all over the world.

These are the just three of the ladies in Philippine Entertainment that I most admired, not only for their beauty and talent but as well as for their Pinay Girl Power as a whole. Come high water but still they are able to stand with heads up high despite of all the adversities and controversies in their life. Aim High Pinay!

Roxanne Guinoo, Kristin Hermosa and Angelica Panganiban during rehearsals in New Jersey tour of Wowowee