We were told that Assunta de Rossi did her last taping day for "Vietnam Rose" yesterday. Her husband, former Rep. Jules Ledesma, has issued an ultimatum: That Assunta be pulled out of "Vietnam Rose" immediately, and that was yesterday.
It has been a known fact, Jules’ and Assunta’s disappointment with ABS-CBN for not taking care of Assunta’s career, and to think that Jules is a relative to the Lopezes.
When we talked to Assunta recently, she was again incensed when asked about the latest development of her "case" with ABS-CBN, and about her marital problems if any.
She stressed that except for the normal "tampuhan" that usually happens between husbands and wives, she and Jules don’t have any serious problem. "Our problem is ABS-CBN, the network is causing our depression," the award-winning actress said.
Last year, Assunta did only one project, "Maid in Heaven," and she was not even included in the cast from the start, "I joined sa later part na," she lamented, but she added she wasn’t that affected then, "kasi my contract stipulated a fixed income with or without any project," Assunta revealed.
She further revealed that when she was "pirated" from another network, she was offered a 30% increase in talent fee. But this year, her income from ABS-CBN suffered a cut by 80%!
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Alfred Vargas hopes to follow in footsteps of Dennis Trillo
Dennis Trillo and Alfred Vargas were members both of Batch 10 of ABS-CBN’s Talent Center (now Star Magic). Unfortunately, their showbiz career didn’t flourish under the network. They became more successful when they moved over to GMA Network.
As we all know, Dennis made a feat when he won several awards (a total of 10, actually) last year, mostly for his transvestite role in the movie "Aishite Imasu," Regal Films’ entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival-Philippines.
Right now, Dennis is one of the most sought after young actors we have. He was noticed in GMA’s phenomenal fantaserye "Mulawin" (where he and Angel Locsin developed something romantic!) and he is also in the cast of "Mulawin the Movie" and "Blue Moon" and in the network’s new series "Now and Forever Presents: Agos." Let’s not forget, Dennis is also the leading man in the toprating Angel Locsin starrer "Darna."
Many of our young stars would want to be paired with him in any project but what flattered Dennis so much was when newly crowned Miss International Precious Lara Quigaman expressed desire to have Dennis as her leading man if ever she’ll make a movie someday when her reign is over.
In his heart, Dennis still pines for Angel. But Angel is now attached (to Vic Sotto and Dina Bonnevie’s binata, Oyo Boy) and "I wouldn’t want break up a relationship. But who knows? A lot of things could happen," Dennis said
Going back to Alfred Vargas, he was thrilled when someone predicted he’s going to be the next Dennis Trillo because he has what it takes to be one. it’s understandable if Dennis is now Alfred’s idol of sort. (The two were offered a movie together but Mother Lily advised Dennis not to accept any gay roles at the moment, so the project folded up.) "If I could only achieve half of what Dennis has achieved, that would be a big success for me," Alfred told us when we chanced upon him during the Kapuso Dabawenyo Weekend in Davao City.
Alfred, who is an Atenista through and through, is now in the cast of "Encantadia" where he is developing a loveteam with Diana Zubiri, In real life, "our relationship is also in that development stage," Alfred smiled. "I like her and who knows, I might court her when the right time comes, when we are both not so busy with our respective careers. I am busy and Diana is even busier, she works seven days a week," Alfred added.
Sometimes they go out but always with a group of mutual friends, Alfred said.
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Toti Fuentes in rousing album launch at Merk’s
International musician and musical director Toti Fuentes launched the album "Montet & Friends" last week at Merk’s Bar & Bistro, Greenbelt 3, and announced the production of "Rico J. Puno & Friends." Conceptualized by Toti and his manager Bibsy Carballo to raise funds for the cause of sick children, the album featured performers who donated their services. At the launch, they caroused the night away with Toti at the keyboard.
The "Montet & Friends" album with internationally renowned dramatic tenor and dean of the UP College of Music – Ramon "Montet" Acoymo features him in duets, basically with friends who like to sing, mostly as a hobby. They include Professor Manolet Garcia of College of Saint Benilde, De La Salle University; actress and beauty queen – Alma Concepcion; multiawarded actor Ricky Davao; host and dancer Chiqui Roa-Puno; chemist Allan Mirasol; television director Flexi Sarte; English professor/ host/ theater actor Richard Signey; and Fr. Joseph Skelton, Jr. of the Diocese of Tagbilaran Bohol.
All tracks in "Montet & Friends" are arranged and produced by Toti Fuentes; lay-out and design by Manolet Garcia and Ava Jean Balasta; vocal supervision by Frixi del Rosario and Toti Fuentes; with Bibsy Carballo as album executive producer. For orders and free delivery of the album in Metro Manila, contact tel. #s 721-0801 or 0917-8991835.
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‘Crystal Voice of Asia’ goes on her mall tour
Marri Nallos
, the original "Crystal Voice of Asia," is currently very busy promoting her compilation album entitled "Destiny." The album’s carrier single, "You Are My Destiny," a revival of a Paul Anka song, is a duet number with veteran singer and thespian Juan Rodrigo a.k.a. "JR."
The past months, Marri has been on mall tours with various Viva Records artists the likes of Nonoy Zuñiga, Rachel Anne Go and Mark Bautista.
Today, Oct. 15, she will be in Robinson’s Sta. Rosa; Oct. 16, Robinson’s Cainta; Oct. 22, Ever-Commonwealth; and Oct. 23, Farmer’s Plaza, Cubao. Her November schedule is mostly out-of-town malls. By the end of October, Marri together with JR and Kelly Grace Salcedo, is scheduled to have special performances in different countries of Asia.
Marri’s compilation album contains a song especially composed by the late George Canseco for her. The song is entitled "Gaano." The others in "Destiny" are a revival of an Air Supply hit song "Making Love Out of Nothing at All;" an OPM by Edna Dy entitled "Ikaw Pa Rin ang Mamahalin;" and another original composition "I Didn’t Mean to Hurt You" by Eric Narvaez.
The album, distributed by Viva Records, is now available in leading record bars.
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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Oct. 15, go to Henry Sy Sr., founder of SM Shoemart; Atty. Rene Corona, Leo Baluyot, Paz Yuchengco, Dante Ponce, Universal Records’ Ernie Pecho, Teresa Cabigao, Cris Villahermosa, Gary C.Villanueva, Tessie Isidro, Mely Muñoz of Yards & Meters, journalists Billy Formoso and Mario Baluyut, Remy Go, Tessie Coronel of London, Mrs. Ondang Sarao Virata, Gabriel Patrick "Gabe" G. Jimenez, MB’s Rachel Castro-Barawid and MB’s photographer Richard V. Viñas.
