FREEHAND by Mario E. Bautista
RICHARD GUTIERREZ looks like he lost weight when we saw him at the birthday party of his Ate Ruffa at Resorts World last Wednesday. "This is to prepare for 'Survivor Philippines'," he says. "I have to be physically fit when we start taping it abroad."
He won't say when he's leaving and where the location is but we heard his departure with the celebrity contestants is on July 7 and the location is somewhere in Thailand. Before he leaves, Richard finished all his remaining scenes in his film with Anne Curtis and Claudine Barretto, "In Your Eyes". He has also taped for his new environmental docu, "Wildlife for Sale", in Myanmar or Burma to cover a market where rare animals are sold illegally. "It's quite an experience kasi first time ko to go there and I went undercover, acting like a tourist as part of the investigation we're doing. We had to pass 10 checkpoints before we got to the place where you can choose endangered species and have it cooked for you. They didn't know I'm filming them for a documentary. When you watch it, it's going to be a real eye opener."
Aside from this docu, he also has a regular show about calamities, "Anatomy of a Disaster", that studies floods, earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions and how damage from this can be avoided. For the pilot, he went to the crater of Taal Volcano at the time it was quaking with alert level 2. Obviously, he was inspired by the award he got in New York for "Planet Philippines" so he's even more immersed now in similar projects. "This is a truly worthwhile endeavor that will benefit us all and make us more concerned with caring for our ecology," he says.
**********
MARIEL RODRIGUEZ is glad to be part of Star Cinema's new horror flick, "Cinco", five different horror stories with five directors to open on July 14. As expected, she was asked about Zanjoe Marudo and Robin Padilla. "Can we not talk about Zanjoe anymore?" she sighs. "We had three years together and I'd like to keep the good memories so I feel it's better for me not to talk our breakup anymore kasi tapos na yun. I already said naman it's not exactly my decision. I'm moving on so tama na yun. As for Robin, we became friends after 'Wowowee', but no, we're not dating.
Nagkita lang kami sa isang birthday party, but hindi kami magka-date. Nakakahiya nga, nasulat pang he stays in my condo. I just came from a breakup, having another romantic involvement is not my priority now kundi loving myself. I'm really happy dumating itong 'Cinco' kasi hindi hosting ang ginagawa ko rito kundi acting naman."
Is it true she said that if Willie Revillame would return to "Wowowee", she'd leave the show, implying that she and her other female co-host are happier now that he's out of it? "I never said that. How can I when we don't know what's going to happen. Ako at ang mga kasama ko, we'll just follow what ever ABS would decide upon. We're just soldiers here. We just do kung ano ang utos ng management."
The latest chika is that "Wowowee" will be replaced by two new back-to-back shows. The first one to be hosted by Kris Aquino and the next, by Robin Padilla. We're sure Mariel will be one of Binoy's co-hosts, which means the proposed sitcom starring the two of them will no longer push through.
**********
THE ELDEST son of Edgar Mortiz, Frasco, 31, has been directing TV shows like "Eva Fonda" and "Banana Split" for 5 years. He now gets to meg his first movie, the "Braso" episode in "Cinco". "Kabado ko as ours is the first episode so there's pressure na mapaganda talaga ito as we'll set the tone for the succeeding four episodes," he says.
"Braso" is about an arm cut off from a cadaver that starts to have a life of its own and haunts three students undergoing initation rites for a frat inside a morgue: AJ Perez, Sam Concepcion and Robi Domingo. AJ, 17, is Andrew, the bravest student. "I'm also the most mayabang and this will lead us to trouble." AJ has done eight films before after being introduced in "Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo" at 13.
Sam, 17, is Ivan, the coward. "I get scared so easily so I get to scream a lot." This is his second film. The first one was an episode in "Shake Rattle and Rol IX" where he played a deaf mute.
Robi is Ronald, the good boy and the group's conscience. "I protect Sam from AJ." This is his second film after supporting Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson in "Paano Na Kaya". All three are part of ASAP's Giggerboys. How come the other members are not in the cast?
"Tatlo lang kasi talaga ang characters," says Frasco. "Kung lahat sila isasali, di kakasya sa 16 minutes alloted for each episode."
"They're happy naman for us. We're all friends kaya walang inggitan sa'min," says AJ, who's also doing "Mamarazzi" with Andi Eigenmann for Regal.
How's Frasco as a director? "He's just like our barkada, friendly to everyone," says Robi. "Di siya basta nagagalit at di siya naninigaw," says AJ. "Magaan katrabaho."
What's the edge of their episode over the others? "Sa amin yung most scenes na nanggugulat," says Sam. "We guarantee magugulat sila lalo sa scenes where the three of us appear only in our boxers."
**********
ZOREN LEGASPI is enjoying hosting "Kitchen Battles", a reality cooking contest reminiscent of "Hell's Kitchen" and "Iron Chef" that started on Q Channel 11 with 12 chefs duelling with each other in the kitchen. "I've gone into acting and directing," he says. "I've always wanted to try hosting and now, I'm having fun with a show like 'Kitchen Battles' where some of the finest chefs get to cook their best dishes while competing with each other."
The show is now on its semi-finals and only 6 Chef Warriors are left: Doming Madrideno (43 years old), Dante Sam (28), Mark Gustilo (34, they're all married with kids), Janet Siy (24), Pierre Tan (26) and Arnold Bernardo (39, they're all single). Only Janet and Pierre have formal training in the culinary arts. The rest all learned it from experience, with some starting as butcher or dishwasher and moving their way as fast food cook and later, sous chef or pastry chef. Only Mang Doming is fully supported by the hotel he works for, Heritage, whose PR's even accompanied him to the presscon. They all took the show's auditions to qualify. Who does each think is his biggest rival as Ultimate Chef Warrior? Janet, Mark, Dante, Arnold and Pierre all say it's Mang Doming, as he's "the most senior and most experienced". As for Mang Doming, he thinks it's Mark, the most inventive chef among his rivals. The chief Chef Judge is Sau del Rosario, who trained in Nice at the South of France and owns several restaurants. The chefs who'll next face each other are Arnold and Dante. They have to prepare three dishes using three main ingredients: pork loin, clams and sago with Datu Puti Soy Sauce. Find out who'll win tomorrow, Sunday, at 7:45 AM on Q 11. The finals will be held on August 8 so don't miss it.
RICHARD GUTIERREZ looks like he lost weight when we saw him at the birthday party of his Ate Ruffa at Resorts World last Wednesday. "This is to prepare for 'Survivor Philippines'," he says. "I have to be physically fit when we start taping it abroad."
He won't say when he's leaving and where the location is but we heard his departure with the celebrity contestants is on July 7 and the location is somewhere in Thailand. Before he leaves, Richard finished all his remaining scenes in his film with Anne Curtis and Claudine Barretto, "In Your Eyes". He has also taped for his new environmental docu, "Wildlife for Sale", in Myanmar or Burma to cover a market where rare animals are sold illegally. "It's quite an experience kasi first time ko to go there and I went undercover, acting like a tourist as part of the investigation we're doing. We had to pass 10 checkpoints before we got to the place where you can choose endangered species and have it cooked for you. They didn't know I'm filming them for a documentary. When you watch it, it's going to be a real eye opener."
Aside from this docu, he also has a regular show about calamities, "Anatomy of a Disaster", that studies floods, earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions and how damage from this can be avoided. For the pilot, he went to the crater of Taal Volcano at the time it was quaking with alert level 2. Obviously, he was inspired by the award he got in New York for "Planet Philippines" so he's even more immersed now in similar projects. "This is a truly worthwhile endeavor that will benefit us all and make us more concerned with caring for our ecology," he says.
**********
MARIEL RODRIGUEZ is glad to be part of Star Cinema's new horror flick, "Cinco", five different horror stories with five directors to open on July 14. As expected, she was asked about Zanjoe Marudo and Robin Padilla. "Can we not talk about Zanjoe anymore?" she sighs. "We had three years together and I'd like to keep the good memories so I feel it's better for me not to talk our breakup anymore kasi tapos na yun. I already said naman it's not exactly my decision. I'm moving on so tama na yun. As for Robin, we became friends after 'Wowowee', but no, we're not dating.
Nagkita lang kami sa isang birthday party, but hindi kami magka-date. Nakakahiya nga, nasulat pang he stays in my condo. I just came from a breakup, having another romantic involvement is not my priority now kundi loving myself. I'm really happy dumating itong 'Cinco' kasi hindi hosting ang ginagawa ko rito kundi acting naman."
Is it true she said that if Willie Revillame would return to "Wowowee", she'd leave the show, implying that she and her other female co-host are happier now that he's out of it? "I never said that. How can I when we don't know what's going to happen. Ako at ang mga kasama ko, we'll just follow what ever ABS would decide upon. We're just soldiers here. We just do kung ano ang utos ng management."
The latest chika is that "Wowowee" will be replaced by two new back-to-back shows. The first one to be hosted by Kris Aquino and the next, by Robin Padilla. We're sure Mariel will be one of Binoy's co-hosts, which means the proposed sitcom starring the two of them will no longer push through.
**********
THE ELDEST son of Edgar Mortiz, Frasco, 31, has been directing TV shows like "Eva Fonda" and "Banana Split" for 5 years. He now gets to meg his first movie, the "Braso" episode in "Cinco". "Kabado ko as ours is the first episode so there's pressure na mapaganda talaga ito as we'll set the tone for the succeeding four episodes," he says.
"Braso" is about an arm cut off from a cadaver that starts to have a life of its own and haunts three students undergoing initation rites for a frat inside a morgue: AJ Perez, Sam Concepcion and Robi Domingo. AJ, 17, is Andrew, the bravest student. "I'm also the most mayabang and this will lead us to trouble." AJ has done eight films before after being introduced in "Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo" at 13.
Sam, 17, is Ivan, the coward. "I get scared so easily so I get to scream a lot." This is his second film. The first one was an episode in "Shake Rattle and Rol IX" where he played a deaf mute.
Robi is Ronald, the good boy and the group's conscience. "I protect Sam from AJ." This is his second film after supporting Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson in "Paano Na Kaya". All three are part of ASAP's Giggerboys. How come the other members are not in the cast?
"Tatlo lang kasi talaga ang characters," says Frasco. "Kung lahat sila isasali, di kakasya sa 16 minutes alloted for each episode."
"They're happy naman for us. We're all friends kaya walang inggitan sa'min," says AJ, who's also doing "Mamarazzi" with Andi Eigenmann for Regal.
How's Frasco as a director? "He's just like our barkada, friendly to everyone," says Robi. "Di siya basta nagagalit at di siya naninigaw," says AJ. "Magaan katrabaho."
What's the edge of their episode over the others? "Sa amin yung most scenes na nanggugulat," says Sam. "We guarantee magugulat sila lalo sa scenes where the three of us appear only in our boxers."
**********
ZOREN LEGASPI is enjoying hosting "Kitchen Battles", a reality cooking contest reminiscent of "Hell's Kitchen" and "Iron Chef" that started on Q Channel 11 with 12 chefs duelling with each other in the kitchen. "I've gone into acting and directing," he says. "I've always wanted to try hosting and now, I'm having fun with a show like 'Kitchen Battles' where some of the finest chefs get to cook their best dishes while competing with each other."
The show is now on its semi-finals and only 6 Chef Warriors are left: Doming Madrideno (43 years old), Dante Sam (28), Mark Gustilo (34, they're all married with kids), Janet Siy (24), Pierre Tan (26) and Arnold Bernardo (39, they're all single). Only Janet and Pierre have formal training in the culinary arts. The rest all learned it from experience, with some starting as butcher or dishwasher and moving their way as fast food cook and later, sous chef or pastry chef. Only Mang Doming is fully supported by the hotel he works for, Heritage, whose PR's even accompanied him to the presscon. They all took the show's auditions to qualify. Who does each think is his biggest rival as Ultimate Chef Warrior? Janet, Mark, Dante, Arnold and Pierre all say it's Mang Doming, as he's "the most senior and most experienced". As for Mang Doming, he thinks it's Mark, the most inventive chef among his rivals. The chief Chef Judge is Sau del Rosario, who trained in Nice at the South of France and owns several restaurants. The chefs who'll next face each other are Arnold and Dante. They have to prepare three dishes using three main ingredients: pork loin, clams and sago with Datu Puti Soy Sauce. Find out who'll win tomorrow, Sunday, at 7:45 AM on Q 11. The finals will be held on August 8 so don't miss it.
