How is it acting again? “It’s nice kasi I’ve been doing nothing but hosting and singing for a while. Na-miss ko rin. It’s exciting to do ‘Kokey’ kasi puro comedians ang kasama ko at lagi kaming masaya sa set.”
Director Wenn Deramas says the story of “Kokey @ Ako” is really centered on Toni’s character as Jackie, a princess from another planet who survives a massacre plot against her family and an alien abduction who grows up on earth with no memory of her true identity. She still hopes to find her parents (Maricel Laxa and Christian Vasquez) someday. She becomes a news reporter then meets Kokey, the lovable alien who returns to earth to look for his missing sister, Kekay. They then join forces to look for their long lost loved ones.
Vhong plays Jackie’s great love, Bruce, whose body is possessed by the evil Prince Belat who wants to destroy our planet. Also in the cast are Melai Cantiveros as Josa, Toni’s funny best friend, and Jason Francisco as Adonis, an apprentice cameraman for six years who becomes the friend of Vhong, plus Gloria Romero, Nova Villa, Mickey Ferriols, Wendy Valdez, DJ Durano, Candy Pangilinan, Joy Viado, Rubi-rubi, Debraliz and many more. This starts airing on Monday before “TV Patrol”. For more info, log on to http://kokeyatako.abs-cbn.com. You can also purchase Kokey merchandise from ABS-CBN Licensing and your favorite toy stores.
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HOW DID Cogie Domingo feel while watching the gay love scenes he did with Sid Lucero in “Muli”? “I knew we shot those scenes but when I watched it, na-shocked pa rin ako,” he says. “Parang di ako makapaniwala. Ginawa ko ba talaga ito? Sid and I have three nude love scenes and we’re glad nga it was approved without cuts kasi pinaghirapan namin at pangit naman kung mase-censor lang.”
In their first bed scene, he’s shown entering Sid sideways. In the next one, he is seated while Sid does a Victory Joe on him. In another, it’s Sid who’s on top of him acting like he’s horseback riding. How does he feel with the reviews saying Sid’s acting is better than his? “Totoo naman magaling talaga si Sid dito. Maski ako, nagandahan sa acting niya. What’s important is we’ve come up with a very good film about a gay love story that runs for four decades.”
What can he say about Sid’s manager, Ricky Gallardo, demanding that Sid be billed ahead of him when he’s the one who’s more senior between them since he started acting when he was 13? “Wala sa’kin yun. I wasn’t even aware nagkaroon ng ganung issue na pinag-awayan ang billing.”
We’re informed later that the film has two different posters. In one, Cogie’s name is billed ahead while in the other, Sid’s name is the one on top. Cogie turned 25 on Aug. 15 and vowed to be more professional now that he’s making a comeback. He’s currently a mainstay in TV5’s “Inday Wanda”. How come there’s a story that he’s backsliding and becoming unprofessional again? “That’s not true. I don’t know why sinisiraan nila ako uli.” Was he annoyed when Keanna Reeves revealed in “Paparazzi” that they had an affair? “No, hindi ako nabuwisit. We’re just friends kasi natuwa ako sa kanya noon when I was watching her sa PBB.” Does that mean what Keanna said about him is not all true, including her statement that he’s “daks” (well endowed)? “Ah, yun, totoo yun. Yung mga iba pa, ayoko ng sagutin.”
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EDU MANZANO turned 55 last Tuesday, September 14, but in all fairness to Doods, he looks much younger than his age as he has managed to keep himself trim and fit. His new game show, “Asar Talo Lahat Panalo”, officially starts airing at 11 AM today before “Eat Bulaga”. During it’s presscon, some writers tried to annoy him like what his show does to its contestants, but Edu proved to be a good sport. “Hindi ako basta naaasar,” he says.
So how’s his lovelife these days? “It’s lovely.”
How come it’s said he got jealous when his inamorata Pinky Webb was linked to widower Ted Failon at the time she’s co-hosting a radio show with Ted? “I never heard of their being linked and even if I did, no I won’t get jealous,” he says.
Will he guest ex-wives Vilma Santos and Maricel Soriano in “Asar Talo”? “Gov. Vi is so busy I doubt if she’s find time to guest in the show. As for Maricel, magaling yun sa asaran kaya baka yung mga mang-aasar sa kanya ang maasar.”
What can he say about his son Luis having a one-night stand with Keanna Reeves? “All I can say is I know my son and I respect them both.”
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WHILE JOROSS Gamboa reinvents his career by going sexy at the Cosmo Bash, his former girlfriend and ka-love team, Roxanne Guinoo, 23, gave birth to her love child, a baby girl weighing 7.2 lbs., on Sept. 13 at Medical City. The father is her non-showbiz BF named Angelo. The baby wasn’t planned but Roxanne said they don’t consider it a mistake but a blessing. They will face the altar next year.
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THEIR SON BABY James got sick and was confined at St. Luke’s in Taguig due to viral infection, so estranged couple Kris Aquino and James Yap saw each other again. Kris says they watched over their son together but it doesn’t mean they’re good friends as this is a long process. “But at least, hindi naman kami magkagalit,” she was quoted.
She also said “get well soon” to James on TV as James underwent nasal surgery to remove some polyps inside his nose that make breathing difficult for him. She said it’s Baby James who told her to greet his papa on TV. And she did it “para matuwa ang anak ko.”
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DINO GUEVARRA and Kim de los Santos were teen stars who fell in love while doing “TGIS” 12 years ago. Their love team clicked and they even did some movies together. They got married, their careers suffered, and they had a bitter breakup in 2004. Kim got so fat and went to the U.S. to join her dad to lead an ordinary life as a private citizen. Dino later joined the reality show “30 Days” meant to give another break to stars whose careers have faded. He won and GMA gave him some assignments but it failed to successfully revive his career. His contemporaries at TGIS then, Dingdong Dantes and Polo Ravales, are luckier as they still have flourishing careers up to now. “Showbiz Central” reported that Dino officially filed for the annulment of his marriage to Kim in 2008 and this has now been granted on the grounds of “narcissistic personality order” on both his and Kim’s part. It means no one wants to give in so they had to part ways. We heard Dino now has a new wife but Kim is still single in New Jersey.
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YOU CAN NOW access our past columns and other articles we’ve written through the years like yearenders, list of best films and performances, the most memorable local films, and other showbiz items at our blogsite, www.showbiz-portal.blogspot.com. Check it out.
