Pure Innuendoes
They were the best of friends. They were always seen together around the
University of the Philippines (UP) campus in Diliman: one was undoubtedly
a very good-looking guy and the other was unquestionably a plain-looking
guy. Opposites really attract. Hey, but they're both brilliant students.
Well, birds of the same feather also flock together. Indeed, they were
very close to each other. Unusually close.
They were the perfect tandem. Like suman and ripe mango. Or nuts and
bolts. Peg and a hole.
They were both prot�g�es of then UP Student Council chairman Chito Gascon.
Soon, the good-looking guy took the helm as UP Student Council chairman.
But the best friends seem to follow each other's path. The plain-looking
guy also ran for the same position with the all-out support of his
good-looking friend. He won, of course.
The good-looking guy was the crush ng bayan of the iskolars ng bayan.
During lunchtime, students of all persuasions flocked to the College of
Arts and Sciences (CAS) cafeteria to catch a glimpse of the good- looking
guy. Even singer-actress Regine Velasquez later admitted on national
television that she had a big crush on the good-looking guy.
But loveless Regine's daring admission did not earn her even just a movie
date invitation from the good-looking guy; instead, the good- looking guy
merely flashed a demure smile in response to desperate Regine's
thinly-veiled date invitation.
But after finishing college, the best friends went their separate
ways. (Or so it seemed). The plain-looking guy pursued his law
studies and later taught law courses. The good-looking guy delivered the
evening news on TV, hosted a TV quiz show and wrote analytical articles on
pop culture. His good looks, intelligence and impeccable manner endeared
him to televiewers.
Despite their divergent career choices, the good-looking guy and the
plain-looking guy really seemed to follow each other's path. But this
time, their path led to a nice little apartment near the Ateneo de Manila
campus. And they shared that nice little apartment. Just the two of them.
Yes, the plain-looking guy and the good-looking guy lived together.
Those gifted with wild imagination got titillated at the mere thought of
these two young men sharing a lovely apartment. The moralists out there
shook their heads at the mere thought of the goings-on beyond that
innocent-looking apartment door amid rows of middle-class houses in Loyola
Heights in Quezon City.
But the pair would not budge from their nest. Nor would they yield to any
pressure. Not even from the plain-looking guy's bible-reading siblings who
berated him for living with another guy. The plain- looking guy's own
family started to cast doubt about his masculinity.
All telltale signs which have accumulated all those years could no
longer be ignored. People started talking openly about the two guys.
Speculations about the true nature of the pair's friendship became a daily
fodder for gossip mongers. The academic freedom which alma mater UP's
oblation symbolizes seemed to have gone beyond the duo's lust for
knowledge.
In order to prove to his family that he was not what they thought he was,
the plain-looking guy suddenly announced that he was getting married. His
family jumped with joy.
But the plain-looking guy's marriage did not dispel wild speculations
about his sexuality; instead, it only succeeded in erasing any remaining
doubt about his alleged agenda of using his wife to finally succeed in his
failed initial crack at pursuing his lifelong dream.
And it was well worth his efforts. Because this former loser's
desperate act finally triumphed. Thanks to his wife.
However, the plain-looking guy's deep friendship with his good-
looking friend took a backseat as a result of the former's new civil
status. The plain-looking guy did not want to hurt his new wife's
flourishing career nor spoil his newfound success. That's why he
played his role as a good family man to the hilt. However, he had not
forgotten his good-looking best friend at all. As a token of their undying
friendship, the good-looking guy stood as one of the godfathers of the
plain-looking guy's first baby, together with Edu Manzano, Cesar Montano,
Cherie Gil, Ciara Sotto, Angeli Valenciano, Fanny Serrano and a host of
other household names. Of course, the plain-looking guy's wife was
clueless about her husband's past.
But the plain-looking guy's wife had her share of dark past. She is a
single mother who parted ways with her good-looking "first husband" after
she discovered that her good-looking "first husband" was already married
to another woman when she hastily married him after she got pregnant at a
young age. This meant that her marriage to her good-looking "first
husband" was not legally binding after all. Now, the plain-looking guy was
her knight-in-shining-armor who rescued her from the stigma of being an
unmarried mother.
Ironically, while her non-binding marriage with her good-
looking "first husband" was solemnized by several high-ranking
priests at the cavernous Manila Cathedral amid countless clicking
cameras and thousands of shrieking admirers several years ago, her
supposedly legitimate marriage with the plain-looking guy was
officiated not by a Catholic priest but by a pastor in a cramped
living room, with only few relatives and friends as witnesses.
Later, the good-looking guy reportedly got married also without
fanfare. They said that his bride was a creative consultant for ABS- CBN
Interactive. However, some women still believe and hope that he is still
unmarried to this day.
The good-looking guy soon rose to become ABS-CBN News Channel's (ANC)
Director for Current Affairs. He has been circling the globe as host of
ANC's weekly travel show, Executive Class.
Yes, the good-looking guy is David Celdran.
And the plain-looking guy is megastar Sharon Cuneta's husband,
Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan.
Showing posts with label untold stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label untold stories. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Untold Celebrity Stories #6
Untold Celebrity Story #5
She was born on the day of hearts, February 14. But her parents did not
name her Valentina. Not even Venus or Aphrodite. They opted for the
holy-sounding Kristina Bernadette. But she did not turn out to be a saint.
Being the youngest, Kristina Bernadette captured the heart of her father.
Father and daughter were inseparable. Until tragedy struck.
Kristina Bernadette's father was sent to prison. His heart ailment
grew worse there.
On February 14, 1974, Valentine's Day, Kristina Bernadette celebrated her
third birthday with her father in prison. On the same day, a man was
exchanging hearts with a southern belle in nearby San Juan church.
Nine years later, on August 21, the man who got married in San Juan church
was celebrating his birthday with his basketball buddies. On the same day,
Kristina Bernadette's father was killed.
Kristina Bernadette and the married man never knew each other. They lived
very different lives. But in 1994, Kristina Bernadette and the married man
met at work. Their first meeting blossomed into deep friendship. Some said
that she longed for a father figure. But the friendship blossomed into
romance which went beyond control. Kristina Bernadette used her heart, not
her head. She decided to live with the married man.
Kristina Bernadette's mother was furious at the relationship. How
could Kristina Bernadette's mother like a man who celebrates his
birthday every year on the death anniversary of her murdered husband? But
more than this was the fact that the man's heart already belonged to
someone else. In fact, he has a grown-up daughter in New York who was
nearly Kristina Bernadette's age. Despite her religious mother's efforts
to put an end to Kristina Bernadette's adulterous affair with the man,
Kristina Bernadette had her way. It didn't matter to Kristina Bernadette
that her decision prevented her from receiving church communion because
she was openly living in sin.
It did not take long before Kristina Bernadette gave birth to her
love child who was the spitting image of her live-in partner. But
Kristina Bernadette's son was born with Attention Deficit Hyper-
Activity Disorder. Her son's birth softened the heart of Kristina
Bernadette's mother who announced that Kristina Bernadette's son was her
favorite grandson. When Kristina Bernadette first planned to have a
liposuction, her mother tried to stop her, warning Kristina Bernadette
that she (the mother) was too old to take care of Kristina Bernadette's
son if something happened to her during her surgery. But as in the past,
Kristina Bernadette had her way. She went on with her liposuction.
But Kristina Bernadette's relationship with her live-in partner was
not meant to last. In her Ateneo accent, Kristina Bernadette would always
correct her live-in partner's grammatical lapses. Her live-in partner also
got annoyed whenever Kristina Bernadette would hand him a stick of
Milagrosa candle every time he used the bathroom.
According to Kristina Bernadette, the candle helped drive away the
stinking smell of her live-in partner's crap. Kristina Bernadette
confessed that she learned this trick from her mother. And when
Kristina Bernadette's live-in partner stopped pursuing his petition
for the annulment of his first marriage in San Juan church, Kristina
Bernadette began to express doubt about her live-in partner's
sincerity in marrying her. Kristina Bernadette's heart was hurt.
Their relationship turned for the worse.
Kristina Bernadette finally realized that her live-in partner could
never be her savior. She decided to leave the father of her son and her
live-in partner for many years: Philip Salvador.
Yes, Kristina Bernadette is the youngest daughter of President
Corazon (means heart in Spanish) Aquino and the late Senator Benigno
Aquino, Jr.
And yes, Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino is the full name of
Kris Aquino.
And everyone knows the heart of her story.
Untold Celebrity Story #4
The only child of a US soldier and a Filipina, Dorothy was also a
semi-finalist in the 1952 Miss Philippines beauty contest. It was
therefore not surprising that Marcial got so enamored with Dorothy that he did everything to court her. Marcial even carried Dorothy's make-up kit during movie shootings. Marcial became Dorothy's dakilang alalay.
Dorothy studied pre-Law at the University of Santo Tomas but her booming movie career made it impossible for her to continue.
Likewise, Marcial took up Law at the University of the Philippines
but the lure of journalism ended his dream of becoming a lawyer.
Marcial became known for his gift of gab and political skill. This
led to his victory as a town mayor at a young age of 22. Meanwhile,
Dorothy became popular for her acting prowess and dancing skill. This led
to her victory in several acting derbies. Marcial's younger sister was the
director of the movie which won for Dorothy her last FAMAS best supporting
actress award.
But while Philippine politics and show business naturally intertwine,
political kingpin Marcial and movie queen Dorothy were not destined to be
together.
Dorothy married a man named Victorino who fathered her only daughter.
But their union did not last. After a series of unsuccessful
relationships, Dorothy finally tied the knot again with an American
B-movie actor-singer. In contrast, Marcial remained faithfully married all
his life to an American-educated woman who bore his only son and four
daughters.
But while Marcial survived the Korean War which he covered, he did not
survive the war on the home front. Likewise, Dorothy did not survive her
own war at home.
Both Marcial and Dorothy suffered violent deaths. Marcial was shot.
Dorothy was stabbed several times.
Committed 18 years apart, the separate murders of Marcial and Dorothy made
headlines several years ago. However, both murders remained unsolved to
this day. Some say that identifying their killers is not the issue because
everyone, except the authorities, seems to know the identity of their
respective killers. Rumors even abound that the masterminds in the murders
of Marcial and Dorothy were related to them by affinity. But the real
mystery lies in the fact that the perpetrators of these high-profile
crimes remain scot-free to this day, despite the enormous clout which the
victims' respective family wields.
Some say that Marcial's death was a result of his being branded a
communist by the government. This is ironic because the screenplay which
Marcial wrote and which won for Dorothy her first FAMAS trophy was the
second in a trilogy of anti-communist movies which were produced by LVN
Pictures in support of the government's efforts to fight communism.
Dorothy's shocking death led to embarrassing revelations about her painful
personal battle. Marcial's equally shocking death led to well-deserved
recognition of his heroic political battle.
Dorothy was killed amid rows of cars in the covered and dark parking lot
of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board(MTRCB)
building. Despite his escorts, Marcial was killed amid rows of airplanes
in a wide open space in broad daylight while descending down the tarmac of
what was then known as the Manila International Airport (MIA).
Of course, we all know Dorothy as Dolphy's TV wife, Marsha.
And we all know Marcial as Cory's real-life husband, Ninoy.
Yes, Dorothy Jones was the real name of Nida Blanca.
And yes, Marcial Bonifacio was the fictitious name on the passport of
Benigno Aquino, Jr. on the day that he was murdered.
And you know the rest of their stories.
Untold Celebrity Story #3
Her Mother's Joy
Her mother has always been proud of her. Mighty proud. And rightly so.
In the spring of 1991, Julia Roberts graced the cover of People
Magazine's special issue featuring its annual list of The 50 Most
Beautiful People in the World. Together with Julia Roberts in this
ultimate list of the most beautiful people were Brad Pitt, Tom
Cruise, Madonna, Mel Gibson, Whitney Houston, Michelle Pfeiffer,
Isabella Rossellini, supermodels Claudia Schiffer & Naomi Campbell
and oops, a Filipina?
Yes, People Magazine's 1991 list of The 50 Most Beautiful People in the
World included a true-blooded Filipina who was born, raised and educated
in the Philippines.
Unlike most beautiful Filipinas who were the products of mixed
marriages and who have therefore acquired foreign physical features, this
Filipina was born to a Filipina mother and a Filipino father. It is no
wonder that she does not typify a beautiful woman by any standard: She is
short, standing only 5'2". She has a huge and deep acne scar on her
forehead. She has that distinct Asian nose (read: flat). She uses only
Avon cosmetics (gasp!) and applies makeup by herself. During her pre-Inno
Sotto days, her clothes were not made by known couturiers: They were
lovingly
sewn at home by her mother who is a dressmaker. She does not even have the
right genes to inherit beauty from: Her mother was plain, even
stern-looking. Her father was a dark-skinned guy with the tough facial
features of a hardened military man.
Although both the first names of her mother and father means happy in two
different languages, their union was not as joyous. Her mother and father
were never married, making her and her only brother illegitimate children.
In the mistress hierarchy, her mother was not even her father's
second woman. Her father had a first mistress who ranked above her mother.
She and her brother only belong to their father's third family. And yes,
the gay club performer who once appeared on national television was indeed
her half-brother. She couldn't therefore be faulted for not talking about
her father. In contrast, too much has been known about her mother. Her
mother was always visible, too visible for comfort.
Her mother gave her the name Carmen and raised her in a province north of
Manila. However, when it was time for her to go to school, her
overprotective mother brought her and her brother to Manila to give them
the best education. Carmen studied in Preciosa Soliven's Operation
Brotherhood Montessori in Greenhills where she emerged as the school's
valedictorian. However, Carmen's academic rival protested the school's
decision to award Carmen the school's highest honors, claiming that she
had better grades than Carmen. Carmen's rival even revealed that the
school's owner, Mrs. Soliven, was only fond of Carmen because she always
performed in school programs which gave Carmen an edge in extra-curricular
activities. But academically, Carmen reportedly did not really rise above
her rival.
Lured into show business, Carmen became part of German Moreno's inane
daily afternoon TV show, That's Entertainment, where she got paired with
comedian and now Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert "Bistek" Bautista. (Some
say that Vice Mayor Bautista was so enamored with Carmen that he later
refused to marry his partner despite their having a child.) As one of the
countless stars of Kuya Germ's That's Entertainment, Carmen's talent was
overshadowed by the ridiculous mass appeal of the triumvirate of Sheryl
Cruz, Manilyn Reynes and Tina Paner.
Later, Carmen made a couple of forgettable films which were big flops.
Unsuccessful in local show business, Carmen enrolled as a BS Biology
student in Ateneo de Manila, hoping to become a doctor. However, the lure
of fame and fortune shattered her medical ambition. She followed her other
dream and landed in a |Dreamland! Yes, instead of comforting innocent and
fresh-smelling babies in a hospital, she ended up entertaining horny,
sweaty and foul-smelling drunken men in seedy bars.
When Carmen was a little girl, a local manghuhula predicted that she would
be crowned Miss Universe. Her mother, legally known as Miss Imutan, was
ecstatic upon hearing this. Sadly, the prophecy did not come true.
However, when Carmen was 18 years old, she bagged a beauty title. But it
was farfetched from a Miss Universe crown. Carmen became Miss Saigon.
Yes, the only true-blooded Filipina who was included in People
Magazine's The 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 1991 is
Feliciano Salonga and Ligaya "Joy" Imutan's only daughter: Carmen Lea
Imutan Salonga.
Most of us know her simply as Lea Salonga.
Her mother has always been proud of her. Mighty proud. And rightly so.
In the spring of 1991, Julia Roberts graced the cover of People
Magazine's special issue featuring its annual list of The 50 Most
Beautiful People in the World. Together with Julia Roberts in this
ultimate list of the most beautiful people were Brad Pitt, Tom
Cruise, Madonna, Mel Gibson, Whitney Houston, Michelle Pfeiffer,
Isabella Rossellini, supermodels Claudia Schiffer & Naomi Campbell
and oops, a Filipina?
Yes, People Magazine's 1991 list of The 50 Most Beautiful People in the
World included a true-blooded Filipina who was born, raised and educated
in the Philippines.
Unlike most beautiful Filipinas who were the products of mixed
marriages and who have therefore acquired foreign physical features, this
Filipina was born to a Filipina mother and a Filipino father. It is no
wonder that she does not typify a beautiful woman by any standard: She is
short, standing only 5'2". She has a huge and deep acne scar on her
forehead. She has that distinct Asian nose (read: flat). She uses only
Avon cosmetics (gasp!) and applies makeup by herself. During her pre-Inno
Sotto days, her clothes were not made by known couturiers: They were
lovingly
sewn at home by her mother who is a dressmaker. She does not even have the
right genes to inherit beauty from: Her mother was plain, even
stern-looking. Her father was a dark-skinned guy with the tough facial
features of a hardened military man.
Although both the first names of her mother and father means happy in two
different languages, their union was not as joyous. Her mother and father
were never married, making her and her only brother illegitimate children.
In the mistress hierarchy, her mother was not even her father's
second woman. Her father had a first mistress who ranked above her mother.
She and her brother only belong to their father's third family. And yes,
the gay club performer who once appeared on national television was indeed
her half-brother. She couldn't therefore be faulted for not talking about
her father. In contrast, too much has been known about her mother. Her
mother was always visible, too visible for comfort.
Her mother gave her the name Carmen and raised her in a province north of
Manila. However, when it was time for her to go to school, her
overprotective mother brought her and her brother to Manila to give them
the best education. Carmen studied in Preciosa Soliven's Operation
Brotherhood Montessori in Greenhills where she emerged as the school's
valedictorian. However, Carmen's academic rival protested the school's
decision to award Carmen the school's highest honors, claiming that she
had better grades than Carmen. Carmen's rival even revealed that the
school's owner, Mrs. Soliven, was only fond of Carmen because she always
performed in school programs which gave Carmen an edge in extra-curricular
activities. But academically, Carmen reportedly did not really rise above
her rival.
Lured into show business, Carmen became part of German Moreno's inane
daily afternoon TV show, That's Entertainment, where she got paired with
comedian and now Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert "Bistek" Bautista. (Some
say that Vice Mayor Bautista was so enamored with Carmen that he later
refused to marry his partner despite their having a child.) As one of the
countless stars of Kuya Germ's That's Entertainment, Carmen's talent was
overshadowed by the ridiculous mass appeal of the triumvirate of Sheryl
Cruz, Manilyn Reynes and Tina Paner.
Later, Carmen made a couple of forgettable films which were big flops.
Unsuccessful in local show business, Carmen enrolled as a BS Biology
student in Ateneo de Manila, hoping to become a doctor. However, the lure
of fame and fortune shattered her medical ambition. She followed her other
dream and landed in a |Dreamland! Yes, instead of comforting innocent and
fresh-smelling babies in a hospital, she ended up entertaining horny,
sweaty and foul-smelling drunken men in seedy bars.
When Carmen was a little girl, a local manghuhula predicted that she would
be crowned Miss Universe. Her mother, legally known as Miss Imutan, was
ecstatic upon hearing this. Sadly, the prophecy did not come true.
However, when Carmen was 18 years old, she bagged a beauty title. But it
was farfetched from a Miss Universe crown. Carmen became Miss Saigon.
Yes, the only true-blooded Filipina who was included in People
Magazine's The 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 1991 is
Feliciano Salonga and Ligaya "Joy" Imutan's only daughter: Carmen Lea
Imutan Salonga.
Most of us know her simply as Lea Salonga.
Untold Celebrity Stories #2
It Could Happen Only in the Movies
These two women move in different circles but they seem to lead
parallel lives.
Barbara C. Gonzales is the great-granddaughter of national hero, Dr. Jose
Rizal. Her great-grandmother is Dr. Jose Rizal's elder sister, Maria, a
liberated woman who was separated from her husband Daniel. Barbara is more
popularly known by her nickname, Tweetums. She once appeared in a Del
Monte tomato sauce TV commercial featuring three generations of women in
the kitchen. Yes, that was Tweetums with her daughter, Panjee, and
Tweetum's mother whom they fondly called Mamu. Tweetums
was married to Ramon Tapales, a successful businessman.
Their daughter, Panjee Tapales ( a.k.a. singer Panjee Gonzales), was
co-host of ABS-CBN's daily morning show, Alas Singko Y Media (now
Magandang Umaga Pilipinas) and its defunct Sunday morning game show with
Roderick Paulate and Eric Quizon. Panjee soon became the second wife of
ABS-CBN chairman, Gabby Lopez. (But that's another story.) Tweetums writes
about art and culture in her column for the Philippine Star.
She has published a couple of books consisting of collections of her
essays from her newspaper column. She remains a highly-respected media
personality, being the president of a major advertising company.
Socorro Alicia R. Quirino is the granddaughter of former president
Elpidio Quirino. More popularly known by her nickname, Cory, she
hosts a lifestyle show on TV. Her kidnapping ordeal a few years ago was
made into a movie entitled, The Cory Quirino Kidnap, which was directed by
massacre king Carlo J. Caparas. Cory was married to Roman Cruz, Jr. who
was the president of Philippine Airlines and head of Government Service
Insurance System (GSIS). Cory writes a regular column on fitness and
health for the Philippine Daily Inquirer. She also published a series of
health, beauty and inspirational books. She remains a highly visible media
personality with her radio and TV programs.
While Tweetums and Cory were both successful in their respective careers,
their personal lives were not as rosy. Tweetums Gonzales and her husband,
Ramon Tapales, eventually decided to lead separate lives. Likewise, Cory
Quirino and her husband, Roman Cruz, Jr., soon parted ways.
Indeed, Tweetums and Cory seem to lead parallel lives.
Then, in a strange twist of fate, the unthinkable happened. . While
geometry teaches us that parallel lines can never intersect, the parallel
lives of Tweetums and Cory did intersect.
Tweetums Gonzales got married to Cory's former husband, Roman Cruz, Jr.
Meanwhile, Cory Quirino got married to Tweetum's former husband, Ramon
Tapales.
Just like in the movies.
And you know the rest of their story.
Celebrity Untold Stories # 1
I was browsing the internet, bored doing nothing... I came pass this website showing untold philippine celebrity stories... As I was reading the excerpts of that website, I came to think and wonder If these stories are true or not.... You be the judge.
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