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For the past 17 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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Zsa Zsa Padilla |
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Karylle |
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MANILA --- Zsa Zsa Padilla has confirmed to a group of movie writers who attended the presscon of her new reality search show, “Born Diva,” on ABS-CBN that Dingdong Dantes is indeed courting her 23-year-old daughter, Karylle. She refused to elaborate, however.
“Baka I’ll say more than necessary. Magalit pa ang aking anak,” she said.
Karylle is Zsa Zsa’s daughter by her first husband, dentist Modesto Tatlonghari. Like Dingdong, Karylle is a product of the Ateneo University.
Zsa Zsa and comedian Dolphy have a younger daughter, Zia, who is turning 13 this year. Their adopted daughter, Nicole, is 14.
The first time Zsa Zsa saw Dingdong was a few months ago. They were in Japan for a performance. She remembered Dingdong intently looking at her.
“Maaaring at that time, natitipuhan na niya si Karylle. And the reason why he was looking at me intently was probably because he reminded me of her,” said Zsa Zsa.
She said she treats Karylle not only as her daughter but her close friend as well. “When we introduce each other to new friends, ipakikila namin ang isa’t isa as elder sister. We always have a good laugh,” she added.
Zsa Zsa is mighty proud of Karylle, who is armed with a degree in ComTech Management from Ateneo. Yet, she was not surprised when Karylle chose to be a singer instead of practicing her degree.
Zsa Zsa revealed that Karylle is still a virgin at 23. “Kaya, whoever becomes her boyfriend will be very lucky. After all, iilan na lang ang babae in this day and age na virgin pa at 20-something.”
Does she like Dingdong for Karylle?
“Well, si Karylle ang makakapag-decide niyan,” she answered.
Zsa Zsa said she has nothing against women, especially those in showbiz like her, reinventing themselves, physically and professionally. She herself admitted that she submitted to a bust enhancement. She said that after two children, whom she had both breastfed, it was a must that she have a bustlift. The idea alone was “uplifting.”
Recently she underwent meso-therapy, courtesy of Dr. Vicky Belo. No wonder, Zsa Zsa is body beautiful right now.
The idea that all the contestants in “Born Diva” will also undergo physical enhancements to attain the ultimate “star look,” aside from going through training to improve their singing talent, is what excites Zsa Zsa about “Born Diva.”
Each contestant (there will be 16 in all) will be scrutinized by beauty experts (cosmetic surgeons, orthodentists and gym instructors), music trainers and vocal masters. Their objective is to create the supreme diva - exceptional in talent and looks.
Two contestants will vie for the title “Born Diva” every week. And the challenge will run for eight weeks. Weekly judges will include a talent manager and a fashion designer with a mainstay adjudicator, musical arranger and composer Louie Ocampo. The weekly winner will compete in the finals.
When the roster of eight finalists is completed, the contestants will move on to the second phase, the final series, where each performance will polish and fashion each aspiring diva.
The finalists will then be trimmed down to three, where only one will emerge as the grand champion. (MNS)
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 MANILA --- Dominic Ochoa is pained by the accusation that he is responsible for the failure of his romance with Janna Victoria. He insists that the decision was mutual. They both felt they had to move on. After all, they were not yet thinking of getting married, as both of them felt they’re not ready for that.
Dominic turned 31 last Aug. 4; Janna is 23.
The two of them, Dominic swears, have remained good friends even after the breakup. They are in touch. Actually, Janna texted while we were interviewing him. “Nangungu-musta lang,” he reports.
He does not know about Janna, but he admits that since they broke up last February, he has dated at least five women, all not from showbiz. He has not committed himself to anyone. Is he hoping that he and Janna will, in time, reconcile?
“Alang ganyang ilusyon,” says Dominic, “although I promised that I will always be there for Janna. Naging napakaganda ng naging samahan namin.”
He denies the report that his parents were against Janna. It is said that she was made to feel an outsider everytime he brought her with him when the Ochoas attended Sunday Mass.
“That is not true,” Dominic swears. “Kahit kailan ‘di pa namin kasama ng aking mga parents si Janna sa aming pagsisimba. Although nag-meet na sila.”
What keeps him busy nowadays?
“My job,” he replies. “Nagsisimula pa lamang akong mag-host for ‘Ek Channel’ together with Rica Peralejo, Marvin Agustin and Angelika de la Cruz. I like the program very much.”
Dominic is also into the ice cream business. (MNS)
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 MANILA --- Jackie Lou Blanco feels sad about sister-in-law Lotlot de Leon’s decision to have her marriage to her brother, Ramon Christopher, annulled.
How is her brother dealing with it? “I don’t ask because, buhay nila ‘yon, and I don’t want to be accused of prying into their private affairs, but I can feel that Monching still loves Lotlot very much,” she says.
She pooh-poohs the rumor that her own marriage to Ricky Davao is on the rocks. “Noon pa ‘yan. I don’t know kung bakit hindi nila kami tigilan. We do have our own tampuhans, but we manage to settle pa naman whatever differences we have.”
Did she get to see Ricky’s performance as cancer-stricken Toti Fuentes in “Maalaala Mo Kaya”?
“No. It’s so late na kasi. I sleep at 9:30 p.m. and wake up at 5:30 a.m. kasi I’m the one who drives our kids to school.”
Why not Ricky? “Ay naku, night person ‘yon kaya tulog pa ‘yon. Also, after dropping them in school, I go directly to the gym to work out na.”
Their eldest, Kenneth, is now 15.
“He’s in second year high school at Reedley’s International School.
Nanliligaw na sa sister ng classmate niya. Rikki Mae naman is 11 and our youngest, Arabella, is seven and is in grade one. The girls are in Poveda. Among them, it’s Rikki Mae who wants to join showbiz. Ako naman, bahala sila sa gusto nila. Kasi, you tell them to have this career at hindi naman nila gusto, wala ring mangyayari.”
Jackie’s first fitness video sold 25,000 copies so a sequel is now available, “Working Out with Jackielou 2,” shot in The Farm, a beautiful world-class resort in Batangas of 48 hectares of gardens, ponds, mountains, rivers, lagoons and a waterfall. What’s the difference between “Working Out l and 2”?
“The new video is a continuation of the exercises we’ve presented in Part 1. This time, serious fitness enthusiasts are given more pointers to help them reduce their tummies and raise their buttocks a la-Jennifer Lopez or Beyonce. It has several routines aimed to tone your muscles and burn calories. It also gives a series of warm up drills before you go into the more vigorous execrises. The video also helps you select the proper attire and shoes to keep you comfortable while exercising. I feel so fulfilled being able to help people to exercise and be healthy. People who meet me tell me they have a copy of my video and they have profited so much from it.”
Jackie continues to act and now plays the role of teener Julieanne Lee’s mom in the hit GMA-7 afternoon youth drama, “Joyride.” (MNS)
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