Wilma and Annabelle: On the warpath again

By Isah V. Red

Show business is so amusing you can really have fun just listening to stories about petty feuds between actors, singers, producers, managers and even television executive.

Remember when Wilma V. Galvante, GMA senior vice president for entertainment, had a tiff with feisty talent manager Annabelle Rama sometime ago.

We thought the two had kissed and made up. We were wrong.

More recently, the two are back throwing verbal tirades at each other. Annabelle hisses her loathing for Wilma and even calls her some names.

Wilma, on the other hand, lets her steam out by sending statements to the press, like this one we got from the mail. This is about the issue on Heart Evangelista having rejected the assignment the network is giving her.

Galvante, in the statement, said, ?The issue between GMA Network and talent, Heart Evangelista, is already being handled by the network?s Legal Department. Annabelle Rama?s statements are her own opinion. Her calling me names and her foul mouth are clear indications of her character and should simply be ignored.?

Naturally, the network puts its support for its executive, hence, the legal team of the network, headed by lawyer Dick B. Perez as the network?s vice president for legal affairs.

We were furnished a copy of Perez?s answer to Annabelle on Heart Evangelista?s reasons for rejecting the role offered to her in an upcoming afternoon series, Muling Buksan Ang Puso, that would pit her against Dennis Trillo, and it was an eye opener for us watching the raging word war on the sidelines.

Perez?s letter to Rama stated: ?We disagree with the claim that the role offered to Ms. Evangelista would? Adversely damage and prejudice [Ms. Evangelista?s] public image and reputation.

 ?You state that the role ?offered? to her ?could hardly be described as wholesome? as it would include kissing scenes and bed scenes. Ms. Evangelista had done kissing scenes and at least one bed scene in the past [i.e., in Asero] and those scenes, I?m sure your client Ms. Rama-Gutierrez will agree, hardly tarnished her wholesome image or prejudiced her highly successful career. In fact, you mention in your letter that her current program with GMA, Luna Mystika, after Asero, is a top-rated primetime program [as was Asero] which only means that her career had really taken off, kissing and bed scenes considered.?

The letter furthered, ?You also claim that the role in Muling Buksan ang Puso ?could hardly be described as wholesome? as it would include ?dialogue and scenes depicting the proposed character as a mature woman competing with another for the affections of a man?.  But there  is as yet no script for the program; thus, there are still no dialogues or scenes written. The claim, therefore, is premature and without basis. You erroneously assume that the television version, in dialogues or scenes or presentation, would be similar to the movie version. GMA knows that it is a television program it is producing, so it has to steer clear of scenes and dialogues in the movie that might be considered inappropriate for television or prejudicial to Ms. Evangelista?s image.  As explained by our Entertainment Department, the television version is going to be a ?tamed? version of the original story as depicted in the movie.

?We might have agreed with you if Ms. Evangelista had to do bold kissing scenes or bold bed scenes. But, as your client knows, there are no scenes of that sort in the said program. We are fully aware?as your client should be?that the rules of the MTRCB do not allow the airing of such scenes on television and are also aware that as producer of Ms. Evangelista?s television programs, we have an enormous stake in preserving her public image and reputation.  Like your client, we do not want to lose Ms. Evangelista?s fan base.?

Without Heart 

Muling Buksan Ang Puso will start taping without Heart Evangelista. But Perez, in his letter, underscored the fact that the network?s decision to assign the role to another female actor doesn?t mean to be ?a waiver to assign programs to Ms. Evangelista and to determine the programs to be assigned to her in the future.?

As to the Koreanovela series that Annabelle said is what should be given to Heart, Perez, citing Paragraph 2 of the agreement between Evangelista and GMA-7, said, ? Indeed, Paragraph 2 of the Agreement provides that Ms. Evangelista ?shall perform and appear? as lead actress in ?a Koreanovela series.?  But, as you are well aware, this paragraph speaks of obligations of talent. This is obvious from the text and even more obvious from the heading of the aforesaid paragraph. The heading of this paragraph, precisely, is ?2. OBLIGATIONS OF TALENT?. This being so, it is GMA?s right, not the talent?s, to demand fulfillment thereof.  Given that it is GMA?s right to demand fulfillment of the obligation, GMA can waive the right, or waive its compliance. Rights may be waived by those who have them (see Art. 6, Civil Code). The waiver cannot be said to prejudice Ms. Evangelista because she is entitled to an annual minimum guaranteed amount under the Agreement (Agreement, par. 3.1).?

In conclusion, Perez pointed out, ?Clearly then, your client?s insistence that GMA cast Ms. Evangelista in a Koreanovela series is misplaced and erroneous.?

We don?t know how Annabelle Rama would react to this legalese, but she is one who wouldn?t take things sitting down. But, she could be in deep shit if she?d insist to pull Evangelista out of GMA-7. She has another year to fulfill her contract, and whether or not Galvante et al. are no longer happy with her behavior, they just have to do what is stated in their agreement.

Now, Annabelle could sit it out and wait till the contracts of her talent with GMA-7 expire, all at the same time or individually, then she can move them all to either ABS-CBN or TV5.

That would be fun? real fun.

Nikki J. goes back to Teatrino

After her successful first solo concert called Standards Alive at Teatrino Theater and Bar at the Greenhills Promenade last year, Nikki J. is back to end the love month with a night of good old standards.

Standards in Love will be on stage at 8 tonight. This second solo concert is the latest installment of Nikki J.?s Standards Concert Series.

Nikki J. will give the love month a different kind of flavor, as she serenades the audience with her own rendition of standard classics made popular by Connie Francis, Cliff Richard, and Elvis Presley, among others.

Trina Chong and Jastine Alfonso will join Nikki belt out songs popularized by the legends. Meanwhile, Dyords Javier is back to give the show a one-of-a-kind comic twist. The funnyman brought his own brand of humor in the first Nikki J. show with the version of Elvis songs, plus other gags.

Nikki J., or Nikki Junia, graduated cum laude in music education at University of Sto. Tomas Conservatory of Music. She is a classically trained soprano, who switches to pop when necessary. She is likewise the head voice guru of her own music center, the Stardev Music School.

Standards in Love is directed by Ray Junia.

For tickets, call or fax J Events at 869-1531 or e-mail j.events@yahoo.com.

Scorpion King clips P2 million, house and lot

It?s not Manuel and neither it is Janna that bagged the P2 million and the right to live in a brand-new house on a lot that comes with it.

It?s Jommy Teotico who won El Ultimo Participante in Pinoy Fear Factor: Argentina, South America, in last Friday?s explosive and jaw-dropping El Ultimo Duelo.

 In the final challenge called ?Car Roll Over? stunt, Jommy and Janna had to drive a car over a ramp, which would trigger an explosion and cause the vehicle to flip in air and tumble to the ground.

The goal was to finish farthest from the ramp and while Janna?s car turned turtle 17 meters and 10 cm away from the ramp, Jommy?s car luckily went back to normal position, eating more distance for a 22-meter and 50-cm finish.

Even host Ryan Agoncillo was left in awe as he watched the Fearless Duo in a scene only witnessed in action movies. In the end, Jommy proved he deserved the hard-earned happy ending, outlasting everyone after 11 grueling rounds of stunts and challenges.

Showbiz gets much-needed help

Rep. Irwin Tieng of Buhay party-list proved that he is indeed one of the showbiz?s allies when he succeeded in passing, on the third reading, the bill Lowering the Amusement Tax or House Bill 5624. According to industry insiders, this move will greatly help the industry during these hard times.

Tieng is the principal proponent of this bill, which will be discussed soon in a bicameral committee meeting between representatives of the Senate and Congress, and then, to the Office of the President for the final approval.

Tieng has hands full with other bills that aim to help other sectors of the society like the Anti-camcording Bill (HB 4117), which is set for final reading; Cyber-boso Bill (HB 4315), which has already passed the committee level (committe on justice); Restoring Philippine Inventors Commission Bill (HB 5152); ?Braille? Bill (HB 4217); and ?Anti-Texting While Driving? Bill (HB4917).

 ?I am just fulfilling my responsibility to my constituents,? says Tieng. ?I am happy with all these developments, but there are still a lot of work ahead. I am thankful that I have people supporting me.?

Sarah Meier-Albano?s bridal shower

Well-loved host Sarah Meier-Albano was treated by Metro Weddings to a cool boho-chic bridal shower at the poolside of Edsa Shangri-La Manila recently, as part of the pre-wedding festivities for her up-and-coming nuptials to Banjo Albano.

An intimate gathering of family, friends and members of her entourage, Sarah was in for a classy ?saying-goodbye-to-singlehood? event as those closest to her heart spent some special time with her and shared their wishes for the beautiful and blooming bride-to-be. Donning flowing and floral dresses by Salsa Trends, Sarah was caught off guard with their fun and quirky surprises.

Metro Weddings editor-in-chief Michelle Alejandro-Katigbak played party host and game master for Sarah and her friends such as ?How well do you know the bride?,? and ?Purse Scavenger Hunt.? Fashion store Unarosa gave out prizes for the classic game ?Make a Wedding Dress,? their very own version of ?Pin the Tail on the Donkey,? plus a creative take on ?Pass the Bouquet.?

The party was a memorable experience not only for the bride-to-be but for her friends as well. Sweet treats came courtesy of the roaming Chocolate Confections Candyman, who came with a delicious array of chocolate truffles for the guests; while cake artist Judy Uson prepared a three-layered cake for Sarah and mini cakes for everyone. Guests also had the chance to share with Sarah their happy thoughts and best wishes at the Wishing Counter and Wishing Tree. Each guest was also pampered at the Satellite Spa, where they indulged in facial treatments and makeup sessions by Guerlain.

Henry Pascual, events stylist, transformed the venue into a brightly colored setup that is very much like Sarah. It was just perfect that guests feasted on delicious ?Bollywood-inspired? afternoon cocktails courtesy of Edsa Shangri-La while the wines and champagnes came from CAV Wine Shop. Everyone went home happy with their own Aranaz tote bags filled with makeup, cosmetics, scents, chocolates, mini cakes and other fabulous treats. Special thanks to Wink, Skinfood and Baicapture for also making the event possible.

To know more about Sarah Meier-Albano?s bridal shower and wedding, be sure to grab a copy of Metro Weddings July 2009 issue and upcoming issues of Metro and Metro Society in all bookstores and newsstands nationwide.