December is the ‘marrying-est’ month of this year

So you think that June is the “marrying-est” month of the year?

Not anymore. December is it. Well, at least this year when showbiz couples have been saying and are saying “I do’s,” following in the footsteps of Susan Roces and Fernando Poe Jr. who got married on Christmas Day in 1968.

Let’s do a recap.

Year 2014 was ushered in by wedding bells for Drew Arellano and Iya Villania at Christian rites in Nasugbu, Batangas, in January, an affair so secret that even some of those invited didn’t know what was up. So?

• Alwyn Uytingco and Jennica Garcia were secretly married on Feb. 12, also very secretly. They are waiting for the stork’s visit early next year.

• Karylle and Yael Yuzon on March 21 at a Christian wedding in Tagaytay.

• Jericho Rosales and Kim Jones chose Boracay as venue for their sunset wedding. Unlike some couples who wrongly think that the whole country will gatecrash their wedding, Jericho and Kim proudly told the world about their special day months in advance.

• Boots Anson-Roa and Francisco “King” Rodrigo sealed their second-time-around (both lost their first partners years earlier) in an afternoon wedding on June 14 at the Archbishop Palace in Mandaluyong City. It was the Wedding of the Decade, traditional every step of the way that started with King doing the pamanhikan and patiently waiting for the wedding night to cap a romance that caught the fancy and the heart of the Filipinos.

• Amy Perez and Carlo Castillo (finally!) realized their long-time dream of making their union official, blessed by the church, on Nov. 12, after the long-held annulment of Amy’s first marriage. Together for more than eight years, the couple has two children, with Amy’s son from a failed marriage treated by Carlo like his own.

Scheduled to walk down the aisle in December are: Aiza Seguerra and Liza Dino on the 8th “somewhere in California” (same-sex marriage is not…yet… approved in the Philippines); Bianca Gonzales and JC Intal on the 12th (remember how JC “copied” the finale scene of It Takes a Man and a Woman in which John Lloyd Cruz proposed to Sarah Geronimo at the airport); Chito Miranda and Neri Naig on the 14th; Joross Gamboa and his non-showbiz girlfriend Katz Saga; and, but of course, Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes on the 30th in what promises to be the Wedding of the Year. (Unless they change their plan, Jewel Mische and her American boyfriend Alistair Kurtzer might have what Jewel described as “a winter wedding” in the US.)

More weddings scheduled next year: Yeng Constantino and her pastor-boyfriend Victor “Yan” Asuncion,Patrick Garcia and his non-showbiz girlfriend Nikka Martinez, John Prats and Isabel Oli, and, but of course, Heart Evangelista and Sen.Chiz Escudero on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14).

Unless a couple jumps the gun on us, that’s the wedding list so far.

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Beyoncé contacts Gab Valenciano to recreate his moves in her ‘7/11’ video

Yahoo Southeast Asia Newsroom - Beyoncé (right) co-opts Gab Valenciano's signature super-selfie pose. (Video scrreengrab)

Gab Valenciano's super selfie videos did not only attract international media outlets. It also caught the attention of global superstar Beyonce.

The super selfie videos, which show the hyper Gab dancing to different tunes, inspired Beyoncé's newest music video "7/11."

Queen B’s team contacted Gab because they wanted to “recreate” his super selfie videos. While Gab did not meet Beyonce in person, he finds the opportunity surreal.

Gab’s signature pose

“Hindi ko nga akalain na anybody would catch on super selfie videos, kasi kung papanoorin mo, puro kalokohan lang palagi. It's when you least expected it, doon dadating,” Gab told reporters in a pocket interview on Thursday, November 27.

In her “7/11” video, Beyoncé is seen twerking in a balcony and dancing with a group of girls in a hotel room and hallway. Beyoncé also did Gab’s signature pose by holding her hands up while kneeling.

Gab was also asked if he could go to New York for the shoot.
“There were talks, asking me the soonest I can leave to go to New York, pero by the time Beyoncé came back to New York, tapos na iyon, she shot everything already. So editing na lang, iyon na lang ginawa nila.”

Best preparations

He added, “The team and I, we had no idea what she was doing. Yung super selfie kasi was very personal, intimate, so nobody knew what she was shooting. So when we were talking with the team, we were really kinda gauging what would be the best preparations if ever she asks us. What I said, I just told her, "Just be yourself, just have fun, don't think about what others would think and be silly, be yourself.””
Gab revealed that unlike usual music video productions where there are many people involved, only Beyoncé, her friends and dancers were present at the shoot. Gab was credited in the video for “additional choreography.”




“Even they (Beyoncé’s team) themselves, hindi siya nakita noong shoot, kasi siya lang mag-isa with her friends. If you watch the video, it's just her with her friends and her dancers, walang cameraman, walang production assistant, it was just her.”

More opportunities

More doors are opening for Gab because of his super selfie videos’ success. He was asked to choreograph and be part of Hollywood rapper Lil Jon’s video.
“In a span of two months, these things have been happening, I feel very blessed to be part of it.”
Gab went to the US last year to study music in Full Sail University. Although people always see him as Gary Valenciano’s son, Gab is happy he is creating a name for himself in music and video production.

“At the end of the day, I'm the son of Gary. No matter what I do or what I accomplish here, people will always see me as that, but I don't mind it. I'm a content creator, hindi ko magagawa iyon dito kasi people know me here as a dancer. So I had to step out of the box, learn, study and find myself.”

Gab will tie the knot with Tricia Centenera in March 2015.

Gab Valenciano and fiancee Tricia Centenera pose for photographers at the Yahoo Celebrity Awards purple carpet …

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Will Yeng Constantino sing during her wedding march?

Yeng Constantino is getting more excited as her wedding with Yan Asuncion approaches.
The bride-to-be knows she will be emotional when she finally says “I do” on Valentine's Day, in ceremonies set in Tagaytay with family, close friends and fellow stars in “ASAP” and Star Magic in attendance.
While some singers have opted to sing as they walk down the aisle, Yeng has reservations because she might be too emotional.
“Hindi ko alam kung good iyon. Baka habang naglakad ako, masira na ang makeup ko. Hindi ko na lang siya tatangkain na gawin. Siguro kakantahin ko na lang kapag tapos na yung march. Baka sa wedding march, maglalakad lang ako. Sa reception na lang (ako kakanta) para kahit masira na ang makeup ko, okay lang,” Yeng said at the press conference of her newest album “All about Love.”

Guests can sing if they want to
She plans to have her song “Una’t Huling Pag-ibig,” written by Ebe Dancel as her wedding march song, while she will sing “Ikaw” during the reception. Yeng said their wedding will be “musical.”

“May magce-cello, may magpi-piano. Open mic siya kasi mga musicians din ang mga invited. If they want to sing, they can sing,” she said.
“Ayaw ko din mag-imbita ng isang person, 'Kanta ka sa wedding ko,' ayaw ko ng ganoon. If they feel like singing, may freedom sila to sing. Ako, kapag tinanong ako, siyempre gusto ko, pero if they like lang. Very chill.”

The new songs
Being so in love with Yan, Yeng shared that she was crying and emotional when she was recording “Ikaw,” the song in her new album that she composed for Yan.
Other songs in her album are Yan’s compositions, including “Shining Like the Sun (Baby are You Ready)," "Your Love Is My Relief” and "What's Up Ahead.”
Other love songs featured are "Dito Ka Lang sa Tabi" composed by Toto Sorioso, "Feels Like" by Gus Abarquez, “So Beautiful” by Jonathan Manalo and “Ferris Wheel by Jed Dumawal.

Post-wedding plans

After their wedding, the couple will have their honeymoon in Maldives.
As they don’t plan to have a baby soon yet, Yeng will continue to be active in showbiz.
“Wala akong planong umalis sa show business, sa music industry kasi ito talaga yung passion ko. I'm really grateful that Yan is a very supportive partner. Hindi niya gugustuhin talaga na hindi ko gawin ang something na nakakapagpasaya sa akin. Ako din, support ko lang din kung ano ang passion niya, his ministry, yung charity works namin,” she said.

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Daniel Matsunaga is 'PBB: All In' big winner

Pinoy Big Brother All In grand winner Daniel Matsunaga won P1-million in cash and other prizes...

After almost four months of staying inside Kuya's house, Brazilian-Japanese model-actor Daniel Matsunaga emerged as the big winner in the finale of "Pinoy Big Brother All In” on Sunday, August 24.
His victory made Daniel a millionaire.  His prize package consists of P1-million cash, a business franchise, a house and lot and an Asian tour.
Daniel shed tears as he went on stage and hugged his family.
‘Craziest experience’
"Dahil mahal na mahal niyo ako. People know na I'm not Filipino but I'm a Filipino at heart. " Daniel replied  when asked what made him win in the reality show.
Daniel, who described his PBB (Pinoy Big Brother) stint as "the craziest experience" in his life, got 11.69% of net votes.  Second placer Maris Racal received 3.1% net votes while actress Jane Oineza placed third with -0.73 of the net text votes.
Jason Abalos' girlfriend, beauty queen Vickie Rushton placed fourth (0.78 percent of net votes) and went home with P200,000.

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Dawn Zulueta forced to make statement on 'half-brother hoax'

Many Pinoy netizens believed a rumor claiming that the actress is the half-sister of singer Bamboo Mañalac.

These days, there's probably a hoax hatched online every second. One of the most recent ones involved already well-known personalities in Philippine pop culture, so it was quite a surprise that a lot of people still believed the story.

The'half-brother' hoax

Actress Dawn Zulueta was forced to finally address rumors claiming that she and The Voice judge Bamboo Mañalac are half-siblings. The actress said she was doing it to save her parents from being asked questions about the issue.Through a statement released to the public, Zulueta denied that Mañalac is her brother, but she was quick to add that she has "high respect" for the singer.The actress said she and her brother, George, are the only children of her parents, Jose Fazil Tahanlangit-Taleon and Maria Cleofe Soleta-Salman.Her father remarried and she only has two half-brothers, Jed and Josiah."Apart from all of us, both my parents can attest to no other offsprings," she said.In the end, Zulueta urged the public to help her in putting an end to the said issue. She also requested Mañalac to release his own statement "as a courtesy."The statementBelow is the full statement Zulueta, whose real name is Marie Rachel Salman Taleon-Lagdameo:I can keep silent no longer. This was a persistent rumor that I didn't pay much attention to before. But now it seems to have spiraled into several 'official' announcements on social media.Let me first point out that l have high respect for Mr. Bamboo Mañalac and I trust he will understand my sentiments in this matter.Having said that, I exhort him to submit his own account on this gossip-gone-viral as a courtesy.This sort of tattle is both disconcerting and mortitying to my parents. I would imagine, for Mr. Mañalac also.For my part, in respect to my own father and mother. I have decided to issue my opinion.In all due fairness to both my parents, Jose Fazil Tahanlangit-Taleon and Maria Cleofe Soleta-Salman, their only children are my brother, George, and I.My father, Fazil, has remarried and has two sons; the ONLY TWO HALF-BROTHERS I know, namely Jed and Josiah.Apart from all four of us, both my parents can attest to no other offspring.I implore everyone who has taken part in spreading this wild rumor to please check and RE-CHECK your sources.And I hope that after this statement I've made, we can put an end to this confounding tall tale.

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Rachelle Ann Go named one of the ‘hottest women’ in London’s West End

Associated Press/Matt Dunham - Rachelle Ann Go, center, a pop music singer from Philippines who plays Gigi performs with other cast members during the "Dreamland" scene during a photocall for the musical "Miss Saigon" at the Prince Edward Theatre in London, Monday, May 19, 2014. Producer Cameron Mackintosh's new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg's musical will open at the theatre in May, 25 years after the original production. A Vietnam War love story inspired by Giacomo Puccini's "Madame Butterfly," ''Miss Saigon" ran for a decade in London. On Broadway, it ran for 4,063 performances until 2000. 

Rachelle Ann Go has been named one of the 15 Hottest Women in the West End by PocketSize Theater Blog.Rachelle Ann currently stars as Gigi in the 25th anniversary remake of “Miss Saigon,” now playing in London.She is joined in the list by theater actresses starring in some of the biggest musicals now running including “Wicked,” “Les Miserables” and “Phantom of the Opera.”

Theater credsDrawing from her bio, the PocketSize Theater Blog, which is “run by theatre lovers,” calls Rachelle Ann a “pop music artist and actress.”It also lists Rachelle Ann’s theater creds consisting of her debut as Ariel in the Manila production of “The Little Mermaid” in 2011 and as Jane Porter in the stage adaptation of another Disney animated movie “Tarzan.”Rachelle Ann acknowledged her inclusion in the West End hot list by tweeting, "wow haha! Thank you xx"
Interview by BBCRecently, Rachelle Ann was interviewed by the BBC of London where she sang a version of Coldplay’s “The Scientist.”During the radio show, she also did a duet with the group Blake on “Falling Slowly,” from the musical “Once.” It was a song she herself chose for the live BBC show. The British group Blake are old Manila hands, having recorded “The OPM Album” when they were in the Philippines last year.

Rachelle Ann also announced that she and Blake were doing a charity show in London called The Philippine Dream to benefit orphans in the Philippines. The show was set last Sunday, August 17.In the meantime, the first live cast recording of “Miss Saigon” has been set for release on September 22. It will feature Rachelle Ann Go’s take on the classic “Movie of My Mind,” including the entire 2014 cast chosen from 18 countries.

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Pacman dishes on Mommy D’s love life

Mommy Dionisia Pacquiao has a boyfriend.

This was revealed by boxing icon and Sarangani Representative Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao on “Tapatan ni Tunying,” Thursday.

The boxer shared that he tried to dissuade her mother from the idea  but, In the end, he just let her be.

“Sabi ko, ‘Ikaw na ang bahala, hindi kita mapilit,’” Manny related.

He even recalled asking her mom, “Sundin mo ang gusto ng katawan mo, ang desire ng flesh, or sundin mo ang gusto ng Panginoon?”

Manny pointed out that the romance can’t lead to marriage.

“Si Mama at saka si Papa, hindi sila kasal (pero) si Mama at saka  ‘yung unang asawa, kasal sila,” Manny explained.

But Mommy D herself shot down allegations of her having a boyfriend.

“Wala pa po… ayoko po,” she said in a separate interview with ABS-CBN News interview.

Mommy D’s relationship with Manny’s father, Rosalio, ended after 20 years. They have four children: Isidra, Manny, Bobby and Rogelio. Mommy D also has two children with her first husband.

Early this year, Mommy D revealed that she has lots of admirers.  ”Marami namang nanliligaw sa akin pero pag-isipan ko pa ‘to,” she said  at the time.

The 65-year-old actress celebrated her birthday in May.

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'Banana Nite' comedian attempts to jump off building

Comedian Jobert Austria, part of the cast of ABS-CBN's late night gag show Banana Nite, was brought to the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) for investigation following his attempt to jump off a hotel building in Quezon City.

Shortly after 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 16, Austria was seen leaving Hotel Sogo along Quezon Avenue with friends and co-workers, including Badjie Mortiz, the son of "Banana Nite" director Edgar Mortiz.

However, QCPD operatives approached the group and took custody of the comedian.

Fear and confusion on the 6th floor

"Bahagyang nagsisisigaw si Austria nang kunin na siya ng mga tauhan ng Quezon City Police District. At dahil sinamahan siya ng isa niyang kaibigan sa mobile ay naisakay din ito, at ngayon ay dinala na sa QCPD Station 10 para maimbestigahan," radio dzMM's Robert Mano reported.

Austria attempted to jump off the 6th floor of the hotel building at around 1 p.m. He told the police that he was receiving death threats from his girlfriend's former partner.

"Nagte-text siya kanina tulungan daw namin siya, may papatay daw sa kanya. Alam nila na nandito siya, nag-aabang daw sila diyan sa labas. At first hindi ko alam ang ire-react ko. Hindi ko alam kung totoo o ano," said Mortiz.

According to fellow comedian Eric Nicolas, Austria is facing personal problems.
"Medyo na-depress yung tao dahil may problema siya yata sa kanyang girlfriend or asawa. Yung girlfriend niya, mahal na mahal niya yun, babalik na ata ng Canada so nalungkot siya," said Nicolas.

Rescue efforts criticized?

Authorities immediately responded to the scene, but Nicolas said they were disappointed with how they handled the incident.

"Kanina nandun na siya sa edge ng building, talagang tali lang ang kinakapitan niya. Konting galaw na lang hulog na siya. Ang kinaiinis lang namin, ang tagal nandoon ng tao wala pa din yung pang-salo. Lahat nakatunganga, nakatulala," he said.

He, however, lauded firefighters who were able to safely haul Austria back to his hotel room.

"Ang maganda nito sila rin, yung mga bumbero, sila rin ang humila kay Jobert, halos anim na tao ang nagtulong-tulong para mahila siya sa loob," he recounted.

Hotel officials are mulling over whether to file a case against the comedian, who also used to be part of the now-defunct show, Happy Yipee Yehey!.

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