Michelle marries German boyfriend; Franco is getting married, too! - FUNFARE by Ricardo F. Lo

You, too, must have been wondering whatever happened to Michelle Aldana who, when last heard from more than two years ago, was denying rumors romantically linking her to an actor-politician.

I don’t even remember now what Michelle’s last movie was, but I distinctly recall her being (unjustly, I should say) accused of giving birth to a love child (by the same actor-politician).

The whole truth (and nothing but) is that, yes, Michelle will soon deliver a baby – five months from now to be exact – but the father is not – repeat, NOT – the actor-politician but Michelle’s legal husband who’s none other than Chris Heinermann, the German gentleman Michelle married in civil rites on Aug. 8 last year in Stutgart, Germany.

Michelle and Chris had been going steady for several months before they decided to get married. They’re planning to get married in church on June 9, with Norma Japitana, Michelle’s confidante-(ex-)manager, invited as one of the principal sponsors.

According to Michelle’s recent letter to Norma, she and Chris were supposed to come home for the Christmas holidays but she suffered some complications in her difficult pregnancy – "So I am now under ‘bed arrest,’ advised by my doctor to have complete rest for God knows how many months." The baby is due in April.

From the tone of her letter to Norma ("We’ll find a handsome partner for you at the wedding," promised Michelle), it’s easy to see that Michelle is happy where she is now, far from the maddening showbiz crowd, insulated from the gossipy movie world.

Michelle doesn’t say in her letter if, once she and Chris find a chance to come home for a vacation, she’ll go back to showbiz. She’s contented being a housewife out there in Germany for the time being, and let’s wish her all the best.

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FLASH: Just as I was about to finish typing (yes, on my battered decade-old typewriter) today’s column, Funfare’s "prodigal DPA" huffed and puffed (she was working out, you know, on her treadmill) the good news that Franco Laurel and girlfriend Ayen Munji are getting married on March 18 "somewhere in Metro Manila."

The affair is hush-hush, according to the panting DPA, and only a select few are invited (sorry, you and I are not on the choice list). Invited guests, in fact, have been advised not to talk about the wedding, but the Funfare DPA can’t help it (her day is not complete unless she opens her mouth, to eat or to talk or to do, well, "something else").

Ayen is the ex-wife (divorced) of Brunei’s Prince Jeffrey. She was the producer of the big-budgetted musical Rama at Sita mounted at the UP Theater two years ago. She and Franco met only last year and they hit it off very well posthaste. Ayen even produced some of Franco’s shows.

Good luck to Franco and Ayen and here’s wishing that you’ll keep on dancing – together!

What’s up?

• Condolence to Bulletin’s Shirley Matias Pizzaro on the death last Sunday night of her father, Reynaldo Matias, 69, in Balanga, Bataan. He left behind his wife, Maxima, 69, and eight children. The body is lying at the family residence at No. 28 San Vicente St., Cupang in Balanga where the burial will be held Saturday, Jan. 20, at the Eternal Shrine Memorial Park.

• The Screenwriters Guild of the Philippines (SGP) elected its new set of officers and board members for the year 2001-2002 during their Christmas Party/General Assembly last Dec. 22 at the Mowelfund Plaza. Elected are Ricky Lee, President; Pete Lacaba, Chairman; Roy Iglesias, Executive Vice President; Leleng Ubaldo, Vice President, Internal; Serge Custodio, Vice President, External; Buddy Palad, Treasurer; Butch Macaro, Secretary; Enrico Villa and Bonnie Paredes, PRO. The other members of the Board of Directors are Senen Dimaguila Jr., Pablo S. Gomez, Mel del Rosario, Shaira Salvador, William Pascual, Marlon Angeles and Ollie Cronico representing the associate members.

• Stages Production Specialists, Inc., the sister company of Trumpets, the theater group behind acclaimed hit productions Joseph The Dreamer, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and Little Mermaid, is looking for teenage boys ages between 15 and 20, who can sing and dance to join their boy group. Interested parties must bring their resume, a minus-one of his audition piece (any pop or R&B song) and a color 3R photo. Audition will be held at Stageworx, 5th level Shangri-La Plaza Mall on Jan. 20, from 2 to 5 p.m. For inquiries, call 818-1111 loc. 504 (look for Perky).