Soul sisters?

Perhaps in a previous alternative life, Belinda Panelo and Shannen Torres were soul sisters. After all, not only do they share a striking beauty drawn from a gene pool obviously non-exclusively Filipino, and a gift of gab that has opened doors for them but also a headstrong personality that pushes them beyond the obvious and the expected.

Both have, in fact, struggled against the stereotypical roles that their strong features readily make available for them: the rich bitch of soap operas, the scheming woman of maudlin dramas. For Belinda, who does VJ time on MTV Asia as host of top-rating shows like Classic MTV, MTV Mush, MTV Diyes and many more, it was a turn in the popular ABS-CBN drama series Sa Puso Ko Iingatan Ka, where she played the calculating Isabel Borromeo whom the fans of the soap desperately wished would get her just desserts and did – an inevitability that she happily welcomed.

"Of course I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a popular drama series but, really, there wasn’t a lot you could do with such character," says Belinda, who took up advance acting classes in the New York Film Academy last year. "What artist doesn’t want to be challenged? That’s why I enjoy doing theater because there you get plenty of room to explore and experiment." To date, Belinda has done Etiquette for Mistresses, Mga Bagong Bayani, Beauty and the Best and The Vagina Monologues onstage.

Shannen, on the other hand, parlayed her stint as MTV VJ to even more hosting chores, specifically in corporate shows and beauty competitions – and hosting remains the pocket of the entertainment landscape where she feels most comfortable in. "For a time, I was mulling over options MTV had opened up for me but you find yourself quickly getting pegged into these images other people have of you," says the ex-broadcasting student of the University of the Philippines. "Also, at the time, I wasn’t too sure where I wanted to go. But I’ve since come to realize that hosting is really my thing because I love to talk and engage people that way. Maybe I’ll get a chance to host a talk show on TV that I’d really like."

In the meantime, Shannen keeps herself busy in between her hosting gigs with Scratch Media, a start-up company she founded with some friends that is involved in all aspects of new media, including the Internet. "We do content design and creation and lots of other fun stuffs" she beams, adding that the company looks very promising. Shannen also owns a boutique in V. Luna St., Quezon City which she sells imported but very affordable casual chic clothes for men and women. "My close friends and I have always been interested in fashion, style and clothes. So it was just logical for us to also engage in a business that touches those things," says Shannen.

Belinda in the meantime, is keeping her eye on the acting landscape and hopes her perseverance will pay off with more varied roles in films and on TV – "like the one director Jose Javier Reyes gave me in 9 Mornings (a Star Cinema presentation shown in November 2002), and for which I’m really thankful," she says. "Also I am hoping to get a shot at a role in the musical Urinetown," the neo-Brecthian absurdist melodrama by Mark Hollman and Greg Kotis director Bobby Garcia of Atlantis Production will be bringing to the stage after the highly anticipated Dreamgirls (which premieres on Mach 14 at Onstage). Belinda has also done high-profile guestings in various TV shows like Click, Kahit Kailan and many more to further showcase her thespic talent.

Whatever pursuits these soul sisters take on, no doubt they will make the entertainment scene quite interesting.

Brad Turvey on RX 93.1

Manila’s hottest radio station, RX 93.1 welcomes commercial model Brad Turvey into the RX fold. Brad was introduced during the RX Singles Party billed Get Screwed held at the Blue Onion in Eastwood City, Libis, Brad joins Chico and Delamar of the Morning Rush, every Tuesday and Thursday, bringing his own wit and charm to music radio’s most popular morning program.

Get Screwed, the RX Singles Party, is an annual Valentine tradition. It was hosted by the witty, attractive jocks of the mid-morning program The Stretch, Boom Gonzalez and Francesca. Party goers also got to win great prizes. Lucky participants walked away with Casio watches, gift certificates from Urban Escape Spa and gift packs courtesy of San Miguel Beer.

Top nightclub act Jam Factory provided the music that the energetic crowd grooved to until the wee hours of the morning. Student DJs from the Saturday program Radio 1 partied the night away with listeners, right alongside the Air Staff of Monster Radio RX 93.1

Get Screwed, The RX Singles Party ushers in the pre-summer season for Monster Radio RX 93.1 the station with the hottest hits and the hippest parties for Generations X, Y, and Y Not! For month of March, listeners can watch out Yuppie Nights, the RX Party 2003, and the Monster Movie Premieres.