Do I sound like an irate F4/Meteor Garden fan dying to wring Joed’s neck? No. That friendly advice came not from me but from concerned F4/Meteor Garden followers who are disturbed by Joed’s pronouncement on national television.
According to a spokesperson of Sony Music (distributor of F4 albums), contrary to what Joed has been saying, F4 is intact, with a new album to be released early next year.
"I don’t know where ‘that guy’ got the news he’s spreading with impunity," said the Sony spokesperson. "May pagka-taklesa din naman siya."
In fact, the Sony spokesperson added, when Vanness Wu (as Mei Zuo) and Ken Zhu (Xi Men) come for a one-night concert on Sept. 13 at the ULTRA, they will prove Joed wrong and announce to all and sundry that the F4 guys are still together although they each have individual projects. The two other guys, Jerry Yan (Dao Ming Si) and Vic Zhou (Hua Ze Lei), have begged off from their Manila concert because they’re tied down to their respective solo projects.
But Barbi Xu (a.k.a. Big S) will be performing with Vanness and Ken, together with such homegrown talents as Gary Valenciano, Pops Fernandez, Aiza Seguerra and the South Border. Big S will sing with her younger sister, popularly known in Taiwan as Little S.
As every F4/Meteor Garden knows, Vanness is the only F4 member who speaks English, having been born and raised in the US. He started break-dancing on the streets of California at an early age and was part of the US-based all-Chinese boy band The L.A. Boyz. He even made a "guest" appearance in the Run DMC video It’s Like That (as one of the male breakers involved in a showdown with a group of girls).
Incidentally, Vanness has just released his first solo album called Body Will Sing (Sony Music). He’ll do some selections from that album at his and Ken’s ULTRA show.
(Tickets to the concert start at P10,500 and P5,000. If you have that much money to spare, go buy a ticket. Otherwise, you can buy the F4 albums and listen to your heart’s content in the privacy of your room while your TV set is tuned in to Meteor Garden. Okay, fine?)
The latest news about Stephen, courtesy of STAR writer Jonathan Chua, is that he has gotten married to his boyfriend Andrew Cowles at a Las Vegas chapel last week.
Jonathan said he got the news from his pen-pal Andy (from Cebu) and it was confirmed by the Ronan Keating (another Boyzone member) news group.
Stephen was introduced to Andrew by Elton John after Stephen and his former boyfriend Eloy broke up. Andrew, 25, runs a computer/Internet business. Stephen, 27, is now playing Joseph in a play in London’s West End.
Here’s the official word from Stephen’s agent:
"Stephen and Andy went to Las Vegas on holiday and decided to attend a commitment ceremony. (They) have been together for a while now and they decided they were ready for more commitment. I don’t think they told anyone else about it; they just wanted an intimate ceremony with the two of them. I have spoken to Stephen (today) and he said he’s very happy."
In Las Vegas, the newlyweds wore baseball caps and jeans to make themselves look anonymous.
Reader "Meg" sent Funfare a clipping of El Nuevo Dia which carried this story:
At the home of Marc Anthony and Dayanara Torres, there was a great uproar with the arrival of their son, Ryan Anthony. It is said that the singer is hoarse from shouting so much and that the new baby looks just like his brother, Christian.
The second son of the famous couple was born Saturday, at 11:40 a.m., at Northshore University Hospital in Long Island, almost two weeks before the due date as foreseen by her doctor, via natural childbirth.
At the moment of giving birth, Miss Universe 1993 was accompanied by her mother, Lucy Delgado. Marc arrived minutes later because he was at his recording studio. Dayanara’s brothers, Ricky and Joey Torres, are also celebrating on the island and are waiting for the moment to travel to the United States to meet their nephew.
"I'm happy. I was working when Daysi (the secretary at Marc's office) called to tell me that Yari had given birth. The men at the company found out because I began to yell. In the afternoon, Marc phoned me and we laughed. He sounded very happy. We are waiting for Marc’s office to make travel arrangements because he wants all the family to get together as soon as possible," Joey commented to El Nuevo Día.
Joey, who worked with Marc Anthony on his security team in 2002, also spoke with his sister. " Yari sound well and relieved because this time she was anxious. This pregnancy had seemed very long to her."
On the other hand, Ricky manifested his desire to see his nephew. "I’m crazy about going to see my nephew. My mother was in Puerto Rico, but she left a week before Yari was to give birth," Ricky said.
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph)