Anna Fegi: A hairy transformation

Parting is such sweet sorrow, all right, but when Anna Fegi decided to part with her five-year-old locks she felt more relief than regret.

"Now I feel lighter," said Anna who now sports a shorter hairstyle. Almost one foot was cut. Did I feel sentimental about it and keep the cut portions? No, I did not."

It was Pin Antonio who did the cutting four weeks ago.

"Why did I grow my hair that long? Well, not many people know that several years ago, I shaved my head, parang si Sinead O’Connor. But she was not the one who inspired me to do it. I was in the States then and I was kind of confused. Later, I decided to grow it long."

Her friends advised Anna, a native of Cebu and a graduate of University of San Jose Recoletos, to wear a wig but "No, thanks," she said.

"I hate anything fake," said Anna, "whether hair or boobs. Flat can be sexy, too, di ba, as long as you have a good butt."

Even those used to seeing Anna with her old hairstyle (which has become her "trademark") swear that she looks better with the new one. Judge for yourselves when Anna interprets Arnel de Pano’s composition Kailan Kita Mamahalin at the ABS-CBN’s Himig Handog Love Songs 2004 on March 5 and during her concert Anna Fegi: Stage and Screen at Philamlife Theater on March 20.

‘Choking’ Comedienne

Believe it or not but Marissa Sanchez nearly choked to death when she accidentally swallowed her pustiso (false tooth).

It happened a few days ago during Gladys Guevarra’s birthday party. Marissa was eating a malagkit when she noticed something hard. Thinking it was a peanut, she kept on chewing. It was after she swallowed the malagkit did she realize that the hard object was her false tooth (the only one she has).

Fortunately, Gladys’ doctor-boyfriend was around to give Marissa the Heimlich maneuver (the manual application of sudden upward pressure on the upper abdomen of a choking victim to force a foreign object from the windpipe). And Marissa did vomit – spitting out the pustiso.

With relief, Marissa managed to amuse Gladys’ other well-wishers by joking, "Sayang naman ‘yung malagkit; naisuka ko pa. Ang sarap pa naman!"

Moral lesson?

Keep those false teeth firmly glued before you bite into a malagkit.

Pinay Trio Making Good In The US

Don’t look now but a trio called Honey Luv making waves in California is composed of beautiful and talented Filipinas, namely sisters Alisha and Gigi Floresca and their soul sister Leslye Maninang-Salfen, all from the San Jose (California) Bay Area.

The trio is managed by Fo’Reel Entertainment, the company that discovered and signed Grammy-winner Rapper Nelly.

Asked what makes Honey Luv (going back to California today after a brief homecoming) different from other girl groups, they said, "Well, first of all we’re Filipino and we’re family; those are our two strengths."

Alisha and Gigi’s older brother is married to Leslye’s older sister. The three were inseparable since their diaper days.

They were formerly known as Premiere when they recorded the single Somethin’ About You which earned them worldwide recognition. As Honey Luv, they create an infectious urban sound with their smooth harmonies and hot R&B tracks.

You’ll soon be hearing more of Honey Luv and their unique sound. Stay tuned.

Crying Ladies Earning Well In US Run

Here’s a follow-up to yesterday’s story about the rave reviews for Unitel Pictures’ Crying Ladies, from Funfare’s Toronto-based "international correspondent" Ferdinand Lapuz:

New York City (February 23) – Unico Entertainment, a newly-formed theatrical film distribution company, has no reason to cry since Crying Ladies, the company’s theatrical debut, generated enough heat in its limited release during an otherwise lackluster box office weekend to garner the No. 1 per screen average for the weekend ending Feb. 22. Opening on 10 screens in five select markets (New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Honolulu), Crying Ladies successfully tapped the heavy Filipino population in those cities, packing the Pearl Ridge moviehouse in Aiea, Honolulu, the Century 20 Theater in Daly City, and the Regal Cinemas in Chula Vista and Cerritos.

The film’s total three-day gross was $65,664 on 10 screens, with a per screen average of $6,566, the highest of the box-office weekend. The weekend’s No. 1 film at the box-office, 50 First Dates, had a per screen average of $5,900; other films which just opened last Friday and made it into the Top 10 had lower per-screen averages, including Confessions of A Teenage Drama Queen and the Meg Ryan starrer Against The Ropes.

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