Did Bernadette have to shed crocodile tears?

Up to now, even if things have started to become clearer, many people (this one included) are wondering if it was necessary for Bernadette Sembrano to shed what turned out to be "crocodile tears" last week on the ABS-CBN early-morning show Magandang Umaga Pilipinas (MUP) as she bade televiewers farewell because she was embarking on some "mysterious" trip.

Was she quitting television? Was she getting married but was simply too shy to admit it on national television? Where was she going ba talaga, Ate Bernadette, huh?

Bernadette’s co-hosts (Tintin Bersola and company) sniffed and sniffed, pretending to look sad, as Bernadette actually shed tears (which, I repeat, turned out to be "crocodile tears").

The cat was let out of the bag, so to speak, albeit through an "indiscretion" by an ABS-CBN staffer who, sigh, turned out to be not "in" on the whole phoney drama.

Yes, what you’ve read or heard somewhere is true: Bernadette is simply going to the States to shoot for three weeks for a new "may puso" (not to be mistaken for "kapuso") ABS-CBN show which will be pitted against rival channel GMA 7’s Wish Ko Lang which Bernadette used to host and is now anchored by Vicky Morales after Bernadette jumped ober da bakod.

Ah, so, that was what the "dramatic and tearful farewell" was all about – to mislead the competition?

I should say that Bernadette was a good actress. Maybe she should try acting in a soap when she comes back instead of resuming her job as The Insider anchor person?

Now, did that little drama kinda affect Bernadette’s credibility (you know, why resort to "fooling" the public in the name of network war?)? I think it did.

Anyway, next time you see Bernadette cry on TV (even on her new Wish-Ko-Lang-inspired show), charge it to the "crocodiles."

Yam signs up with top Hollywood agent

Congratulations to director Yam Laranas who has just signed a contract with top Hollywood talent agency International Creative Management, Inc. (ICM) which will henceforth represent him in Hollywood. ICM’s Renee Tab is in-charge of representing Yam in dealings with major studios, advertising agencies, music-video producers, etc.

What opened this opportunity for Yam was his film, Regal’s Sigaw, which represents the country at the Scream International Film Festival (of horror films) in Los Angeles in October.

"The funny thing," Yam told Funfare, "is that Renee Tab signed me up without watching The Echo (Sigaw) up to the end. She got too scared and can’t watch it alone. Hahanap raw siya ng kasama. And that’s exactly why she couldn’t wait to sign me up. Now, I can’t believe that I am actually turning down offers from several Hollywood agents. Kasi, ICM is the biggest and most powerful agency in the world. This was made possible and indirectly brokered by my good friend Roy Lee who is the executive producer of The Ring, The Grudge and Dark Water remakes. Roy says that he admires my directing skills and cinematographic techniques."

ICM talents (incomplete list) include:

• Actors: Richard Gere, Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder, Sharon Stone, Goldie Hawn, Liam Neeson, Steve Martin, Danny Glover, Rosie O’Donnell, Denzel Washington, Alan Cumming, Laura Dern, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Matthew McConaughey, Val Kilmer, Sam Neill, Shannon Elizabeth, Anthony Hopkins, Julia Roberts, Tommy Lee Jones, Natalie Portman, Meg Ryan, Naomi Campbell, David Duchovny, Sarah Michelle Geller, Eddie Murphy, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Jennifer Connelly, Jami Gertz, Ian McKellen, Lena Olin, Burt Reynolds, Diane Keaton, Kevin Pollack.

• Directors: Peter Jackson, Carl Franklin, Robert Altman, Mark Rydell, Paul Anderson, Hector Babenco, John Boorman, Christopher Cain, Dan Curtis, Joe Dante, Uli Edel, Sidney Furie, Randa Hanes, Stephen Herek, Reginald Hudlin, Peter Hyams, Mick Jackson, Neil Jordan, Sidney Lumet, Jonathan Lynn, Mike Newell, Philip Noyve, Don Roos, Vittorio Storaro, Betty Thomas, John Turturro, Paul Wendkos, John Whitesell, Yam Laranas, etc.

• Writers: Joe Estzerhas, Terry George, Akiva Goldsman, Reginald Hudlin, Peter Jackson, Matt Johnson, Neil Jordan, Christopher McQuarrie, Floyd Mutrux, George Nolfi, Don Roos, Ted Tally, Frances Walsh, Thomas Wheeler, Stan Zimmerman, Tim Kazurinsky.

"This, of course, would not be possible if not for Regal’s The Echo (Sigaw)," added Yam. "Mother Lily’s trust in me has given me this huge break. Roselle Monteverde’s support is so overwhelming and I am deeply thankful to the Monteverdes. Everyone in the staff also has done a fantastic job in producing The Echo. Roy Iglesias’ screenplay was just incredible. But, now a secret can be told: I wrote the story with my wife Gin de Mesa. And we are now developing another one with Roy Iglesias for Regal."

Well, what else could I say but, "Good luck, Yam!"

What’s Up?

• Renen de Guia is bringing The Beach Boys for a one-night concert on Oct. 7 at the Araneta Coliseum. Watch for it. (For inquiries, call Renen’s Ovation Productions at 532-8883 or 747-2143.)

• A new show called SALT (or Something Alternative, "the ultimate magazine show for today’s modern Filipino out to experience the best things in life and to taste some things that are alternative in nature") will start airing on Studio 23 tonight at 11:30 and every Thursday thereafter. Sounds like an interesting show. Watch it. Executive producer is R.J. Lista.

• From reader Alexander Ancelotti: In your Aug. 11 column entitled A Gallery of LVN Stars, you wrote that "Doña Aurora Avanceña vda. de Quezon and Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. wrote the stories of two LVN movies, Prinsipeng Hindi Tumatawa (1946) and Korea (1952) respectively…"

It is Doña Aurora Aragon vda. de Quezon, Not Avanceña. Her daughter, Zenaida, married an Avanceña after Zenaida’s first husband, Philip Buencamino III, was murdered by the Huks in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija. Doña Aurora, Maria Aurora (Baby) Quezon and then Quezon City Mayor Ponciano Bernardo were also killed in that ambush.

Also, Ninoy Aquino was not yet a senator when he wrote Korea in 1952.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected])