Did Martin really invite Pops as ninang?

It sounds petty but it has become a national issue, again because it involves the country’s most celebrated ex-couple, Martin Nievera and Pops Fernandez.

The "issue": Did Martin, as per the TV newscast, really offer Pops to be one of the godparents (ninangs) at the baptism of his month-old son Santino Martin with his beloved Katrina Ojeda?

It turned out that Martin’s comment during an ambush interview at the airport when he arrived Tuesday night (Nov. 21) from Las Vegas for a show tomorrow at the Mall of Asia, was cut, so that was what came out – that he was getting Pops as Santino’s godparent (along with, according to the list thus far, Brian McKnight, Michael Bublé, Virgie Ramos and Manny Pangilinan).

Pops herself knew the whole story, so she just shrugged it off, saying that, of course, Martin is decent enough to not make her such an offer because it’s not "socially appropriate." Yes, Pops and Martin are very good friends now, far better than they ever been.

So what’s Martin’s full statement?

Here it is (plus more), texted to Funfare by Martin himself:

First of all, I am very disapppointed with how my interviews at the airport were edited. It was very misleading. I made perfectly clear when I spoke about Pops and my desire to have her as ninang. Even before I ever said the ‘N’ word, I made it clear that I would never ask that of Pops, but that if this were a perfect world where beginnings and endings did not dictate one’s fate, that I would want her to be somehow some way be connected. If that means her being a ninang, then that’s the role she would play. So you see, it was just a figure of speech, not a plan.

My situation with Pops now is in a very nice place where she could be ninang to my child with another woman and I could stand in for her father (the late Eddie Fernandez) to give her away on her wedding day if and when another man ever promises her forever again. That’s all I meant.

I know the implications of asking an ex to be ninang or ninong for a child by another (partner). I am not that stupid. I am just foaming in the mouth with excitement on how Pops and I have grown. But that doesn’t meant I failed my history test enough to really ask her to be ninang. Come on, let’s grow up.

Anyway, Martin is leaving for the US Saturday night (Dec. 2) via PAL while Pops (who’s celebrating her 40th birthday on Dec, 12) will be busy with shows and the promo for Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah, Regal Films’ 2006 Metro Filmfest entry in which she’s playing her first ever kontrabida role ("You should see me," said Pops. "It’s a riot; not your usual kontrabida role na nakakainis. Nakakatuwa at nakakaaliw!").

On Dec. 31, Martin will kick off his year-long (with a three-month off) stint at the Steve Wyrick Theater in Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. But before that, he will have several shows lined up: On Dec. 2 and 3 at the Cache Creek Casino in Sacramento, California; on Dec. 9 in Maui, Hawaii; on Dec. 14 at a fund-raiser for Bantay-Bata in Palm Springs, California; and on Dec. 16 for the TFC (The Filipino Channel) affair in Honolulu.

(Note: For more on Pops and Martin, tune in to Showbiz Stripped this Saturday, Dec. 2, aired late night on GMA. And watch for a more comprehensive story in Conversations with Ricky Lo on Sunday, Dec. 3.)

Briefly Noted

• Kris Aquino is flying to Hong Kong today to join her mom, former Pres. Cory Aquino, at ceremonies honoring her as one of Time magazine’s 60 Years of Asian Heroes. Kris is accompanied by her son Josh, her personal make-up artist Bambbi Fuentes and her yaya Ana. Tita Cory and Kris’ sisters (Ballsy, Viel and Pinky) flew to Hong Kong together yesterday. The three other Filipinos on the 60 Asian Heroes list are Eugenia Apostol and Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc of The Philippine Daily Inquirer, and billiard king Efren "Bata" Reyes.

• No, there’s nothing wrong with Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos’ health. A showbiz-oriented talk show wrongly reported that Vilma was suffering from a "cervix" ailment. The truth is that Vilma’s "cervical spine" was examined after she complained of back pains which turned out to have been caused by a "pinched nerve." Nothing more serious than that. Now given a clean bill of health, will Mayor Vi run in next May’s elections (perhaps for Governor or Representative of Batangas, according to rumors)? "No such plan," Mayor Vi told Funfare. "All I want now is to finish my (third) term Mayor of Lipa." Early next year, she’ll fly to New York with John Lloyd Cruz to start shooting the winter scenes of their Star Cinema (just yet untitled) starrer. Then, she’ll be back for the election campaign (for husband, Sen. Ralph Recto, who’s running for reelection) and resume shooting for the movie.

• Funfare has just learned that Universal Records is set to announce that the Jose Mari Chan album Christmas in Our Hearts has just reached the status of Double Diamond Record in outstanding sales. It’s another "first" in the country. Released in 1990, the album earned multiple Platinum Awards in just a matter of weeks, finally reaching the unprecedented Diamond Record status, equivalent to 10-times Platinum. As of presstime, the album has attained 20-times Platinum mark. The only other Diamond Record Award that the recording industry has ever given was to the Constant Change album also by Jose Mari. Incidentally, on Dec. 8 at 8 p.m., Jose Mari will do a Christmas concert at the PAGCOR Amphitheater in Paranaque City, with guest Sitti (who, as we all know, has spearheaded the revival in the Philippines of the gentle provocative sound of bossa nova). Tickets are available at Ticketnet outlets.

• Don’t miss the replay on ETC at 12 noon today of The Tyra Banks Show where Juliana Palermo is the guest. The episode is entitled Sex 101 with Sex Expert Sue Johanson. It was shot during Juliana’s recent trip to L.A. The show gives her generous exposure.

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