Kris goes on leave; Edu takes over as GKNB? host

Curtain-raisers:

• Funfare has been swamped by all sorts of opinions from readers who want to have their say on the Kris-James-Hope brouhaha, some defending Kris Aquino and others defending James Yap. Most of the Funfare readers agree that Hope Centeno shouldn’t have come out in the open (to defend herself, said Hope) because, in the first place, she wasn’t identified by Kris and James when the couple appeared together on TV (on The Buzz) for the first time. What I like is the opinion of reader "KY" from New York who wrote, "Kris should have done a Hillary Clinton who conducted herself with dignity in public and stuck to her husband, Bill Clinton, through thick and thin during the Monica Lewinsky incident and, according to accounts, ‘confronted’ Bill only in the privacy of their bedroom." Oh, well, but not every woman can be a Hillary Clinton, right?

• Like all actresses who get pregnant out of wedlock, Tanya Garcia has admitted on national television that, yes, she’s eight-weeks pregnant by Pampanga Gov. Mark Lapid. A reader was asking what the difference is between stars today and stars of yesterday. This: Years ago, when actresses got pregnant out of wedlock, they hid it. Now, they announce it with pride and happiness for the whole world to know. Tanya said that she and Mark might get married next year.

• From reader M. Lozada, Boy Scout of the Philippines, Muntinlupa Council: Dear Mr. Lo, I read your column dated Feb. 22, 2007, referring to Mr. Lito Camo as owner of the popular song Boom Tarat-Tarat. I have my doubts about this, considering that we have been using this fanfare chant in our boy scout campings many years back with the same tune and lyrics as sung in the popular noontime show Wowowee. The Boom Tarat-Tarat song could have been derived from the pep-up chant popularly used in boy scout gatherings and as a signature awards call in many father-and-son camps conducted by this writer. (Note: According to reliable sources close to Lito Camo, Lito sold for "not less than P3 million" the rights of the song to senatoriable Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri as campaign song. But Lito reportedly said that he let Migz use the song "for free.")

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No, it’s not Toni Gonzaga who’s taking over as host of Pilipinas, Game Ka Na Ba? (GKNB) and/or Deal or No Deal now that Kris Aquino has been advised by her doctor to take a rest and stop appearing on TV to avoid being stressed further by the brouhaha involving her, her husband James Yap and the woman named Hope Centeno.

Yes, it’s Edu Manzano who will take over GKNB? today.

"Toni cannot do it because she’s hosting Pinoy Big Brother," said Cory Vidanes, ABS-CBN SVP for TV Production. "But Edu will host for only one week. After that, we’ll see who will do the job on a weekly basis until Kris comes back after she gives birth (on May 6, by Caesarian section)."

Edu is, of course, not new to hosting a game show. He hosted The Weakest Link for several seasons, so he’s the perfect replacement for Kris.

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Meanwhile, here’s Kris’ complete statement, read by co-host Boy Abunda on last Sunday’s edition of The Buzz from which Kris is also on maternity leave. (Note: Last Friday, Funfare published the "official statement" of James Yap in which he said that he would do anything, short of saying "Sorry" to Kris every day for the rest of his life just to atone for whatever "mistake" — not telling Kris early on that he had a "stalker" in the person of Hope Centeno — he has done to her.)

I write this while I’m still confined at the Makati Medical Center, fearful about the condition and ultimate survival of my son, scared about how I’ll make it through the coming two months of complete bed rest. The truth is, the one place I’ve always felt invincible in was inside the studio. This was where I could excel; where, despite my deepest hurt, I could have several hours of joy; my safe haven because I love interacting with my guests and my players, and my staff showered me with support and care.

Now, even that work that I’ve done on a daily basis for nearly 12 years is taken away from me. I had a very different piece written yesterday afternoon. I submitted it to Louie (Andrada), our TV head, to be read on The Buzz today. It was after Louie left that I read in my book, Beauty For Ashes, Receiving Emotional Healing by Joyce Meyer, a Christian minister with a worldwide following, this verse: "If we want to forgive and recover from hurt and wounds, we must not talk loosely about the problem or the person who caused it." Further she wrote, "If you want to get better, you cannot be bitter."

Lastly, and most important to me at this point in my life, Joyce Meyer wrote, "Why does God make us wait for healing? Waiting is the most difficult part, how well we wait reveals whether we have faith in God."

Faith in God’s plan for tomorrow is the one thing I have left. I believe that God didn’t put me and Baby James in our current situation if we won’t eventually be in a much better place. The next few months are a test I must endure to determine how good that place will be.

Last Wednesday night, I came dangerously close to delivering Baby James at only 29 weeks. My contractions were very strong, coming at three- to four-minute intervals. My baby’s heartbeat was weakening and my cervix was already dilated. He is barely three pounds at this point and for the past two days I’ve endured extremely painful steroid shots to help strengthen the lungs of Baby James and increase his chances of survival.

At least five times a day, my fingers are pricked to check that my gestational diabetes is kept in control to ensure that my baby’s health is not put in further peril. My food intake is closely regulated and the only time I’m allowed to get out of bed is for bathroom privileges.

There is so much I want to say, so much in the past month and a half that I’ve had to endure. I’ve asked God for healing but I must allow Him to do so, to heal me and my family, and the only way for my Lord and Savior to do so is for me to not keep reopening the wounds. This much is true, the truth I hold on to: I wanted to save my marriage, to give my unborn son what is rightfully his, a family.

Let me extend my heartfelt thanks to all the people, my family, friends, co-workers, fans and even total strangers who have checked on my condition, offered prayers for my son’s safety, and expressed their affection and support. To all of you, I just want to say thank you for being a source of strength for me during this time when I’m at my emotional and physical weakest.

I now say a temporary goodbye to all of you. In the coming weeks, my one focus is to be the best mom I can possibly be, to Josh and his baby brother. The only way I can succeed at this is to leave this spectacle behind me and totally retreat from the public eye. Please know how much I will miss being a part of your daily TV-viewing. I’ve always said that my career’s biggest blessing has been that all of you who have tuned in to my shows, allowed me to become a part of your family.

And now, it’s my turn to focus on the two people who truly matter in my life, my two biggest blessings, my two sons, Josh and Baby James. And at the end of the day, after all has been said and done, my ability to give them a good life is what matters most.

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