Willie loveless not only  this Christmas

 Curtain-raiser:

• While her estranged husband Martin Jickain is presumed to be spending a blue (?) Christmas, Aiko Melendez (photo) will, according to a Funfare DPA, will have silver bells ringing during the holidays, as if it’s forever Christmastime in her life. Reason: Aiko has found a new love in the person of Patrick Meneses, vice mayor of a Bulacan town said to be good-looking enough to be an actor. Two people looking much in love and looking very much like Aiko and Patrick were spotted in Hong Kong last Dec. 16 which happened to be Aiko’s birthday. Aiko separated from Martin barely six months ago and there’s an annulment case between them. Has Aiko recovered so soon? Oh well, love does work in mysterious ways.

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If a picture paints a thousand words, as the song goes, can you imagine the ten of thousands of words the three pictures on this page will speak?

But Willie Revillame insists that there’s nothing romantic between him and Cristine Reyes who so far hasn’t confirmed if she has already broken up with Dennis Trillo after the traumatic controversy involving them and Dennis’ other girlfriend, Carlene Aguilar, mother of his love child.

“Let’s just say that I am only a shoulder to cry on for Cristine who needs some comforting these days,” Willie said when Funfare pushed him against the wall for a comment. “We are just friends, honest. The truth is that I am loveless this Christmas. Correction: Not only this Christmas but for several months now. I tell you, I’ve been ‘celibate’ for a long time now.”

Okay, down with those eyebrows now!

Last week Cristine tagged along with her Ate Ara Mina to Guam where Ara guested in the staging of Wowowee there. That’s where Willie and Cristine became close...friends.

“Since Cristine was there,” added Willie, “I asked her to do a song number and she obliged. I’m thankful to her for that.”

Willie explained that the Wowowee entourage were so comfortable and so casual with one another that they didn’t have inhibitions about joking and teasing around — with malice toward none?

Then a few days ago, Willie and Cristine, together with Edgar Mortiz and composer Lito Camo, were having lunch at Italianni’s on Tomas Morato Ave., Quezon City, and guess who also happened to be there — yes, Becbec Soriano, her mom Linda Martinez and her daughter Meryll. Becbec is Maricel Soriano’s younger sister and the former girlfriend of Willie who bore her a daughter (yes, Meryll who is now babysitting her and estranged husband Bernard Palanca’s first-born).

“Yes,” Willie admitted, “it’s true. Nagkita-kita kami doon. Becbec’s group just came from a workout nearby. I introduced Cristine to Becbec, her mom, and Meryll.”

Still and all, Willie (separated from wife Liz Almoro who has filed a petition for annulment of marriage against him) stood pat on his word that he and Cristine are not an item — yet?

“Basta, friends lang kami.”

For now?

Asked what his fondest Christmas wish is, Willie sounded sad.

“To see my Juanio (his son with Liz). I haven’t seen him for a long time.”

Vanessa survives the ‘cyclone’

Looks like Vanessa Hudgens’ career has survived the cyclone that hit her recently when her racy photos made the rounds on the Internet in September.

This was reported to Funfare by Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre (news editor of The Filipino reporter).

The talented Fil-Am brunet, who turned 19 on Dec.14, is hotter than ever, according to Hollywood insiders. Not only did she sign on for Disney’s High School Musical 3 (set to begin early next year), she also received a “substantial increase in pay,” according to Us magazine. One publication said Vanessa will get close to $3-M for HSM 3 (she reportedly received $1-M each for the two previous HSMs).

Just recently, she was said to be looking to get herself a house in Hollywood in the $2-M range.

And last Dec. 12, Vanessa performed for President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush at the TNT’s Christmas in Washington at the National Building Museum, along with other A-list performers. (In the ’90s, another Filipina, Lea Salonga, also performed for then President George Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush.)

In her solo number, continued Edmund’s report, Vanessa sang The Christmas Song (you know: chestnuts roasting on an open fire). Although it was not her best performance (she sounded a bit nervous), she was ravishing in her long black gown, with the President and First Lady seemed to be really enjoying Vanessa’s number when the camera cut to their reactions. Luckily, Vanessa sounded magnificent (and more relaxed) in her Christmas medley number with American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee and R ’n B star Ne-Yo.

Said Edmund, “Critics of Vanessa earlier predicted her career was so over after her nude pictures came out (it was not revealed who leaked the photos). The scandal also prompted showbiz publications to speculate her removal from the Disney franchise, with OK! magazine reporting that a member of the Cheetah Girls would be replacing Vanessa.

“But it’s really hard to put a good and extremely talented person down. After Vanessa sought her fans’ forgiveness and vowed to be more careful next time, they (Disney executives included) seem to have forgiven her. People close to the young Fil-Am actress and singer said she will do her best to not disappoint her fans again — ever!”

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