Nora is finally here; is Iza leaving GMA?

• They were an unlikely kissing partners. The actor is very much married and the singer-actress has just broken up with her actor/TV-host boyfriend. They were in the Business Class of a flight from Vancouver. Their co-passengers (one of them happened to be a Funfare DPA) were wondering if there was “something” between them because when the lights were off after dinner, the actor and the actress were, as the DPA put it, “exchanging stolen kisses on the lips.” Friendly kisses or “meaningful” kisses? Oh well, maybe a series of “good night, sleep tight” kisses? His name has an “r” and an “o” and hers has an “l,” an “n” and an “o.”

•If the good-looking new director (who seems to be more focused on romancing than on directing) is deadest on marrying his foreigner-girlfriend (co-host of a noontime show), he is legally free to do so because his marriage to a PR/talent-manager is annulled. The girl must be so in love because instead of going with her co-hosts on a European assignment, she went with her boyfriend-director to Hong Kong.

•So what is it that you cannot live without? Ask a TV-host/actress and she might tell you that, yes, it’s a bottle of alcohol which she has always ready especially when she’s on the set shaking (very reluctantly!) hands with fans between takes. “Pagkatapos makipagkamay n’yan,” complained a fan (not anymore!), “nagpupunas kaagad ng alcohol.” Clue? There are two “n’s,” two “o’s” and two “a’s” in her name.

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Last week, I won P1,000 when I placed a bet that Nora Aunor wouldn’t arrive.

This time…Huhuhuhu!...I just lost P1,000 to the same friend who was rendered P1,000 poorer last week. He bet on Nora arriving today as reported. Hmmm, win some, lose some.

After a series of false alarms, Nora finally(!!!) arrived at 3:45 this morning on a Philippine Airlines PR 103 from Los Angeles accompanied by her bosom-friend-cum-adviser Suzette Ranillo.

By the time you’re reading this, Nora must be trying to shake off jetlag and preparing for a lunch presscon, ready to field all the juicy questions that the media and the general public have been trying to ask but never had the chance to.

Nora is staying for three months. A Funfare source said that her round-trip plane ticket was paid by Laguna Gov. ER Ejercito who has tapped Nora as the replacement of Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos as his co-star in El Presidente, a film about Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo which ER himself is producing. ER has more than enough millions to produce another movie, which is a remake of Asiong Salonga, the ‘60s action-drama that made his Uncle Erap (former Pres. Joseph Estrada) a star. Nora will play Aguinaldo’s second wife, the same role turned down by Vilma.

While here, Nora will also topbill a 20-episode drama series for TV5 which is footing the bill for today’s presscon  “But not her hotel bill,” said the TV5 source.

On Thursday or Friday, Nora’s ever-loyal friend John Rendez will follow.

“Aside from the ER movie and the TV5 show,” according to Nora’s ever-faithful-ever-true friend-adviser-mentor German “Kuya Germs” Moreno, “Nora has no other commitment.”

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Iza Calzado: Turning Kapamilya or Kapatid?

There’s a rumor going around that Iza Calzado is moving to either ABS-CBN (Kapamilya) or TV5 (Kapatid) from GMA (Kapuso) which has been her discoverer and home for several years.

True or false?

I texted Iza’s manager Noel Ferrer and here’s his answer:

“We were just dismissing the news about Iza’s transfer. Truth is, we haven’t sat down with ABS-CBN or TV5 to talk about any transfer. The only thing that Iza mentioned to Artist Center (of GMA) is that she would want to have an informed decision, kaya gusto lang niya malaman ang options niya aside from the GMA offer.

“Pero never po talaga kami nakipag-usap or nakipag-negotiate with any network. Basta, Iza is open to any good and long-term plan for her.

“At least, whether we renew her contract with GMA or not, it will be an informed decision and that she is fully aware of her options. Let’s admit it: Iza is no upstart who will just wait for a project to come her way. We really have to plan her career moves talaga, especially as an actress, dancer, host and endorser of her caliber.”

Manila’s Five Prettiest revived

Manila’s Five Prettiest, the biggest and most prestigious search for the loveliest and prettiest gays, has been revived. The pageant’s organizer, Futura Betera, got the blessing from the family of the late Jun Encarnacion (founder and organizer0 to revive the search which started in the ‘80s and stopped in 1995.

Thirty-seven candidates were chosen by the screening committee. The coronation night was held on July 30 at the Pope Pius Auditorium, hosted by Onin Mas and 2011 Miss Philippines-Earth Emmerie Dale Cunanan.

Crowned by 1995 winners Barbie Anderson and Kate Montecarlo, the Lucky Five were (photo) Matrica Mae Centino of Samar/Leyte, Channa Mendis of Iloilo, Rain Marie Madrigal of Cebu City, and Trixie Maristela and Michelle Binas both of Manila.

– Reported by Funfare’s ‘beauty experts’ Felix Manuel, Joey Cezeare, Gery Yumping and Francis Calubaquib.     

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