Rumor of the week: Ryan Gosling in Siargao
MANILA, Philippines - A frenzy erupted in Twitterverse when a rumor spread that actor Ryan Gosling was surfing in Siargao, Surigao del Norte. Known for his roles in The Notebook and Crazy, Stupid Love, the rumor had everyone questioning, from fangirls to celebrities, such as Ruffa Gutierrez and Maxene Magalona. Tweets poured in from users, some confirming his alleged presence with an Instagram photo. The rumor was eventually quelled with a tweet saying that he was in L.A. at the time of the “sighting,” on the set of a new movie. The Instagram photo was real (the abs were not Photoshopped), but it has been said that it was taken years ago in Miami, disappointing Filipino girls, feminist Ryan Gosling fans, and secretly, boys.
Miss Philippines Athena Imperial was crowned Miss Earth-Water, placing her among the ranks of Shamcey Supsup and Gwendoline Ruais, but a controversy met the recently concluded pageant. A screencap of Miss USA Nicole Kelley’s Facebook Wall went viral, with a post that said the Philippines is “dirty and noisy,” that “these people want to touch you and be with you all the time” and that she’s “scared to eat.” Kelley later denied the post, claiming that her account was hacked and that she was at a community garden tour when it was posted. Netizens expressed their disbelief, saying that she should have been grateful for being welcomed with open arms, while admitting that what she said was true.
Girls in conservative Singapore gathered for the very first Slutwalk, a worldwide campaign to fight sexual violence that started in April after a Canadian police officer said “Women should avoid dressing like sluts in order to not be victimized.” Based on the manifesto, society should stop blaming the victim, emphasize that “no” means “no,”and for women to reclaim their right to express their sexuality without fear. The global campaign has had 50 marches around the world and will include talks and workshops to discuss sexual assault and to provide support services for rape victims. According to Cher Tan, one of the organizers, the event is “not about the right to wear skimpy clothes, but rather the right to be without fear,” and that participants need not wear provocative attire in the rally, resulting in a low turnout of perverts, and therefore, rape. Mission accomplished.
Isis King, the first transgender model from hit series America’s Next Top Model is in the country to shoot a film called Hello Forever. The film will be about a mother looking for her lost child with Isis playing a transgender in search of love. The model and actress is having a blast in the Philippines, where she guested on Umagang Kay Ganda, shot for Mega magazine, and partied with locals at KYSS. Isis is the third ANTM personality who has visited the Philippines, after photographer Nigel Barker and runway coach Miss J. Beckys are hoping Tyra’s next, bringing with her all the fierce our country can handle.
Notorious ladies’ man Vic Sotto has found himself another girlfriend, this time in the form of co-host Pauleen Luna. The news was publicized last Tuesday by Philippine STAR columnist Ricky Lo who revealed the news after a close friend to the couple confirmed it. Bossing, as he is known to his loyal fans, has had a very colorful love life that once involved Dina Bonnevie, Coney Reyes, Christine Jacob, Kris Aquino and Pia Guanio. The news was met with shock (from girls) and reverence for Vic’s prowess (from boys), and a slew of comments, one of which was an open letter to Paolo Ballesteros saying “Keep up the drag queen dress-up and you just might be next on Vic Sotto’s list!”
A potential catfight broke out last Monday when President Aquino berated the Supreme Court and Chief Justice Renato Corona in the televised First National Criminal Justice Summit at the Manila Hotel. In his speech, he grilled the Supreme Court for stopping him from going after ex-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and that they should be serving the Filipino people. Officials were disturbed by this tirade and described the President as a “bully,” but Corona did not react during the speech and even shook hands with the President. Supreme Court spokesman Midas Marquez announced that Corona would not resign and that he would just “let it be, it’s almost Christmas,” but we suspect Corona’s Burn Book will be filled with pictures of Aquino and catty remarks.
Just when DJ Mo Twister was about to leave the country and escape his “dark place,” a video of him was uploaded on YouTube tearfully narrating an abortion his then-girlfriend Rhian Ramos had in 2010. In it, he blames her family, her manager and her station, forcing GMA to file suits against the DJ for “malicious and false imputations.” According to Mo, he did not have anything to do with uploading, saying that he sold many of his items including his computers just before leaving for New York, but that Rhian knew of the video’s existence. Rhian was described as traumatized and has filed for a temporary protection order and a harassment case against Mo, saying that he violated the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004. He later apologized to Rhian and the network, but spoke further about his grief over the abortion, prolonging the issue and making things more awkward for everybody.