Paulo Avelino sorry over joke, but EnPress members not convinced

PLUS:

- Jane Oineza’s time to shine

- Aiko Melendez joins “Apoy sa Dagat”

Paulo Avelino and Entertainment

Press Society (EnPress) President

CEBU, Philippines - Jun Nardo met during the last shooting day of Paulo’s movie “The Bride and the Lover” on Monday in Quezon City.

The actor had made peace with the EnPress president after he offended the group at the Golden Screen TV Awards last March 1 at Teatrino, Greenhills.

Paulo attended the Golden Screen TV Awards where he won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for the ABS-CBN drama “Walang Hanggan.”

When he was asked by EnPress members to present one of the awards, Paulo declined and asked that EnPress ask permission from his manager Leo Dominguez. Even after Leo agreed, the Kapamilya actor told the audience that the job of a presenter had been forced on him. “Mahirap magtrabaho kapag napipilitan ka lang,” Paulo said on mic.

He later claimed that what he said was a joke but EnPress members, this writer included, were not amused and not convinced. We found Paulo’s joke offensive and uncalled for.  In our opinion, it was a sign of disrespect, to say the least. Even if it was meant as a joke, it wasn’t funny at all. And it was a joke that backfired.

Naturally, the offended EnPress lashed out at Paulo for his uncalled for remark.

“Hindi ko na-realize na ganon pala ang impact ng joke ko. I actually felt bad dahil hindi naman ‘yun ‘yung intensyon ko. Pero I wasn’t… hindi ako maingat sa nasabi ko,” Paulo later admitted to TV reporters who covered the last shooting day of the movie that co-stars him with Lovi Poe and Jennylyn Mercado.

While Paulo did send his apologies through a text message and a phone call to Jun Nardo, it was only on Monday that they met accidentally in person on the movie set.

While EnPress had yet to talk about Paulo’s “bad joke” in a meeting, Jun, in his capacity as EnPress president, accepted Paulo’s apology, but said he has to hear the sentiments of EnPress members as regards Paulo’s case.

Jun also corrected erroneous reports that EnPress was considering recalling Paulo’s award.

Paulo, for his part, said he learned a valuable lesson from the incident. “Be more sensitive in things that you say. I also learned that I’m really not a comedian. Kahit ano gawin ko, hindi pasok,” he was quoted as saying.

It would be interesting to hear what other members of EnPress would say about the incident even if our president already accepted the actor’s apology. As far as we are concerned, we maintain that Paulo was not joking when he said that. He was dead serious. While we are also inclined to accept Paulo’s apology, should we be on guard whenever Paulo opens his mouth?

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A familiar face on television because of her stint as an original “Goin’ Bulilit” Kid, Jane Oineza has been working as a child actress since the age of four. She blossomed into a young woman on the shows “Ligaw na Bulaklak” and “Maria La Del Barrio.”

Her work as an actress was recognized at the young age of 16 here and abroad. Her “Maalaala Mo Kaya” episode opposite Angel Aquino as an abused child earned her a nomination at the prestigious New York Festival.

Jane says she wants to be like Bea Alonzo, who is a versatile actress and she is looking forward to trying different roles in the future. She wants to try action like the Angelina Jolie movie “Salt.” She also wants to do dramatic comedies like “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” She hopes to stay and work in ABS-CBN in more years to come.

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Award-winning actress Aiko Melendez will soon be part of the hot and compelling story of ABS-CBN's top-rating primetime drama series "Apoy Sa Dagat." She will portray the character of Odessa, the mother of the twins Rebecca and Serena (Angelica Panganiban), initially played by Nikki Gil in the series' well-acclaimed back story.

After 20 years, Odessa will return to the lives of the Del Sol family. Unlike before, she is now a stronger and more powerful woman who is determined to reclaim what were taken from her as the rightful wife of Alberto del Sol (Patrick Garcia) and the mother of daughter Rebecca.

How far will Odessa go in correcting her mistakes to her daughters? What will she do once she discovers that Rebecca has suffered in the hands of Adrianna (Angel Aquino), the woman who has been pretending to be Alberto's wife? How will she face the truth that her other daughter Rosanna is alive and carrying the name Serena? (FREEMAN)