Jasmine Curtis Smith remains a Kapatid

Just when everyone thought that Jasmine Curtis Smith is joining sister Anne Curtis over at the Kapamilya network, the sweet-looking and award-winning actress doused all speculations when she signed an exclusive three-year contract with the Kapatid network on Wednesday night at the P. F. Chang’s restaurant located in Bonifacio Global City.

Speculations ran wild that Jasmine might make the move to be with her sister as she expressed hope to do a project with her. But Wilma Galvante, the network content manager of  TV5, said negotiations took a little long because Jasmine’s manager Betchay Vidanes (who also handles action star Robin Padilla) went on vacation and they wanted her to come back for the contract signing. Jasmine is considered a prized possession of TV5 when she joined the station two years ago and the company headed by Noel Lorenzana is not letting her go.

Lorenzana, for his part, said they are happy to have Jasmine in the network.

“I am happy with TV5. They have been very good to me and very understanding. I have not been able give them much of my time because of my schedule in school. But they have been patient with me. They did not give up on me,” said Jasmine during the presscon. 

She expects 2014 to be a busy year: lined up for her are a drama series bearing her name, a movie with Superstar Nora Aunor and a hosting job. She promises to work even harder and hope that as her career in showbiz progresses, she also grows with the network.

The drama series of Jasmine will have TV5 partnering with topnotch ad agency Unitel. This is part of the network’s move to come up with different projects, which we normally don’t see on TV.

Jasmine expressed elation that TV5 is giving her a weekly drama series. “I am happy to be venturing on my own show. I used to just be the leading lady, or a support cast to the leading man, like when I did the series with David Archuleta. Now, my time to shine has come. I don’t see other actresses as competitors because we all have our own unique traits. We just have to fulfill what the network expects from us,” said the Best Supporting Actress winner for “Transit.”

When told that she might do a movie with Nora, Jasmine said she is looking forward to it. “She is an icon and I know she’s a seasoned actress. I know I’d learn a lot from her and I certainly hope the project pushes through,” added Jasmine.

She now hosts the first -ever social media music show titled “SPINNation” which airs live every Saturday, 11 p.m. on TV5.

While singing is not her strong point (although she can carry a tune when doing mall shows), Jasmine said she wants to prove herself as a versatile performer  - one who can dance, host and act. She hopes to be a well-rounded artist and she  believes that TV5 can help her achieve this dream through the projects lined up for her.

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Director Wenn V. Deramas is staking his claim (or his throne) as the box-office director of  the Metro Manila Film Festival as he takes his tandem with unkaboggable star Vice Ganda to another level via “Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy.”

This early, many are predicting that the latest comedy caper from Star Cinema and Viva Films, featuring Vice Ganda in not two, but four, characters will capture the box-office diadem in the festival. It’s Vice Ganda times four and as Direk Wenn said at the movie’s presscon, it’s four times the fun and laughter.

Direk Wenn’s box-office record in the festival is not a laughing matter. Last year, “Sisterakas” which he also helmed, was the number one film. Same with “Ang Tanging Ina 2” which starred Ai Ai delas Alas some years ago.  Direk Wenn seems to have found a perfect match with Vice Ganda, with their projects “Praybeyt Benjamin” and “Petrang Kabayo” raking in big at the box-office.

Direk Wenn said doing “Girl, Boy, Bakla Tomboy” was a big challenge. After all, it’s no mean feat to direct four Vice Gandas, all at the same time. Most of the scenes involving Vice Ganda have the four characters together. While he joked that he might be trying to kill himself in accepting the project, Direk Wenn is confident he was able to weave a good story about family and relationships that would touch the viewers even as they laugh themselves to death.

“Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy” also stars Maricel Soriano, with the Diamond Star agreeing to lend support to Vice who unabashedly admitted that he is a big fan of the actress who is adept both in drama and comedy. The collaboration between Direk Wenn, Vice and Maricel should spell magic at the box-office.

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Michelle Madrigal, Kevin Santos and Jacky Woo are the featured guests in tonight’s episode of “Bubble Gang.” Among the featured segments are gags about homeless people, spoof of the spaghetti commercial, Aling Mary (a sketch about a lady who is always hot-headed towards her clients), Ikaw at ang Ina (a mother giving advice to her daughter), Tatalino (an old wise man in the woods gives pieces of advice to those in need), akyat bahay (a man looking for a gift for his godson, decided to rob a house but didn’t realize that the house where he stole the gifts from was his godfather’s house). Mr Assimo strikes again! This time he clashes with his nephew who wants to take a picture with Santa Claus. Then he also argues with the carolers.