He may not be an enchanting vampy seductress but men from all walks of life are fast becoming riveted to his intoxicating androgynous appeal.

“I’m just here to work,” he states at the presscon of her Star Cinema movie Praybeyt Benjamin. “Intrigues, I have long stopped paying attention to.

“Kahit naman ano pa ang gawin mo, people would still have their preconceived notion about you, so mas OK na lang na manahimik. The more you try to explain, the more na parang lumalabas na defensive ka. Basta ako, I’m happy with the way my career has prospered and I really thank God for the wonderful things that He’s given me.”

The movie Praybeyt Benjamin under Star Cinema and Viva films is definitely an affirmation of the kind of status that he has in the business of late.

“I’m happy to be really blessed,” he says. “But I don’t delude myself with the belief that all of this is going to last forever. At one point, you need to accept that even the best of times don’t last forever.”

Very true.

How is he coping up with success?

“Honestly,” he opines, “it’s not something I really did come to expect. Basta dumating na lang at ibinigay ng Diyos dahil hindi naman siguro ako masamang tao.

“I worked so hard for my family,” he says. “Gusto ko mabigyan ng sariling bahay ang nanay ko at nagawa ko naman. So, right now, I’m really very, very happy.”

Wonderful as things are, he knows that everything in this world is basically ephemeral or transitory.

“Wala namang permanenteng bagay sa mundong ito, di ba?” he muses. “Basta ako, ini-enjoy ko lang ang kung anumang naririyan and I’m not expecting na lagi ’yang naririyan. Basta ako, lagi na lang akong nagpapasalamat sa mga blessings na dumarating.

“I also don’t squander my earnings and I always make it a point to really save and value my earnings and the good fortune that are coming my way,” he adds.

What about his love life?

“Meron naman and he’s nice guy,” he shares. “Minsan nga lang, he gets affected with the things that he gets to read about me. Kaya sabi ko sa kanya, he just have to trust me.”

Anyway, shifting to other interesting topics, how was it working with a hunk like Derek Ramsay?

“OK naman,” he says stoically. And we know why.

Anyway, the movie that is set to open on October 12 also stars Eddie Garcia, Derek Ramsay (and his six-packed abs), Carlos Agassi, DJ Durano, Kean Cipriano, Tutti Karingal and Nikki Valdez.

 

Actress wants to be dominated

She’s definitely one of the most popular actresses Philippine cinema has ever produced but ironically, she has a conflicting personality that baffles most of the people in the business.

A part of her is kind of delusory and detached; the other part, subservient and eager to please the people she respects most.

Anyhow, people around her are spinning like a tizzy these days because of the domineering presence of this cavalier woman who’s acting as the actress’ manager when she has a real manager in the person of this good-natured TV personality who dabbles as her shoulder to cry on when she’s badly buffeted with so much problems, most of which are her own doing.

The real manager plays second fiddle to this female personality who’s the one calling the shots in as far as the formidable actress’ career is concerned.

Of course the actress can order her any time to shut up and act her real duty as a friend and adviser but far from doing that, she seems to tolerate her overbearing ways and haughty attitude in dealing with the real manager.

How sad.

So that’s how the cookie crumbles.

For this aging actress really thrives on intrigues and pettiness, she doesn’t want the situation around her to be perfectly idyllic and smooth.

Somehow, in her distorted point of view, she always hankers for some kind of chaos and tumult.

How sad!

 

Butt of jokes for his effrontery

Most movie scribes present at the presscon of this controversial movie featuring a comedian, along with this young pop-rock artist, had a grand time guffawing at the effrontery of the latter in claiming to be a vestal virgin in as far as gays are supposedly concerned.

How could he do that when it was common knowledge that he once had a most colorful sexual relationship with the lead “actress” (an overt gay) of the movie a couple of months ago?

Such brazen temerity indeed.

Anyway, this guy is not only brassy and impudent; he, too, happens to be a cheat and a liar, as well.

More than a year ago, he hoodwinked this naive young actress at the network both of them were working for with his machismo and masculine allure.

Since she was quite influential at the network being its certified princess, he made use of his machismo to ensnare the unsuspecting young actress into his cobweb of deceit and flagrant lies.

Inasmuch as the young actress’ parents did not approve of him as her boyfriend, they had a covert relationship behind their back and conveniently parted ways barely a year after when the scheming singer/actor met this popular gay icon at the network he is presently lording it out.

At any rate, this not-so-tall singer/actor is really an inveterate user.

Years back, he pursued this seemingly ill-fated singer, whose love life has always been doomed and a real mess, with such dedication and feverish intensity.

But the comely singer was able to see through the veneer of feigned sincerity and see what he was really after.

Well, the guy is not a rarity in this business where spongers truly abound.

If he’s not going to change his abominable ways, he surely is going to be avoided like the plague by most women and gays alike in tinseltown.

 

Bewildered and lost

She was one of the hottest actresses of her generation but ironically, her confusing lifestyle and complicated showbiz career have left her bewildered and lost especially now that she’s already an orphan and has recently lost her beloved younger brother to boot.

She would have wanted to be reunited with her husband but that’s tantamount to wishful thinking for he’s already very much committed to someone else.

Out of sheer desperation, she has joined this religious sect that seems to offer the tranquility that she hankers for the most.

But until when?

Well, until the next full moon so says most of the people who are basically aware of her complicated personality.

 

Flagging career scares aging actress to death

Whereas before she was the paradigm of cavalierness and delusions, these days this beautiful but indubitably aging ham actress seems to be confronted with the demons of her fast flagging showbiz career, making her infinitely scared.

On top of that, the prospect of losing her boyfriend for so many years seems to be an occurrence that she finds most painful to take.

Of course they are still very much together but she can very well smell his cool demeanor when they are in bed making love with each other.

The passion is admittedly still there but it has veritably lessened in terms of intensity. Whereas before he was the paradigm of unmatched sweetness and passion, of late, he seems to have that faraway look most of the time to the point of perennially making some excuses to make love with her as often as he used to.

Well, the demise of their relationship is veritably forthcoming and the mere thought that it would come engulfs this woman with that inexplicable feeling of dread.

Well, life is an echo. What you do will come back to haunt you afterwards.

Some people should bear that in mind.

 

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In Photo: Derek Ramsay and Vice Ganda.

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