by julio cinco n.
Maricar Reyes on the cover of MEGA august 2011 issue
THE buzz is current: ABS-CBN top honcho Gabby Lopez has been exclusively dating Maricar Reyes for quite sometime now. Yeah, you got it right, The Maricar, the actress-doctor-model of the infamous Hayden Kho sex-video scandal of not so long ago.
Tongues are wagging in hush-hush society but, hey, nothing's wrong here. The low-key media magnate has long been separated from his erstwhile wife, Panjee Gonzalez Tapales, and everything has reportedly been settled (read that as "marriage annulled"?) between them and their children. Maricar, on the other hand, is single, eligible and available, so to speak.
Of course many people have noticed how Channel 2 took pains in controlling the damage wrought by Hayden's sex video on the starlet's person and career. In the aftermath of that controversy, naging sunud-sunod ang pag-feature kay Maricar sa iba't ibang shows at teleserye at dumami ang kanyang commercials at print ads.
Look around, and the giant billboards on EDSA and other major thoroughfares couldn't lie.The doctor is endorsing several products and her sanitized image is almost everywhere, including a regal likeness of her that is displayed in many Mercury Drug outlets. Such is the power of Big Brother's unseen hands in the free media enterprise.
And don't forget her various magazine covers the latest of which is coming out this September. In the said trade magazine ( "New You" on beauty, cosmetics and health), Maricar maybe talks about her "new life" and the "new man" in her life.
Well, nothing is new really, if you ask me. Ang humility at pagiging down-to-earth ni G-Lo is well-known in and outside of the industry. Remember the classic story about a certain security guard who allegedly didn't recognize the owner when the latter entered the gate at ABS-CBN? And how G-Lo reportedly took the incident good naturedly? Ganoon kasimple si G-Lo, and we all know what the sages say about being simple. Great guy indeed, this G-Lo!.
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LET'S cross genders and see what's cooking in Coco Martin's gay kitchen. Have you heard the latest "bastardized tune" roaming the pedestrian airwaves nowadays?
"Kunin mo na ang lahat sa akin,
Huwag lang si Coco Martin..."
That is how masang-masa the popular indie actor has become these days. Shades of Rio Locsin in her heyday. Or Sharon Cuneta for that matter. Can you still sing their counterpart street songs?
At any rate, Coco started out in showbiz the first time around when he was about 14 or 15. After two or three bit roles in forgetable films with his mentor Deo Fajardo, Jr., Coco bid goodbye and opted to continue his studies. Admittedly then, the showbiz upstart from the Novaliches slums was no Rudy Fernandez or Robin Padilla in the making.
It served him well that Coco had finished college first before trying out again the second time around. After some twists and turns he landed on Dante Mendoza's lap, and dared everyone with his bold "Masahista" outing.
That was a brilliant move and the rest, they say, is history. Dante eventually became Brillante and Cannes and Coco's stardom were just around the corner. The two are connected in many ways.
But first, Coco had to get rid of the gay deceivers at Seven before finally cozying up with the gay pretenders at Two. He has indeed gone a long, long way and now that he has finally arrived, the guy is savoring the sweet smell of success.
Never mind if he is rumored to be the lover of a top TV executive, na Kapamilya. Pero kita niyo naman ang ebidensiya. Walang patid na exposure,ika nga, at tuluy-tuloy ang mga opera niya sa teleserye at iba pang drama, sa prime time man o hindi.
And sundry commercials and other ads keep coming. Name a product and, chances are, Coco Martin's image is in one of them. Talaga naman! Wow Ulam, at iba pa!
But did you know that late until 2008 ay muntik nang "naburo" sa Siyete si Coco? Nagmukha talaga siyang "desicated coconut" sa tribo ni Amaya. When he transferred channels in 2009, things began to look brighter. This was, of course, after he showed his glorious nakedness in Mendoza's first Cannes entry (for competition) in "Serbis." At that same time, a certain psychic predicted that Coco Martin would make it big in due time. And those words proved prophetic.
Look at him now. Coco martin's popularity has surpassed the likes of Jericho Rosales, Gerald Anderson, Jason Abalos, Joem Bascon and even Jake Cuenca to name but a few.
By the way, a certain critics group has recently canonized him as "Natatanging Aktor ng Dekada" (2000-2009). Well, that to me sounds like an early "curse" that could break Coco's lucky spell.There is such a thing as an "overkill" that could always spoil the fun, you know.
Now in his 30s, Coco Martin can always look back and say, "I did it my way..." And that way is from Deo Fajardo, Jr. to Brillante Mendoza to Biboy Something and many other gay keepers in between. Take a bow, Julio and Jay!
