Celebrity romance: Should journalists demand the truth?

Should journalists (and the public as well) hold it against celebrities when they refuse to admit the truths being asserted in reports? Should journalists label these subjects as “liars” or other names for not acknowledging the claims in their reports?

No, we journalists should not be bothered by the fact that, despite netizens’ “stolen” shots of Kyline Alcantara and Kobe Paras dating in various places, the couple does not admit they are in a relationship.

Alcantara, of course, has the right to say they don’t owe anyone an explanation for being together, including the “stolen” shot of her sitting on Paras’ lap during a videoke sing-along session.

Fine, don’t explain. Just make our day — especially for those who admire undeniably good-looking actors who take on all sorts of roles in films and on television. We’ve seen what we’ve seen. We know what we know. We don’t need verification from those caught in the act.

Before Alcantara and Paras, there was also the couple Barbie Imperial and Richard Gutierrez, who have refused to be labeled as new sweethearts despite being “documented” by seemingly star-stalking netizens in close togetherness at various spots in the country and abroad, including not-so-distant South Korea. Their denial of a relationship surfaced after Sarah Lahbati made it known that she had walked out on Gutierrez.

The latest photos of Imperial and Gutierrez together were taken in Italy, where Gutierrez is filming his latest action series, Incognito. Imperial has not been mentioned as part of the cast, so it appears she is there solely as Gutierrez’s companion. The “incognito” lover, perhaps?

Also in the cast of Incognito are two new sweethearts who likewise refuse the label: Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings. Fellow columnist Alex Brosas reported on their “hidden romance” just a few days ago, so we won’t delve further into a colleague’s story.

And oh, we’re not really bothered by showbiz idols falling in and out of love, living together, marrying, or even breaking up for good without admitting anything to the public or the press. Whatever well-known stars do or don’t do is always interesting or downright entertaining.

What would the world be without stars to entertain humankind?

We even welcome personalities like Emman Atienza, the youngest daughter of GMA 7 host Kim Atienza, who calls attention to herself and her friends by featuring not-so-funny jokes in her vlog and ranting when her type of humor was singled out for being in poor taste. Keep going your merry way, girl! We’ll keep going with ours.

Of course, the press and the world sympathize with stars who face sad and difficult situations—whether it’s getting jailed, falling seriously ill, struggling with depression, or leaving this world altogether. We’re also aware of the degenerate trolls and bashers who take joy in the misfortunes of celebrities.

Showbiz idols are not typically government officials paid with taxpayers’ money. Only a few actors have been voted into public office — and some have been jailed for misconduct in positions funded by the public. Erring politicians and government officials (including those in the military and police) should be castigated in all forums until they “own up” or their cases are brought to court. It’s not the job of entertainment journalists to make showbiz idols admit their romantic affairs, especially since these have no impact on the taxes they pay to the government.

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The engagement between Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and Sam Milby has been “permanently” dissolved. They seem to have never officially admitted that the engagement was called off; they simply went their separate ways. No one married anyone.

Gray recently traveled to England with her parents, where their car was robbed in London by smashing the back window. Would that have happened if Sam had been with them?

Milby and Julia Montes arrived in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, on Friday (27 September) to begin shooting their upcoming series Saving Grace. Dreamscape Entertainment shared photos of Milby and Montes alongside new child star Zia Grace, where they were warmly welcomed by the people of Palawan.

Saving Grace will mark Montes’ first lead role in four years, following 24/7. She previously made a guest appearance in FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, led by her real-life partner, actor-director Coco Martin, in 2021. (Martin and Montes, too, have never admitted that a romance has been blossoming between them for years, though many showbiz insiders are aware of it. This non-admission seems to have had no negative impact on their respective careers.)

The 29-year-old actress also headlined the film Five Breakups and a Romance opposite Alden Richards.

Meanwhile, Milby last appeared in the 2022 TV series A Family Affair alongside Ivana Alawi, Gerald Anderson, Jameson Blake and Jake Ejercito.

Saving Grace is the Filipino adaptation of the Japanese drama Mother, which achieved global success as Asia’s most exported scripted format, with adaptations in Turkey, South Korea, Ukraine, Thailand, China, France, Spain, Mongolia and Saudi Arabia.

Aside from the two leads, the series will also feature Sharon Cuneta, Janice de Belen, Jennica Garcia and Christian Bables.

Saving Grace will also mark Cuneta’s TV comeback after taking a break due to health issues.

“Health matters, but it’s manageable now,” the megastar said of her condition, particularly her hip injury.

Cuneta’s last TV appearance was also in Ang Probinsyano in 2022, where she played the role of First Lady Aurora Guillermo-Hidalgo. She also appeared in the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2023 entry Family of Two.

Recently, the award-winning singer-actress revealed that she is preparing to write her autobiography.

Perhaps Milby should also consider writing a memoir about how his life and career have evolved since he moved to the Philippines and gave up his career as a band member in Ohio, USA. The memoir could also include his romance with Miss Universe 2018.

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New Deadline Alert! The submission deadline for finished films for the upcoming Metro Manila Film Festival this December has been extended to Monday, 7 October, at 5 p.m. Producers are advised not to miss out!

The announcement was made by the MMFF executive committee on 29 September.