Showbiz shakeup

Some news items in showbiz sections of mass media and in showbiz websites lately seem to indicate that the realm is in shambles. 

But no, it isn’t. Pinoy showbiz remains intact and has been going its merry way. Some disturbing news items are really more in the peripheries of showbiz rather than at its center. 

The top item among the disturbing ones is that of ABS-CBN’s exposé that a fan group has threatened to wipe out newcomer actor JM Ibarra if he continues to be teamed up with Sophia “Fyang” Smith because that fan group favors equally new actor Jarren Garcia to be paired with Smith. All three were housemates in the ABS-CBN reality contest Pinoy Big Brother: Gen 11 aired in 2024 from 20 July to 26 October.

Star Magic, ABS-CBN’s talent management division, posted the Facebook page JMFYANG ANGELS, which has 104,000 followers. The division’s post was accompanied by a statement that it is prepared to take legal action against the fan group if it threatens Ibarra just once more.

The ABS-CBN division declared: “Star Magic does not tolerate threats, derogatory remarks, and other personal attacks made online against our artists. 

“These acts have serious and damaging consequences and we will take legal action, if necessary.”

As of this writing, the fan page has been made private.

Some fan groups do tend to be overbearing. We were once implicitly threatened by one group by some members telling each other that we should be considered for “mass reporting” us in one social media network so we can be banned. They conducted the conversation in one of my social media accounts. It was all because we wrote something about tickets to an event their idols seem to be frantic about. We concluded that those tickets would eventually sell out with the fans’ concerted efforts and their idols unrelenting campaign on social media. 

Because we didn’t bite their bait to get into a war with them, they stopped pestering us. They must have felt completely ignored and, thus, shut up. 

But a threat on someone’s life made in social media is entirely different and could really be upsetting. It’s just right that ABS-CBN warned possible legal action against that fan group. 

All showbiz idols who get relentlessly bashed should really take time to remind their bashers that they can be hauled to court for what they are doing. 

Meanwhile, here’s a shocking occurrence at the fringe of showbiz: Former TV producer Albee Benitez has just been sued by his estranged wife Dominique “Nikki” Lopez Benitez under the Violence Against Women (and children) Law for allegedly subjecting Nikki to many indiscretions during their marriage causing her so much “mental or emotional anguish.” 

The case was filed in Makati and the complaint was posted in full in some websites. Alawi’s name appears in the court filing. 

The alleged indiscretions include having two children of different mothers outside of their marriage and keeping actor-vlogger Ivana Alawi as his mistress for some years now. 

Benitez’s lawyer, Peter Sanchez, has claimed that the estranged wife learned about the indiscretions of the former TV producer and newly elected Bacolod City congressman from the copy of Benitez’s court petition for the annulment of their marriage which Benitez filed last year yet.

The lawyer has also revealed that Benitez and his wife has been separated since 2004 but Benitez continues to support her financially. 

The lawyer has pointed out that is improper and illegal to reveal to the public any of the contents of a petition for the nullification of a marriage. As of this writing, Alawi has yet to react to the ex-wife’s expose that she is Benitez’s mistress. Actually, Alawi was romantically linked by vloggers, websites and media to Benitez last year. Both denied that they were seeing each other. 

Here’s a mild, even almost sweet, “threat” from actor Carla Abellana to some netizens for posting that she has been secretly seeing her actor ex-husband Tom Rodriguez after Rodriguez had gone back to the Philippines following his having obtained divorce from her in the US where he is a citizen. 

«Idemanda ko kaya kayo (I will sue all of you),” the beauteos Abellana declared in her social media post. 

Actually, some positive events have surfaced from showbiz fringes. For instance, indie actor Benj Manalo has shared that he is quite grateful that he is now recovering after his recent surgery for his knee injury from playing basketball.

The actor shared about his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury on his left knee last May 18 on his Instagram page, regarding it as his “new journey.”

Life goes on merrily in Pinoy showbiz. Pinoy Pop kings SB19 will hold today the first night of their two-night Simula at Wakas concert at the 55,000-seater Philippine Arena in Bulacan. Many of their fans will come in stunning black-and-white costumes. Others will happily turn up as they are.

Also going up tonight at Le Pavillion in Pasay City is the final pageant of the company Runway Models Universe-Philippines (RMU). The pageant is for men and women ramp models from all over the world. It is dubbed “Klima Runway for Change” because it is part of the Philippine government’s campaign to reduce the (negative) impact of climate change on the environment and people’s lives, including their health.

The event is a competition and the fashion designers dressing up the contestants (which has no height limit; the petites were welcomed to join) are encouraged to upcycle textiles and other clothings. It is documented that textiles and garments are among the polluters of the environment and many designers and fashion companies have begun to adopt measures to reduce the pollution they cause on the environment.

“Upcycling is more creative and more challenging than recycling,” stressed Jenny de los Santos, the chairperson at the presentation of the contestants and designers at the Emerald ballroom of the Diamond Hotel on the night of 25 May. 

Alberto de la Cruz Jr. of the Philippine Climate Commission watched the presentation at the hotel and also headed the earlier press conference on Climate Change. 

De la Cruz rightly believes that protecting our environment and reducing the impact of climate change is everyone’s responsibility since we all live in just one planet.