High Denzity

It seems that a reconciliation is not so hopeless between noontime television show hosts and rivals Joey de Leon and Willie Revillame. This after the latter extended to the former a hearty birthday greeting in “Wowowee” Friday noon. De Leon acknowledged the greeting with a “thank you” Saturday afternoon in the showbiz talk show “Startalk.”

De Leon, who has a policy of not revealing his age, said he will celebrate on Sunday, October 14, and make it a very simple yet memorable occasion.

“Nagpapasalamat ako kay Willie. Pero sana, sa pagbati niya, meron pa rin na dalawang babae sa kanyang tabi na umiiyak (I thank Willie but I hope in his greetings, there would still be two women beside him crying),” de Leon said.

The request is in reference to Revillame’s apology to de Leon a month ago, after he and de Leon exchanged barbs on their respective TV show, following a controversial mechanical glitch on the Wilyonaryo segment of “Wowowee.” That mechanical glitch led to speculations of cheating in the game show’s segment.

“Ganyan lang naman si Willie. Ano lang niya ‘yan, biro lang niya ‘yan. Pero thank you na rin (Willie is just like that. It’s only a joke to him. Thanks anyway),” de Leon told abs-cbnNEWS.com Saturday afternoon. He added that his familiarity with Revillame will always be a gauge of his taking him for what he really is.

Meanwhile, no pompous party will be held Sunday to mark Joey’s nth birthday. “I don’t really keep my real age secret but I don’t talk about it. Kami ni Lolit [Solis,] magkasing-edad. Kung ano ang edad ni Lolit, edad ko rin (Lolit and I are of same age. What Lolit’s age is, is also my age). We were batchmates at the V. Mapa High School in Sampaloc that’s why we know each other very well. I think I’m just older than her by a few months,” the irrepressible comedian revealed.

“Ang dami ko nang birthday party. Sa mga TV shows ko puro party na lang. Ang pinakamatinding birthday celebration ko ay no’ng last year when my producer, Tony Tuviera, treated all my co-hosts in ‘Eat Bulaga’ sa Hong Kong. Suwerte nila. Kaya ‘yon, nagpasalamat sila sa akin (I’ve had many birthday parties. In all my TV shows, there was always partying. But my most memorable birthday celebration was last year when my producer, Tony Tuviera, treated all my co-hosts in ‘Eat Bulaga’ to a Hong Kong trip. They were lucky and they thanked me for that).”

Would Eileen Macapagal, his wife, not prepare anything for him? “Wala nang gano’n. Parang isang pangkaraniwang araw lang (No such thing anymore. It’s like any
ordinary day),” de Leon said.

He said it’s unlikely that his children by former wife Daria Ramirez, Keempee and Cheenee de Leon, would not pull any surprise birthday party. “Ewan ko sa mga ‘yan. Magkakasama naman kami sa bahay. OK lang kahit wala (I don’t know about them. We’re together in the house. It’s OK even without any party).”

The veteran comedian told abs-cbnNEWS.com that Ramirez is in the US to attend the funeral of her husband, a French American, who died recently. He clarified he hasn’t seen her for a long time now. Ramirez has a daughter by her French American husband, Phoebe, who’s in the country and has plans of getting into show biz amid her busy studies in college. Phoebe stays with Ramirez in Pandacan.

De Leon also denied an item in movie writer Jessie B. Garcia’s book, “Showbiz Uncensored,” that Ramirez was a battered wife when they were still together. “Hindi totoo ‘yon. Mali ‘yon (It’s not true. That’s misinformation),” he said.

BOY VILLASANTA
abs-cbnNEWS.com