IF those who watched the concert of international artist James Ingram at the Smart Araneta Coliseum are wondering why Lea Salonga, guest artist, had a minus one instead of the orchestra assigned for the show accompanying her, except, of course, for her one single duet with James, wonder no more.

Iyon daw pala kasi ang agreement ng kampo ni Lea at ng production, That’s Entertainment, ni Joed Serrano, who made possible the performance of James in the country.

Yes, na magma-minus one lang si Lea while performing her two songs.

Nevertheless, no one can argue that the minus one was first-class. Kaya, ’di ito nakaapekto sa kanyang atake sa kanyang dalawang awitin. In fact, she was given a masigabong palakpakan by the audience.

But it was her duet with James with the song Somewhere Out There, which the audience lapped at. Sayang nga dahil umawit silang magkasama na isang beses lang.

While Lea had two changes ng gowns sa kanyang dalawang appearances onstage, James had just one. Kunsabagay, he never left the stage naman once na umapir siya.

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For a while, nagkaroon ako ng agam-agam na ’di mapupuno ang Big Dome. When my sister and I kasi entered the venue, talagang hindi impressive ang bilang ng mga taong aming nadatnan.

But as the audience trickled in, while a local group was performing, at least, unti-unti nang na-occupy ang mga upuan. Although ’di lahat.

We are talking, of course, about the Patron section. Hindi na kami nag-abalang lingunin kung matao ang second level at Orchestra section.

As for the performance ni James, we only realized that we are only familiar pala with a few songs of his. O, posibleng ang mga awiting inawit niya ay ’di gaanong pamilyar sa mga Pilipino audience na nanood ng show. Except, of course, for Just Once.

But James naman made it up in it. When he felt na lukewarm sa kanyang performance ang audience, bumaba siya ng stage and went around sa section ng Patron at nakipagkamay, kung hindi man, nagpa-picture taking pa with sa ilang manonood.

One thing nga pala we noticed, wala kaming celebrity, mapa-showbiz man o pulitika, na nakita in the audience.

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Now, Ian F., we were able to confirm report na yes, may bago ngang girlfriend ang kilalang actor-singer na official nang hiwalay sa kanyang dating misis, na isang singer-actress din.

Actually, it’s not the first time na na-link siya sa iba. Kung hindi man ilang babae, mula nang maghiwalay sila ng kanyang asawa. In fact, with one of them, na ’di taga-showbiz, he has a child.

In any case, this new girl in his life is not born of royalty, as our source before told us. Instead, anak siya ng kanyang mother sa ibang lalaki, bago ito pinakasalan ng isang prinsipe na taga-ibang bansa.

Divorced na ang kanyang mom na isang Pilipina, kaya bumalik na ito ng Pilipionas with her children, kabilang na siya.

Ganunpaman, well-supported ang kanyang ina at ang mga anak nito sa prinsipe. Kaya, buhay mayaman ito at silang mga anak nito, naturally.

Clue to the actor-singer’s identity, he remains one of the most admired in his profession. ’Di lang kasi siya magaling, kung hindi mahusay ding makisama.

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Find time to watch ASAP 2012 today on ABS-CBN. For the first time, magsasayaw both sina John Lloyd Cruz at Angel Locsin.

For the third consecutive Sunday, the two took to the stage of ASAP together, the first two Sundays to promote their first film together, Unofficially Yours, and this Sunday naman, para magpasalamat sa lahat ng mga nakapanood na ng pelikula, which, no doubt, is officially wrecking the box-office.

Kuwento nga ni Dolor G., talent manager nina Susan Roces and Carmina Villarroel, among others, nang manood daw sila ng kanyang anak na si Aness sa isa sa mga plush sinehan sa Makati last Friday, sabi daw ng takilya sa sinehan, ‘mabuti ho at may mauupuan pa kayo ngayon. Pero, noon hong Wednesday (Valentine’s Day at opening ng movie) ang sobra. Kinailangan hong magsara kami for a while ng takilya. Kung hindi ho, mag-o-overflow ang crowd.”

Unofficially Yours reportedly have grossed, so far, in its three days showing ng mga something like P60M.