KEN ESCUDERO - Pinoy Actor, FRESH from the OVEN. He's PIPING HOT and 100% SULTRY.

Feeling the heat?

Meet delectable PINOY hottie - KEN ESCUDERO, fresh from the oven.

He has just wowed audience at home and abroad with his compelling portrayal of ENZO, a lovelorn hunk who's desperately fighting his "inner demons" from a tortuous romance.

ENZO has a more-than-platonic-friendship with his male childhood friend, who in turn has the hoots for another girl.

To portray ENZO who's nursing an unspoken love requires a lot of pain, but KEN ESCUDERO delivered his task with aplomb.

This arthouse indie is SIKIL and it's directed by ace director RONI BERTUBIN and executive produced by JO JO BARRON.

Critics say KEN is beautiful, this CUTIEPIE with that doleful boyish look.

He's likened to a hapless pup in peak form - an unwilling HERO or SEX SYMBOL, whatever you may wish to call KEN.

And that's what his mentor-cum-manager, JO JO BARRON described him.

KEN ESCUDERO can give HARRY LAUREL, the one other PINOY sex icon a run for his money.

In fact, he's working a lot more than HARRY LAUREL who has temporarily shifted his gear to casinos-invested MACAU, for whatever-he-maybe-doing there.

Modeling in MACAU? I've yet to hear of this one.

Whetting people's appetites and oozing immense sex appeal aren't priorities in KEN's life.

Gratification comes from being respected for your brain and your latent talent.

KEN ESCUDERO had bagged the title MR. PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL in 2006.

He went on to represent PHILIPPINES in the MR. INTERNATIONAL FINALS in SINGAPORE that year and did his country proud by taking home the MR. PHOTOGENIC award.

At 22 he is also armed with a BACHELOR DEGREE in MARINE TRANSPORTATION, so he ain't anybody's fool.

He loves movies, basketball, reading and strumming the guitar.

And boy, this dude can sing!

He loves to gesticulates and ejaculates with the occasional outbursts of:

"I LOVE TO SING!

I LOVE TO ACT!

BOTH ARE PURE ENERGY AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO MISS THESE OUT FOR THE WORLD!"

The list would go on for KEN ESCUDERO, the "feel good" celebrity hunk.

He may be a relative newbie in show business, but the past year saw him in a lead role in an arthouse film, a sprinkle of theater performances, amongst them GREASE plus a "crunch" of two soap operas.

Progressive and definitely with more to come.

The only thing KEN has to contend with is the myriad of backstabbing, professional jealousies, bitching and mayhem in this flimsy industry of make-belief entertainment.

Not forgetting the two timing PLASTIC people aplenty.

But he sees a competent manager in JO JO BARRON who guides and charts his career path.

Despite being cool and discreet, the admirable thing about KEN is his disarming frankness to difficult questions.

THIS INTERVIEW IS UNRATED AND UNCENSORED, SO PLEASE READ WITH AN OPEN MIND:

I am only 22, he says, the only son in my family comprising also of my dad, mum and two other siblings.

YES, I am dating a special someone at this moment.

YES, I have had a few unsucessful relationships prior to this one. TO LOVE AND BE LOVED is of supreme importance to me.

SEX?

YES, let's not be hypocritical about this. Everybody enjoys great sex, to be honest. I am a homebody at heart and do not hang out much, except when I am hitting the gym.

Sex is an expression of love, of a shared physical intimacy between two people in love. I lost my virginity at the age of 15. No regrets - but for me, if you are not in love with that someone, then don't even think about exploring sex.

YES,I have read a lot about the wonders of KAMA SUTRA.

MY FAVORITE POSITIONS?

On a scale of 1 to 10, my favorites would be the missionary and the doggie stances ...(laughing). These positions allow for deeper penetration from my own experiences . (He jests and winks mischievously).

YES, I am physically well endowed (he demonstrates this with an 8 using his fingers, lo and behold. He brandishes a broad impish grin).

And NO, penile size is immaterial as love and techniques should be the pre-requisites to mutually enjoying wonderful sex with your partner.

YES, my soulmate has to be really hip, smart and understanding.

YES, I love SINGING. I believe I have a competent voice, and aspire to cut an album soon. I am a devout fan of JERICHO ROSALES as he is one great actor cum singer to emulate.

YES, I had accepted a role in a gay genre indie film called SIKIL as a stepping stone to an acting career. I had no qualms about being stark NAKED on the screen, as this is part of my acting profession.

YES, i want a variety of challenging roles and I always look forward to doing the occasional theater acting. I have just completed two prime time soaps with the GMA and ABS-CBN networks.

KEN ESCUDERO thinks that HAPPINESS is a byproduct of love, peace and joy to the world and he wants to spread this goodwill around.

He is ready to move on to the next chapter of his life as a serious actor.

That's one swell guy for sure.

LET'S dedicate this cutesy song to KEN ESCUDERO for his honesty, a song of the 60s, aptly called MY BOY LOLLIPOP:

"MY BOY LOLLIPOP,

YOU MAKE MY HEART GO GIDDY UP,

YOU ARE AS SWEET AS CANDY,

YOU ARE MY SUGAR DANDY.

WOH OH, MY BOY LOLLIPOP,

YOU NEVER, NEVER LEAVE ME

'CAUSE IT COULD GRIEVE ME

MY HEART TOLD ME SO.

I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU SO,

BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW,

I NEED YOU, I NEED YOU, I NEED YOU SO,

AND I'LL NEVER LET YOU GO ......"

Feel the beat of this sweet upbeat song?

KEN ESCUDERO is asking you, "SHALL WE DANCE?"

Would you, please?!!

I have uploaded the YOUTUBE VERSION here for your listening pleasure.

ENJOY!!!

ASIAN CELEBRITIES. It's AIN'T SUMMER all year round.

Hey, MAN.

If only we can all grow wings, like the man in the picture DIRECTLY above.

We can then take flight and soar to another realm of surreality.

Life can be so unreal sometimes, so to speak.

CELEBRITIES?

OH YAH, we all know that CELEBRITIES have their heydays.

That's pure bliss.

But just like all of us, they have their downslides too.

Don't we all?

Everyone has problems. You have yours, They have theirs.

CELEBRITIES are as human as we are.

They eat, sleep, poop and love like we all do.

Their careers could escalate and soar one moment.

And maybe nosedive the next.

Who knows really?

NOT all celebrities lead charmed lives.

They are what you called public property and the paparazzi stalks them all the time.

AND NOT EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT THEM IS TRUE. Poor souls.

But they have to keep a straight face through it all.

They race through hectic filming schedules, never missing a cue.

But the more exciting their public personas are, the more anxiety they are facing from celebrity burnout.

Plus, facing an ongoing influx of competitors threatening to knock them from their hooks, being a star is hardly fun.

They have latent insecurities to deal with from malicious people who are trying to eclipse them every time they turn your backs.

They are in a world which sometimes threaten to tear them apart.

And they dread the paparazzi or news hounds, because you wouldn't know if they are going to slam you with some hurtful rubbish.

Gossip sells the magazines, at your expense.

Take, for example, some of these ASIAN ARTISTES and their hazy dazy tales of Summer:

- JULIAN HEE (TV ACTOR from SINGAPORE) -

Poor JULIAN.

He's good and can be even better.

He's tall, strapping and a celebrated hunk. And he apparently must have stepped on somebody's toes.

Because he's a much misunderstood, misquoted and underrated actor who only want to prove his worth.

True, he has taken some unfair "bashing" from bad press and vile gossip from spiteful colleagues, who rather see him being torn apart than helping him grow.

Politics or jealousies?

JULIAN is a pretty nice guy, lah, if you get to know him better.

Life's not easy and he has to grin through all the grind as a contracted actor from Singapore's only TV Station, that monopolizes ratings and the careers of all their contracted artistes.

After some "not so happening" years at the TV station, JULIAN decided not to renew his contract in the third quarter of 2008 and opted for a freelance status to focus on a new business venture with friends.

JULIAN A COMPETENT ACTOR?

SURE, and why not?!!

Anyone can excel in this trade, given time, opportunities and experience - coupled with a good script and an understanding director who can get "the best" out of any artiste. This is patience.

Take MAGGIE CHEUNG from Hong Kong and IVY LEE from Singapore. Weren't they really blasted when they first ventured into acting? Look at their collection of accolades now.

JULIAN has received some bad vibes, but he has proven himself aptly in his latest drama series PERFECT CUT, a NIP/TUCK genre about the profundity of plastic surgery in Singapore.

FREELANCING A BETTER OPTION?

Yeah, he gets to choose his roles and focus on his new found business venture as well.

In fact, JULIAN's absence is felt and he's now back to the TV Station to freelance on a long haul ENGLISH drama series to be followed by a second season of PERFECT CUT.

- HUANG BI REN (TV ACTRESS from SINGAPORE) -

In Singapore, it may NOT pay to be a veteran actress, as in the case of HUANG BI REN who has bagged numerous accolades for her acting ability.

After 20 years as a SINGAPORE TV actress, HUANG BI REN has gracefully decided to call it quits.

She is almost hitting 40, a precarious age for an actress.

When advertisers do not knock on your door as they used to, and when you are slipping into "auntie" roles, you then become very much dispensable.

AWARDS or no awards, her beloved employer the TV STATION has decided to pay tribute her to two glorious decades of brilliance by slamming her with a beautiful contract stipulating a notable pay-cut, no annual leave, no CPF and no medical benefits.

Such heartfelt gratitude.

Would you have stayed if you were her, when everything is a "no-no" ??

It goes to show that as you grow older as an actor in Singapore Tinseltown, your sense of security is thwarted as your value drops .....

When something as unnerving as this happens, where is your mentor?

HUANG BI REN has screen presence and is really good as an actress, mind you.

- PIOLO PASCUAL AND SAM MILBY (ACTORS/SINGERS from the PHILIPPINES) -

From the shores of the Philippines, another kind of problem is brewing.

The paparazzi there deems to have the assumption, that if you are a pretty boy, then you must be pretty gay.

Such is the hapless case of A-listers PIOLO PASCUAL and SAM MILBY, both household names in the Philippines.

They are pretty boy hunks, nice guys, bosom buddies, until renowned Pinoy talent manager LOLIT SOLIS "espied" them in a lovey-dovey tryst at the Manila Sofitel's poolside cafe last October 2007.

LOLIT went on to spice up this "scoop" through her regular show biz column creating controversy and fodder for vicious gossip shaming the two buddies....and in return LOLIT was bestowed with a prize of a 12 million peso lawsuit.

Sometimes, genuine friendships can be destroyed by rumor mongers, as in this case.

The matter was finally amicably settled out of court, but the dent was too deeply entrenched.

Was it worth it, this cheap scoop at the risk of the celebrities' reputations?

Whether it was fact or fiction, this piece of juicy news have caused extreme anguish and anxiety for a platonic friendship that has gone awry since the hurting news leaked out.

Sometimes it goes to show that CELEBRITIES do have every right to their own privacy and we must respect this.

Would you want to take a dump in a public toilet with the paparazzi waiting for you to finish your business outside the cubicle's door? Or worse still, they climb up and take pictures of you in your moment of "release"?

Do not unto others as others would do unto you.

- EDISON CHEN and his BEAUTIFUL MAIDENS -

From HONG KONG, EDISON CHEN the perennial bad boy rocked the BIGGEST boat hell-out-of-everyone in early 2008, when lurid pictures of his famous dainty ladies and himself having explicit sex were leaked on the internet for downloading.

NO HOLDS BARRED, this guy is proven to be a sure dandy and good at the sexual stuff.

Some stars just love "lollipops", as in this case of EDISON CHEN and his beautiful friends.

And we all know that he loves to be "blown" in his favorite standing up position and gets extra mind tingling thrills by filming his sexual romps on camera.

WE are also treated to a glorious peek at "mounds" of pubic hair on his nubile leading ladies and himself.

And surely GILLETTE or some notable brands could have reaped a fortune, if they had known earlier to take an advertisement or two extolling the art of waxing, hair removal and shaving, before the pirated DVD highlighting his bedroom farce was released to the world.

Look at what EDISON's "fetishes" had got him into.

Tons of inexplicable problems and career destructions.

Worth it?!!

Sexual conquest or not, we surely know that GILLIAN CHUNG, CECILIA CHEUNG and BOBO CHAN must have loved him a lot to give him such delicious "blowings".

You'd risk anything for the one you love, won't you?!!

Now ICE CREAM, anyone??!!

Talking CRAP. Taking CRAP. All that BULLSHIT in SHOW BUSINESS.

One famous actor confided in me that SHOW BUSINESS is really CRAPPY.

It's the pseudo-psychological factor, liken to someone taking a dump.

You either land up smelling sweet all over.

Or stinking to high heaven.

Actors can really be like "dough", especially IF you are a station or film company monopolizing a certain territory, offering work to these hapless souls.

You knead them and mould them into any shape you want.

This is what you call STAR making.

Or you just throw the dough on the floor and trample it with one foot.

That's STAR breaking.

Now which mould would you subscribe to?

StarMAKER's or StarBREAKER's?

Some stars you can make, others you can break.

Specially those who have yet to climb any rung on the ladder of stardom, but are giving everyone the superstar glint in their eyes.

PLASTIC people, plenty of them you can find in ASIAN TINSELTOWN.

It's a very small world out there!!

Everybody knows everybody.

And among producers, opinions are always being exchanged as to who is a joy to work with, and who is such an arsehole.

Experience teacheth fools.

Make one industry friend MORE and one enemy LESS.

Big deal, ah.

Check this one out, man.

By choice or by circumstances, these plastic people are queuing to flaunt their talents.

Check the myriads of aspirants who throng the REALITY SHOWS to make fools of themselves.

Better a few minutes of fame to be remembered by, than none at all.

What price fame?

Plenty, specially those who crave for it and determined to get in, no matter what.

What comes with fame?

Recognition, stardom and material wealth and everything that money can buy.

So everyone wants to give this so-called STARDOM a shot.

Why not? It's just another job.

You get to be immersed in REEL roles and play characters you cannot be in REAL life.

No matter how a star looks like now,

Somewhere,

Somehow,

One day, as the years roll on,

Someone would be tired of his or her shit.

So aspiring stars up there.

Don't let your ego over rule your brain.

Eat humble pie first.

CAN ANYONE STAY BEAUTIFUL FOREVER?

Of course, there are some who beg to differ.

And your guess is as good as mine.

Fat hope.

JERICHO ROSALES and HEART EVANGELISTA when the BUBBLE bursts. A lesson on LOVE and BREAKING UP.

Another celebrity break-up?

This one's from PHILIPPINES and it's about a fairy tale that has gone awry.

Regarding the line-up above, I am sure many in MALAYSIA (JERICHO has a huge fan following there) are familiar with JERICHO ROSALES and HEART EVANGELISTA.

Hence you'd have no problem to identify the faces of Hollywood's new actress BRIANA EVIGAN (of STEP UP 2 THE STREETS fame) and CARMEN SOO (Malaysia's model/actress).

IN ASIAN TINSELTOWN, it's hard to differentiate what is "real" from what is "reel".

It's also difficult (though not impossible) for an artiste to find true friends in this dog-eat-dog industry of rivalries and petty jealousies.

Yeah, your fellow artiste may congratulate

you on a plum role that has just landed on your lap, but how sincere are his good wishes?

Sweet words do not maketh a friend.

It's also safe to say that NOT every every actor is longing for his rival to "topple" from grace so that he can take over the reins.

The entertainment world is full of manipulators - the media machines and the television stations, and the "feuding" artistes will just be fodder to fuel more gossip to boost sales and ratings.

Of course, as in every business, company politics are rampant, MORE so in the the entertainment circle where "plastic" people are always lurking around.

So it comes as NO SURPRISE that, when JERICHO ROSALES and HEART EVANGELISTA (Philippine on-screen and off-screen sweethearts) called their 3-year old relationship quits officially in May 2008, the television stations played up the split to garner more ratings by interviewing the hapless artistes on national television, to a point where it was impossible for either of them to take on another recourse.

Or is it the other way around, where the stars are using the media to devise a "prime-time publicity blitz" for themselves as a form of promotional gimmick?

JERICHO ROSALES comes from a humble background and his is a poor boy-to-successful-actor as compared to born-rich HEART EVANGELISTA.

This may not be a match made in heaven as HEART's wealthy parents have always objected to the relationship.

It has also been rumoured that JERICHO has fathered a child years back, but nobody can attest to this "hiccup in the grapevine".

Both JERICHO and HEART are under the management of MANILA GENESIS, but HEART has moved on to greener pastures by signing up with GMA-7.

Bad boy JERICHO (a born again Christian) has been espied to be two-timing HEART by having flings with upcoming American Actress BRIANA EVIGAN and Malaysian actress CARMEN SOO which caused HEART to put a damper on their relationship (or this is just a timely excuse for a fresh start in a career move)?

SO WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE BUBBLE BURSTS ..... WHEN LOVE DIES?

I totally agree with fellow blogger THESS BACSAL when she said

"If the heart is the place where loves come from, then where does love go when it dies?

But does love ever really die?

If someone has hurt us in the past, is there a need to shut off the feelings we have for him or for her, so that we may feel better?

The years that a couple spent together is something that can never be thrown away nor forgotten.

Love never dies.

In fact, you will always care about that one special person, but on a different degree of loving.

You will always be concerned for his or her welfare.

You will never wish ill of that person no matter how much they made you cry, or left your heart to bleed".

For JERICHO, the world is a stage and life goes on.

For HEART, hell knows no fury like a woman scorned.

For us, it's a lesson about LOVE that we should learn from their breakup, that love needs to be nurtured, and to stay faithful in top form to the one we care about.

And never to take our soulmate for granted.

'Cos sometimes, true love may not come this way again.

DID SOMEONE SAY THAT LOVE MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY YOU ARE SORRY?

PRETTY BELLES all in a Row. FIONA Xie, JESSICA Liu, FELICIA Chin, JOANNE Peh, ROCK ON !!

There's an enchanting haven out there in Sunny SINGAPORE with its fine share of beautiful damsels.

Yeah, we are again touching on the subject of A THING OF BEAUTY IS A JOY FOREVER.

We all know that good things never really last.

And as long as they are beautiful right now, they will continue to pique our minds with a sense of escapism.

So let's herald in sweet ,sweet treats in the form of FIONA XIE, JESSICA LIU, FELICIA CHIN and JOANNE PEH - (their above pictures in descending order), pretty belles all in a row, who often ignite the small screen during the prime time soap in Singapore.

They are not just known faces, and each of them has her own unique character that shapes the brand - their effervescent personality.

This is show business, the land of fake implants and fake smiles.

Who's real? We can never know sometimes.

FIONA XIE - She reeks innocence with her wide sparkling eyes and we adore her absolutely for her supposedly waif-like appearance, a la VIVIEN HSU. Is she pixie-ish? Well, she is really "boobsy" and that alone can make any hot-blooded male drool for sure. We love this one.

JESSICA LIU - This delectable JESSICA LIU is captivating, ermm...electrifying when she etches out her screen roles. However her publicity pictures- more often than not, left much to be desired. One producer told me that she's a real gem to work with, no airs at all.

FELICIA CHIN - Ever bubbly, ever friendly, she is your "feel-good" chum. She's unpretentious, a trait that is so rare in the show business arena. That's why she has so many friends (her management, producers and stylists) and fans. She's scaling heights and she's that much adored.

JOANNE PEH - This one is sugar with a brain to match. She may be sharp witted due to her self-assurance and confidence. But past bad experiences have toughened her, and she's more appreciative and receptive now to positive criticism. This one should go a long way.

Beautiful women are liken to music for weary souls, as an old song goes:

"POWER TO ALL OUR FRIENDS

TO THE MUSIC THAT NEVER ENDS,

TO THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE

BABY, POWER TO YOU AND ME."

Here's another homage to the PRETTY BABES:

"When the golden sunset
Sets over the amber hills

And when the moon shines bright
And all the world stands still

There is beauty, awesome beauty
God took the dust and formed a man

He paints each sunrise with His hand
He took all the love within His heart

And gave us beauty from the start
There's beauty, awesome beauty

When the storm clouds come
And thunder rolls

When skies are dark
And it hardens the soul

There's beauty, awesome beauty
God took all the love within His heart

And gave us beauty from the start
There's beauty, awesome beauty

Through every age."

PEACE, and have a bright, sunny day, folks.

ALLAN WU. He's one AMAZING HUBBY, BEST FRIEND, SOUL MATE.

Let's check out on ALLAN WU, the personable HOST of AMAZING RACE ASIA.

ALLAN IS AMAZING, but this hunk is no longer available.

Let's say he has been happily hitched for five years.

He's one prized possession of WONG LI LIN, SINGAPORE ACTRESS, to have and to hold, now and always.

So GIRLS, you can pass up on this one.

He's taken.

ALLAN WU's fans, specially from the PHILIPPINES, HONG KONG, INDONESIA, MALAYSIA and THAILAND are clueless that this popular hunk is already a happy FAMILY man.

HERE's one famous Chinese adage:

The SUCCESS of any man is due, in large part, to the SUPPORT of his wife.

Just watch any international presidential campaign.

The presence of the spouse is ever omnipresent.

She'd always be in smiling accompaniment, rendering support by his side.

If a man loves his family, then he is a good leader maketh?

Let's take a cue from here then.

For WONG LI LIN these days, her immediate world is to be there for her hubby ALLAN WU and her two adorable kids, SAGE and JONAS.

They are currently residing in SINGAPORE.

ALLAN WU is Asian American.

LI LIN's family is her "rock" - pillar of strength.

She is an established actress in her own right, and a fine one too.

But after her marriage to her beau of eight years, she's more than contented to prioritize on being a housewife and bringing up the kids.

Love is all around.

I remembered in early 2007, I had contacted LI LIN with an offer of a lead role in a Hong Kong cop-and-robber genre feature, courtesy of my strategic partner in CHINA.

But she politely declined the part that required her to spend almost a month away from home in HONG KONG.

"ALLAN WU is my soulmate, confidante, best friend and hubby," gushes LI LIN with pride.

For ALLAN WU, the charismatic HOST of the AMAZING RACE ASIA now spawning into Season 3, his BRANDING has grown immensely by leaps and bounds.

He had wasted some mundane years at the SINGAPORE TV STATION acting in predictable mediocre dramas that sees the real need for him to reinvent his image now.

Because staying ahead needs global perspective.

And the Singapore's fledging film industry, only now in its infancy stage, has hardly anything worthwhile to offer any established artiste.

So ALLAN WU is casting his net far and wide and looking beyond bondaries, if ever there's a need to.

Out there, there may be a whole new world - but hey, no venture, no gain, right?

Most of Singapore's best directors and actors are now making a foray into CHINA for better opportunities. SMART MOVE.

With mindless slapsticks made for the singlish heartlanders (SINGAPORE HDB flat dwellers), there's hardly any chance for any serious actor to survive in the acting arena.

But ALLAN WU is sturdy as a oak tree.

He's has proven himself as a charismatic, tireless and respected HOST of the AMAZING RACE ASIA series.

This HUNK is back with a vengeance, taking an aim at everything and everyone.

Let's take a peek inside the mindset of MR. ALLAN WU, courtesy of WONG LI LIN.

To be the HOST of the AMAZING RACE ASIA is no mean feat,

You need to have the cut for ultimate toughness - to be mud resistant, shock resistant, whatever.

ALLAN WU has delivered his task admirably.

NOW, THE AMAZING FACTORS:

- ALLAN and LI LIN bumped into each other at the Artiste Area of one Singapore Television Station in the last quarter of 2001 in between their respective shoots. Courtship followed. They fell in love..

- His hobbies?

MUSIC, BASKETBALL, RUNNING and CYCLING.

- What attracted ALLAN to LI LIN? ALLAN's devout sense of filial piety which was apparent during courtship.

- They both described themselves as hands-on parents.

"Married life is great," enthuses LI LIN.

"It's an inevitable tool towards personal growth."

Here's wishing this celebrity couple all the best in life and happiness.

CHAIWAT THONGSAENG. Do YOU want me to be a STRIPTEASER or FASHIONISTA?

Who'd not have heard of this popular THAI HUNK?

He is CHAIWAT THONGSAENG, the irresistible actor from the BANGKOK LOVE STORY feature.

Some critics panned this film as an "insipid and woeful box-office hit".

You are the best judge, whether you agree to this one or not.

If there's any truth, than POJ ANON the director who is working non-stop film-after-film on features of this "queer" genre would really be out of business.

Critiques may want to shoot him down, but POJ ANON is nonetheless, laughing his way to the bank.

So there!

Box office success counts.

Now to appease enquiries from readers for updates on CHAWAT THONGSAENG - here goes:

BANGKOK LOVE STORY is one weepie of a movie about a sullen and brooding hitman who ironically fell for his handsome victim played by CHAIWAT THONGSAENG.

This movie received scathing reviews from critics

and the saving grace was the excellent cinematography by lensman TIWA MAITHAISONG plus the lead actor CHAIWAT who can easily pass off as a Korean, Japanese or Chinese actor.

He gave a terrific performance, intense and complex, and became an instant hit.

The rest is history.

CHAIWAT THONGSAENG is currently the hottest celebrity hunk in Thailand.

He is only 21 years of age, mind you, but you can always cast him in a 20+role unlike teenage icons MARIO MAUER or WITWISIT HIRANYAWONGKUL (both from LOVE OF SIAM fame) who definitely look like kiddos.

CHAIWAT THONGSAENG is the epitome of the ultimate sex symbol, the 2-in-1 pretty boy model cum rugged film star: a semblance of physical harmony.

He has immense sex appeal.

He's going places.

And he knows it.

Damn well.

He has a body to die for, so when it comes to doing fashion spreads, his stylists often insist that he strips to his undies to exploit his glorious torso and abs.

Showing undies is OK.

And CHAIWAT's almost ready to expose his well toned butt cheeks - but doing the full monty is quite another story.

Unless there is a renowned film director and a great script that can tempt him to drop his "Adam's leaf", he prefers to keep his genitalia discreetly covered.

This "restricted zone" is made available for his girlfriend's private viewing only.

Quite a quintessential guy, his experience both as a fashion and catwalk model has earned him the respect for being a Thai fashionista.

Good looks are truly skin deep. Performance is lasting.

Physical fitness isn't only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.

You are the most important person in your life.

The fact is, if you're not looking after yourself, you are in no position to look after others.

In humid Bangkok, where temperatures can be sometimes merciless, CHAIWAT knows how to look hot in scorching style, both in attire and without.

Just take a peek at some of the pictures provided here.

We are living in a pained world and the poem EMOTIONAL NUDITY by GEANTI LIGHTBOURNE aptly describes it:

"Remove the thongs of this world's

hatred and prejudice from my hips and slide

them slowly down to the floor.....

Where they can be no more,

Undress me until I am stripped bare of this world's evil and tainted essence

Until, like the day of my birth -

I emerge BEAUTIFUL, UNTOUCHED and UNPOISONED."

Sexy, isn't it?

What about LOVE?

"LOVE is really in the little the little things

best exemplified in everyday life,

Nothing fanciful, but everything meaningful."

Boyish face, steamy bod that can set hearts a-flutter.

For CHAIWAT THONGSAENG ....

LIFE is very, very sweet.

CHAIWAT THONGSAENG. There's LIFE after BANGKOK LOVE STORY.

BANGKOK LOVE STORY was the movie that established CHAIWAT THONGSAENG as this NEWCOMER-to-look-out-for,

probably the hottest in Thailand now.

It was his lucky break and right opportunities just don't happen all the time.

But CHAIWAT's second shot at stardom in a follow-up film by director POJ ARNON in HAUNTING ME or THAILAND GHOST STORY did not live up to critics' expectations.

In this highly competitive albeit relentless world of film making, you need a resourceful manager, an established producer and a competent film director to get your acting career going. You may be endowed with youthful good looks and a chiseled body attained by vigorous hours of gym training, but acting is more than just being a popular pretty pin-up boy.

So what's in store for CHAIWAT THONGSAENG now?

To begin with, CHAIWAT is a modern day academic, a metrosexual with a positive zest for life and living. Here's his philosophy to deal with negative situations on days when things simply "go wrong" :

TRUST IN LIFE's FLOW

IF you find that you are struggling to achieve a desired result in any situation, it could be that you are trying to force the issue. Instead, sit back and accept whatever happens. That which is rightly yours will come back to you. Nothing takes place before its designated time.

ACCEPT CHANGE.

NOTHING stays the same forever. True relaxation comes not from controlling life's flow, but from allowing yourself to be carried along by the flow without fear of the future or nostalgia for the past.

LET GO OF OPPORTUNITIES LOST

THERE will always be opportunities in your life that you didn't take, because you didn't see them, because you were already committed, or because you valued something else more highly. Rather than cursing yourself for missing these opportunities, remember that you made the best choices you could at the time.Look ahead and follow your chosen path, seeking the doorways that are open to you and forgetting about those you have closed.

Barely 23 years of age and with a brain to match, let's say CHAIWAT THONGSAENG is set to go places as he has already charted his course.

In the months to come, we shall watch CHAIWAT's progress.

BEAUTIFUL WOMEN. SEXY ACTRESSES. Smart Maneuvers.

The famous line-up above is pretty stark here. Top most (from left to right) are SHU QI, TANG WEI and VIVIAN HSU.

Right below, pretty-in-pink, is sultry PAI LING.

These are Asian beautiful women with immense sex appeal, whether you care to admit this or not. They grace myriads of magazine covers and are also renowned screen actresses, with million of dollars stashed in their bank accounts for the advertising product endorsements they gave.

Paparazzi will camp outside their residences to get latest bits of information about their lifestyles and then "juice" it up to enhance magazine sales.

There you are, it pays to be famous despite your loss of so-called privacy, as fame comes alongside recognition and that fat dollar bottom line !

Which other job can bestow you with such enriching perks ...... to be rich, successful and famous? Indeed, life is never fair. Some people toil for donkey years to earn what these stars can fetch in a single day.

All the above actresses got their big breaks from Asian supposedly soft porns and they are smart enough to ride on "this calculated break" as part of a strategic direction they set their minds on. They are endowed with looks, bodies and and "brains to match". They are definitely nobody's fools and sometimes in this filmsy world of show business, artistry "sacrifices" in choice of film roles and proper planning are key ingredients to a successful entertainment career.

CONNECTIONS are all that important and taking short cuts to garner media attention is better than than waiting for years for a plum role to land on one's lap !

It is a clear cut fact why some artistes fail miserably in this endeavour. Even before fame really beckons, they are adopting "attitude" tantrums. Get real, falsies ! Learn from the veterans as you are a product of the media machine, whatever the media make you out to be. The media can either make or kill you.

Just take note that every other day, a new star is born and another competitor is already in the pipeline. A square example is ZHANG ZI YI. She was the media's overexposed darling until director ANG LI groomed new starlet TANG WEI for his latest film LUST CAUTION.

For any artiste, established or aspiring, it pays not to adopt the media offensive stance.

SHOW BUSINESS can be quite a sleazy business, and sometimes things that you may have read or been told may be a little too close for comfort. But not necessarily untrue.

Because as you know, there's no business like show business. Neither is there any fire without smoke.

A LOOK at the ASIAN FILM LANDSCAPE amid the throes of RECESSION.

RECESSION.

IT'S ONE BIG UGLY WORD.

It's this economic tsunami that is mercilessly crippling many thousands of industries and businesses all over the world now.

It's crunch time, the bubble has burst - and if you have contingency plans in your stead to weather this storm, then God bless you.

If you've faithfully taken your mother's advice "to save for a rainy day", then you're pretty much in safe hands.

Because this smart belief is a good bailout, albeit a viable turnaround plan.

An old friend once told me that "to live life happily does not require a lot, but I wouldn't want to worry about money".

You need to hoard some spare cash away somewhere.

It's useful in a time like this.

But what if you're the type whose expenditure always exceed your earnings?

Then woe betides you.

Every lifestyle has a number. What's YOURS?

I have read reports from the USA that this one's going to be one of the worst recessions ever.

Maybe.

Just be mentally prepared.

AND WHAT of the ENTERTAINMENT industry?

In the past, recessionary times used to spell good news for the movies.

But times have changed.

Let's take a close look at the ASIAN FILM LANDSCAPE amid the throes of RECESSION.

No doubt about it, as far as film production is concerned, ASIA TINSEL TOWN is going to tighten its belt in the face of this global economic meltdown.

Firstly, it's common sense that cinema goers prefer to hold on to their hard-earned cash.

Secondly, corporate backers or investors will look for guaranteed returns for their money.

As one of my producer friends has pointed out, you do not produce films to tank at the box office - and then have them converted into DVDs to sit pretty amongst your library collections.

Movie making is a business and a damn risky one, at best, even during the good times.

It's a fact that many corporates had suffered huge losses and are reeling from the cash crunch now.

Coupled with the recession, the practices of paying unjustified prices to A-lister stars and producers and of trading in films are likely to come to an end.

According to marketers, the key factor for film makers to stay afloat in these times is to explore and focus on other inexpensive avenues to reach the mass audience.

The focus will now shift to new technologies like mobiles, broadband networking, DVDs, watching television and videos on websites such as YouTube.com, playing online games, and the new entrant DTH.

In the past, you didn't have all this new technology and distractions for the simple movie goer.

Well, circumstances are different.

THE INTERNET IS FAST CHANGING THE SHAPE AND SIZE OF THINGS TO COME.

And this phenomenon has assailed all forms of media in entertainment, information technology and advertising.

ASIAN FILM MAKERS seem to show vulnerability to RECESSION.

The sum of it all is that consumers are more discerning and are likely to check out less expensive forms of entertainment now than ever before.

Especially in the face of a global economic slowdown.

AND THIS ONE IS FOR REAL.

Feeling blue? The Recession getting you down? No worries. Let the charismatic voice of JUDY COLLINS soothes you with her famous cover of a once-upon-a-time hit BOTH SIDES NOW. All these years, and this song never fails to leave an indelible impression on me. It may even bring a tear or two with these lyrics:

BOWS AND FLOWS OF ANGEL HAIR,

AND ICE CREAM CASTLES IN THE AIR,

AND FEATHERED CANYONS EVERYWHERE,

I'VE LOOKED AT CLOUDS THAT WAY.

BUT NOW THEY ONLY BLOCK THE SUN,

THEY RAIN AND SNOW ON EVERYONE,

SO MANY THINGS I WOULD HAVE DONE.

BUT CLOUDS GOT IN MY WAY

I'VE LOOKED AT CLOUDS FROM BOTH SIDES NOW,

FROM UPS AND DOWNS, AND STILL SOMEHOW,

IT'S CLOUD ILLUSIONS, I RECALL,

I REALLY DON'T KNOW CLOUDS AT ALL.

MOONS AND JUNES AND FERRIS WHEELS,

THE DIZZY DANCING WAY YOU FEEL,

WHEN EVERY FAIRY TALE COMES REAL,

I'VE LOOKED AT LOVE THAT WAY.

BUT NOW IT'S JUST ANOTHER SHOW,

YOU LEAVE THEM LAUGHING WHEN YOU GO,

AND IF YOU CARE, DON'T LET THEM KNOW,

DON'T GIVE YOURSELF AWAY.

I'VE LOOKED AT LOVE FROM BOTH SIDES NOW,

FROM WIN AND LOSE, AND STILL SOMEHOW,

IT'S LOVE ILLUSIONS, I RECALL,

I REALLY DON'T KNOW LOVE AT ALL ......

TEARS AND FEARS AND FEELING PROUD,

TO SAY "I LOVE YOU" RIGHT OUT LOUD,

DREAMS AND SCHEMES AND CIRCUS CROWDS,

I'VE LOOKED AT LIFE THAT WAY -

BUT NOW OLD FRIENDS ARE ACTING STRANGE,

THEY SHAKE THEIR HEADS, THEY SAY I'VE CHANGED,

WELL, SOMETHING'S LOST, BUT SOMETHING'S GAINED.

IN LIVING EVERYDAY,

I'VE LOOKED AT LIFE FROM BOTH SIDES NOW,

FROM WIN AND LOSE AND STILL SOMEHOW,

IT'S LIFE ILLUSIONS, I RECALL,

I REALLY DON'T KNOW LIFE AT ALL -

IF you've come this far, let me say this:

Beautiful lines that can fill your heart with hopes or maybe, disdain!