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StarStruck’s
sweetest victories |
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Welcome
the latest batch of winning artista wannabes
THEY dreamt. They believed. They actually survived! After an intense season filled
with all sorts of nerve-wracking and heart-pounding artista tests, the victors
of the fourth season of StarStruck were finally revealed. It was a spectacular
night as more than 15,000 people flocked the Marikina Sports Center and 24.8
percent of televiewers stuck to the proceedings.
What GMA Network calls its biggest
artista search – which in years past
produced the likes of Jennylyn Mercado, Mark Herras, Yasmien Kurdi and Katrina
Halili – yielded new pretenders to the starlet throne: Kris Bernal and
Mart Escudero named the Ultimate Love Team; Aljur Abrenica getting his dream
of being the Ultimate Hunk; Jewel Mische crowned the Ultimate Sweetheart; and
provincial bets Prince Stefan and Rich Asuncion voted the First Prince and
Princess, respectively.
Welcome the New Love Team |
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The
biggest surprise of the final’s night was when
Kris Bernal and Mart Escudero were proclaimed the
Ultimate Love Team. Kris, sweet, charming and with
serviceable skills according to most StarStruck observers,
was most complimentary to Aljur’s boy-next-door
persona. Proof of the two’s stellar team-up
was when they were named as the Male and Female Texters’ Choice
that earned them a two-year modeling contract worth
P500,000 with the local BNY jeans and shirts brand.
Mart, on the other hand, was the hunky one with an innate naughtiness and a buff
bod thanks to his dance moves.
So the girl-next-door paired with the latest bad boy? Who are we to argue with
what the public likes?
During the finals, despite the unenergetic
performance of Mart and Kris’s
obvious lack of confidence with all the lifting she had to endure, the duo
got an enormous goodie bag containing
a P2 million GMA management contract
and P1
million in cash, a mall cart franchise business package worth P250,000 from
Belgian Waffle Express, a two-year
scholarship contract worth P120,000
from Informatics,
P50,000 cash and P170,000 worth of beauty enhancement certificates from the
Calayan Service Center.
So what can the public expect if Kris
and Mart decide to bring their TV
team-up to the, uhm, next level? After all, Kris
did admit she felt a real jolt when
she exchanged a brief kiss with Mart during their Latin dance number. What
will happen to the boyish Aljur, Pampanga’s
pride, who openly declared his intention of wooing
Kris? Abangan, we suppose.
The Philippines’ First
Hunk
and Favorite Sweetheart |
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But
the public decided that the boyish Aljur fits the
hunk bill better since he’s also tall, dark,
and with a body that looks good with or without clothes.
The predominantly Aljur crowd chanted his name like
a mantra. When he sang Blue’s “Best in
Me,” despite vocals that sounded pubescent,
he was definite eye candy. It was easy to see him
as the one who makes young girls’ hearts
pound, an observation that should make his network
very,
very happy. |
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As
for First Sweetheart Jewel Mische, the KC Concepcion
look-alike was often dismissed by her batchmates
as just a pretty face, unworthy to be part of the
group, and with no discernible talent. She even padded
her underwear to give her the curves she lacked.
Well, Jewel can put all the ostracism behind her,
because winning the Ultimate Sweetheart title vindicates
her. In addition to the cash, the contract and the
franchise business she won, she also bagged an endorsement
contract from another advertiser, Dutch Mill Yogurt
Drink.
How the network maximizes Aljur’s beefcake allure and Jewel’s sugar’n’spiciness
Who are we to argue
with what the public likes? |
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is
something worth watching out for. Personally, Aljur
is bagay with Stef Prescott, the tisay beauty voted
out of the Magic Six, and Jewel paired with Paulo
Avelino, another semi-finalist. Those, my dearies,
are potent combinations so again, abangan.
The Singing Prince
and the Queen of the Night |
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Runner-up
Prince Stefan, who delivered a heartfelt rendition
of “Kailangan
Kita” and “Hanggang” during the finals, has the pipes to land
him a recording deal. However, Rich Asuncion, Bohol’s pride and voted First
Princess, turned out to be the queen of the night. While she always had the lung
power among all her batchmates, Rich gave the best performance of the season.
Her electrifying rendition of “One Night Only” from the movie Dream
Rich proved she was a real star, with undeniable talent and the X factor missing
from her batchmates. Her performance ran roughshod over the rest. The first Princess
was the real queen, and she made loyal subjects out of the rest of us!
Prince and Rich were each awarded P200,000 and a management contract with GMA.
THE STARSTRUCK FINALISTS. Clockwise: Jewel Mische, Rich Asuncion, Kris Bernal,
Prince Stefan, Aljur Abrenica, and Mart Escudero. |
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| by
Alwin M. Ignacio |
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