I was channel surfing yesterday evening looking for a good show on TV when Marc Nelson’s gorgeous smiling face filled the screen. My hands immediately froze and I continued to watch as the light and seductive banter unfolded among the hosts of what I learned to be AXN’s newest show, the Duke.

The show is advertised as being the big boys club, a show for men and about men. I must admit, that the topics and opinions have a daring edge to it that makes you stay glued to the show. Talk is fast, quick, witty and if you can’t follow, you won’t get it and if you don’t get it then too bad.

Not all segments of the show though is as exciting as I have pictured it. There are parts where they venture into hardcore metrosexual topics like custom made shoes, fine suits, and fine cars (oooh this I love) that do not really interest me. If you are a man who is into jazzing up your image and your lifestyle, you might get a few tips from men who make a living out of it.

Watch the next episode entitled Metrosexual, next Monday, Feb 16, 2009 at 8:00PM Manila.

From the Dove website, information is provided on Dove’s research on self-esteem and how beauty ideals impact the lives of girls and women. And their study came out with the following findings (verbatim from the website) – (1) 90% of all women 15-64 worldwide want to change at least one aspect of their physical appearance (with body weight ranking the highest) and (2) 67% of all women 15 to 64 withdraw from life-engaging activities due to feeling badly about their looks (among them things like giving an opinion, going to school, going to the doctor).

Having had experience obsessing about my weight for years, I can totally relate to the self-esteem issues that plague our young (and not so young) women today. I can remember spending too long on the weighing scale trying to will it to show me what I wanted to see. I had always felt fat even when I weighed a measly 100 pounds and a size zero. It took me years and quite a few pounds later to actually be comfortable in my own skin. So Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty hits the spot and I applaud them for their courage to promote such a sensitive issue through their beauty product.

So it was without too much thought that I accepted the invitation to be part of their campaign even if one of I am not in favor of the marketing campaign of their sister brand, Ponds. So check out their site and see the Real Thoughts of different women, of which I am a part of.

Real beauty is not what lies within but what emanates from within. It is a person’s essence, character, contentment, soul and spirit. I recall one classic moment of beauty was when somebody commented on how I would look better in my outfit if only I wasn’t so chubby. A friend of mine replied (before I could) that – “Apples is never self-conscious and that’s why anything she chooses to wear comes out perfect.”

I have never been successful at getting my hubby to watch chick flicks with me. If we do watch movies, it would have to be either comedy, epic, kung fu, sci-fi, or action-filled. I do not mind really as I do watch anything as long as I can be entertained. So it was surprising that he downloaded Made of Honor so we could watch it. More baffling is the fact that he actually liked it. Nothing more romantic than watching a chick flick with your man so into it.

Despite what my hubby and I think of it, every review I have come across seem to hate it and all it represents. As if they had a certain loyalty to My Best Friend’s Wedding, that liking anything slightly similar is blasphemous. But Made of Honor is not a remake. Hardly. If you really sit down and try to get yourself to enjoy it, you will realize that it can actually be the prequel. Julia Robert’s movie tells about stealing your best friend from his fiancee. Patrick Dempsey on the other hand takes you through the journey of falling in love with your best friend.

So I really cannot understand why many do not like this movie. Its funny, romantic, and actually heart-warming. Although it does have that same – oh my I will never do that in real life – factor, I love how the movie displays the activities that bring Patrick and Michelle closer to each other. The passion for coffee, animal welfare, sweets and insufferable family gatherings. I love how they fall in line just to get their favorite dessert and amuse themselves by coming up with all sorts of flavors they wanted to get. I was gushing and blushing and awww-ing all through out the movie.

I read that many did not like the movie because they could not believe several things about the plot. The first is how Michelle can marry someone she just met just because the sex was great. Uhmm… Hell-ow! It happens in real life trust me (that’s another story) so why not in movies? People are allowed to be stupid after all.

The second thing that many cannot believe is how Michelle can fall in love with Patrick who is a ladies man, shallow and extremely selfish. How can Michelle fall in love with someone who took her for granted for years? Now personally, I can relate to that and I think I know far too many people who have been through that same thing (some successful and some weren’t). So why will it cause many to think negatively of the film just because it depicts such a harsh reality? Oooh I know! Bitter! Hehe. Kidding.

But yeah, if you happen to be happy, secure and not the least bit emotional and are interested in bringing back that tickly, tingly feeling of awkward courtship then watch Made of Honor. You will love it… did I mention Patrick is sooo adorable?

The Sex and the City tv series takes you through the lives of four not so young but still desirable New York City bachelorettes. The show though focuses mostly on Carrie Bradshaw, columnist and writer about sex, love and relationships. She is hopeful and ever-searching for Mr. Right but always seem to go back to Mr. Big.

Her other friends are Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte. All equally independent, gorgeous and demanding. Together with Carrie, they too go through their ups and downs and insides before finding that place and that man they want to settle down with.

The movie starts out with their settled lives. Carrie with Mr. Big, Miranda and Steve with their baby, Charlotte and Harry with adopted Lily, and Samantha and gorgeous hunk Smith in Hollywood. Then watch as conflicts occur in each of their lives and watch them fall back into each other’s comforting arms.

Many people think SATC is all about fashion, sex and selfish women but this movie will prove them wrong. There are a lot of heart-wrenching scenes that make you want to shout – Life is not fair!. And that is what captures me about the movie. I expected more labels, designers, frivolity, sex and more sex. But what I got are passion, family, reality, and most of all friendship. It was so fun to see how her three friends equally gave dagger looks to another woman at the auction who outbid Samantha for a ring she was dying to have. Talk about standing by your girlfriends in any and every way possible.

My favorite scene is the one at the Library where Carrie was getting married to Mr. Big. She was told that he still wasn’t there so she called him and then listened to him in shock realizing he was not coming to their wedding… she is being jilted! The phone slips from her hand and she hyperventilates and screams take me out of here. Her friends rush to her side and take her away to the waiting limo. They encounter Big’s car on the street and Carrie jumps out of the car and runs towards Big in her flowing designer gown and raises her bouquet and hits Mr. Big over and over again until all the petals fall away. Her face is distraught. Her emotions raw. And I felt my heart constrict as I watched her scream and curse and cry all at the same time. My head ached from having to swallow my tears and I could not even attempt to laugh when the camera zoomed in on Charlotte’s face as she stared darkly at Big and walked like a penguin to the car.

So maybe that is why my hubby wasn’t impressed with the movie. Because he was expecting the same kind of light, sexy banter he watched for years on TV. What he got was real life and more meaning than he really cared for.

Sex And The City the movie is enchanting and surprising at the same time. Fall in love, get hurt and be comforted. Its the perfect end to the delightful TV series.

American Idol has come out with another hunk of a musician in the form of David Cook. His initial performances did not really have an impact on me because he looked like another awkward rocker on the show. But each performance has brought him closer to becoming the next Idol. Despite the controversy of the arrangements of his performance, I would like to have him come out on top.

One of his best performances that instantly turned into a hit is his rendition of Mariah Carey’s “Always be my Baby”. You can even hear this performance played over radio stations. I have included a video of this here so that we (my readers and I) can fall in love with him at the same time.

** Update 5/7/2008 **
I know my best friends are reading this right now… so this if for them… Doesn’t David Cook remind you of a certain… aj? Hehe…

When the word unfolded on the screen, I shared the reaction of the contestant… wha? that’s a thing? I know that thing covers a lot of meanings but I had a hard time associating it with the jackpot word.

The word is… Pseudonym – meaning a fictitious name.

I can still hear Kris Aquino shriek – “Of course that’s a thing! Kwestyunin daw ba ako.” (Of course that’s a thing! How dare you doubt me.)

The English grandfathers must be turning over in their graves.

I can’t believe it. Heath Ledger is dead. I was dumbfounded when I heard the news bit from Unang Hirit. I almost spilled my coffee. Ow!

But it is true, Heath Ledger, father to Michelle William’s child was found dead in his apartment in Manhattan, New York.

Although there has been no confirmed cause of death, the speculation is that his death was caused by a drug overdose. Apparently, sleeping pills were found in the room where they found his body.

Tsk tsk. Its just too sad. The gorgeous hunk can be seen in these famous movies -  “Ten Things I Hate About You“, “The Patriot”, “A Knight’s Tale”, “Casanova”, and “Brokeback Mountain” – in order of my favorites.

Last night, I happen to catch the last few minutes of American Idol Season 7 Dallas auditions on Star World. I was eating dinner when this monstrous white mass of feathers filled the screen. I couldn’t read well from where I sat the name that displayed, but the minute the white bird started to speak, I knew I was watching a Filipino.

I do not know what it is with people like William Hung (and now Reynaldo Lapuz) but they seem to have this x-factor that appeals to millions of people. This new guy from Dallas ended last night’s episode with his rendition of “I am your brother”, “You are my brother” or “We’re brothers forever”. I really wasn’t paying too much attention to the name of the song as I was laughing too hard.

But how could anyone glued to their TV sets forget how Paula Abdul did a back up number to “I am your brother” and how Simon got halo-ed while Reynaldo’s mono was playing in the background. Classic!

I, and about a thousand others, would probably agree with Simon… Reynaldo Lapuz and his outrageous song will become a hit record.

Watch his video here.