CHARICE:  FROM  ELLEN  TO  OPRAH
 

MANILA, APRIL 15, 2008 (STAR) FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo - Let’s start with the sad(?) news: Henceforth, Charice will be known simply as Charice — not Charice Pempengco as she used to be — because her estranged father (and his family) have asked her to stop using that surname.

Well and good because, according to Charice, who’s turning 15 on May 10, the last time she saw her father, Ricky “P,” was 12 years ago. That was the time when Charice’s mom Raquel and Mr. “P” separated.

“I haven’t been in good terms with him since then,” said Raquel, who has another child, Carl (13), by him. “I’ve always been a single mom.”

The good news is that, after her landmark guest appearance on Ellen DeGeneres’ self-titled US TV show late last year, Charice will soon be seen on yet another popular US TV show, Oprah no less. Charice doesn’t know exactly when the Oprah episode will be aired, although Oprah herself has been plugging it (including on YouTube), reminding televiewers “to watch for 10 fantastic kids,” one of whom happens to be Charice. The TV teaser said: They may look like ordinary kids but what they are getting ready to do on our stage will blow you away! This you have to see to believe! Coming this May.

So how did Charice get into Oprah?

“Through Mr. David Foster,” Charice told Funfare.

Charice met Foster last year. He saw Charice on Ellen and he took pains to contact her. And then Foster asked Charice to sing. Presto! Before Charice knew it, Foster was asking her to record Ordinary World, one of his compositions (Foster has written songs for almost all the big names in the industry, from Celine Dion to Barbra Streisand to Whitney Houston to Josh Groban).

“My newest baby” is how Foster introduces Charice to people.

So fond Foster has become of Charice that he even brought her on his private jet to Las Vegas to watch the farewell concert of Celine Dion. They were seated on the front-center, no less.

It was Foster who brought Charice to the attention of Oprah. “Watch out for her,” Foster told Oprah.

During the shoot in Chicago, which lasted for two hours (5 to 7 p.m.) early this month, recalled Charice, she saw Oprah watching from the sidelines. The 10 “fantastic kids” were each asked to perform their forte. One played the guitar, one played the drum, another did a dance exhibition. It was only Charice who sang a song, I Have Nothing (also by Whitney Houston, like I Will Always Love You, one of the two songs Charice sang on Ellen

“She hugged me before the interview portion,” Charice said. “Nagulat ako! Natulala ako! Siempre, si Oprah siya, eh!”

Like when Charice guested on Ellen, it was US immigration lawyer and STAR columnist Michael Gurfinkel who facilitated her travel papers. It was also Gurfinkel who was contacted by the Oprah staffer for Charice’s guesting.

A third placer in the ABS-CBN talent search Little Big Star in 2006, Charice was discovered by Ellen via the YouTube in which a fan who called herself “False Voice” uploaded a film clip of Charice’s performance in the South Korean show Star King. An Ellen staffer saw the YouTube and told DeGeneres about it, prompting her to make a joke on air about giving a reward to anybody who could furnish her the contact number of Charice. Ed Shapiro, Ellen’s lawyer, found Charice’s website. To make a circuitous story short, Shapiro got in touch with Michael Gurfinkel who rushed the processing of Charice and her mom’s US visa. Mother and daughter arrived in the US in the nick of time. On Ellen, Charice sang two songs, I Will Always Love You and And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going (sung by American Idol graduate Jennifer Hudson in the movie version of Dreamgirls).

Between Ellen and Oprah, the Gurfinkels (Michael and wife Millie) managed to book Charice for a guest appearance early this year on The Paul O’Grady Show in London where she sang the same two songs (as requested by O’Grady himself).

After Oprah, Charice will finish recording her debut album (for Star Records). You guessed it: The album is titled simply Charice.

The name Charice sounds even better without Pempengco, doesn’t it?

Fil-Am beauty vies for Miss Earth crown

Here’s a brief report from Funfare’s “beauty experts” Felix Manuel, Joey Cezeare, Gery Yumping and Francis Calubaquib:

2008 Miss Filipinas-USA Melanie Felix will represent the Filipino communities of US East Coast in this year’s Miss Philippines-Earth pageant.

She is excited over her trip to the Philippines. She will spend her first few days relaxing at the beautiful and environment-friendly Fil-Am Garden Resort in San Antonio, Quezon.

Melanie’s platform will be “How To Live Greener and Make Environmentally Responsible Choices.”

She will be wearing gowns by Versace, Dolce & Gabanna and Marc Bauwer Couture, provided by her sponsors, throughout the month-long competition in Manila.

Her cultural gown will be a modern “terno” designed by Philippine-based award-winning designer Ariel Alvarez. Last year’s US East Coast delegate Emerald Morales wore a stunning purple evening gown designed by Alvarez. Emerald won the Best In Long Gown award.

Melanie was born in the US and works as a flight attendant based in Washington, DC. New to pageants, it was her aunt Anita who encouraged her to join the Miss Filipinas-USA contest.