Kris Aquino tops the 2008 YES! magazine’s Top 20 Celebrity Endorsers. Ranking is based on the most money earned by the celebrity endorser. What is surprising is the six degrees( or even closer) of separation in the Top 20 Celebrity Endorsers, like mother and daughter Sharon Cuneta and KC Concepcion; former husbands and wives, Movie Queen and now Batangas Governor Vilma Santos and OMB Chair Edu Manzano, not to mention former wife Maricel Soriano; brother and sister Richard and Ruffa Gutierrez, among others, such an interesting mix..Here is the rest of the Top 20 Celebrity Endorsers of 2008:

1. Kris Aquino - 22 tri-media endorsements
2. Sharon Cuneta - 5 tri-media endorsements
3. Marian Rivera - 25 tri-media endorsements (tied with)
KC Concepcion - 9 tri-media endorsements
4. Aga Muhlach - 6 tri-media endorsements
5. Piolo Pascual - 15 tri-media endorsements
6. Judy Ann Santos - 24 tri-media endorsements
7. Vilma Santos - 4 tri-media endorsements
8. Robin Padilla - 5 tri-media endorsements
9. Richard Gutierrez - 9 tri-media endorsements (tied with)
Maricel Soriano - 7 tri-media endorsements
10. Dingdong Dantes - 9 tri-media endorsements
11. Dawn Zulueta - 7 tri-media endorsements
12. Lucy Torres-Gomez - 10 tri-media endorsements (tied with)
Angel Locsin - 11 tri-media endorsements
13. Manny Pacquiao - 9 tri-media endorsements
14. Sarah Geronimo - 10 tri-media endorsements
15. Lea Salonga - 4 tri-media endorsements
16. Edu Manzano - 10 tri-media endorsements
17. John Lloyd Cruz - 8 tri-media endorsements
18. Toni Gonzaga - 8 tri-media endorsements
19. Anne Curtis - 5 tri-media endorsements
20. Ruffa Gutierrez - 7 tri-media endorsements

Because of so many complains on the results, particularly from Angel Locsin fans, YES! Magazine through Summit Media President Ms. Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng, answered the hullaballoo:

“I have spoken to Ms. Maglipon, our Editor-in-Chief, and this is how they computed for the results. They actually counted the number of endorsements that Ms. Locsin has 12 active endorsements and then asked around the industry about her talent fee. The YES! team then multiplied the number of endorsements versus the rate card in order to come out with an annual number. Please read YES! and tell us if we got the number of endorsements wrong. If you can give us facts, we will definitely print your letter and admit our error.”

To know more about the List and many other celebrities, grab a copy of the October 2008 issue of YES! Magazine, with Dawn Zulueta on the main cover, available now in your favorite magazine stands and bookstores.

Rayver Cruz at 19 is baby faced but mature at the center, that’s what the Star Studio Magazine article title is when it featured Rayver Cruz at no. 10 in the Top 12 Hotties of 2008.  Rayver Cruz who stands at 5′10 1/2 is sexy to me! Too bad loveteam Shaina Magdayao rejected him and opted for a much smaller John Prats (joke lang, hehe). Well, Shaina Magdayao ’s loss may be Sarah Geronimo ’s gain. When interviewed in The Buzz, Sarah Geronimo exuded a certain glow when she was asked about Rayver Cruz. BTW, that Rayver Cruz shirtless photo was what shown to Sarah Geronimo.

For The First Time had a successful premiere night last Tuesday (August 26) in two SM Megamall Cinemas. It had its regular showing yesterday (August 27), as of press time, no news yet on how successful the movie was on its first dayIt reportedly made P15-M on its First showing day! about the same with the box office return of the smash hit, A Very Special Love. Reports from fans are that long lines in the cineplexes were seen, and people are queuing up for the movie. In the smashing success of the For The First Time premiere night, the biggest celebrities of Philippine Showbiz were in attendance both from rival networks ABS-CBN and GMA. Notably present in the premiere night supporting lead stars KC Concepcion and Richard Gutierrez were:

KC Concepcion ’s Family: Sharon Cuneta, Senator Francis Pangilinan, and Elaine Cuneta who were in Cinema 10 of the Megamall, an intrigue in itself really, and KC’s real dad, Gabby Concepcion who watched on Cinema 9 of the Megamall.

Richard Gutierrez ‘ Family: Annabelle Rama, Eddie Gutierrez, Ruffa Gutierrez, twin brother Raymond and brothers Rocky, Ramon Christopher and Ritchie Paul Gutierrez.

ABS-CBN Executives: Chairman and CEO Gabby Lopez, ABS-CBN President Charo Santos-Concio, ABS-CBN Executives Malou Santos, Cory Vidanes, Deo Endrinal and Star Magic head Johnny Manahan.

Only one GMA Executive attended - Redgie Acuna-Magno, the rest, Richard’s mentor’s in his hit TV show, Codename: Asero like Executive Producer Carol Reyes and Angie Castrence and Codename: Asero director Mark Reyes.

The Kapuso Stars who attended were: Richard Gomez, German Moreno, Senator Bong Revilla Jr., JC De Vera, Paolo Paraiso, Rhian Ramos, Michelle and Ehra Madrigal.

The Kapamilya Stars who attended were: Jericho Rosales, Gary Valenciano, Sarah Geronimo, Mariel Rodriguez, Ai Ai Delas Alas, Maja Salvador, and Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno.

Ano ang hinihintay nyo, tara byahe na! ay..nood na.LOL. Actually, from the sheer beauty pa lang of Greece, the movie is worth it. I will be watching this myself in the days to come, when schedule allows. And look at these photos, there could be something brewing between KC Concepcion and Richard Gutierrez in real life from these pics alone, kaya watch na ng For The First Time to see the “magic” and “chemistry” on the big screen. Kaka-excite!!

Fans of the Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz loveteam need not fret over the mega success of the John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo loveteam, the John Lloyd-Bea tandem is back every weekdays on primetime TV over at ABS-CBN. John Lloyd Cruz has been chosen to be “Armando” in I Love Betty La Fea, the Pinoy version of Ugly Betty. Betty La Fea is Bea Alonzo. John Lloyd Cruz was at first hesitant to star again opposite Bea Alonzo in primetime TV after he was promised that they are going to be paired off with others this year. But John Lloyd was glad of the opportunity when Piolo Pascual, Ryan Agoncillo, Gerald Anderson, Jake Cuenca, Sam Milby, and Derek Ramsey, among other big male stars were also considered for the role.

Philippine showbiz backstage drama. classic. It has been reported that Divine Geronimo, mother of Sarah Geronimo has not treated well a young fashion designer and even came to the point where Sarah’s mother threw the designer’s gown on the floor whom the designer made gratis. The reported incident happened in the ABS-CBN Dolphy special, The King of Comedy: Dolphy at 80 where Sarah Geronimo was a guest performer.

A young designer was commissioned to make a gown for Sarah Geronimo for the Dolphy Special, and since the designer is new, he got excited over the designing job. He made the “controversial gown” extra special and even spent so much time making it that he was sleepless most of the time just to really make a beautiful creation for Sarah.

When D-Day came, Sarah Geronimo fitted the gown but to her amazement, it did not sit well with her mother Divine and ordered her not to wear it. And after doing so, threw the gown on the floor. As in, biglang ipinaahubad ng ina ni Sarah ang gown at walang kaabug-abog na itinapon ito nang walang sali-salita. No explanation on why the sudden change of plans or a small thank you for the gown was made to the designer. Mommy Divine then reportedly made Sarah Geronimo wear another gown. The young designer was reduced to tears. It was also reported that even Sarah Geronimo was surprised at what her mother had done but ever the obedient daughter, had to obey what her mother had told her to do.

Meanwhile, Divine Geronimo aired her side of the story denying such a thing happened saying, “Hindi ko binastos yung designer. Hindi ko itinapon yung gown. Ang nangyari kasi, yung dala niyang gown ay hindi fit kay Sarah. Kaya yung dalang gown na lang ng Viva ang pinasuot ko sa kanya.

“Hindi ko na yun pina-repair kasi wala nang oras. Araw na mismo kasi ng show yun. At saka si Sarah na lang ang kulang sa performers na nasa stage na. Siya na lang ang hinihintay ng mga kasamahan niya.

“‘Di ba dapat ‘pag magsusuot ka ng gown o magpapatahi ka ng damit, dapat ay may fitting? Yung gown ni Sarah na ipapagamit sana nung designer ay hindi niya naman nasukat. Basta na lang yun ibinigay sa kanya nung designer.”

Mommy Divine Geronimo also clarified that they don’t personally or professionally know the designer. “Doon na lang namin siya nakilala sa taping ng Dolphy special. Binigyan niya nga kasi ng gown si Sarah.

“Gusto ko sanang magpasamalat sa kanya. Kaya lang pagbalik ko ng dressing room, after ng production number ni Sarah ay wala na siya.”

On the other hand, Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz movie, A Very Special Love, is on its way to being the highest grossing Filipino movie of all time, and just made the highest grossing movie of 2008, eclipsing Sharon Cuneta’s Caregiver. The Sarah and John Lloyd’s starrer, A Very Special Love already made 134 Million on its 2nd week and still raking in the big bucks on its 3rd week.