Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

I’VE ALWAYS been a keen observer of Pinoy entertainment and the players in it. I grew up watching Filipino movies and the stars that have graced in them. In general, I’m just fascinated with the big personalities that make the entertainment industry come alive.

Undeniably, she is a complex person with many facets. All at once she is vivacious, explosive, sweet, taklesa, classy and of course, extremely intelligent and well-read.

She is a walking contradiction. Her roller coaster career and personal life have played out like a dramatic reel before our eyes. There have been lows but also a lot of highs. Ultimately, she matured into the more sensible, kinder person that she is now.

Time has obviously been a factor in her growth. No longer rambunctious, this daughter of former president Cory Aquino is now settled with James Yap.

Watching her on TV throughout the years and in her more current projects on ABS-CBN, as host of The Buzz and SNN, you have to agree she’s paid her dues to be named the "queen of talk."

Some people will say, "Ang arte talaga nito ni Kris. Nakakainis siya!" But deep inside, secretly they love her! Because of her brash honesty and wicked humor, people are always going to have extreme reactions toward her. Kris is not afraid to tell the truth and she is the first to admit her faults. She is the way she is and she makes no apologies for it.

However, there’s a side to Kris that doesn’t necessarily make headlines all the time. I was witness to this compassionate side of her 18 years ago when we were experiencing a health crisis in the family.

My niece, Lennie, had a seven-year-old daughter, Rhea Marie, who was diagnosed with leukemia. Like me, Rhea, my apo, was also a big fan of Pinoy movies. She idolized three of the hottest stars of that time--Rene Requiestas, Robin Padilla and Kris Aquino.

Ravaged by chemo, Rhea was still a surprisingly upbeat child. She gushed about her idols Rene, Robin and Kris and held on to the hope that she might get to meet them someday.

That was her wish, actually.

My niece Lennie and her mom Angie (my sister) worked hard to find a showbiz connection. I guess God has a way of linking people. Entertainment columnist Cristy Fermin was able to arrange for then-sweethearts Robin and Kris to have some face time with Rhea.