Yes Magazine 50 Most Powerful in Showbiz for 2008

The YES! list of the 50 Most Powerful in Showbiz for 2008 starts with a fair advice: "Before you dive into this list, a warning: You may not like what you read."

Listing down the movers and shakers of the local entertainment scene over the past fifteen months, the country's premier entertainment magazine—now celebrating its 9th year anniversary—ranks the "industry players who took an active role in shaping the landscape of entertainment."

The list—which may not sit well with some industry players and readers—bravely covers all corners by presenting not just the entertainers constantly seen on screen, but also commanding personalities who maneuver behind the spotlight: network executives, directors, talent managers, institutions, tycoons, a cosmetic surgeon, and even a renowned scriptwriter.

Here is the complete list of Yes Magazine 50 Most Powerful in Showbiz for 2008.

ENTERTAINERS Category:

On top spot is Wowowee host Willie Revillame. Revillame bested 49 others to emerge as the most powerful in his field. The controversial TV personality recently brandished his uncanny mass appeal when he propelled YES!—in which he was the cover on its January 2009 issue—to publishing milestone by selling an enormous amount of copies unheard of in the local glossy magazine market.

"But the man has mojo," the article stated. "After ABS-CBN snapped him up again and reinstalled him as king of its noontime programming in 2005, he turned his life around—image, finances, lifestyle, work ethic, even daily routine—to become the king of Kapamilya land."

His peso value: 1 million per day contract with ABS-CBN

2nd: Actress and game show host Kris Aquino. Kris may not be as controversial as she was in the past, but it certainly did not diminish her star value. Landing in second place, the self-styled "Queen of All Media" barged into the list by the sheer grit of her worth (monetary speaking, that is).

Her peso value: 3.3 million guaranteed salary per month contract with ABS-CBN

3rd: Box-Office King John Lloyd Cruz, whose stocks rose even higher brought by the back-to-back success of A Very Special Love and You Changed My Life.

His peso value: 500 thousand per movie. 80 - 100 thousand per taping day

4th: Action superstar and Totoy Bato's lead star, Robin Padilla.

His peso value: 200-250 thousand per taping day

5th: GMA-7's current prized female star Marian Rivera who, according to showbiz insiders, pockets a cool "upwards P50,000 per taping day."

Her peso value: 600 thousand per movie. 50 thousand per taping day

6th: Zorro lead star and GMA-7's most prized male star Richard Gutierrez.

His peso value: 4 million per movie. 200 - 250 thousand per taping day

7th: One of the world's most sexiest Dingdong Dantes.

His peso value: 500 thousand - 1.5 million per movie. 100 thousand per taping day

8th: Comedy concert queen Ai-Ai delas Alas

Her peso value: 2 - 3 million per movie. 150 - 200 thousand per taping day

9th: Ultimate Heartthrob Piolo Pascual

His peso value: 3 million per movie. 150 thousand per taping day

10th: King of all Media Joey de Leon

11th: Vic Sotto

12th: Megastar Sharon Cuneta

13th: Young superstar Judy Ann Santos

14th: Toni Gonzaga

15th: 2008 Box-office queen Sarah Geronimo

16th: Michael V.

17th: Ogie Alcasid

18th: Regine Velasquez

19th: Bea Alonzo

20th: KC Concepcion

21st: Pinoy Boxing Champ Manny Pacquiao

22nd: Senator Bong Revilla

23rd: Ruffa Gutierrez

24th: Lady Directors Joyce Bernal and Cathy Garcia-Molina

25th: Pinoy Komiksmen Carlo J. Caparas and Mars Ravelo

26th: Sam Milby

24 Most Powerful Showbiz Executives:

Even more interesting is the Executives list wherein the power heads of the entertainment industry were unmasked for the public to know.

As expected, the top brass of the two largest networks were pitted head-to-head against each other, breaking down their enormous influence and power not commonly known to outside spectators.

Top spot: Eugenio 'Gabby' Lopez III (ABS-CBN) and Atty. Felipe Gozon (GMA-7)

2nd: Charo Santos-Concio (ABS-CBN)

3rd: Cory Vidanes (ABS-CBN)

4th: Annette Gozon-Abrogar (GMA-7)

5th: Malou Santos (ABS-CBN)

9th: Deo Endrinal (ABS-CBN)

10th: Johnny Manahan (ABS-CBN)

11th: Boy Abunda (ABS-CBN)

12th: Lolit Solit (GMA-7)

20th: Ricardo 'Ricky' Lee

Eyebrows will surely rise as the April issue likewise offered an extensive, not to mention exhaustive, summary of ABS-CBN and GMA-7's overall earnings, investor desirability, reach and advertising revenues.

"Which of these two heavyweights would win the rounds of expenditures and profits—and which would be down for the count?" YES! asked before laying down the facts as presented by an expert analyst.

Grab a copy of YES! April issue-now available at all leading bookstores and magazine stands-to see the entire list.

Source: Yes Magazine via PEP

Kris Aquino Reveals How She Consumed Her Endorsement Fees

If you happen to read my previous article or probably bought a copy of Yes! Magazine October issue, you for sure are aware by now that Kris Aquino topped their list of Top 20 Celebrity Endorsers for 2008. And maybe, like me, is curious how she spent some, if not all, of her talent fees from her endorsements?

Kris, on her text messages to Jo-Ann Maglipon, Yes! Editor-in-Chief, mentioned where the big portion of her talent fees from her endorsements actually go.

"The bulk of my advertising this year went to Baby James's educational fund (pre-paid lump sum from Grade 1 to 4th year college), his wealth-managed trust fund which we'll receive after college graduation and Josh's wealth-managed fund as well," said Kris.

"Josh will always need special care," Kris continued, "so I promised my mom [former President Corazon Aquino] to make sure that he'll always be ok financially. He is always her top worry."

The former Philippine president was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier this year and Kris told Ms. Maglipon that she also helps in the medical expenses.

"I take care of some of my mom's medical expenses because it makes me feel good but she's forever wanting to pay me back," she said.

Although Kris did not mention exactly where the money came from, she said that, "James has fulfilled his promise to his family to build a bigger home in their province.

"Thank you for this recognition," she told Ms. Maglipon.

Kris emerged on top of the YES! list because she is "without a doubt the queen of product endorsements, with 21 products to her name."

According to YES!, Kris is a favorite of advertisers because "she is very easy to work with, and is very professional, arriving for a shoot prepared, with her lines memorized."

But Kris's best asset is that "she connects well with consumers, whatever bracket of society they belong to."

2008 Yes! Magazine List of Top 20 Celebrity Endorsers

Yes! Magazine, one of the leading entertainment news magazines in the Philippines, came up with its list of Top 20 Local Celebrity Product Endorsers based on their estimated total income for 2008.

In the magazine's October 2008 issue, executives from the advertising industry were interviewed to describe how they choose a certain celebrity, and to explain why consumers oftentimes believe in the statements of these stars in their commercials.

According to YES! Editor-in-Chief Jo-Ann Maglipon, "The list you see here is our own. Our list is not write in stone. This is, after all, a topic wrapped in some pretty serious secrecy—but it is one we stand by. With good reason: ours is an independent list using multiple sources, pursued fairly, and computed with disinterest."

Sharon Cuneta, Aga Muhlach, Kris Aquino, Piolo Pascual, Marian Rivera, and Dawn Zulueta are among some of those who made it to the list.

Who else made it? Grab a copy of the October 2008 issue, with Dawn Zulueta on the main cover, in magazine stands and bookstores.