Jon Avila, the very good-looking half-British, half-Filipino says he is just enjoying his time in showbiz. He is very proud to be one of the Coverboys and dreams of a TV show or a movie for the group. In fact, he is all set and excited in their forthcoming show on Aug. 9, Saturday at The Grand Theater in Los Angeles. With him are Jake Cuenca, Zanjoe Marudo, Victor Basa and Rafael Rosell. Special guest is Nikki Gil.

The show titled "Coverboys: Uncovered" is produced by KATZ Entertainment in cooperation with Genesis Importers, Inc. It is also presented by Seafood City Supermarket. Sponsors are Miller Honda (Culver City and Van Nuys); Xoom.com, Gerry's Grill Cerritos; Brookshire Dental Care; Dr. Manny Calayan of Calayan Surgicentre and Kalesa Grill Panorama. The show is also brought to you by The Filipino Channel, Gandi Skin Care Clinic, Greg Ver Espejo. Cherry's Salon and Peterson. For ticket info, you may call KATZ at 562-219-7235/ (562) 787-9030 or Genesis Importers at (626) 272-2754 / (626) 236-4971.

Jon is now a household name in the Philippines. He gained popularity when he joined as a housemate in Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition late last year. Eventually, people in the biz took notice of Jon and he was declared one of the brightest Kapamilya stars.

To this day, Jon can only count his blessings and big breaks in the business. He is closest to Jake Cuenca from among the members of the Coverboys. He was even overwhelmed when fans started screaming for him in the recently concluded series of The Coverboys at Music Museum. The jampacked crowd was cheering for him. He said, "Yeah, I'm overwhelmed. It's not just me as a person but as Coverboys, the group. We have gained popularity and all of us did not expect this. I'm really happy that we got this far and from what we achieved at Music Museum. We will surely bring this show to the USA."

When asked if has any regrets being in showbiz, Jon said:

"It can be filled with nasty rumors but it's your attitude that matters. Also, I cannot be happier. I plan to stay and pursue my career as an actor. "I love it! I really love what's happening with my life right now. I'm really happy and I don't regret anything. I'm very very happy. I will not exchange it with anything right now."

Add to being a performer on stage, Jon also plays the superhero, Kapitan Boom in the tv series with the same title on ABS-CBN/ TFC Channel 2 every Saturday. This is also the reason why he has gained such following from the children.

MOST DARING ACT. At their show in Music Museum, writers are quick to ask Jon if he can be more daring than wearing just trunks on stage. And he replied:

"I don't think I can do anything more daring than that. I became known first as a Bench Body model so I am used going on ramp with trunks or underwear. Pero I guess, this is it na, this is the height na. If you want to see more… We'll see…we'll see what will happen."

When he engages in a conversation, Jon tries his best to include Tagalog words. That serves as his practise and also reading his script written in Tagalog for Kapitan Boom. Jon adds that he also reads Pugad Baboy comic books.

COVERBOYS' DREAM. Jon is proud to be a member of the hottest boy group in the Philippines today. He dreams of having a sitcom with them. He adds:

"I wouldn't mind magkaroon kami ng sitcom… or movie na Coverboys. I think, that would be fun. I think as a group, that would be our dream, to have a show of our own."

While writers are quick to report that there is now competition among the members of the Coverboys, Jon said otherwise: "There's no competition among us. We're all the same. Everyone will have their own time. Everyone has their own career naman. Para sa akin, we're all in the same level."

Lastly, we asked Jon to define his being a Coverboy, if it's on the side of being naughty or being daring. And he quickly avers: " This is the side of having fun while we're still young. In a few years, I'm not gonna do this. So, I wanna look back when I'm old na I was able to do all these things."

To see Jon perform live, join him in a one-night show only at Grand Theater in downtown LA on Aug. 9 with the rest of the Coverboys. This is surely a Summer-Fun-Must-See-Show!

Nikki Gil: Asian Girl Superstar Hits L.A.

One of the prettiest and most talented artists today in the Philippine music and recording scene is Nikki Gil. Currently, you get to watch her via ABS-CBN's "ASAP 08" aired every Sunday. She is also a lead host in "Pinoy Dream Academy 2" with pop idol, Billy Crawford and Toni Gonzaga.

Already a household name in the Philippines, Nikki is the special guest of The Cover Boys on Aug. 9 at The Grand Theater (LA Trade Tech) in downtown Los Angeles. The concert features the teleserye idols, Jake Cuenca and Rafael Rosell as well as Pinoy Big Brothers Zanjoe Marudo and Victor Basa and the famous Kapitan Boom, Jon Avila.

The concert is produced by KATZ entertainment with Genesis Importers, Inc. It is also brought to you by Seafood City Supermarket , Miller Honda (Culver City & Van Nuys), Dr. Manny Calayan of Calayan Surgicenter and Xoom.Com. It is also brought to you by Gerry's Grill Restaurant/ Cerritos; Kalesa Grill (Anaheim/Panorama); The Filipino Channel & M.A.R.C. Skin Care. Concert stylists are Peterson, Cherry's Salon and Marlou Colina. Tickets are available now at www.tiketanonline.com. You may call KATZ at 562-219-7235 or 562-787-9030.

Here's what the drumbeaters of Nikki Gil had to say about this ultimate beauty and talented performer.

Nikki graduated from Shekinah Christian Training Center in March 2004 as batch Valedictorian. She is now currently studying at the Ateneo de Manila University. She attends church in Alabang New Life Christian Center in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Nikki Gil was originally known for her role in a Coca-Cola commercial. She was voice talent for various television and radio commercials and jingles including Dunkin Donuts, J&J, Ovaltine, Anchor Milk, Del Monte Catsup, and Del Monte Pineapple.

She later became a regular in variety show ASAP '06, Breakfast Surprise, and MYX. She was a host for reality tv search show Pinoy Dream Academy. She released a self-titled album, which includes the songs "Sakayan ng Jeep" and "Glowing Inside". She recorded a rendition of the song "Breaking Free" for the soundtrack of the Disney Channel's original movie High School Musical, together with Singapore's Alicia Pan and Malaysia's Vince Chong. Because of the success, she was also entitled to make the Asian version of "Gotta Go My Own Way" with Tom Price for the Philippine soundtrack of the 2007 Disney Channel Original Movie, High School Musical 2. This made her an Asian Girl Superstar.

For her special numbers in The Coverboys concert, many were shocked to see singer-host Nikki Gil whooping it up together with the members of the Cover Boys which had sold-our nights at the Music Museum back home.

After seeing the production number, fans and casual observers began to wonder if the daring production number signified Nikki's willingness to finally ditch the wholesome image she tirelessly nurtured since the start of her showbiz career.

"Marami ngang nag-react do'n," Nikki said to PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) at the launching of her second album titled Hear My Heart held last Saturday, May 24, at Dencio's Bar and Grill at the TriNoma Mall in Quezon City.

According to Nikki, even she was taken aback initially when she learned the details of the entire number.

"Ako naman, ang point ko, for the people who are judging me, sabi ko 'Hindi ninyo alam 'yong back story.' Hindi ninyo alam na the night before the Coverboys concert 'tsaka ko lang ni-rehearse 'yong prod [production number] 'tsaka ko lang nalaman na 'Gimme More' ang sasayawin ko. And on the night of the concert, 'tsaka ko lang nakita 'yong susuotin ko," she explained.

NO, NO PRIMA DONNA. Nikki said that if she and her team saw the outfit beforehand, they might request for something "more appropriate." But the young singer quickly corrected herself by arguing that she did not find anything distasteful with the wardrobe either.

"Hindi naman ako magpapa-self-righteous effect, but you know, I personally did not find anything offensive with what I was wearing," argued Nikki.

She added that she was only being professional and that there's no reason for her to make demands at this point of her young career.

"Hindi nila alam na we have to say yes to this production number because we just said no to this another one. So 'pag pati ito hinindian ko, ano na lang ako? Showbiz-showbiz ka namimili ka, and I'd been telling them I'm not yet a Gary V or a Regine Velasquez or a Sharon Cuneta na magdi-demand na, 'I'm not singing that song, I don't wanna sing it, I won't sing it,' wala pa ako do'n. Hopefully, I'll get there but for now it's really a game of pakikisama, kailangan marunong kang makisama."

As for the public's reaction, Nikki and her team shared that they were already expecting to hear some unfavorable comments in the wake of the concert. In a fickle industry such as show business, striking a balance between reinventing one's image and conforming to the norms deemed proper by the conservative audience is one tough order.

"It's not like I did anything irreversible. It doesn't make me less as a person to do that. I'm a singer and it's a performance. Medyo maraming nabulabog and we're very careful about that. But then again, we can't please everyone. Masyado kang balot, irereklamo ka. 'Pag gagawa ka ng ganito na medyo experimental, masa-shock sila," she noted, sounding confused.

As for the wholesome image she's well identified with, Nikki reasoned, "Yong wholesome image na 'yan, I don't think it doesn't necessarily reflect on your outfit. It's your conviction as a person di ba? I mean, kasi showbiz to, e. I don't want to be pretentious, like I don't see anything wrong with wearing a tube top."

Cover Boys: Latest Hotties to Invade Los Angeles

For starters, we would like to congratulate the one and only megastar, Sharon Cuneta for a very successful premiere event at Alex Theater in Glendale, California. There were two screenings of the movie and during both times, the tickets were sold out. The $25 dollar ticket was nothing to those who filled the long lines at Alex Theater.

Sharon headed off to Honolulu the following day to attend the opening of "Caregiver" over there. The movie is worth watching and a lot of overseas workers can easily relate to it.

Although tired of jetsetting from one state to the next, Sharon gamely obliged with a "meet-and-greet" after each screening. She signed all those CDs and pictures while hundreds of flashes from the paparazzi filled the place.

Next stop would be the Paris Film Festival where "Caregiver" was personally handpicked from 40 entries from the Philippines. Come August this year, Sharon will celebrate her 30th year in show business with a grand concert at the Araneta Coliseum.

By next year, watch out as she comes back to America with a USA concert tour where she will have no less than her gorgeous and talented daughter, KC Concepcion as her very special guest…remember you heard it first from Showbiz Talk. So watch out for it.

Tired of watching the same artists on stage all the time? Want something fresh, hip and hot on stage?

Well, you are in for a big surprise as a couple of months from now, you are sure to meet and watch the most talked-about boy group in the Philippines today. They are known as the Cover Boys who staged a jampacked two-night show at the Music Museum back home.

Come August 9, Saturday at 8 p.m., the Cover Boys with special guest, Nikki Gil will perform in a show billed "Cover Boys…Live in LA!" at The Grand Theater (@ LA Trade Tech) in downtown Los Angeles. This early, LA fans are all agog about the event and the craving for tickets is getting more desirable each day.

The hunky male group is known for their toned bodies and sexy image. After entertaining their fans every weekend during the Sunday noontime show ASAP, they will groove their way into the hearts of the audience members who will watch their first ever concert in the USA.

Composed of telenovela heartthrobs Jake Cuenca and Rafael Rosell; Pinoy Big Brother housemates Zanjoe Marudo, Victor Basa, and Jon Avila, the all-male group will be performing sexy dance numbers and the latest top 40 music.

Reporters from Manila are quoted in saying that: "These young handsome men will make all your hot and scorching fantasies come to life. Added to sexy and naughty numbers, the audience will also see the alluring and very talented singer-recording artist, Nikki Gil. "

Nikki Gil became a regular in variety show ASAP '06, Breakfast Surprise, and MYX. She was a host for reality tv search show Pinoy Dream Academy. She released a self-titled album, which includes the songs "Sakayan ng Jeep" and "Glowing Inside". She recorded a rendition of the song "Breaking Free" for the soundtrack of the Disney Channel's original movie High School Musical, together with Singapore's Alicia Pan and Malaysia's Vince Chong. Because of the success, she was also entitled to make the Asian version of "Gotta Go My Own Way" with Tom Price for the Philippine soundtrack of the 2007 Disney Channel Original Movie, High School Musical 2. This made her an Asian Girl Superstar.

Nikki is now a member of ABS-CBN's circle of homegrown artists Star Magic.

This August 9, don't miss the Cover Boys, as these hunky actors shift from television to stage as they parade their singing prowess at a concert produced by KATZ Entertainment and Genesis Importers, Inc.

Get ready to swoon over the hot sizzling production numbers in "Cover Boys, Live !" with special guest, Nikki Gil as they perform for the very first time at The Grand Theater in Los Angeles.

Tickets available now at www.tiketanonline.com.

For more information please call KATZ at 562-219-7235; 562-787-9030 or Genesis Importers at 626-236-4971.

(Ed’s note: Jackie Regala-Katigbak has been writing and doing promotions in the entertainment business since the 1980s. The past two decades saw her columns and articles published in the Philippines via the Manila Bulletin, Panorama, Manila Standard and Philippine Times Journal. Currently her articles are published by www.CarouselPinoy.com, the Asian Journal publications and in various newspapers in Southern California. For correspondence, you may send her an email at JackieRegala@verizon.net Thank you.)