I know, it’s better late than never. I wasn’t really all giddy about buying this issue. Maybe it’s due to the mixed reviews I read about this one from the FHM bullboard. But I bought it, anyway. And it wasn’t really a knockout. Part of this judgment is due to the fact that I bought books along with this magazine. I’m more excited with the fact that I have new books.

I was actually hinting about Rich Asuncion gracing FHM for May on my last FHM post. Her camp released publicity reports of her doing an FHM shoot in Boracay. Oh, well.

COVER

The cover is stunning. It has the same effects as Misa Campo’s- simple, crisp, clean. This issue’s good as far as the cover’s concerned. Yes, better than last month’s cover.

COVER STORY

May is the last month of summer and FHM decided to end summer on a beach, with Rich Asuncion, nonetheless.

Rich is beautiful, no questions about that one. She actually looks like a much younger Dawn Zulueta.But the concept used on her is overused and bland. Her poses are redundant. There are girls who can pull-off a good beach pictorial, but Rich didn’t. Her photoshoot could have been better, a-la Jackie Rice’s FHM cover. Sayang lang.

I get that they chose colorful articles of (non)clothing and a calm back drop to get a mabango and malinis effect. They achieved that. I just feel like Rich is not well-motivated. I mean her poses and facial expressions are bland.

Her interview’s fine. She knows what she has and what she can do with it. Rich also knows what she want. I have always admired her wisdom. And yes, she’s talented- more talented than her Starstruck contemporaries Kris Bernal and Jewel Mische.

It wasn’t really that bad, it’s just that they can do WONDERS with Rich. Again, sayang. Hope she’ll do FHM once more to make up for it.

FEATURED READS

One for the Donaires, one for basketball, one for OPM and one for vegetables.

I never thought I would enjoy reading about the Donaires, but for some reason, I did.

Nonito is a good boxer. Intelligent boxer nga daw. He and his wife has good communication skills, evident to some TV interviews they had.

FHM did well on covering not just Nonito’s boxing life, they also presented him as a photography enthusiast. It’s just saddening that his issue with his family was blown out of proportions.

The basketball article was good, as well as the vegetables. Those article were accompanied by nice illustrations. It’s fun to know more about the bahay kubo.

The one about OPM songs was almost good. They should have given that one more space. The lay-out of the article itself was a bit tacky. Warren Espejo, on the other hand, did well on the collage. He’s responsible for the good artworks on spot.ph.

FEATURED GIRLS

These girls own a star on this issue. Their photoshoots are better than the cover girl’s. It would’ve been better had FHM made Rich do a concept like any of these girls’ photoshoot.

Jinri Park, oh Jinri Park. She is just lovely. Chinita, silky smooth skin, nice lips. Plus she’s a full-blooded Korean with Filipino values, like radio and tv godesses Sam Oh and Grace Lee. Lovely.

I think she appeared on GMA’s Comedy Bar. She’s one of those ‘beer-gins’ who sheds clothes before serving food and drinks to live studio guests.

FHM veteran Nika Madrid made a splashing comeback on this issue.

Need I say more? I really hope that FHM do a cover with this kind of concept. It would be amazing even if the cover girl would want some ‘cover’ on.

Other babes featured are Bench Body model Barbara Baretto and Tahiti Cora as the May Girlfriend.

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It wasn’t really a good issue, not also a bad one. It’s the type that won’t make you really worried if you failed to purchase. The featured girls are the best part of this issue.

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It has been almost two month’s since FHM opened the voting for the 100 Sexiest for 2011. Unless you are living under a rock, you probably know that FHM releases updates every week via their newsletter called the Bullpen. Showbiz news reports also uses the same FHM updates to inform non-FHM readers and subscribers about the ongoing poll.

Here’s the rundown of the updates:

UPDATE 1

UPDATE 2

(Cristine Reyes takes the 3rd spot.)

UPDATE 3

UPDATE 4

UPDATE 5

It’s always a neck to neck battle on the top 5 of every partial results to date. It has always been the same names in there.

Angel Locsin grabbed the top spot  on the first update which covers the first nineteen days of voting. She has since failed to maintain her standing up until the most recent unofficial tally.

Marian Rivera grabbed the lead from Angel on the next update which covered an additional 10 days after the first one. She has maintained her lead up until the 4th update.

Cristine Reyes, although considered a strong contender, has yet t grab the top spot on any of the updates.

Sam Pinto has shown a strong potential during the first four updates. And she even grabbed the top spot on the most recent update. Kudos to Sam and her fans.

Solenn Heussaff (and her fans) seems to be a little quiet about this poll. She peaked at number 4 during the 3rd update but she holds the 5th spot on the other updates. I hope her fans would pull off a surprise and provide more votes for Solenn on the weeks to come.

Jennylyn Mercado has been on the sixth spot for four consecutive weeks until Valerie Concepcion grabbed the spot on the recent update. I am still surprised that Valerie has been on the top 10 for three weeks now. I never knew her fan base is that strong. It helps that she’s appearing on two TV networks.

Ellen Adarna is considered as an underdog on this list. She is well known by FHM readers and netizens but not  by the greater mass. Still, she holds a firm position on the top 10.

Katrina Halili‘s fans still love the two-time sexiest woman, although not with the same flare as before. She has been on the bottom of the top 10 for 3 weeks but still holding on, while contemporaries Iwa Moto and Ehra Madrigal figured in on the 29th and 24th spot, respectively, on the third update. (Ehra figured in on the 10th spot during the first update)

Non-FHM cover girls Rhian Ramos, Anne Curtis and Lovi Poe also figured in on the top 10 at some point. With Rhian staying on for three weeks, peaking at number 7. Anne Curtis entered the top 10 on week 2 at the ninth spot and has yet to appear on the updates that followed.  Lovi, on the other hand, holds the ninth spot on the two most recent updates.

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I am glad that Sam Pinto grabbed the lead this week. That opened up the opportunity for someone new to be the Philippines’ Finest. I mean Angel, Marian and Cristine are sexy in their own ways but it’s about time to have someone new up there. Enough of making history like three-time sexiest, two-time sexiest without posing for FHM and the like. I am still for SOLENN and SAM. They might pull off a surprise in the weeks to come.

Voting is open until June 15th. Yeah, vote wisely.

**images from FHM.com.ph and FHM’s Facebook