BRAVO!   PAOLO!

The name Paolo Montalban is in every Philippine-American's lips these days, and for a very deserving reason. Philippine-born and Jersey City-raised Paolo made a very impressive television debut last Sunday in ABC's "Cinderella."
Most Fil-Ams we've talked to this week say Paolo has given them reason to be proud of their race. "It was the same feeling that hit me when Lea Salonga first broke into Broadway," says one young Wall Street office worker.

Indeed Paolo made a very dashing Prince, opposite Brandy's Cinderella. You'd think that being in the company of established names like Whitney Houston, Whoopie Goldberg, Bernadette Peters and Jason Alexander, Paolo would all be overshadowed by their presence, but the 24-year-old Fil-Am held his own, and in fact, managed to shine with his beautiful singing and impressive presence.

Last week, Paolo was at Rosie O'Donnel's morning show with Brandy and Bernadette Peters. He sang a ballad with Brandy and then harmonized with Bernadette Peters.

Paolo told Rosie that no, he was not related to Mexican actor Ricardo Montalban. He charmed the talk show hostess with his sense of humor and easy going manner. At one point Paolo even taught Rosie how to say a Tagalog phrase. Rosie kept on commenting on how handsome Paolo looked and predicted that he definitely will become a star.

That's also the forecast of countless Fil-Ams who have discovered in Paolo, a new celebrity to idolize.