Yasmien Kurdi considers Uma Khouny as one of the best gifts she got this year for her birthday. Ngayon lang daw kasi sila nagkita nang personal ng ka-Facebook niya ng medyo matagal-tagal na rin. And with Uma, Yas found someone na malapit talaga sa puso niya.

Yas and Uma talk in Arabic kapag nag-uusap kasi sila sa Facebook. Matagal na rin daw kasing hindi nakakatagpo ng makakausap in Arabic si Yas, being part-Lebanese.

"My dad is Lebanese kasi," Uma informed PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) sa birthday party ni Yasmien kagabi, February 1, sa the World Music Room, Greenhills, San Juan City.

"Pero ipinanganak siya sa Israel at lumaki do'n. So do'n na talaga kami," sabi pa ni Uma tungkol sa kanyang ama.

Since nabanggit na rin lang ni Uma ang bansang Israel, naapektuhan  ba siya sa mga nangyaring kaguluhan doon nitong mga nakaraang buwan?

"Very affected. Yung nangyari sa Gaza [Strip na pinagtatalunan hanggang ngayon ng Palestine at Israel], look, I am an Arab-Israeli, but I have family in Gaza. And kahit wala akong family, maraming civilians na naapektuhan dun, di ba? Kawawa sila," sagot ni Uma.

Uma said his way of helping those affected by the violence in Gaza was to post photos of the casualties in his Facebook account and make his friends and other people aware of what is happening there and ask for prayers from them. "That's my way of being part of Gaza."

BEST TRAVEL SHOW HOST. As for Uma's career, proud na proud siya sa pagkakapanalo niya bilang best travel show host along with co-hosts Katherine de Castro, Franzen Fajardo, Kian Kazemi and Jason Gainza for their show Trip na Trip sa PMPC Star Awards for TV last year.

"Sinong mag-aakalain na ako pa, na yung dating bulol na hindi marunong mag-Tagalog, mananalo ng best travel show host?" pagmamalaki ni Uma. Not even in his wildest dreams daw ay inakala niyang magkakaroon siya ng hosting award.

And speaking of "wildest dreams," talagang wild daw ang kanyang dream.

"Like walking naked in the streets here in the Philippines. Siyempre, hindi puwedeng gawin yun, di ba?" biro ni Uma. Pero seriously daw, he'd like to keep his dream to himself at alam niyang konting panahon pa at makakamit niya rin ito.

As for his future plans, "Kung magkakaroon ako ng konting pera, I would like to produce my own talk show. I know marami akong magiging kaaway, marami akong magiging kakampi. At maraming sisipsip din sa akin."

Ani Uma, gusto niya raw ng talk show na pag-uusapan ang halos lahat ng topic at prangkahan talaga. He dreams of co-hosting his show with Kris Aquino, Lolit Solis, and Boy Abunda.

"All the smart people who can really share something. Or mga people na nagsasalita ng tama at hindi kalokohan para gumawa ng tsismis or para kumita ng 100 pesos, magsasalita ng stupid gossip."

PISSED OFF AT SAM. And just like the popular TV hosts he mentioned, prangka raw siya talaga, lalo na kapag alam niyang mali ang isang bagay. Tulad na lang ng nangyari sa kanilang tatlong magkakaibigan—siya, si Say Alonzo, at si Sam Milby.