Yokozuna limber on airwaves
FORMER isle D.J. Kamasami Kong, now broadcasting on FM802 in Osaka, Japan, had a chance to get together with yokozuna Akebono at the New Otani Hotel in Osaka. Since his show is in English and consists largely of music from Hawaii, Kong knows the sumo star as Chad Rowan of Waimanalo. He asked if Chad is afraid of anyone? "Yeah," the 6-foot-8 giant champion replied, "my mom." And what did he miss most about home? "Da food. Poi, lomolomi salmon, kalua pig and my mom's Franco-American Spaghetti." The thing that fairly shocked Kong was how quick Akebono was on his feet. When he said, "Goodnight," he fairly sprinted up the staircase, skipping steps along the way like a kid half his age. Said the normally placid D.J., "I couldn't believe my eyes." He's hoping to get Chad on the air before the Osaka Spring Basho is over to introduce some songs from home for Hawaii expatriates in his radio audience ...
THERE must be a lot of Hawaiian music fans in L.A. When Hapa appeared at Dan Ackroyd's House of Blues, it was a total sellout. Emme Tomimbang emceed the event and also got together with Milton Hardaway, brother of Stevie Wonder and head of the Wonder Organization. Emme learned that Chef Mako, who prepared dinner for them at Westwood's Maui Beach Cafe, will travel with Hawaii chefs to the James Beard House in N.Y. to create a menu for the Foundation's awards dinner ...
Bella A Cappella
WHEN you hear the term "a cappella," your first tendency is to think of those ubiquitous barbershop quartets. But as Ira Gershwin put it, "It Ain't Necessarily So." Take Stanford University's Mixed Company, for example. Please! (Sorry, Henny!) The University's vocal alternative and oldest co-ed a cappella group will perform free at Chaminade's Eiben Hall on Sunday, March 22, at 11 a.m. and the public is welcome. Mixed Company does everything from Annie Lennox to Sting to Bob Marley to Smashing Pumpkins. They're not your grandmother's a cappella group, but still a big hit, having recorded five CDs and won 10 national awards. They've swept the regional a cappella competition and will be competing nationally again this year ...DAVIDOFF of Geneva at Ward Centre hasn't forgotten that Paddy's Day is around the corner. At today's pau hana get-together, acknowledging that Ashton Cigars have nothing to do with St. Patrick's Day, they're offering Irish coffee with Jameson's as well as Murphy's Stout to guests invited to sample their cigars ...
Vegification of America
WE mentioned earlier the ground rules certain folks established for what food they'd ingest. Chelsea Clinton said the only thing with eyes she'd eat was a potato. Phoebe on "Friends" (Lisa Kudrow) states, "Nothing with a face." Former UH drama department costumer Frances Ellison would eat nothing that could make a noise. Now we have nutrition consultant and TV cooking show hostess Jennifer Raymond, who says she won't cook or eat anything "that had a mother." Raymond is currently conducting a three-week pilot Health Education Lunch Project (HELP) at Haiku Elementary School on Maui. With Haiku's John Cadman, she is producing a cost-effective, plant-based option that meets federal guidelines and is well received by students. This week the regimen was demonstrated with kids preparing couscous confetti salad at a Vegetarian Society of Hawaii meeting. For info, call VSH at 944-VEGI ...
Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.