Oh, Hawaii girl
the Oscar Mayer
winner
Makakilo's Cara Owada, 4,
By Mary Adamski
wins a contest to star in the
bologna company's ads
Star-BulletinA 4-year-old Makakilo girl is the winner in a nationwide search for a child to sing the praises of Oscar Mayer wieners and bologna in future advertisements.
Company officials today announced the selection of Cara Owada, a kindergartner at Mauka Lani Elementary School, from among 20 finalists who auditioned this weekend at Sea World in Orlando, Fla. Besides her immediate future as the brand name's poster child, the youngster won an investment in the more distant future, a $20,000 college scholarship.
The prize also includes a trip to Florida for four and $1,000 in spending money.
The excited winner said via telephone today from Florida that she wasn't nervous in the competition.
She said she practiced every day in the car before going to Florida. "I wanted to win."
Winning also meant a tour of Sea World, where Cara "got to hug Shamu (the killer whale) and shake the dolphin's hand, too."
Altogether, 37,000 youngsters across the country competed in the talent search, singing the Oscar Mayer ditties that are as familiar to kids as nursery rhymes.
Cara chose to sing the bologna song, "My bologna has a first name, it's O-S-C-A-R ... " rather than the wiener jingle, "I wish I was an Oscar Mayer wiener ... "
"I don't know if it was her singing ability as much as her personality. I think that was the strong point," said her father, Art Owada. "Cara has always been very outgoing."
Owada, a product salesman with Brewer Environmental Industries, his wife, Terri, and older daughter Cali, 12, are also in Orlando.
They weren't allowed to accompany Cara into the audition room, but she carried a you-know-what sandwich with her, which couldn't hurt.
"Cara said they asked her: 'How do you make a bologna sandwich?' and 'What do you like on it?' " said Owada. "At the end, she took a big bite and smiled."
In this morning's interview, Cara said she had just finished eating another bologna sandwich.
For the record, Cara likes her bologna fried island-style, and in a sandwich with cheese but no mustard, mayonnaise or ketchup.
Another Oahu 4-year-old was among the 20 finalists. Andrea Prohaska and her parents, Ken and Linda Prohaska of Kapolei, are also in Orlando, where the finalists were treated to tours of Sea World and Disney World.
Cara and clan missed some of the touring because they were whisked off in a private jet to New York City for an appearance on the Rosie O'Donnell show, Owada said. It was taped yesterday and will be shown in Hawaii at 4 p.m. tomorrow on KHNL Channel 8.
"I think she did really well," her father said. Cara's family sat in the audience while the young lady was interviewed by O'Donnell. Her aplomb in the spotlight didn't surprise Dad, who knew she would be able to handle the job from the minute he heard about the talent search on the radio last summer.
Star-Bulletin writer Helen Altonn contributed to this report.
