JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
World-class comedian/ impressionist Wayne Brady Brady worked his way through an improv bit during the first of two sold-out shows at the Sheraton Waikiki on Friday. Brady's knowledge of local culture came in handy when fielding suggestions from the crowd -- he figured out the requests even when his assistants got them wrong. CLICK FOR LARGE

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Wayne Brady, second from left, talked with Afatia Thompson, left, and Thompson's parents, Cha and Jack "Tihati" Thompson, after Friday's show. Brady provided an excellent, fast-moving mix of improvisational sketches, a demonstration of "TiVo Comedy" and impressions of singing celebrities that included Bono, Gnarls Barkley, Elvis and Prince -- and all his material was clean! Brady called Afatia out of the audience to join him in singing the final number, "Beautiful is You." CLICK FOR LARGE

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Brazilian guitarist Carlos Barbosa-Lima, center, played two minisets Dec. 28 at the post-Christmas party hosted by Joey and Randy Harris at the Halekulani Hotel. "Begin the Beguine," "Don't Cry for Me Argentina," "Tico Tico" and "Fantasy on a Hawaiian Lullaby: Pupu Hinu Hinu" were standouts. Each guest received a copy of Barbosa-Lima's new DVD, "Favorite Solos." CLICK FOR LARGE

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Master comedian/impressionist Billy Sage entertained Karen Valasek with a nonstop series of comic non sequiturs, quips and one-liners as he held court at the Boxing Day party hosted by Roger Jellinek and Eden-Lee Murray Dec. 26. CLICK FOR LARGE

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Johnny Brillo, left, watched intently as Jah Jah applied a delicate brush to Joy Tsurumaki's eye makeup during a "Holiday Drag Class" make-up seminar at Aveda Ala Moana Dec. 18. Aveda stylist Ralph Malani, right, usually holds a "Techniques of Hairstyling" class on Mondays but decided to do something special for the holidays. CLICK FOR LARGE