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Wood Craft
Ben Wood
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COURTESY OF MIHANA SOUZA
Kathy Emerson Medio was identified as Mihana Souza in Wood Craft on Wednesday. Readers who know Mihana, above, must have thought we were pupule (nuts). It turns out that Mihana's version of "Princess Pupule," performed during last Saturday's Symphony Pops concert, was a hit. Those who don't know the song may wonder what Mihana is doing with a papaya here. Well, the song's lyrics start: "Princess Pupule has plenty papayas and she loves to give it away ..."
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IZ’s ‘Over the Rainbow’ version wins raves on ‘American Idol’
Jason Castro, playing ukulele, sang
Brother IZ Kamakawiwoole's version of "Over the Rainbow" Tuesday on "American Idol" and received rave reviews from all three judges, including the very critical
Simon Cowell. Before singing, Castro, 21, said he was singing a nontraditional version of the song "by Brother IZ, a guy from Hawaii." He added that it's about "hopes and dreams and inspires us to dream big." Judge
Randy Jackson called the performance and the version "molten hot."
Paula Abdul loved it. And Cowell said the first time he heard the version "by Israel somebody" was on the Internet and "I wasn't sure. The second time I loved it. The third time, fantastic," he said, pointing both hands at Castro. Millions in the "Idol" audience also enjoyed Castro's performance and made calls advancing him to the next round. On Thursday's results show, Castro said he bought the uke a week ago for $600 ...
...Jimmy Borges sends word that his friend Bruce Johnston, one of the early Beach Boys, called him from London this week to say hello after doing a show. Bruce and another Beach Boy, the late Carl Wilson, would always see Jimmy at Trappers in earlier years when they were in town. Jimmy was an honorary usher for Carl when he married Dean Martin's daughter Gina in Las Vegas. Jimmy says Bruce calls him to talk story from places such as Paris, Australia and Japan ...
TRIP THE LIGHT FANTASTIC WITH CELEBRITIES
DANCING ON: Jimmy, a romantic guy (just ask his wife
Vicki) is heavily involved in the Hawaii Romance Festival and is one of the celebrity dancers in "Dancing With the Stars: Hawaiian Style." It's a dinner-dance with the Matt Catingub Orchestra in the Royal Hawaiian's Monarch Room May 6 from 6 to 10 p.m. Couples can dance with their significant other or pay $10 per dance to hit the floor with a twinkle-toed celebrity. Tickets for the Hawaii Arts Alliance benefit are $65. Romance Festival associate producer
Billie Gabriel promises "romance for all," "but not with me," she quickly added after realizing some guys may take that the wrong way.
Allen Sviridoff, co-founder of the Romance Fest with Catingub, explained details to many of the celeb dancers at Vino Monday.
Chuck Furuya, his wife
Cheryle and chef
Hiroshi Fukui put out a nice spread. Chuck and others poured Molly Doocker's Two Left Feet wine. Hopefully the Two Left Feet does not pertain to the celebrity dancers ...
The celebs are former Miss Hawaiis Candes Gentry, Pilialoha Gaison and KGMB-TV personality and surfer Malika Dudley, singers Amy Hanaialii, Emma Veary and Carole Kai, hula dancers Cha Thompson and Kanoe Cazimero, KSSK's Sweetie Pacarro, KINE's Billy V, KITV-TV's Pamela Young, arts supporter Carolyn Berry, KGMB Prez Rick Blangiardi, Kamehameha Schools CEO Dee Jay Mailer, Campbell Estate Trustee Dave Heenan, photographer Nora Gentry, and a geezer with a bum leg who writes Wood Craft. I can't see anyone paying 10 smackers a dance to hit the floor with me, but I'll be there ...
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Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin in the streets of downtown Honolulu during World War II, writes of people, places and things in our Hawaii. E-mail him at
bwood@starbulletin.com