That face is
one in a DillonFLYING home to L.A. after playing 99 holes of golf at Prince Resorts Hawaii, golfing writer Will Barnes thought the guy sitting next to him in a first class seat on Hawaiian Airlines looked familiar. Then he put a name to the face -- it was actor Matt Dillon, who'd flown in from Hollywood to work in the new "Fantasy Island" filming here. Dillon is currently on view in "There's Something About Mary," the sophomoric movie which is such a hit across the country it makes one concerned about the state of comedy these days. That insouciant nymph Cameron Diaz was the only thing to make that film barely bearable.
INCIDENTALLY, Dillon was the actor in "Mary" that wore a Hawaiian shirt, prompting a couple of items here, one based on an e-mail from Malibu. Now, thanks to the Star-Bulletin online edition, comes another from Kamasami Kong in Osaka, who reports that aloha shirts are also huge in Japan where they're worn over a T-shirt. The reason, Kong explains, is either due to the humidity or the fact that people feel it's "cooler" since TV personalities and comedians wear them that way ... Kong also reports he emceed a Hawaiian music concert in Tokyo Saturday night featuring such artists as Cyril Pahinui, Teresa Bright, Peter Moon Band, Na Leo and Kalapana. While most of the musicians wore aloha shirts, Kong estimates 40 per cent of the audience did too ...
Meyer'd in business
THE entrepreneurial Meyer family has a couple of smart sisters in it. Just ask 'em. Maile Meyer established Native Books & Beautiful Things, selling traditional and contemporary Hawaii products; and Moana Meyer co-founded "Smartitas," isle style apparel including clothing printed with their signature T.I.T.A.S. -- "Tough, Intelligent, Tender, Artistic, Sistas." Both of the Meyer girls will show their wares at this weekend's Made in Hawaii Festival at Blaisdell Exhibition Hall along with 300 local businesses. Watch out for four more sisters and a brother in the wings ...AFTER wrapping up her trip to Asia and before being summoned to Africa to look into the bombings of U.S. embassies there, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright had time to sneak in an overnight stay at the Ihilani Resort and Spa. She well deserved the few hours of serenity there, being pampered in the spa ...
BOSTON Globe columnist Mike Barnicle got a two-month suspension for using some jokes reworked from George Carlin's book, "Brain Droppings," without attribution. I suppose it would be shallow of me to mention that Carlin, in his book, takes on one of the grammatical bugaboos I've railed about in this space numerous times, to little avail. As Carlin phrases it, "The English word forte, meaning 'specialty' or 'strong point,' is not pronounced 'for-tay.' Got that? It's pronounced 'fort.' The Italian word forte, used in music notation, is pronounced 'for-tay,' and it instructs the musician to play loud." Mind you, I'm not accusing Carlin of plagiarism. (Shouldn't it be "loudly"?)
Beware of B-Wear
THE "Lucky Kamaaina" event at Ala Moana Center this weekend will see lots of activities and sales throughout the center -- if you can find your way through the parking maze. And while Kramers features men's clothing, the betting is there'll be plenty of women on hand at the "B-Wear" party Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the store. They'll be lining up to see and meet "Team B-Wear" -- namely athletes such as Aaron Wilton, Joe Onosai, Kalia McGee, Jim Teal and John Kelly Hanoa ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
His columns run Monday through Friday.Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.