Aulii Chang, Mufi Hannemann
THERE was a "really big shoe" recently at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York -- that's what the late Ed Sullivan used to call the hour-long entertainment program he presented each week -- but it was backstage. And it was on the foot of City Councilman Mufi Hannemann. He was there after learning his lobbying efforts on behalf of Honolulu in keeping the Pro Bowl in Hawaii had resulted in all the loose ends being tied. Mufi was there with old pal Calvin Hill, whose son, Grant Hill, was to be a guest on the David Letterman show that evening. Hannemann had known Grant, now a star player in the NBA, since he was about 12 and did Michael Jackson impersonations. But that's only half the story ... ALSO appearing on the Letterman show that night was John Travolta, who's married to Honolulu-born and reared actress Kelly Preston. Kelly's dad, Peter Palzis, who's with the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, was there as was Kelly's brother, Christopher. As Travolta's agent was making introductions, Christopher popped up with, "I know you. You're Mufi Hannemann, our Honolulu City Councilman." Once again the old adage holds true: It's such a small world, "Big Shoe" in the "Big Apple," or not ... Small world
in the Big AppleTHE first 20 "future leaders" of Hawaii received their diplomas at a Waialae Country Club reception this week, having completed the first nine-month Pacific Century Fellows program. Each of the 20 individuals, including such familiar faces as Lee Cataluna of KHNL-TV and state Rep. Quentin Kawananakoa, had gone through an all-day session once a month in which they learned about and focused on such important issues of the day as education, government and healthcare. A film was made, detailing some of their exploits. So when Christopher Benjamin of The Queen's Health System spoke on behalf of the group, thanking their employers and families for the sacrifices they made, he got a hearty laugh when he announced how the Fellows planned to celebrate graduation: "Saturday night we're all going bowling." ...
SOME time back, local actor and model Esmond Chung entered his wife, Aulii, in the Mrs. Hawaii contest. She didn't even know she'd been entered until the pageant office called to tell her when the competition was going to be. She went along with the idea and nobody was happier than Esmond when his wife won the title. She'll now be representing our state in the Mrs. America pageant Sept. 6. And since former Miss Hawaii Brook Lee not only won the national Miss America title but went on to win Miss Universe, the Mrs. Hawaii pageant officials are hoping to make it a double win for Aulii so she can compete in the international Mrs. World contest in Uruguay in November. Titles and crowns seem to run in Aulii's family -- her sister is Lani Stone, who became Miss Hawaii after the original title holder that year, Carolyn Sapp, went on to be Miss America ... Alii Aulii
ANOTHER happy "Mrs." is Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland. She was busy with paperwork up to the final moments of giving birth to a daughter, Lauren Kemelenohea. Husband Mike, a Republican-turned-Democrat, quipped, "We have a new recruit for the Democratic Party." The Oaklands had one last, quiet, candlelight dinner together -- with none of their three kids present -- courtesy of Queen's Medical Center, before heading home to reality ...
JUST back from a trip to Napa Valley and San Francisco is restaurateur Kelvin Ro, owner of the Kahala Moon Cafe. He was a guest of Orville and Bob Magoon at Guenoc Winery in Napa and reports Bob has been doing a lot of commuting between the wine country and New York working a new theatrical endeavor. He also was a guest of reknowned chef Jeremiah Tower at Stars Restaurant in S.F. and said not to be surprised if Tower opens a Stars in Honolulu next year. Sounds like a natural for sister eateries: Kahala Moon and Stars ... Moon AND Stars?
Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.