Janet wows
Venus crowdTHE Venus nightclub below China House caters to a varied crowd, some gay and some -- what? -- somber? In any case, there was the usual hubbub of activity there Saturday when in swished what many of the nasty boys there felt was the classiest addition to the "Boys Will Be Girls" revue ever, a Janet Jackson look-alike. But when they realized she was being escorted by homeboy Gil Duldulao and surrounded by an entourage of musicians, dancers and bodyguards, it was apparent that it was the Real Thing, and she'd just popped in following her hit Aloha Stadium concert. It marked the most unusual of final stops on Janet's "Velvet Rope" tour, complete with leis, pupus and an outpouring of aloha from some of her most adoring fans in a little club far from the lights of Waikiki ...
MEANWHILE, stopping by Nicholas Nickolas after the Stadium concert Saturday was Jackson's opening act, the group 98 -o, still jamming away. They had such a good time at Aaron Placourakis' eatery that the next night they popped into his other Honolulu restaurant, Sarento's, and from there it was off to Maui to make it a hat trick, dining in Nick's Fishmarket Maui, the third jewel in Aaron's culinary crown ...
Sea horse
FOR those who've marveled at and admired the beautifully crafted rocking horse which has been on display in the window of Martin & MacArthur's Aloha Tower Market Place shop since it opened, you've had your last look at it. Created by artist Bob Holden from 16 different kinds of wood, the rocking horse was sold to a Mr. Rosenberg from London, who came over on the QEII and plunked down $16,000 for the rocker, taking it to sea with him. Holden is now in the process of working on another signature item for Martin & MacArthur ...FORMER isle resident Jack Samuels, who does reports for the Hawaii State Radio Golf Network, among others, was in town for the Mercedes Championships at Kapalua and then did the Sony Open at Waialae. From there, Samuels was doing radio reports from the Bob Hope tournament and got to see David Duval shoot his record-tying 59. Samuels figures he's one of the few people in the press corps who've been there for the only three 59s in official PGA play, first by Al Geiberger, tied by Chip Beck and now Duval's ...
ONE person who was unhappy about Denver beating Atlanta in the Super Bowl was Channel 9's Russell Shimooka. He lost a bet with reporter Jerry Drelling and as a result had to wear a Bronco's jersey with a "7" on it -- John Elway's number -- on each of the station's newscasts Monday. He ended the final cast by saying, "There seems to be some grease on the desk," and pulled out the jersey and began wiping it up, usurping the last laugh from Drelling ...
Pros cruise Waikiki
THERE was a big crowd at Scruples Monday night, thanks to a group of Pro Bowlers here for Sunday's NFC-AFC championship game. Vikings rookie sensation Randy Moss was there and making nothing but legal moves on the dance floor were Ty Law and Lawyer Milloy of the Patriots. Others in house were Derrick Brooks (Bucs), Jesse Armstead (Giants), Roell Preston (Packers) and Jonathan Ogden (Ravens). All seemed interested in getting autographed copies of Larry Manetti's new book, "Aloha Magnum," which he was promoting in the club ... And if you want to meet the Oakland Raiderette cheerleaders, they'll be posing for photos and signing autographs tonight and tomorrow from 6:30 to 7:30 at the Official All Star Cafe ...
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.