Mufi’s moniker
stumps BermanAS head of the Pro Bowl Host Committee, Mufi Hannemann crossed paths with ESPN's Chris Berman, pleasing the broadcaster no end. Berman was a 1977 grad of Brown and Hannemann got his degree from Harvard the previous year. And while Muliufi Hannemann was on the Harvard basketball team, Berman was the announcer for Brown games and always had trouble with the Hawaii native's first name. He admitted avoiding such gaffes as "Mooley-Fooley," by simply saying "Basket by ... Hannemann." When they met after all these years, "Boomer," as Berman is nicknamed, got the City Councilman to write down his name and teach him the correct pronunciation so he wouldn't have any trouble at future Pro Bowl games ...
AFTER heel and toe-ing it from Aloha Tower to Aloha Stadium, those in the Great Aloha Fun Run turned to head-over-heels activity. For starters, hostess Carole Kai fell into the drawing box, okole first. And can-do cantor Ken Aronowitz, dressed in a tuxedo while all around him were in running gear, got a resounding cheer when he proposed to his social worker girlfriend, Hinda Diamond. She had a hard time hearing him pop the question, but gave out a resounding "Yes" anyway, hoping he was proposing marriage. He was. Diamonds are a girl's best friend, the song says, even more so if your name is Diamond. Kai commented that it was nice to find that even though Valentine's Day had come and gone, love and romance was still in the air ...
On and off switch
WHEN I first heard that Ron Jacobs and his talk show on KCCN may be on shaky ground, I called to ask him about it. "News to me," he replied. Well, now it is indeed news to him. After a year of trying to create an audience for talk and interviews and whatever on a station formerly known for Hawaiian music, Jacobs is no longer on the air. He blames the fact on Honolulu not being much of a talk show market. The fact is that Perry & Price have a stronghold on KSSK and the rest of the people seem content to listen to music. Also getting the boot is the L.A. based Mark & Brian show on 98.5. Bossman Bob Longwell blames the duo's failure in Hawaii to the fact it lacked a local flavor, something he hopes to achieve when he replaces them March 8 with D.J. Chris Daniel, who's checking in from Pacific Star's sister station in Fresno. Meanwhile, Star 101.9 is keeping chatty Hudson in the morning, but teaming her with Scott Blaisdell, formerly with KIKI-FM, rather than forcing her to carry the entire load herself. As for Jacobs, he's agreed to be "creative consultant" to KCCN, AM&FM and KINE-FM ...WHEN Kenny Loggins did an encore at his recent concert, he chose "Footloose," which incidentally was written by Dean Pitchford, a 1968 graduate of St. Louis High. When I directed a production of "Waiting for Godot" in '65, I cast young Pitchford in the role of the Boy, his first non-school stage appearance. Since then he's won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Tony. Not bad, huh? TV hostess Emme Tomimbang is off to New York on a story, and plans to see "Footloose" and meet with Dean ...
Seikichi T & Billy Dee
LOCAL artist Seikichi Takara is back from L.A. where he shared the spotlight with Billy Dee Williams. Both were recognized and given a certificate from the city of Los Angeles for their service and participation in the Pan African Film and Art Festival. Takara was the only Asian participant. He's now opening a one-man show of his recent paintings at A Pacific Cafe in Ward Centre ...
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.