Madonna adds
luster to partyNOBODY ever accused Iolani of graduating any idiots. Alum Chris Lee hosted a big Academy Awards party in Hollywood, where the competition for "name" guests is brutal. But Lee and his New Line partner, Mike DeLuca, aren't dummies - they held their party at the Atlantic Restaurant, owned by Christopher Ciccone. Name
doesn't sound familiar? Perhaps you'd recognize his sister, Madonna. She was there, of course, and Women's Wear Daily deemed it "the coolest private party of the week." So who was on hand? Let me count the bodies. There were Jennifer Lopez, Puff Daddy, Rupert Everett, Catherine Zeta Jones from "Zorro," comic Chris Rock, Denzel Washington, Rose McGowan, Jerry O'Connell, Emilio Estevez, Playboy Hugh Hefner (with three girlfriends), 1970s icon Farrah Fawcett plus Sugar Ray lead singer Mark McGrath. Sing no sad songs for him - he left with Madonna ...
IT was the third year Lee has hosted a pre-Oscar party. The first was to honor "Jerry Maguire," the second for "As Good as it Gets," and this year's fete celebrated his new production company at Sony. There were even some local folks at Lee's bash: Tia Carrere with husband Elie Samaha, photog Kauila Barber, surfer-turned-actor Matty Liu (still agog over meeting Madonna) and Lee's sister and brother-in-law, Carol and Peter Arnold. Also there were Miramax bigwig Harvey Weinstein, Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter and directors Renny Harlin, Brian Singer, Brett Ratner and Joseph Kahn. Now Lee's planning a Lei Day party. How about at the Atlantic Restaurant? ...
No business like Ho business
THAT Emme Tomimbang special on "Waikiki, Then and Now," was fascinating, though it might well have been titled "Don Ho, Then and Now." Ho played a large role in the '60s, of course, and is still going strong. There was a feeling the entire show was one giant plug for Don Ho's Island Grill, since many of the interviews were taped at a party of old-time entertainers held there. But it was fascinating to see Ho golfing in zoris and the pride he takes in the fact that his daughter Hoku, a senior at La Pietra, has a better voice than he does. Others featured in the show at some length were the Society of Seven and Jimmy Borges, who acted as co-host. It'll be replayed on Channel 2 at 2 p.m. on Saturday ...WHAT is it with Hawaii and chefs? Paul Prudhomme, the founder of K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans, comes to town this week to appear with Sam Choy at "The Gourmet Affair" on Friday. Fittingly enough, the two monumentally large chefs are hosting the event for Big Brothers and Big Sisters ... The Halekulani is featuring award-winning San Francisco chef/restaurateur Reed Hearon of Rose Pistola this week at Orchids ... David Paul Johnson held the first anniversary of his David Paul's Diamond Head Grill Friday and the ninth anniversary of his Lahaina Grill on Saturday ... And Roy Yamaguchi is premiering his fifth season of "Hawaii Cooks" April 6 on KHET-TV. Guesting with him will be another TV chef, Martin Yan (of "Yan Can Cook") and the two will go on a shopping tour of Chinatown ...
Two powerful voices silenced
IT'S been a bad couple of weeks in the public relations industry, what with memorial services for longtime United spokesman Chuck Novak followed by days with the death of veteran P.R. practitioner Bobbye Hughes McDermott, who succumbed to cancer ...
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.