Hawaii
ARTIST Wyland, who popularized what detractors call the "Leaping Whale School" of art, has painted a whale on his new Volkswagen Beetle. It's a way of publicizing his also doing a marine-life painting of whales and dolphins on the hull of the yacht Abracadabra 2000, intended to compete as Hawaii's America's Cup Challenge boat. Promotors don't seem worried that all that paint on the hull of the racing yacht might tend to slow it down a bit. As for the Beetle, Wyland boasts, "It's a $100,000 Bug now." He adds, "I wouldn't sell it though. It's my personal transportation." My guess: If someone waved a cashier's check for $100,000 in his direction, Wyland would be happily free of Bugs ... By the way, just wondering, but has anyone applied for a personalized license plate for his Bug reading "Y2K"? ... Wyland paints mobile mural
VARIETY, the showbiz bible, has long been known for its colorful headlines, best symbolized by the 1929 headline after the stock market crash: "Wall Street Lays an Egg" and the non-decision in a film pornography case, " 'Deep Throat' Jury Hung." Or the story on how critics don't take kindly to films with non-urban settings: "Crix Nix Hix Flix." Now the paper banners the victory of former Disney film unit head Jeffrey Katzenberg, who won a large settlement in a breach of contract suit against Disney: "Katz Gets Mouse." ... It reminds me of the longtime wish by one wag that travel writer Bob Bone's pet poodle would meet its maker so he could write the headline, "Bone Buries Dog." ...
Gathering of Reyn's
YOU'VE doubtless seen some of Reyn's distinctively designed shirts that looked mighty old, but 50 years old? That's right - Reyn's is holding its 50th anniversary celebration this year. Right now the company is looking for past employees, particularly those who worked for the retailer from 1959 to 1976. They'd like to get hold of old photos of employees during that time, as well as humorous stories or tidbits customers can offer regarding shopping experiences at Reyn's. Anyone who can help make the Golden Anniversary a success can call "Anniversary Central" at 941-2944 ...THAT phone book cover art controversy just won't go away. Artist/illustrator Tom Sellers first broached the subject here when he said it looked like "the photographs on skin doctors' walls depicting melanoma tests." While at least one letter-to-the-editor writer thought the Hiroki Morinoue work admirable, who better to jump into the fray but a skin doctor himself. Dr. Norm Goldstein sent Sellers a bookmark depicting the "A-B-C-D's of Melanoma," used to spread the image of skin cancer in Hawaii. You know what? There is a distinct similarity between the phone book and the melanoma lesions! Incidentally, Dr. Goldstein says there were 700 attendees at the Straub symposium on "Sun and Skin in Paradise" two weekends ago ...
The Kong Show
NOW based in Osaka, Japan where he's a popular D.J. who uses his forum to deliver Hawaiian music and news to some 8 million listeners, Kamasami Kong is returning to Hawaii. At least his voice is. Kong (off-air he's Bob Zix) will be voicing a show on KORL 99.5FM from his room at the Ritz-Carlton in Osaka, playing soft rock and local favorites. He'll keep his Osaka show, and the Hard Rock Cafe there is re-launching the Kong Burger next week, just in time for the visit of Gov. Ben Cayetano and the Brothers Cazimero June 1-5 ...
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.