Hawaii
THE hip showbiz crowd in L.A. probably thinks Michele Rundgren does nothing but lie in the sun at her Kauai digs while the rest of the world passes by, unnoticed. Nothing could be further from the truth. Rundgren, who's Rundgren keeping busy
married to rocker Todd Rundgren and proud mama of son Rex, drafted by the Boston Red Sox right out of MidPac High, is going night and day. A former member of The Tubes in the '80s, Michele conducted auditions for "The Playboy Show" in Waikiki and now has plans to produce another isle-based TV show to be called "Hip-Hop Chef." She would like to produce it on Kauai, where the Rundgrens reside year-round. She has a production company, cleverly called Venus Envy Productions, and is looking for everything from buff surfer dudes to jazz dancers, young and old, plus two actresses to impersonate the "Two Fat Ladies" from the popular British cooking show. If you'd like to audition, call her Kauai office at 826-1050 ...
SPEAKING of Playboy, onetime "Playmate" Kona Carmack made a guest appearance on "Baywatch" and producer Greg Bonann was said to be so thrilled with her performance (as well as on-screen chemistry with isle co-star Jason Momoa) that she could well return regularly as Momoa's girlfriend. Being back in Hawaii and filming a TV show would be a big change from Kona's recent work modeling in both Israel and Japan ...
Caught Short
FORMER Miss Hawaii Melissa Short is playing the title role in "Cinderella," Diamond Head Theatre's 1999-2000 season opener Sept. 17. Somehow she's finding time to rehearse in between voice and piano studies as well as convention group appearances. Playing opposite her is Andrew Sakaguchi, but her real life "Prince Charming" isn't worried. That would be local attorney Chris Dias ... And it looks like former NFL star and assistant UH coach Rich Miano is engaged, officially or unofficially, to Lori Bennett. This came to light at Don Murphy's "Pigskin Pigout" to benefit the UH football program. When told Lori works with juveniles, one wag glanced at the playful Miano and quipped, "Perfect." ...AND while we're on the subject of football, many people took glee in pointing out I carelessly referred to the first UH opponent this season, the USC Trojans, as the "Bruins." But Phil Marshall of Playa Del Rey, Calif., at least had a sense of humor about it. The UCLA Bruins wouldn't be playing at Aloha Stadium, e-mailed Marshall, because "there were insufficient handicapped parking spaces available for their players." A group of them did get busted for having phony stickers, including a quarterback ...
Take a Namba
IF Ballet Hawaii's new "Nutcracker" has a cast of people as impressive as those attending the luncheon at the Moana to show off Anne Namba's designs for the ballet, it'll be a huge hit. On hand to have a look were new Miss Hawaii Candes Meijide Gentry and her mom, Nora, who designs some of Candes' outfits; patron Charlotte Cades; former Attorney General Margery Bronster; City Councilwoman Rene Mansho; Opera Ball chairwoman Jill Friedman; Blaisdell deputy Lynette Char; former ballerina Eleni Longwell; and Susan Schull, whose daughter Amanda is the star of Nick Hytner's upcoming film about a ballet school. Tough audience, but Anne came out Namba One ...
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: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com