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‘Baywatch Hawaii’
signs Hawaiian
cultural expert
Kanahele

Historian and author George
Kanahele will advise on
Hawaiian history and culture
to ensure story accuracy

By Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin

"Baywatch Hawaii" not only has five new writers for its upcoming season, but a Hawaiian cultural expert as well.

George Hueu Sanford Kanahele, historian and author, will advise the show's writers, including head writer Frank South and executive producer Greg Bonann, on Hawaiian history and culture in the hour-long lifeguard drama to ensure story accuracy. The other writers are Fred Rappaport, Kris Dobkin, and Andre and Maria Jacquemetton.

Kanahele, a longtime consultant on Hawaiian cultural issues for the tourist industry and government, was to lead "Baywatch Hawaii" executives on a tour of Bishop Museum today to explain Hawaiian history.

Kanahele's company, George S. Kanahele & Associates, for some three decades has done organizational development with private companies helping them to achieve specific objectives.

"My philosophy has always been management by values," Kanahele said. "I think the work I've done in my writings, and teaching about Hawaii history and culture may have been the cue for them to contact me."

Bonann wants to improve the show with more depth in the story lines. According to sources, Bonann, still smarting from publicity about the show wanting state funding, sought a well-known and respected cultural expert who would not divide the community.

Kanahele met Thursday with Bonann and South to discuss the historian's ideas about the importance of accuracy in portraying history and culture of Hawaiians.

"We've met only one day and didn't discuss the specifics of my responsibilities, though I do expect I would have to read all the scripts," Kanahele said.