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Hawaii
AS Paul Simon used to sing, "You can call me Al..." Usually when a guy reaches the age of TV producer Al Masini, who's been successful enough to be a feature on his own show, "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," he might think about retirement. And after five years of working Europe’s his
next destinationfeverishly in Hawaii with his then-wife, April Masini, on such shows as the Miss Universe Pageant and "Destination Stardom," Al seems about ready to take it a bit easier. Now divorced from April, he has their Hawaii Loa Ridge manse on the market for $10 million. And after getting a thumbs up from his heart doctor, Al will be off to Vegas for the Easter holiday and then on to Europe with his young Asian ladyfriend whom he's been seeing after he and April divorced. As for his five years of working behind the scenes on various shows with April, still a business associate, Al quipped, "I was more than happy to postpone my retirement for that. What a fulfilling experience it has been." ...
RECENTLY returned from Vegas where Perry & Price originated their radio show Saturday is KSSK program director Jeff Silvers. He did a double take when he walked into the California Hotel ballroom, and wondered if "Slava's Snowshow" had just played there since the Hawaii Theatre was awash with snow-like confetti when Slava did his very funny show there. Nope, it turns out that comic Rip Taylor had been in the room and, as is his wont, scattered confetti everywhere ...
Verandah lights
THEY'RE renovating the Lobby Lounge of the Kahala Mandarin Hotel, one of the more pleasant places to end an evening with music. Originally slated to take two weeks, that estimate has now been doubled so Shari Lynn and Fascinatin' Rhythm won't be returning to perform there until May 13. It'll be well worth the wait, however, as the lounge will be enlarged by 20 seats and be newly named the Verandah. While Lynn and her group hate to lose the work, they realize it'll be worth it, ultimately making it an even more pleasant place to either listen or dance ...ALL morning long on KGU yesterday, Mike Buck and John Noland teased the audience that a major announcement about a new candidate for mayor would be made before the show ended. The wait was too much for Mayor Jeremy Harris apparently -- he called the two talk show hosts off the air to ask who it would be. At long last, the "candidate" came on the phone to make his announcement. Turns out it was perennial candidate for one thing or another, K.K. Kau'manua, a k a Kent Bowman, playfully calling from his retirement residence in Las Vegas ... The curiosity was understandable given the fact that ex-NFL'er Russ Francis announced on that show he was running for the legislature. Sitting with him in the studio for the announcement was former gubernatorial candidate Linda Lingle. There was some speculation that another announcement about the two might be made, but none was forthcoming ...
Strings attached
REMEMBER when Joni Mitchell was a fresh-faced young folk singer who strummed guitar and sang such simple ditties as "Big Yellow Taxi." Now whenever she appears, such as on the Jay Leno show, she brings a 42-piece orchestra with her, a kind of musical overkill. She'll be saluted by other stars on TNT Sunday at 9 p.m. "Big Yellow Taxi," by the way, was written about Hawaii and the "tree museum" she sang about where they charged you to see the trees was Foster Garden ...
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