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Hawaii
Hope springs eternal: Where better to live while Nishimura
rests in Hoperecovering from a bone marrow transplant than at the City of Hope in Duarte, Calif. That's where HPD Captain Alvin Nishimura is staying with his wife, TV producer Cynthia Yip. She reports that the two keep up on what's happening in Hawaii through reading this column in the Star-Bulletin's online edition. The two hope to return to the islands in the middle of September. I have no idea if Yip is doing a documentary on her husband's battle or whether it's just too close to home, but it would make for some moving television. Just think: Hawaii's own "Survivor." ... And you think you had a moving summer? UH drama professor Terrence Knapp was in England where he played three roles in "Pericles" in Ludlow, England, saw and thanked Sir Alec Guinness for his past support at a memorial service for a famous costumer before the consummate actor himself died, and stayed overnight with Dame Judi Dench, who, like Terry, was a member of the National Theater. Oh yes, did I mention he also sang "Happy Birthday" to the Queen Mum when she came out to greet a group of spontaneous well-wishers on her 100th birthday. Other than that, it was probably a pretty dull time ...
Choy to the worldly
YOU may have noticed that Katie Couric has again been on vacation from the NBC "Today" show -- for somebody making $7 million a year, she gets a lot of time off. The 43-year-old anchor and TV producer Tom Werner seemed to confirm reports of a relationship, holding hands at the "Bow Wow Luau," a benefit for the Animal Rescue Fund (ARF) of the Hamptons, at a private home. So who do you suppose the host hired to cater such a luau but Hawaii's own celebrity chef Sam Choy. Despite the title, no dogs were used ...THE entertainment lineup at tomorrow's Aloha Friday luncheon show at the Princess Kaiulani's Pikake Terrace sounds somewhat like a Hawaiian plate lunch special. Featured are Robert Cazimero, Sean Na'auao & the Poi Pounders, plus Troy Fernandez & Side Salad ... The Star-Bulletin's Charlie Memminger isn't the only writer from Hawaii to be a finalist in the screenplay contest at the Maui Writer's Conference. Rich Figel had two scrips make the semi-finals (top 44 out of 522 entered) and one, called "The Doll Killer," was a finalist. Figel also was a finalist at Maui last year for a comedy called "The Godparents." Yet a third screenplay, "Obake," was a finalist last year in the Austin Film Festival contest and he got to sit next to noted director James Brooks at the awards ceremony. So move over, Charlie, at least one-quarter of the finalists this year are Hawaii residents ...
Serendipity do-dah
FORMER isle adman John Funk returned to Hawaii this month with wife Stevi and their two boys. He was here to attend his 35th Kailua High School reunion. But he had a second reunion he wasn't prepared for, quite by accident. While strolling through the Halekulani courtyard, he happened onto an old friend who also hailed from Hawaii, but who had emigrated to the mainland in the 80s. Don Helow and his girlfriend, Beth, just happened to be walking through the same courtyard at the same moment. He was taking her to the beach, Helow confided, to ask her to marry him. After their chat, the Funks went on their way, and when they returned to their room they had a phone message: "She accepted." Serendipity ...
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