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IT'S Thursday night and the China House Restaurant downtown is almost sold out. No, it isn't Chinese New Year's. It's Lanai and Augie T taking their 98.5 "Island Rhythms" show out into the community. DJ duo ‘Hung’
serves up laughs
at China House
By John Berger
Special to the Star-BulletinThe showcase -- a Chinese buffet dinner with entertainment by chart-topping local bands like Kapena and Baba B -- is one of a growing list of enterprises launched by the duo since radio station KDNN switched from "classic rock" to reggae and Jawaiian music last November and went head-to-head with KCCN FM100 for the hearts, minds and ears of local reggae and Jawaiian fans.
Lanai and Augie sign autographs for fans of all ages at the China House event. The all-you-can-eat buffet and show costs $14.95; bring a "date" and the second person eats for $9.98. Koa'uka headlines the show tonight; Ka'ala Boys play next Thursday. Lanai and Augie introduce the guest headliners and entertain the crowd with short comic sketches that they perform more or less in character as the Hung Brothers.
"Some people think that Chinese people don't like us now (because we do those characters) but we both have a little bit of Chinese in us," Lanai explains, adding he and Augie created the duo -- the Hungs' given names are Cappy and Robert -- out of a crank telephone call and a topical reference to some one named Jennifer Hung who had won a Miss Chinatown pageant in San Francisco.
Other characters on the morning show include Price Buster and Price Tag, the Great Hawaiian Hunter, and "two mahu doctors."
The supporting cast includes Lois Miyashiro, All-Star Richard, and Super Star Willy. Miyashiro does traffic and additional voices and adds a feminine perspective to proceedings. Richard and Willy are somewhat "differently abled" but enthusiastic contributors to the show.
"At first people thought we were impersonating these guys but they are real people (and) the thing we want to project is that they are everyday people like anybody else that people know and can relate to just like us," Augie explains.
The China House show is over around nine. That makes it more or less another 18-hour day for Lanai and Augie who exercise, trade ideas, and eat breakfast before going on the air weekdays at 6 a.m. The four-hour morning show Monday through Friday is only the start of their work day.
The rest of it involves promoting a growing list of Hung Brothers products that includes T-shirts and food items.
A "Lanai & Augie Magical Moments" album scheduled for release in January.
The "Warrior Massive" Blaisdell Arena concert is set for Oct. 13 starring Ky-Mani Marley and celebrating homecoming for the UH Warriors football team (Admission for students with ID will be $9.85).
A book, "Lanai & Augie's Jokes and Stuffs" will combine all their favorite "local jokes, moke jokes, tita jokes" and other material.
The launching of the "Island Rhythm" format on 98.5 changed the rules and -- in the opinion of many local recording artists who still don't want to speak on the record about the old days -- leveled the playing field when it came to getting play on local radio. The successful "Island Music" format of KCCN FM100 had been the only game in town for most local reggae and Jawaiian artists. That gave one or two people at FM100 make-it or break-it power over artists.
Suddenly there was a second major station on Oahu with a local reggae/Jawaiian format and an aggressive open-house attitude.
"I compare (the situation) to a store," Lanai says. "If on this island there was only one store the line would be super long. That store wouldn't be able to accommodate everybody plus they wouldn't be able to carry all the goods that they should. I would say 25 percent of the local music was being played from this one store. There was another 75 percent that needs to be played and there was room for another store."
Lanai is confident about his "store's" ability to compete in the local market.
"We have the best products in the world and we're gonna make people know about it," he says.
For more information about the China House show, or any other Augie and Lanai project, call 296-9850 Monday through Friday from 6 to 10 a.m.
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