Hawaii
THERE are lots of people named "Stone" in this country -- my principal in high school was Mr. Stone. But how many people have Stone as a first name? Well, there's Stone Phillips of NBC. And I can't think of another. Phillips was in Hawaii looking into the USS Greeneville collision with a Japanese fishing boat along with "Dateline" producer Steven Cheng, whose mom lives here and whose cousins were more than happy to take the New Yorkers surfing. You can imagine how cold the Big Apple must feel and how jealous his NBC co-workers are of Stone's Hawaii tan ... Singular Stone
delights in HawaiiPhillips had heard about the Friday night bashes at the W Hotel near Diamond Head and showed up there along with several hundred dressy, upscale young people willing to plop down a $10 cover to schmooze with one another, listen and dance to the music. Stone may well have been the oldest guy there. When he checked out of the Halekulani, where he stayed while here, Phillips wrote hotel G.M. Fred Honda: "The only thing missing is more news so I can come more often. You have all been so thoughtful and attentive" -- no "Dateline" expose here ...
BIG disappointment for those waiting until the last weekend to see "Side Show" at Manoa Valley Theatre. After the death of the mother of one key performer, the final two performances were postponed and now canceled altogether ... I mentioned an up-and-coming group would be the opening act in the Hawaii Theatre's "Hana Hou" series April 6, but left out the key element that the headliner is Na Leo Pilimehana.
Loft and Lounge Lizards
THE area in the Arts at Marks Garage where the four Northern Irish actors performed "The Exhibitionists" last week is being called Lizard Loft. It's become a permanent home for cutting-edge artists. Loose Screws, the improvisational group, will perform its comedic nonsense there April 7. Various folks will show their specialties in "Solo Art" April 9, and Ray Bumatai and his band will do an original show about man's relationship to home, city and island called "Tales of Urban Hawaii" on April 16 & 23 ... From the Lizard Loft we move to "Lounge Lizards of Waikiki," the subject of Harry B. Soria on his "Territorial Airwaves" show 5 to 6 p.m. Sunday on KINE-FM. Featured will be music by George Paoa, Pat & his Paddlers, Billy K & the Seamen, Gabe Kila & the Nanakuli Sons, the Aiko Brothers, Rodney Arias & the New Paradise Serenaders, Nephi Hannemann, Iva Kinimaka, Al Lopaka, Zulu, Sam Kapu and even Don Ho. Some more lizardlike than others ...
Tall and taller
WHEN he was active in sumo, Yokozuna Akebono was referred to in the Japanese press as 6-foot-8 1/4 inches, then 6-7. Now the Associated Press, in a story about the former Chad Rowan of Waimanalo, describes him as 6-foot-9. One sumo fan suggests that when they cut his hair in September, he'll be 7 feet tall. U.S. Ambassador Tom Foley, a former basketball player who looks down on nearly everyone in Japan, said that when he presented Akebono a letter from Secretary of State Colin Powell, he had never felt so small. Rowan is not just the first foreigner to attain the sport's highest rank, he's also the tallest sumotori in its recorded history ...
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