Hawaii
YESTERDAY'S "Today" show on NBC brought back memories. In promoting Friday's boxing match between the female offspring of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, they opined that the Ali-Frazier "Thrilla in Manila" may be the greatest fight of all time. Matt Lauer said he was a huge boxing fan at the time, 1975, and that it was 100 degrees in the ring. Let me tell you, it was! I sat ringside at the fight, comparing notes between rounds with my seatmate, Norman Mailer, and it was hot! The Star-Bulletin carried my pre-fight and post-fight stories headlined, "Our Man in Manila." It was a "thrilla" for me, and if their kids carry on the feud tomorrow, it should be a humdinger ... Daughters continue
Ali-Frazier traditionBOTH cleverly titled and a timely subject where Hawaii is concerned is "Store Wars: When Wal-Mart Comes to Town," showing tonight on KHET-TV. People who oppose the store opening in Hawaii can see how its arrival can create conflict within the populace ... Another clever title on PBS was last night's show on every school girl's dream, the prom. The title of the show: "Promises, Prom Misses." ...
IT wasn't mentioned in the Star-Bulletin's big feature on the making of "The Ride," filmmaker Nathan Kurosawa's film about the young Duke Kahanamoku, but Kurosawa was so captured by the wall of authentic Hawaiian memorabilia he found at Duke's Waikiki, that he chose the restaurant for the closing scene. And so it concludes under the watchful eyes of Waikiki legends, including the Duke. Kurosawa hopes the film can be completed and shown at the Hawaii International Film Festival ...
Win without Regis
YOU don't need to be on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" with Regis Philbin to become one. At least until the taxman cometh. Ask Alex Aris of Ewa Beach, who won $1 million playing keno. Now's your chance to have the ultimate "Happy Meal." McDonald's of Hawaii's McExtra Card promotion is giving away 84 trips to Las Vegas. There are 42 trips remaining through June 14. Winning the million after that is up to you ...AFTER seeing "Ulalena" at the Maui Myth & Magic Theater in Lahaina, I described it as more "theater" than "Polynesian show." And it's not only been sold out nightly for the past two years at a magnificent 700-seat theater, but "Ulalena" has another accolade. It won "Best Album of the Year" and "Best Show of the Year" in the Hawaii Music Awards ceremony, and two Kahili Awards from the 2000 "Keep it Hawaii" awards program, and now a "Certificate of Merit" in the performing arts category in the 2001 "Keep it Hawaii" awards. Producer Roy Tokujo has a real winner on his hands ...
Comings and goings
MONO-monikered Maori singer Rhonda no sooner wrapped up her "bonza" 6-week tour Down Under than she opened a new "Islands of Hawaii" show at the International Market Place ... And Sansei owner D.K. Kodama is off to Aspen, where he spent 10 years honing his culinary skills, to show old friends and new Aspenites alike what he's been up to in the kitchen at his Japanese eateries on Maui and at Restaurant Row. He'll be attending the Food & Wine Aspen Classic June 15-17 ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com