Hawaii
‘Beautiful Mind’ deserves
Oscar, never mind gossipTHERE'S much intrigue surrounding the Oscars to be awarded Sunday night. For example, there's been a campaign, largely waged on the Internet, where nonsense is a way of life, to denigrate what I feel was the best film I saw this year, "A Beautiful Mind." Some think it was studio execs representing rival films who are spreading horrible things about John Nash, who battled schizophrenia successfully enough to be awarded a Nobel Prize. Still, his detractors say he was a far worse person than director Ron Howard and actor Russell Crowe depicted in the Oscar-nominated film. Bob Jones fairly savaged the man in Midweek, while Mike Wallace had a kinder handling of the troubled soul when he interviewed him and his wife on "60 Minutes." The man's been through enough -- I hope Crowe and Howard and the film all win Oscars, and send his detractors back to their holes ...
OSCAR voters are all sent free copies of the nominated films -- to make sure they have access to viewing them and forming an opinion -- plus scripts. Charlotte Kandel, former head of publicity for Warner Bros., brought along copies of scripts she received as a voting member of the academy on her Ihilani get-away with her husband, and donated them to the Hawaii Theatre's upcoming "Starlite Club" benefit silent auction at the Kahala Mandarin next month. Attendees can bid on scripts of such films as "Shrek," "Monster's Ball," "Gosford Park" and "In the Bedroom." The Oscarcast will be Sunday night on KITV. ...
Here, there and ...
AN e-mail from Elaine (Perkins) Bidgood states, "Saw your article about Mr. Hotoke turning 75." That would be Shigeru Hotoke, founder of the Kailua Madrigal Singers. Elaine was in the first choir he led in 1957 and writes, "I can't believe he was only 14 years older than the students." She asks that we pass on a happy 75th "from a grateful former choir member of 1957-59." Done ... Former Isle DJ Michael Gwynne, now a successful actor in New York, writes that he reads this column "to keep my heart close to the island life." He read about a hula show that goes on near the Duke statue and asks that proper credit for that show go to one Marnie Weeks of Kalihi. Done ... Osaka DJ Kamasami Kong reads this column regularly to let listeners in Japan know about things in Hawaii. He just concluded an isle respite by joining old Asia hand Dalton Tanonaka and Robin Mann, who hosted "Romper Room" on TV many years ago, and taking in Mel Cabang's nightclub act. Cabang introduced the former Honolulu disc jockey and when he got a big hand, said, "Hey, no need for that much applause. He's not that famous anymore." He is in Japan, Mel ...
Emme's got good taste
IT'S a wonder TV magazine show hostess Emme Tomimbang doesn't weigh 250 pounds. So many of her shows revolve around island eats and island chefs. The biggest one runs tomorrow night at 9 p.m. and again on March 30 on KGMB. The show features the dozen chefs who began putting Hawaii on the culinary map with "Hawaii Regional Cuisine." All 12 of them talk about their culinary art on the next "Emme's Island Moments." ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
The Week That Was recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com