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Hawaii Dave Donnelly |
Segundo second to
none on home turfTHERE'S no telling just how big and popular local boy Jordan Segundo would have become had he won the "American Idol" competition instead of having become one of 31 also-rans. He's being treated as a local superstar for just making it into the finals of what is basically a fancy televised karaoke contest. His high school graduation was covered on TV news shows, and Channel 2's Tanya Boyd told morning co-host Kirk Matthews yesterday to save the red plumeria lei Segundo had given him because "it may be worth something one day." Meanwhile, Maryknoll High's 2003 valedictorian Joanna Marie Ignacio was more excited about attending her prom with Segundo than finishing No. 1 in her class and being fluent in Japanese, Spanish, Tagalog and Hawaiian as well as English. Sounds like she's well-prepared for a life post-Segundo ...
THERE was some mighty quick polo going on at Mokuleia yesterday with Hawaii's team and Viva Mexico with high-goaler Ruben Gracida and his teenage son, Westin, giving the local stars all they could handle, and on borrowed ponies yet. Quite a collection of Beautiful People there, also. As action at Mokuleia winds down, the Waimanalo club's season got underway Sunday and will feature weekly contests through Oct. 12 ...
Giants
THE Manoa Valley Theatre held its silent auction and fund-raising party at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, filling both their coffers and the audience expectations of an entertaining evening featuring two singers who've performed in Hawaii before, Craig Schulman and Cris Groenendaal, accompanied on piano by the latter's wife. Schulman starred in "Les Miz" for more performances than anyone, including here with Lea Salonga, and Groenendaal is best known for playing the titular role in "Phantom of the Opera." But alternating showtunes and doing some together, the two were fabulous. Talking with Schulman afterward, and reminiscing about the 10th anniversary performance of "Les Miz" at Prince Albert Hall in London, I told him the two of them should do an act together. "We do," Schulman told me, performing at fund-raisers for orchestras (and in this case a theater company) across the country. If you get a chance to catch them, by all means do! ...
Return of the '60s
IT was a surprise to me hearing from so many people tuned into the KKEA sports show normally hosted by new dad Bobby Curran. I was a guest of substitute host Don Robbs, and the response was great. One such surprise listener was KHVH's Rick Hamada, who asked if I'd guest on his show as well ... As Robbs and I harkened to days of old on K-POI where we both worked 40 years ago, Aston Hotels threw a rock 'n' roll party for top visitor industry execs with place cards of old 33 rpm records bearing guests' names on the labels. They also had a limbo competition led by Aston senior V.P. Joni Paahao. Special mention should go to Aston CEO Kelvin Bloom as "Elvis" arriving via motorcycle ...
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Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968. The Week That Was runs Sundays and recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns. Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com