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Singing is tougher
than acting, or so
he swears

INTERESTING PEOPLE: Jason Kanda finds the Honolulu Theatre for Youth/Kumu Kahua production of "Christmas Talk Story 2004" more challenging than his powerful R-rated one-man performance in "Dare Devil Blues" in September. Why? "I have to sing" ... Gerard Elmore, now at work on a "semi-autobiographical" full-length movie, "A Film For Zooey," is also exploring story lines for a new super hero project to follow his first success, "Amasin: The Amazing Asian" ... UH-Manoa fashion major Danyelle Morales is making the scene with her eye for design and "cutting" customized items (She's named in honor of her grandfather Daniel "Danny" Morales) ...

KNOW JACK?: Jack Law asked a photographer who had just asked someone to "stand straighter" for a photo op at the Wave Waikiki 24th Anniversary Party on Saturday: "Do you want me to stand straighter too?" It's funny if you know Jack ...

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Yes, I Ku Mau Mau released its debut offering back in 1999 when band members Randall Fukino, Mark Goto, Donald Kaulia and three other musicians recorded a medley of "Kaulana Na Pua" and "I Ku Mau Mau" for a CD-single. Several personnel changes later, the group recorded the self-titled album that was reviewed on our pages last week ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: To Kelly "Kelly Boy" DeLima and Viet Vo, who are celebrating today ... also to R. Kevin Doyle and O-shen (Friday), to Mahi Beamer, Leah Bernstein, Laura Bach Buzzell, David C. Farmer, Jennifer Perri and Brent Yoshikami (Saturday), and to Vergil Jepas and Liana McKenney (Wednesday) ...

TOP XMAS SONG: What's the all-time most popular Christmas song in Hawaii? The listeners at "Oldies 107.9" voted Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" to the top spot of the "Holiday Top 40" last weekend, followed by Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song," the Carpenters' "Merry Christmas Darling," Gene Autry's "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock." Four of the top 40 songs had religious themes. The others describe the Christmas season in romantic, tragic or comic terms ...