Show Biz
'Waynies' chronicle year of splits, pitfalls, deaths

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor

It was a downer of a Show Biz year, particularly with the effects of Sept. 11, which forced Waikiki entertainers to struggle to keep afloat.

Worse, there were splits, pitfalls and deaths that contributed to the dismay.

The 'Waynies,' this column's annual recapitulation of the Show Biz scene, reflect the see-sawing nature of a topsy-turvy year.

The splits:

• Amy and Willie parted company. Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom and Willie K., a couple in public and in private, went their separate ways. She to expand her career and broaden her base (she's a calendar girl now, with other product links, such as clothing and scents, en route); he to return to his Hawaiian roots and also to sing the blues.
• Hapa dismantled. Keli'i Kaneali'i continued to carry the musical torch, and Barry Flanagan opted to become everybody's favorite bassist, working with the likes of Ernie Cruz Jr. and Na Leo, and even on the recent Bruddah Iz CD ...
• The Krush and Honolulu disintegrated, but were reborn, in a sense. Key members became central figures in the Society of Seven Las Vegas and Tino and the Rhythm Klub.
• Tony and Karen Ruivivar announced a separation after 30 years of marriage, stunning their friends and followers. He's the leader of the original Society of Seven.

The pitfalls:

• "Pearl Harbor," the megabucks movie largely filmed in Hawai'i, was a bomb. The enemy was the army of critics who dissed the film and its weak romantic plot, set against the WWII background.
• "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within," the computer-generated feature film born and created in Hawai'i, failed to lift the spirits of either its makers or its fans.
• DFS Galleria, which has seemed a promise of hope and a stimulus for Waikiki's rebirth, faced cutbacks linked to Sept. 11.
• "Baywatch: Hawai'i" sank into a sea of disappointment.

The deaths:

• Loyal Garner, the most musical of the Local Divas, of colon cancer.
• Irmgard Aluli, the beloved matriarch of a musical family and enchanting kupuna of the Puamana group, of undisclosed causes.
• Francis Ruivivar, the Broadway and Las Vegas trouper, of leukemia.
• Kimo McVay, flamboyant talent manager and entrepreneur, of prostate cancer.
• Gardner McKay, prolific writer of plays, books and radio programs, of prostate cancer.
• Myra English, the Drinking Champagne lady, of a lingering illness.

But on with The Waynies:

• Entertainer of the Year: Loyal Garner. For the first time, we honor someone posthumously. The nod for the late Lady of Love is based on her optimism amid trying odds, on her ability to inspire as she enlightened, and for simply being a beacon of hope and a wellspring for aloha — in life and now in death.
• Best Male Singer: Keali'i Reichel. His "Kukahi" concert, at the Hawai'i Theatre, reflected his growth as a vocalist and as an entertainer. Another "go" for Mainland audiences?
• Best Female Singer: Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom. She's a pop diva, stage star, contemporary singer, "auntie"-style traditional Hawaiian trouper. A true chameleon.
• Best Idea for a Show: "An Evening With the Music of Sinatra," performed by Randy Smith, in a show produced and written by Jack Cione. Live music next year?
• Best Group: Society of Seven Las Vegas. The notion to clone a hot original entity was risky, but SOSLV soared. Next stop, a zippy CD?
• Best Showman of the Year: Elton John at Blaisdell Arena. He's still the one.
• Best Reunion: The brief, one-time-only reconnection between Keola Beamer and Kapono Beamer, at the funeral of their former manager, Kimo McVay.
• The Last Hurrah: The Local Divas' recent "This One's for You, Loyal" concert, honoring fellow songstress Garner, likely was their last. That's the word from insiders, who say that Carole Kai, Melveen Leed and Nohelani Cypriano are contemplating halting the group, inasmuch as Garner was the foundation and musical genius behind them.
• Most Promising Act: Tino and the Rhythm Klub. Leader Tino Ibach had the fire and the finesse to rise from the ashes of The Krush. Is a recording part of the growth plan?
• Loveliest Hula Hands: Nani Dudoit, the dancer with Ho'okena, distinguished herself in the recent Christmas concert, exuding the grace and dedication of old-school luminaries such as Beverly Noa and the late Lani Custino. Reason enough to restore the showroom hula soloist in the Waikiki mainstream?
• The Greatest Loss of All: Robert Cazimero's vintage white bass fiddle, damaged in airline transit. He was to paint his reddish new one to white, but it's like a kumu teaching a new student old hula.
• Disappearing Act: Frank DeLima. It's no joke — he doesn't have a regular showcase.

And that's Show Biz for 2001 ...

Wayne Harada's Show Biz runs Wednesdays and Fridays. He's on vacation, but he prepared this column before leaving. Reach him at 525-8067, e-mail at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.