SHOW BIZ
Punahou finds faux Don Ho can't beat real thing

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor

SIGHT 'EMS: Punahou School's Variety Show, entitled "Oh No Don Ho" (a palindrome), was staged with the carnival, and J.P. Lam played Don Ho, singing "Tiny Bubbles" and strumming 'ukulele. Summer Shido, playing a local girl, exclaimed "Oh no, Don Ho," chasing the actor off stage. The cast was hoping that Ho could come see the show, sending an invite but not receiving a confirmation. Imagine the surprise, then, when Ho was in the audience for the final performance Saturday.

"Nice they got a cute guy to play me. Good voice, too," he said. And of the 325-member student cast: "We don't have to worry about the future — it's going to be just fine." Punahou parent Lynn Cook, an artist working in the Art Gallery, arranged the Ho visit with Ho aide Haumea Hebenstreit. Cheers of "Don Ho, Don Ho" got Ho on stage to shake hands and share his seal of approval. He invited the entire cast to see his Waikiki Beachcomber show — but not all at once ...

Country-western singer Pam Tillis went straight from her Hula Bowl halftime show performance to Pacific 'O for dinner Saturday night. She and her group of local friends yelled out "You rock!" to Chef James McDonald as they left the Lahaina eatery ...

Tino (Ibach) & the Rhythm Klub opened up the Brian McKnight show Saturday night at the Sheraton Waikiki's Hawai'i Ballroom, previewing its new three-song CD.

A great thrill for the act because it already performs the McKnight signature, "Back at One." The group also was host to the post-concert party at Esprit, its home base, with promoter Tom Moffatt and concert masters of ceremonies Rory Wild and Gregg Hammer among the celebrants ...

'VAGINA' CHRONOLOGY: "The Vagina Monologues," which opened last night at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center (with Brooke Shields featured), finished a successful run at the Hawai'i Theatre. Closing weekend virtually was a sellout, though there were tense moments when star Loretta Swit was caught in traffic (there was a Night in Chinatown parade Saturday afternoon), delaying the 5 p.m. show somewhat ...

Swit shopped for makeup and jewelry at Neiman Marcus a few days back ...

And she shared a funny vignette with co-stars Michele Shay and Amy J. Carle regarding the time an immigrant cabbie was driving her to the Apollo Theatre in Chicago, where she was doing the Eve Ensler play. The cab driver asked if she was an actress, and she answered yes; then when he stopped in front of the theater, and saw the marquee, he asked her with a confused look: "I don't know what the word means." She proceeded to explain the V-word, and he stopped her: "No, I meant 'monologues' " ...

RANDOM NOTES: 3+, gearing up for its new CD, "3+4U," has been tapped as the opening act for the Janet Jackson concert Feb. 16 at Aloha Stadium. The Hawai'i group is developing quite a following for its inspirational music. Its "Honeybaby" has been one of Benny Agbayani's warm-up faves. "3+ always makes me feel like I'm back home ... I always play it when I go up to bat," he said. Similarly, when he's longing for the aloha spirit, former sumotori Konishiki's "Konishiki Olioli Style" radio show in Japan includes 3+ — an orchid for Tanoa Kapana, Marcus Malepeai and Karl Zinsman and producer Shawn Kekoa Pimental ... And that's Show Biz ...