By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

ALOHA SPIRIT: A group of locals will be heading for New York City this week to participate in "Gifts of Aloha," distributing 25,000 lei and loads of other Hawai'i gifts in commemoration of the first anniversary of Sept. 11.

Twenty-four people, including Kalapana singer Malani Bilyeu, T-shirt designer Brian Ito of Poi Pounders, project organizer Tim Farley and co-chairs Jaysen Morikami and Mona Wood plan to pass along the aloha spirit with distribution of lei and other gifts at FDNY firehouses, survivors' homes, hospitals and other public and private events. KHON-Fox 2 reporter-producer Kirk Fernandes and cameraman Scott Kanda will tag along to document and report the festivities, returning to Honolulu on Sunday to turn around a 9/11 special for Channel 2. "We'll be going 24 hours straight from the airport," said Fernandes. ...

NICE GUYS I: Guy Tamashiro, son of the late Walter Tamashiro of Tamashiro Market, did an Elvis impersonation during Saturday's Society of Seven show at the Outrigger Waikiki Main Showroom. ...

Nice Guys II: When Don Ho heard that a visitor and his family were victims of a Waikiki robbery and assault over the weekend, he invited them to his show at the Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel, believing in the healing power of music and laughter — and enabling Ho to show the positive side of Hawai'i. ...

Ho sang "I'll Remember You" at the recent funeral of the late Walter Tamashiro, who supported numerous entertainers in town. Among other notables appearing at the service at Hosoi Mortuary Aug. 25: Tony Ruivivar and Audy Kimura. ...

NAMES 'N' FACES: Al Waterson's birthday was Friday, and his wife, Nancy Bernal, arranged a surprise celebrity turnout of well-wishers at his usual Friday gig at Fisherman's Wharf. The crowd included Forté, DisGuyz, Tani Lynn, Acoustic Soul, Augie Rey, Dita Holifield, Ellsworth Simeona, George Chun, Jack Cione, Matt Young, Jennifer Perri, Randy Smith, Rhonda, Kale Imua, Eddie Lactaoen from Centrestage and Elsa Lactaoen from Honolulu. ...

Second Generation, the New York group whose "Hello Broadway" show will be presented at 2 and 8 p.m. on Oct. 5 at the Blaisdell Concert Hall by Tim Bostock, has an impressive list of performers from such top musicals as "Les Miserables" and "Miss Saigon," but also a growing list of upcoming shows, including an Oct. 24 show at Carnegie Hall. ...

RANDOM NOTES: Kelly Preston, a former Honolulan and the spouse of John Travolta, will play the mom in the movie version of "Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat." Mike Myers ("Austin Powers") plays the cat. ...

Travolta and Luther Vandross were among the notables catching StarrWilliams with Betty Loo Taylor at The Veranda at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental. ...

Playwright Lee Cataluna, who had three works staged this past season, has none pending — yet. "I'm hoping Kumu Kahua wants to remount 'Super Secret Squad' next summer, and if so, I have some rewriting and updating in mind for that script. Oh, and I think (Honolulu Theatre for Youth's) 'Musubi Man' is having some 'command performances' this year." Diamond Head Theatre is hoping for a sequel to "You Somebody," but she prefers to avoid follow-ups and write, instead, a new work. Stay tuned. ...

And that's Show Biz ...

Wayne Harada's Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays; e-mail him at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, phone 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.