Hawai'i's Bachelor, get ready to meet the dates

By Tanya Bricking
Advertiser Staff Writer

The 26-year-old surfer chosen by readers to be Hawai'i's bachelor is worried about forgetting his dates' names. Russell Tanoue

What's next for Hawai'i's Bachelor? The first round starts tonight, when Kelly Komoda, a 26-year-old teacher chosen by readers to be Hawai'i's Bachelor, has dinner with an entourage of 10. By the end of the date, he will have to choose which seven will go on next week's date. Each week, he'll have to eliminate more women. Check out the videos and extended profiles for the bachelorettes on the Web. Go back to the Web site Monday to read the dating diaries. Vote online for your favorite bachelorette or e-mail your advice to the bachelor.

He's already worried about hurting the feelings of dates he has yet to meet.

And he's afraid he'll forget their names.

Kelly Komoda, meet your dates. You have until tonight to make flash cards, memorize their profiles and make sure you don't confuse Jenn Hee with Jenn Lee. And you have only until the end of the date to choose which seven you want to see again.

So pay attention.

Bachelorette No. 1 is Kelli Bullock. At 32, she's the oldest of your choices. Like you, she enjoys surfing and snowboarding. "She could be the tomboy type," says friend Marisa Sacks. "She likes fashion also. She knows what's hot. She likes shoes." Kelly and Kelli? Could be cute.

Next is Cathy Cruz, a 27-year-old business magazine editor who is as ambitious as she is competitive. Like you, she has a soft spot for her grandparents. She listed them as her role models — people who, even after being hit by three typhoons on Guam in one year, are "still happy, healthy and optimistic." She's a gym buff who is as likely to be reading Shape magazine, Lucky or Glamour as to be engrossed in BusinessWeek or the Wall Street Journal.

On to zany, brainy Jennifer Hee: She's a Harvard grad who won't be impressed by your new Lexus. She'd rather know about your mind. She's easily bored with people, and she wants a guy who can inspire, challenge and amuse her. She also has some TurboKickbox moves she can teach you.

We're pretty sure there are fewer than six degrees of separation between you and Jamie Inouye. You were a year behind her at Maui High School. Then you both went to the University of Hawai'i-Manoa. She's back on Maui now, but she's paying her own airfare just to go out with you. She says her friends persuaded her to do it.

Liane Ayako Kaneko is 4-foot-11, a foot shorter than you are.

In some ways, you are opposites. She's not outdoorsy. In fact, she says her favorite sport is "watching them on TV." But you say you like fashion, and she considers shopping a sport. Maybe it will be a love connection.

You teach fourth grade. Brynn Leake teaches fifth grade. You're both outgoing and funny. "She is so adventurous," says Marie Coudrier, a friend who encouraged her to apply. "And she's ready for some fun."

You will meet your match, at least height-wise, with 5-foot-11 Jenn Lee. Her ideal man is someone with common interests who is "honest, intelligent, funny and surfs." Maybe it could be you — if you can get over the fact that she is a dog person and you are a cat person. You are a spender and she is a saver. But despite your differences, you'll always see eye to eye.

One of the most interesting things about bachelorette Angela Hoan is not just that she was Miss Waikiki 1999 and runner-up for Miss Teen Hawaii. It's her unique home life. She is the guardian of her 17-year-old brother, Ryan. It's a role she took on after their mother died of cancer last summer. Hoan, who describes herself as "extremely independent," is looking for a confident man with a sharp mind who also knows how to relax and have a good time.

We're already at Bachelorette No. 9, and her laugh alone should be enough for you to remember. Her voice screams "wild and crazy," but how will it carry in a crowd? Find out tonight when you meet sporty, spunky Brooke Price.

There's one more before we wrap this up. Lauren Sumida was among the last contestants to enter the contest. "It seems that everything described by the newfound bachelor described me," she e-mailed last week after reading your profile. She's an athlete as well as a student of fashion. And apparently, she's studied up on you as well.

Now it's your turn to cram.

See you tonight.

Something you want to say? E-mail hawaiisbachelor@honoluluadvertiser.com.