By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

SIGHT 'EMS: The buzz at California Pizza Kitchen at Ala Moana Center recently was that Sean Astin, who plays Samwise Gamgee, the sidekick to Frodo Baggins in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, was in for lunch with his wife Christine and daughters Alexandra and Elizabeth. Very cordial, very accessible, very nice — and a generous tipper, according to servers. Look for Astin in "The Return of the Ring" this December. ...

After touring the guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie last week with Gov. Linda Lingle, acting secretary of the Navy H.T. Johnson, Adm. Walter Johnson and others who were part of a Washington, D.C., contingent dined Italian-style at Baci Bistro in Kailua. ...

Great to reconnect with Kelly Hu, who completed her first "Vagina Monologues" run Sunday at the Hawai'i Theatre. Clearly a novice to the cast, when sandwiched between Amy J. Carle and Starla Benford, Hu's movie-star status was a powerful magnet, and producers allowed her to localize — with pidgin — one segment that had audiences (both youngish and senior) howling. She quipped afterward, about the wide demographic: "Someone told me from Maui that they brought their mother to the show as a Mother's Day gift. How cool is that?!" ...

ITEMIZATIONS: Cathy Nobriga Kim brought her Roselani Ice Cream to Times Super Market in Kahala for a sampling recently and was happy that locals enjoyed her Maui-made product. She was delighted that singer Jerry Santos was among those who gave her product a thumbs up. All 12 Times stores on O'ahu now sell her cool treat. ...

Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen and wife Annabel are in town earlier than normal — summer's their usual season — but there's a reason. Close pal Devon Guard is co-starring in "Follies," the musical that opened Friday at Diamond Head Theatre, and Guard's husband, Tim, is on the Broncos board of directors. "Better be fabulous," Bowlen jokingly told Tim, or he'll have to return his two Super Bowl rings.

Speaking of DHT: Its Leather, Feathers and All That Jazz fund-raiser, from 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Wai'alae Country Club, takes its cue from "Chicago," the theater's season opener last fall. Katie Leiva and Tricia Marciel, who played Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart, resurrect razzle-dazzle moments from the musical. Sonya Mendez and Almost Paradise provide dance music. ...

Martin Nievera now is performing at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas and sang one of his signature tunes, "Be My Lady," to localite Arlene Tanaka. It's a gesture he's often shared with Cha Thompson of Tihati Productions. Nievera calls her "Mama Cha." ...

NOTEWORTHY: Singer Jordan Segundo hasn't had time to be idle since his "American Idol" appearance. He's been making appearances at the school DARE programs on Kaua'i, Maui and in Honolulu, and appeared last week at Lanakila Baptist School. His 15 minutes of fame are far from over, since he also performs at the June 13 Miss Hawai'i pageant. And look for him at the May 31 "Sunset on the Beach" event at Ali'i Beach Park in Hale'iwa. ...

A memorial service for the late Cynthia Child will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. today at the Outrigger Canoe Club. She was the former wife of Ali'is member Manny Lagod (who's been living on the Mainland for years), and their daughter Trina helped arrange the rites. Child died earlier this year. Lagod, who visited here recently, renewed ties with Don Ho and even performed in Mr. Waikiki's Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel showroom, and joined keyboarder Betty Loo Taylor at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental's Veranda. He's been missing the aloha that is Hawai'i — so much so that he's contemplating a return here. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

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