SHOW BIZ

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

IDOL STUFF: Don't be surprised if you see tousled-hair Ryan Seacrest, host and up-front face of Fox TV's "American Idol," making like a tourist over the next few days. Seacrest is expected to do a number of stand-ups — TV jargon for location shots to embellish a sense of place — that will figure in the show's anticipated Hawai'i coverage when season No. 3 launches in mid or late January. The buzz at the Aloha Stadium auditions earlier this week was that Seacrest might do some surfing bits, a lu'au visit, anything that will scream "Hawai'i" when the talent countdown begins. What, you didn't think judge Simon Cowell would be balancing on a surfboard off Waikiki, did you? ...

Speaking of Simon: Throughout the audition lineups, there was a Simon with a very British (or Aussie) accent, one remarkably resembling the twang of the nasty judge. Turns out he's Simon Lythgoe, one of the show's associate producers. His dad, Nigel Lythgoe, is a co-executive producer known in an earlier London variation of the talent search "Popstars," on which he was a judge and was dubbed Nasty Nigel. ...

Jordan Segundo has been scouring the line and sitting in the stands at the stadium cattle call, partly for work (KHON-2 News) and partly for his own amusement. "Brings back memories," he said. ...

NAME-DROPPING: Alert viewers point out that Andrew Savage, one of the contestants on CBS TV's "Survivor: Pearl Islands" this season, is a former Islander who used to work for the law firm of Robert J. Smolenski and played rugby for the Hawai'i Harlequins. ...

You've got to catch "Ragtime," odds-on favorite to be Diamond Head Theatre's crown jewel of a production this season, thanks largely to the collaborative artistic staff and a corps of leads and a skilled ensemble that fill both solo and mass-crowd scenes with magnificent work. Director Mary Gutzi, doubling as Emma Goldman, has tapped two extraordinary Broadway colleagues in Jerold E. Solomon (as Coalhouse Walker Jr.) and Crystal Williams (as Sarah). When they're on stage, their incandescence is remarkable, their body language eloquent beyond imagination. Clearly, they help raise the bar, inspiring the locals to reach, stretch and glow. Sets, costumes, choreography, lighting — you name it, DHT has unified all elements to unveil a most satisfying evening of theater. It's unbeatable storytelling delivered with pride and precision and clearly a high-water mark for DHT ...

WHEE, THE PEOPLE: Brothers Steve and Jim Jemanok are the writers of the indie film "Passionada," screening at the Art House at Restaurant Row. Steve has written features about the Islands in major magazines. ...

Millie Fujinaga celebrated her birthday with — who else? — Frank DeLima (whom she manages) and Frannie Kirk (of Outrigger Hotels) earlier this week at Ruth's Chris Steak House. Had a New York strip and that sinful chocolate cake (with lit candle) for dessert. Who counts calories when it's B-Day? ...

And Paul Ah Cook and his Ruth's Chris staffers were humming Hawaiiana when Robert Cazimero was in for dinner, a guest of Hawai'i Theatre g.m. Burton White. ...

Lane Muraoka and his wife decided to dine out with their two young sons, including newborn Elijah, which normally wouldn't be huge news. But since Muraoka spends most of his time in the restaurant biz, as owner of Big City Diner in Kaimuki and Kailua, the dining-out trek caught the eye of Lyle Matsuoka, g.m. of Auntie Pasto's on Kapahulu Avenue, where he welcomed the family at dinner. ...

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.