Yes, we're talking about Don Ho, the longtime and perhaps best-known island performer. His popularity has bridged generation gaps, as evidenced by last year's appearance with Dave Attel on Comedy Central's hip "Insomniac With Dave Attel." The two sang "Tiny Bubbles."

And now, Ho is adding Scooby-Doo to his legacy.

Ho said he felt a kinship with Scooby. "He and I can relate; he's kind of a guy that folks think is stupid, because he does stupid things," Ho said. "Just like me."

And the both of them always land on their feet, Ho said.

Christopher Keenan, senior vice president, creative affairs, for Warner Bros. Animation, said: "We were honored to have Don Ho do the song. When we decided to take Scooby to Hawai'i for his latest adventure, who else but the prolific and iconic singer-musician Don Ho would be perfect? We kind of paired him up with Scooby."

Scooby-Doo, as any kindergartner or grade-schooler can tell you, is the adorable but cowardly Great Dane who hangs out with four California high schoolers, Fred, Velma, Daphne and Shaggy. Scooby normally avoids confrontations if there's the prospect of ghosts, monsters or any kind of trouble ahead. The franchise includes feature films, cartoons on TV, DVD adventures, and everything from T-shirts to underwear to lunch boxes.

The opportunity to record a tune for the feature just landed in Ho's lap, more or less — like almost everything else in his career in recent years.

"I don't expect anything; I'm really not that ambitious," said Ho, who treasures his easygoing, laid-back manner. "We live in paradise, but sometimes you gotta go to the Mainland, when work calls."

This time, the job came here, with composer Tom Chase Jones and Suzi Civita, vice president of music for Warner Bros. Pictures, supervising the recording session at the Mountain Apple Co. studios on Ala Moana.

"The song will be in the soundtrack, and the entire feature is set in Hawai'i, though it's not yet specific which island," Keenan said.

Though Scooby has "visited" Hawai'i in other animated episodes, "Aloha, Scooby-Doo" will be the first feature-length story and the eighth made-for-video and DVD release in an ongoing series, Keenan said. The Scooby project is being produced by Tim Maltby, Marge Dean and Kathy Page, with Maltby directing the script by Temple Matthews.

The franchise has toured the globe, Keenan said, and the Ho element will be a vital part of the presentation.

"While there are other Hawaiian cast members, Don is the only singer from Hawai'i involved," he said.

Tia Carrere (from "Lilo & Stitch") and Adam West (TV's original "Batman"), two actors with Island ties, and Mario Lopez and Teri Garr are among those providing voices.

Ho said Kapono Beamer , Tony Conjugacion and Noel Okimoto were on hand at the studios to lend moral and professional support. "They brought some good stuff to the session," he said.

The Scooby session is just one of the new projects on Ho's diversifying plate. Among other projects in the works:

• A TV documentary.

Ho was interviewed earlier this week at the Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel, where he performs, for a Hawai'i statehood retrospective documentary in production at the University of Hawai'iiManoa Academy for Creative Media.

Chris Lee, chairman of the academy, said revisiting the Ho show was a stroll down memory lane.

"Ho is the consummate entertainer," said Lee, who worked lights and sounds for Ho when the show was ensconced at the old Polynesian Palace.

"It was great seeing (singer) Angel Pablo, who has no hair now; and you know, it's a better show now."

• A TV commercial.

Ho's name will be mentioned, though he won't be seen, in an upcoming Burger King spot being produced by a Florida ad agency, which sought his approval for the name-dropping.

"I'm mentioned in a rap that is done by a Latin kid," said Ho. "I'm just helping out; Burger King had some problems with stocks failing, or something."

• An animated TV series.

He's also hoping, along with producer Andy Bumatai, that a "Shock the Monkey" animated video, set to a Peter Gabriel tune, will get renewed life as a full-blown cartoon TV series. A young, buff Ho, wearing dark glasses, made his animated debut on a spot produced by Bumatai and animated by Dan Boulos of Wiki Wiki Cartoons, and launched last year on MTV; it was pitched as a Gen-X product, inasmuch as the younger folks have been discovering Ho, known the world over for "Tiny Bubbles," and it awaits financing and shopping for a venue.

"Andy's been busy with comedy and TV work, so we're in holding (pattern)," said Ho.

• As a casino attraction.

Ho also has become a darling at Native American casinos, which favor mainstream entertainers from yesteryear over high-tech, big-name spectacles common in Las Vegas today.

"I've been playing a lot of Indian casinos several times a year, along with such acts as Willie Nelson, Alice Cooper, Tony Bennett and the Smothers Brothers," Ho said.

"The casinos help kids go to school, provide down payment on homes; I'm not advocating gambling in Hawai'i, but our council members and legislators ought to look into this. Local people have big problems and casinos could be an option."

As he turns 74, he said, he'll simply have a quiet family dinner tonight to celebrate.

Aging doesn't worry him, but he said with a sigh: "I'm running out of peers; so many of my friends are gone.

"That's why I say I'm 40 forever.

"I've been celebrating 40 for 34 years."

Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, or fax 525-8055.