SHOW BIZ
Aloha Shoyu ads to feature Kristi Yamaguchi

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

If time permits, expect newly crowned "American Idol" winner Fantasia Barrino to spend some time with Ha'iku's Camile Velasco. They bonded when they roomed together during the Fox-TV competition, and Velasco has a standing offer to have Barrino stay with the family. The sold-out "Idol" tour dates here are Sept. 28-29 at Blaisdell Arena, which is the end of the run for the cast of Top 10 finalists, so a prolonged Hawai'i pause is not out of the question. ...

And I have it on good authority that Hawai'i is not yet ruled out as a future "Idol" audition city. Fox had to get something out there on the finale, so seven sites (but not Honolulu) were announced by host Ryan Seacrest. But the Islands very much are still on the radar. ...

WHEE, THE PEOPLE: Ex-Islander Dean Pitchford, the Oscar-winning composer, has been a huge fan of "Idol" and particularly our Jasmine Trias, who's home this week, by the way, for her Maryknoll High School graduation Friday night at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. "Yes, yes, I'm an addict," he said, impressed by her talent and unceasing joyousness. "She lights up a room, doesn't she?" said Pitchford, whose compositions are getting vast exposure in films and record bins this summer. DreamWorks has licensed his song (with Jim Steinman), "Holding Out for Hero," featured in "Shrek 2," heard twice — first sung by Jennifer Saunders (Fairy Godmother) and over the final credits by Frou Frou. Both are on the soundtrack CD. ...

And a new Lashell Griffin CD, just out on Epic, features a cut that Pitchford wrote with Tom Snow, "This Is Who I Am." Griffin is the winner of the Oprah Winfrey take on "American Idol." ...

Inquiring minds want to know: Is there less of Ho'okena these days? Yes. Manu Boyd and Glen Smith both have lost weight. Boyd's down 30 pounds and after he shed his trademark goatee and mustache, he looks much younger. ...

RANDOM NOTES: Laughter's definitely in. With summer beckoning, there will be a high dose of stand-ups in local clubs. Add Bo Irvine to the offerings; he opens June 23, playing at 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays at Sharkey's Comedy Club within All Star Hawai'i. (Actually, he's already there — expanding his Thursday-only gig). The comedy triple header, with Frank DeLima, Andy Bumatai and Paul Ogata, kicks off at 8:30 p.m. this Friday and Saturday at the Palace Showroom of the Ohana Reef Towers Hotel; and Augie T. and Lanai reconnect with their comedy fans at 8:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays starting this weekend at Dave & Buster's. And Mel Cabang has been doing a Saturday comedy show at Brew Moon, too. ...

Quite a special time for the Fairbanks family of Maui recently. Janice Fairbanks' dad, Atanacio Tabbal, turned 102 last May 3; Janice and husband Tom Fairbanks' son Thomas turned 28 that same day, Janice's grand-nephew, Brandon Yamaguchi (who is Tabbal's great-great grandson), turned 10. The Fairbankses own and operate the charming Old Wailuku Inn at Ulupono. ...

Marilyn Benham, who co-chairs the Hawai'i Theatre docents program, is on a summer hiatus, accompanying her daughter to Europe to see her grandson, Rene del Fierro, play guitar with Santana at the Montreaux Jazz Festival. ...And that's Show Biz. ...

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