Posted on: Thursday, September 30, 2004
Hawai'i won't have an 'Idol' Christmas
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
HO, HO, HO: Hawai'i's admiration and support of "American Idol" is the stuff of legend. Which is why a move to bring a planned "American Idol Christmas Concert" to the Waikiki Shell on Oct. 23, for December broadcast, made a lot of sense. But Santa's not delivering. The concert would have featured all the winners from the pop-music talent search the past three years, so Fantasia Barrino and Diana DeGarmo from this year and, presumably, Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini from season one, and Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken from last year, would have explored the joys of the season.
The Hawai'i visitor industry backed the idea, as it did when "Idol" included Honolulu as an audition site for last season's contest. Show producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick were very cognizant of Hawai'i's response to "Idol" mania, so they were eager to stage the holiday show here, but in the final wash, two holdouts — Clarkson and Aiken, two vital components necessary to boost sales — apparently declined participation. And without their presence, the hopes evaporated.
Aiken has had a successful solo tour and likely will give some of his own yuletide concerts, particularly since he's readying a Christmas CD. But he does have a lot of aloha for Hawai'i because his Island fans have been express-mailing fresh lei for all of his concerts, at which he hands them out, so don't be surprised if he eventually makes his way to our shores. Besides, a promoter is angling to lure him here. ...
HA, HA, HA: So when will "Augie T. Live," his solo comedy DVD recorded at his sellout Hawai'i Theatre concert Saturday night, be out? Probably late October, said Augie, who became the first solo standup comic to sell out the downtown venue and one of the first to enjoy the name-in-bright-lights fruits of the new neon sign at the theater. His personal bits (on growing up in Kalihi and Wai'anae, and now residing in 'Ewa Beach) were too hysterical to be true, but they were exaggerated elements from his real life, punched out (his boxing past became quite evident) with spirit and aplomb, right down to the final count.
"After the show, a lady gave me one panty," he said on Monday. "This guy says, 'My wife wants to give you a gift,' and she took off the panty from under her skirt." Augie still wasn't quite sure what to make of such enthusiasm.
His mom and dad, who were stoked with a limo ride from 'Ewa Beach to the Hawai'i Theatre, paused at Zippy's to get chicken and chili, and munched en route. Considering his immense success, he's already thinking "Augie T. Live II" ...
And laughter flowed freely, too, at Andy Bumatai's sold-out Comedy Showcase Saturday night, with Linda Coble and her sister Camie Maeharis cheering on Linda's hubby, KHON morning news' Kirk Matthews, who did standup. And you thought all news anchors are always serious? ...
HEE, HEE, HEE: Fred and Julie Honda will mark their 39th wedding anniversary Oct. 8, so Julie latched on to tickets to "American Idol" Tuesday night as an early gift for the Halekulani hotel g.m. "What?" he asked, but went to see the 10 troupers anyway, with Vicky Cayetano and her mom as their guests (Gov. Ben declined to go). ... It's reunion time for the Anguay clan. Jewl Anguay, the Island native who's appeared in Broadway shows such as "Miss Saigon" and "The Lion King," was home recently on vacation from working on her new recording career in Los Angeles. Naturally, she stopped by the Paliku Theatre at Windward Community College, where her mentor Ron Bright is directing "Big River," which bows Oct. 8. The cast includes Zare Anguay, her youngest brother, who's in the ensemble. Jewl, sisters Jana (on Maui, in
" 'Ulalena"), Tori (also based in L.A.) and Zoey (who last month gave birth to her second child, a daughter) hope to have a Christmas reunion and to help big sister Jade Anguay Bright celebrate graduation (cum laude) from Chaminade University in December (destination: teaching). Jade is doing practice teaching at Kamehameha Elementary School. ...
Pauline Wilson, formerly of Seawind, makes a rare concert appearance here when she joins Ambrosia, John Ford Coley (of England Dan and John Ford Coley), Terry Sylvester (of The Hollies) and the J. Michaels Band at 7 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Waikiki Shell. You can follow the road to nostalgiaville with this lineup. ...
And that's Show Biz. ...
Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, or fax 525-8055.
