Posted on: Thursday, March 3, 2005
SHOW BIZ
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By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
FEATS OF CLAY: Hawai'i's first "American Idol" contestant, Jordan Segundo, hooked up with Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken, and they had a ball last weekend, touring the North Shore, stopping at Pipeline, checking out the Blow Hole, doing touristy things. "Despite all that has happened, it was great to see that Clay's the same ol' guy from 'American Idol' that I first met," Segundo said about the hugely busy Aiken. Segundo and Aiken's party had a leisurely trek; Segundo and his manager Nancy Bernal also hosted Aiken at the Royal Hawaiian hotel lu'au last Monday night, enabling him to sample Hawaiian food and dance. Segundo did an impromptu "Unchained Melody" vocal, too. You recall, Aiken has been in town for the Bubel/Aiken Foundation benefit last Friday. ... NAMES 'N' PLACES: David Schwimmer has a new girlfriend, model Rochelle Sanchez Ovitt, who is originally from Honolulu. According to Star, on newsstands tomorrow, Ovitt was first spotted with the "Friends" co-star at an Italian restaurant in Los Angeles last fall. Since then, the couple has been a coosome twosome at several events. ... "The Bachelorette" sweethearts, Ryan Sutter and Trista Rehn, had a second honeymoon in Hawai'i, which included hiking and scuba diving. ... That was "Be Cool" co-star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson with his family at Tiki's Grill & Bar a few nights back. ... Stand-up comedian Paul Ogata, back from Los Angeles, encountered Chris Rock trying out his Academy Awards material at the Laugh Factory. A few nights later, Robin Williams made a surprise appearance, also rendering Oscar shtick. Ogata wonders out loud: "Since Robin went on before me, does that make him my opening act?" ... Stan Egi will be among the "friends" when Kaleo Pilanca assembles stand-ups at 9 p.m. March 12 at the Hawaiian Hut at the Ala Moana Hotel. ... Norah Jones' Island debut at 8 p.m. April 23 at Blaisdell Arena boasts an amazing $40 price for all tickets, but only 5,000 seats will be sold when sales start at 9 a.m. Saturday and at the box office, via Ticketmaster at (877) 750-4400, and at ticketmaster.com. Box-office lines will be permitted from 7 a.m. (box office opens at 9 a.m.) and no tokens will be distributed. Though handling charges apply, it's easiest to buy online or via phone. ... "Rock Jam," a benefit for Kula School, will feature a host of musical notables at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Princeville
Hotel on Kaua'i. Among the participants: Ken Emerson, a Grammy-winning musician (from the "Slack Key Guitar Vol. 2" CD), Todd Rundgren, Donald Fagen (of Steely Dan), and Toni Childs. Tickets: $50, $75, on sale at North Shore Pharmacy, (808) 828-1844. ... AROUND TOWN: Ronald Bright has been directing so long, he's encountering next-generation troupers in "Grand Night for Singing" (bowing tomorrow at the Ronald Bright Theatre at Castle High School), including sisters Deanna and Melodie Mutch, daughters of Enola Rivera Mutch (the sister of singer Jessie Rivera), as well as Nicole Enos, daughter of singer-composer Johnson Enos. About 60 keiki from Windward District complex schools will perform through Sunday. For tickets, call 233-5626. ... Diamond Head Theatre's production of "Twentieth Century" had a celeb in the audience on closing night Sunday. Willi Burke, who played Dr. Johnson in the 1978 Broadway musical production of "On the Twentieth Century" flew inÊfrom the Big Apple to applaud her local pal Earll Kingston. ... Five Hawai'i recording legends will receive Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts Lifetime Achievement Awards at an 11 a.m. luncheon event March 13 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Tapa Ballroom. The honorees are Hui 'Ohana (Ledward and Nedward Ka'apana, with the late Dennis Pavao), Kealoha Kalama, the late Jesse Kalima, Melveen Leed, and the late Bill Ali'iloa Lincoln. Corporate tables are $750, VIP tickets are $75, individual tickets are $55; HARA members can buy tickets for $50 (limited to 10) if purchased by tomorrow. Call 235-9424. ... SIGHT 'EMS: Barbi Benton called singer Jimmy Borges from Aspen recently, then flew into town for a few days of R&R with her friend, Dr. Diana Wylie. Borges lunched with Benton at the Outrigger Club, flanked by one of the world's leading sex symbols (Benton) and a respected sex therapist (Wylie). Good thing Borges' wife, Vicki, was also there. "Is this what they call 'safe sex'?" Borges wondered out loud. ...
Localites Mike and Fay Scherr, regular diners at Bali-by-the-Sea at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, brought actress Julie Haggerty and her husband to the beachfront restaurant, much to the delight of the wait help who remembered her from "Airplane!" ...
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.
