Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! This year kicked off with Hawaii-born President Barack Obama and family departing in January after their annual vacation, and wound up in December with the Obamas returning for their last Hawaiian holiday as first family. The president went straight to the golf course soon after arrival. Wonder what his latest handicap is …
HAWAII’S Bruno Mars opened the year sharing the Super Bowl halftime show stage rocking, dancing and swinging hard with Beyonce and Coldplay Feb. 7 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara., Calif., home of the San Francisco 49ers. He wound up the year on “60 Minutes” Nov. 20. The very shabby Manoa shack that he, his dad and brother lived in for a time as a boy was shown. Performing on “Saturday Night Live,” James Cordon’s “Carpool Karaoke” and “Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show,” and opening the American Music Awards show were some of his other gigs. That guy I saw as “Little Elvis” at the Waikiki Sheraton decades ago has come a long, long way. Both he and the president were quite busy professionally during the year …
JOY IN KALIHI: Residents of the Hale Umi apartment complex inundated by Tropical Storm Darby and overflowing Kalihi Stream in July were returning home this week after a massive cleanup, and will be able to enjoy Christmas in their homes. Carole Kai, who aided residents during the storm, helped them out with towels people gave her to donate …
COMEDIAN Amy Schumer has a warm heart. She put on several shows, including one with Wanda Sykes at Blue Note Hawaii on June 6, on behalf of the Windward Spouse Abuse Shelter; tickets were just $20 each. Amy and Wanda were here to film “Snatched,” originally titled “Mother/Daughter,” with Goldie Hawn. Amy also hit A Cup of Tea in Kailua. “She flew in like a bat out of hell and bought about $300 worth of merchandise off the shelves in about five minutes or less,” said Darlene Pahed, owner of the Victorian tea room and boutique. “She was very nice.” Amy and girlfriend took a table in the tea room and left a $200 tip on a $20 bill …
HULA DANCER Milton I, 83, was honored at a Hula Grill Waikiki Luncheon May 18 with the restaurant’s I Ola Mau Ka Hula award. In the early 1950s Milton was the first male to dance hula professionally in Waikiki. Hula Grill annually bestows the award on an individual who lives and exemplifies Hawaiian traditions through hula. Robert Cazimero was at the piano and sang. Danny Kaleikini, for whom Milton’s House of I danced during Danny’s Christmas shows at the Kahala Hilton, sang a couple numbers. Many women guests danced hula kanikapila at the party, which had an “olden-days” feeling …
WE LOST TWO gentlemen this year, legends who were Hawaii’s best in what they did. Show promoter Tom Moffatt, 85, died Dec. 13, jazz and pops singer Jimmy Borges, 80, was taken May 30. Both Jimmy and Tom had thoughts about playing college football but changed their minds and left school early. Lucky for us. Tom and I were UH students together in 1950. Tom went into radio before promoting shows and was a standout DJ. Jimmy forgot about trying to be another Herman Wedemeyer (a part-Hawaiian All-American halfback during World War II) and concentrated on singing pro. He became one of my closest friends. You rarely ever heard anyone “talk stink” about Tom or Jimmy. Betty Loo Taylor, 87, Jimmy’s longtime pianist, died Wednesday. His bassist Steve Jones died June 19 at age 61. No doubt the trio is way up there drawing a crowd with their sounds …
ANOTHER longtime friend and colleague, former Star-Bulletin Sports Editor Bill Kwon, 81, died Oct. 6. Former KHON2 Anchor Kirk Matthews, 69, died July 18. Other deaths included singers Palani Vaughan, 72, on Dec. 8; Iva Kinimaka, 76, on Aug. 2; brothers Ernie Cruz Jr., 56, on Sept. 20, and Guy Cruz, 49, on Sept. 23. Eddie Suzuki, 87, a composer, singer and music shop owner who put together Kui Lee’s band at Queen’s Surf, died March 23. Noted band director and trumpet player Richard S. Lum, 90, died Sept. 18. Lum directed the University of Hawaii band for 25 years, and bands at Hawaii Pacific U., McKinley High and Kaimuki Intermediate …
Another death bringing tears was the huge ageless kiawe tree at the Halekulani’s House Without a Key, which fell over in the early hours of Aug. 22. Too sad …
Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets during World War II, writes of people, places and things. Contact him via email at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
