Hawaii’s Bruno Mars and England’s Queen Elizabeth II have something in common: They’re hat wearers, and they’ll be inducted into the Headwear Hall of Fame in April in New York City. The other new celeb inductees: Sir Elton John, Diane Keaton, Sophia Loren and Spike Lee.
Previous honorees include Cary Grant, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Josephine Baker, Fred Astaire, LL Cool J, Lady Gaga, Frank Sinatra, Audrey Hepburn, Jennifer Lopez and Sarah Jessica Parker.
The 105-year-old Headwear Association observes folks who wear chapeaux, tapping winners "to promote hats and the headwear industry throughout the world and to foster goodwill and fellowship among those engaged in the headwear industry."
Local boy Mars dons hats onstage and off. So hat’s off to him. …
HERE ‘N’ THERE: Tony Ruivivar and his Society of Seven combo will perform at four separate events on Kauai next month. The group will introduce new lead singer Lhey Bella at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at a Kauai Hospice fundraiser at Kauai Community College, the lone public performance. Other shows, all at the Kauai Marriott: Dec. 10,a Christmas party for Smith’s Wailua river tours; Dec. 11,a Smith’s vendor mahalo party; and Dec. 12, a Kauai Chamber of Commerce party. …
"We’re happy and looking forward to a reunion with Chris Chang (the one-time honcho at the Kauai Resort Hotel where entertainment was king under his leadership), who now works with the Smith luau," said bandleader Ruivivar. Of course, the SOSers are eagerly awaiting the release of "The Society of Seven: The Last of the Great Show Bands," a memoir penned by one-time manager and career mentor Frances Kirk, and expect to do some book promotion while here. To order the book, go to bookshawaii.net /sos.html. …
Michael Feinstein, aka the "Ambassador of the Great American Songbook," brings his smooth vocal stylings to the inaugural "Gatsby Glam" Masquerade Ball from 6 p.m. to midnight Dec. 6 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village ballroom on the Big Island. It’s a fundraiser for the Kahilu Theatre’s artistic and educational center. Tickets are $50 (dance only), $185 (dinner and show); $150 for theater members. Visit kahilutheatre.org or call 885-6868. …
Jack Cione just returned from Palm Springs, where he took in the iconic Palm Springs Follies in its finale run. "The big attraction was a Marilyn Monroe statue," he said of the town’s 26-foot-tall eye-filler with the sex symbol’s skirt swooshed up. …
KOKUA TIME: Popular bassist Steve Jones recently was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, and his jazz/music pals are organizing a fundraiser from 6 to 10 p.m. Dec. 12 at Studio 909 at the Musicians Union headquarters on Kapiolani Boulevard.
Loretta Ables Sayre, co-organizer of the fundraiser, reports the silent auction will feature holiday gifts, including lessons by local musicians and restaurant gift certificates.
Singer Jimmy Borges will emcee and perform, along with Ables Sayre and a long list of top local talent. Tickets: $50. To order, visit www.eventbrite.com and search for Friends of Stephen Jones. …
And that’s "Show Biz." …
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Wayne Harada is a veteran entertainment columnist; reach him at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com; read his Show and Tell Hawaii blog at www.staradvertiser.com.
