There is life after death for Jean Smart, the actress who played Gov. Pat Jameson on the first season of CBS’ "Hawaii Five-0."Her character was gunned down by Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos) in the finale, but now she’s on safer turf in a recurring role as a prosecutor on NBC’s "Harry’s Law," starring Kathy Bates. "Harry’s Law" (9 p.m. Wednesdays) is yet another creation by David E. Kelley (spouse of Michelle Pfeiffer), who spends part of his time with his family in Lanikai. …
It’s getting to sound a lot like Christmas. Jack Johnson, the North Shore resident, will be issuing a new holiday tune, "In the Morning," in time for the Mele Kalikimaka season. It’s part of"This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday Vol. 2," on Brushfire Records, due Nov. 15. Proceeds will go to charities that provide music education for children. …
REMAKING AKEBONO: That life-size sculpture of sumotori Akebono (Chad Rowan), who was raised in Waimanalo, is getting a makeover, thanks to Waimanalo businessman Bobby Ameripour, who commissioned artist KaMilleto create the tribute to the yokozuna grand champion nearly two decades ago. Akebono has retired to become a sumo wrestling coach and lives in Japan, where he established citizenship, but his sculpture still is the pride of the Waimanalo Shopping Center, where locals and visitors regularly take photos with it. And, yep, he’s the same Akebono who also sings pop songs and hip-hop, a post-sumo career. …
HOT TICKETS: This has been a big weekend for ticket-buying, with three major marquee attractions coming up. Translation: lots of bucks being spent (there goes the Christmas budget!) on one or more of these shows, all at the Blaisdell Arena:
» Elton John, 8 p.m. Jan. 6 and 7. Tickets: $39, $79, $139.
» Neil Diamond, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16. Tickets: $59, $99, $159.
» "Cirque du Soleil’s Quidam," various times, Oct. 4 to 14. Tickets: $40 to $80 adults, $32 to $65 children 12 and under, $36 to $67.50 students, seniors and military.
Seats are on sale at Ticketmaster outlets, the Blaisdell box office, 800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com (Cirque tickets also at www.cirquedusoleil.com/quidam).
It’s the Rocket Man’s umpteenth visit (we just don’t get tired of him), Diamond’s second time here (the last gig was 35 years ago) and Cirque’s third spectacle (a franchise hard to resist), and every show is worth every penny, because they all deliver! …
WHEE, THE PEOPLE: Disney has reunited three longtime theatrical friends, who will collaborate on Sacred Hearts Academy’s "Disney’s Mulan Jr.," playing at 2 p.m. today and again at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Mamiya Theatre at Saint Louis School. "We’re all children at heart and love the themes that Disney touches upon," said director Kyle Kakuno, who has known musical director Roslyn Catracchia and choreographer Ahnya Chang for 20 years.
The bond started at Honolulu Theatre for Youth when Kakuno and Catracchia did shows together in the 1980s and ’90s. Kakuno’s daughter Jennifer, now featured in Nickelodeon’s "Yo Gabba Gabba," danced with Chang for years at the Punahou Dance School and Hawaii Ballet Theatre. So the chance to reconnect with"Mulan" was a no-brainer.
Tickets: $20 adults; $15 students, seniors and military; but $10 for all on Veterans Day Friday. Call 734-5058, ext. 262. …
BOOKMARKS: Eliot Tiegel, longtime journalist whom I first met when he was a Billboard editor and I was a Hawaii stringer for the entertainment weekly, is working on his third book, "Multi-Media Meltdown," an exploration of the impact of the Internet on newspapers, magazines, books, radio and TV broadcast industries. The demise of Honolulu’s status as a two-paper town will be included. Tiegel and his broadcast executive wife Bonnie (a senior producer for both "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider") split vacation time between the Hualalai Resort on the Big Island and the Kahala Resort in Honolulu recently.
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.
