Leesa Clark Stone, widow of iconic comedian Rap Reiplinger, is doing research and conducting interviews to write his biography from a very personal perch.
Stone, a former newscaster on KITV, has spent the last two years on the project — including two weeks in Honolulu checking out archival material and chatting with folks like Jon de Mello, Tom Moffatt, Haunani Apoliona and Audy Kimura — to “chronicle Rap’s life, from his childhood through his amazing career and untimely death,” she says.
There should be keen interest in the still-untitled tome, since Reiplinger’s humor continues to bring giggles and chuckles 30 years after his death amid questionable circumstances on Jan. 19, 1984.
Stone and her husband, Rich, operate a TV production company, Stone Productions LLC, in Nashville, Tenn. In her spare time she’s tending to the book, which she hopes will be published next year.
“Readers will learn little-known facts about Rap and new revelations about his life and his death,” she vows.
Reiplinger’s groundbreaking style and his uncanny wit have been instrumental in sustaining local-style comedy. His solo career and his memorable run as a member of Booga Booga, a trio that featured the late James Grant Benton and surviving member Edward Kaahea, have influenced and inspired local comedians then and now.
His KGMB TV specials expanded his fan base and his classic routines and characters, ranging from “Mr. Fogtree” placing a burger order in “Room Service” and Auntie Marialani sipping wine on a cooking show. These shticks yielded such unforgettable lines as “Russell, you get pen?” (from the former) to “not too sweet, not too rancid, but jessss right” (from the latter).
And who can forget the tragi-comedy of teenhood, “Tell Fate Yanagi I Love Her,” a No. 1 hit from his recording (and TV) career? And no forget “Mahalo Airlines,” “Japanese Roll Call” and … well, you get the idea.
Prior to the release of the book, Stone will launch a blog with video clips and interview tidbits as a promotional tool. …
TELEVIEWS: Despite some health challenges recently, Hawaii producer Emme Tomimbang completed her latest TV special, “Kahanamoku: A Legacy of Healing,” in partnership with Hawaii News Now. It’s about the inspirational Kahanamoku scholars from the John A. Burns School of Medicine and about Nadine Kahanamoku, the widow of legendary surfer and Olympic gold medalist Duke Kahanamoku, who donated the family estate upon her death in 1997 to the Burns school to provide scholarships to medical students of Hawaiian ancestry. More than 80 have benefited to date.
The show airs at 9 p.m. Aug. 24 on KGMB and will be rebroadcast at 6 p.m. Aug. 29.
Dr. Haku Kahoano, son of entertainer Kimo Kahoano, co-hosts with Tomimbang.
The special coincides with the medical school’s 50th anniversary in July and the 125th anniversary of the Aug. 24 birth of Duke Kahanamoku. And prior to the first airing of the special, KGMB will air the 2005 show “Duke Kahanamoku: Hawaii’s Soul” at 8 p.m. Aug. 24. …
SHORTS OF SORTS: “Kulalaule‘a,” from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Damien Memorial School’s practice football field at 1401 Houghtailing St., will assemble Brother Noland, Cyril Pahinui, Frank De Lima, Touch of Gold and Jeff Au Hoy. The Damien alumni event, offering music plus Filipino and Hawaiian kau kau, is $35 per person. Call 945-1001 or visit www.damien.edu. …
Michael Ige is the booster (and lyricist) behind Uncle Tadashi & Da Boyz’ fun track “My Old Stompin’ Ground.” It’s chock-full of homegrown small-kid-time local-style memories and merits some airplay from island radio. The tune is a logical companion to Uncle and Da Boyz’ “Back in Da Day.” …
And that’s “Show Biz.” …
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.
