The enduring popularity of local comedian James Kawika "Rap" Reiplinger, despite his untimely death in 1984 at age 33, continues to surprise and comfort the two women who knew him best.

"People still embrace him; it’s still amazing," said his younger sister, Holly Reiplinger. "You see 9-year-old kids doing his shtick, and, holy cow, he’s been gone 30 years."

Holly Reiplinger, 56, and sister Dede Reiplinger Sutherland, 64, were once again reminded of their brother’s legacy — and his genius for making people laugh — by the reader response to an Oct. 18 Honolulu Star-Advertiser article in the Today section about one of his song parodies, "Fate Yanagi." The story featured retired Aiea educator Faith (Tachino) Tomoyasu, a childhood acquaintance of the comedian who said that as a young boy, Reiplinger liked to tease her by calling her "Fate."

Although the Fate Yanagi character was not based on Tomoyasu, she said the comedian may have played off her name in writing the song and that Reiplinger settled on "Yanagi" after leafing through the phone book with her during a late-night phone call when they were both in their 20s.

Neither of Reiplingers’ sisters remember Tomoyasu from their childhood or know the origin of "Fate Yanagi," but said their brother often used composites of the people he met as fodder for his songs and skits.

"One of the things he did in making up skits was to pull names of people he had known. He was just using their names … it’s not that character or person. It’s just a fun name," said Sutherland, who lives in Hilo.

The Reiplinger siblings grew up in Waialae Kahala with their adoptive parents, Frank Reiplinger, a Navy veteran and stevedore, and Lila, an entertainer, hula teacher and star of the famed Kodak Hula Show.

Sutherland was only one year younger than her brother and said the two were inseparable. She described him as a clever and engaging youth with a zany sense of humor. Holly Reiplinger recalled an occasion when he danced around in Dede’s clothes to make fun of her and then quickly changed back before she could summon their mom to scold him.

Both sisters said they were surprised to read that Reiplinger was on the phone for several hours going through the phone book, as prolonged focus was not one of his virtues.

"He would quickly land on something and move on. That was part of his genius," Sutherland said.

"If he had a process, it was a mixture of everything he could think of — except for being methodical. He was so gifted. He had a really good ear and would hear something a little quirky and turn into something even quirkier. He would put words, phrases and food groups — I’m not joking — together in very odd and funny ways. It was more of a ‘grab ’em and shake your world.’"

Said Holly Reiplinger, "It was more bing, bing, bing. His brain was so fast. He was super quick and smart. He was just like the Energizer bunny. He was going and going and going, all the way to adulthood."

When working on comic material, "he would go off and write for days and days and write and write. The typewriter would just go, and all the stuff would just come out of his head," she said. Reiplinger’s parodies and skits contained "a bit of everything he saw."

"He used to ride the bus just to watch people. He taught himself Japanese so he would know what the Japanese ladies on the bus were saying."

Reiplinger’s comedy bits are timeless, as funny today as they were at the height of his popularity in the 1970s and early ’80s as a member of the comedy trio Booga Booga and a solo performer. His sisters attribute this to his "clean" humor, which did not rely on profanity or vulgarity for laughs and was not offensive even while poking fun as Hawaii’s ethnic groups. (Holly Reiplinger gave partial credit for that to the chili pepper water their parents kept at the ready.)

"I think it’s almost like it’s everyday things you see and think about but don’t come out of your mouth," she said. "He made it real and not hurtful — it’s fun. He was not a mean person."

Although pleased their brother is still beloved by those who remember the pidgin humor and playful skits from his heyday, his sisters find the ongoing spotlight on his life and career bittersweet. Holly Reiplinger said the family was devastated to lose him, and any publicity invariably mentions his death from drug-related causes.

"For me, when they bring it up again, it’s painful. I like the good memories," she said.

Meanwhile, another wrinkle in the tale of "Fate Yanagi" has developed: On a tip from Alden Tokuzato of Waikane Store, the Star-Advertiser contacted his cousin Roberta Shishido of Kaneohe, who said her grandmother was a cousin of Reiplinger’s mother, Lila.

Her grandmother’s name? Thelma Yanagi.

Shishido, a 61-year-old Hawaiian Telcom retiree, said the comedian did indeed know her grandmother, who died in 1996 at age 94. Shishido said she was never able to confirm whether Reiplinger had the elderly woman in mind when he came up with the name Fate Yanagi for his song parody.

"I’m going to say yes, although I don’t like to assume," Shishido said. "I would love to think so."

Holly Reiplinger said she remembers Shishido and her grandmother. "I have no idea about the name, but pretty sure it’s just a coincidence," she laughed.