Miss Hawaii USA’s response counters unseemly question

Count me among the many people who felt the question thrown at Miss Hawaii USA Chelsea Hardin asking who she would vote for in this presidential election was totally out of line. Chelsea, who placed second in the contest, held Sunday in Las Vegas, was asked who she would vote for president, Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, by the judge, Harper’s Bazaar editor Laura Brown. Hold on, judge. That vote is Chelsea’s and is hers alone. She was absolutely correct in refusing to answer who she would vote for but still did a good job, saying, “It doesn’t matter what gender, what we need in the United States is someone who represents those of us who don’t feel like we have a voice, those of us who want our voices heard. We need a president to push for what is right, and push for what America really needs.” Other contestants were not asked that voting question, which was attacked on social media. The Miss USA Pageant was formerly owned by Trump. Local girl Chelsea is a 5-foot-11, 24-year-old graduate of ‘Iolani and California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, where she had a volleyball scholarship. The contest was won by Miss District of Columbia Deshauna Barber …

It’s incredible that Amy Schumer, one of the hottest acts in show biz today, put on a show along with Wanda Sykes at the Blue Note Hawaii on Monday night with tickets just $20. The hilarious comic-actress is in town to film a mother-daughter comedy with Sykes and Goldie Hawn. All proceeds for Monday’s show benefited the Windward Spouse Abuse Shelter. Blue Note’s Martha Seroogy said Amy just wanted to do a charity show. What a wonderful thing for her to do. Mahalo, Amy …

“Hawaii Five-O” regular Daniel Dae Kim, now starring on Broadway in “The King and I,” will be a presenter Sunday at the 70th Annual Tony Awards in New York’s Beacon Theater …

Anyone who has a Servco Lexus serviced at the company’s Kapiolani facility is bound to recognize the face of Dennis Wagatsuma. The genial senior diagnostic specialist greets most everyone who pulls in for servicing their Lexus in the morning. On the afternoon of June 2 he was called into the service dispatch office for something or other. When he opened the door a crowd started singing “Happy Birthday” to him. His age appears to be top-secret. Ice cream cake was served to his fellow employees as well as just about every employee in the building as they streamed into the dispatch office. Even a vintage Honolulu Star-Advertiser columnist who was there to pay his bill for his vintage 16-year-old Bicentennial Lexus 300 ES Platinum (that still looks new) was given a piece of the tasty cake …

Former honolulu restaurateur Alfred Vollenweider has sent word from Nepal that on May 15 he crossed one of the world’s highest passes, Thorung La, which is 17,769 feet. At 4:30 a.m. Vollenweider, his mountain guide and porter started in Thorung Phedi at 14,600 feet, and after a steep climb reached the summit at 9 a.m. “Thereafter we had a long way down to Muktinath at 12,336 feet,” Vollenweider wrote …

St. Andrew’s Priory junior Krista Chang was voted best female vocalist in the 2016 Brown Bags to Stardom high school division awards and was named grand champion May 7 at Treetops in Manoa. Krista has sung the national anthem nine times at Stan Sheriff Center before University of Hawaii games. Brown Bags is hosted by Johnny Kai …

University of Hawaii shark researcher Carl Meyer is featured in the June issue of National Geographic magazine’s feature story on tiger sharks. It’s part of National Geographic’s new three-part magazine series being published in June, July and August titled “The Summer of Sharks.” The author, Glenn Hodges, visited Oahu and spoke extensively with Meyer. Photographer Brian Skerry looks at three species with notorious reputations — tiger sharks, great whites and oceanic whitetips …

Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.