Carrie Ann Inaba has gone a long way since graduating from Punahou School in 1986. She’s been a J-pop recording artist, danced as one of the original Fly Girls on the sketch comedy TV show “In Living Color,” performed topless on Madonna’s Girlie Show World Tour, and appeared as Fook Yu opposite Mike Myers in “Austin Powers in Goldmember.”
Since 2005 she has been a judge on ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars.”
Inaba, 49, is co-host for the opening night of Kristi Yamaguchi’s Golden Moment skating extravaganza, Saturday in Blaisdell Arena. Proceeds benefit the Always Dream Foundation’s childhood literacy programs in Hawaii.
JOHN BERGER: How did you get involved in Golden Moment?
CARRIE ANN INABA: I’d always been a great big fan of (Yamaguchi), and when she won “Dancing With The Stars” (Season 6 in spring 2008), I fell in love with her even more. She was at the show last season, and I told her if she ever needed support for the Always Dream Foundation to let me know.
JB: If you were not a judge on “DWTS,” which star would you like to dance with?
CAI: From the show, if I weren’t judging, I would loved to have partnered with Alfonso Ribeiro. He had the groove, he had the happiness, he had the joy.
If I could dance with anybody in the world I’d love to dance with Mikhail Baryshnikov.
JB: What is one of your most memorable experiences involving dance?
CAI: On “Dancing With the Stars” I was fortunate to work with a war hero named Noah Galloway. He’s a double amputee, his left arm and leg, and Charna (Burgess) was his professional partner.
He was someone who did not have what you would consider a “dancer’s body” but he threw himself into it 100 percent.
JB: How is the entertainment industry doing in giving Asians opportunities to play characters that aren’t specifically Asian and tell stories that aren’t about being Asian?
CAI: I’ve seen great and tremendous progress. Is there more work to be done? Absolutely, but I feel blessed that I‘ve been able to be a part of it.
My cultural background had nothing to do with me being a judge on “Dancing With The Stars.”
JB: What is a longtime career goal for you?
CAI: To do a daytime television talk show in Hawaii. That’s where I’m from and will eventually go back to.
“On the Scene” appears on Sundays in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Reach John Berger at jberger@staradvertiser.com.
