Hawaii’s M&M stars — that would be Bette Midler and Bruno Mars — have been grabbing headlines in recent weeks.
Midler is selling her New York lair, a trilevel vertical mansion on the Upper East Side of the Big Apple, for $50 million. Reason: The Tony winner (“Hello, Dolly!”) and her husband, Martin van Haselberg, are downsizing, since their daughter, Sophie, no longer lives in the 14-room home the Divine Miss M calls “a country house in the city,” since the family moved in in 1996, combining two apartments for the mega-space.
The Midler property is an entertainment showcase with 7,000 square feet, renovated for partying, according to the New York Times. The penthouse on the top floor boasts a 900-foot garden and a mammoth floor-to-ceiling library plus a fireplace and full bathroom; the private living area has a master bedroom with park views and the space can be configured into seven bedrooms. The kitchen, with wood cabinets and marble countertops, boasts high-end appliances. Certainly, a palatial pad for a queen of song, stage and films.
Mars, who has been a New Year’s Eve attraction in Las Vegas for a couple of years, is going global this year, heading to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. He’ll headline a festive Resolution by Night event on Yas Island on Dec. 31; tickets start at about $95. A family-friendly Resolution by Day follows on Jan. 1 at Du Arena.
Mars previously has toured the UAE capital so the year-end countdown will be a homecoming becoming of an international star like the multi-Grammy Award winner. Clearly, Abu Dhabi spared no expenses to attract its global crowd to ring in the New Year in style.
Further, Mars evidently is in the midst of recording a new album (he’s posted a Twitter image himself, showing his Vans footwear atop a keyboard) and the buzz is that the project will be released in 2020. Wonder if he’ll another record-breaker; Mars’ “Uptown Funk,” in collaboration with Mark Ronson, has just been named the No. 1 Vevo clip in America and the United Kingdom, and No. 2 globally. Vevo monitors video streaming hits. …
THOROUGHLY THEROUX
I love this quote, from travel writer Paul Theroux, who has residences in Hawaii, Cape Cod, Mass., and Maine; the author often has a reputation of being a grouch, but rejects it thusly: “I often get criticized for being overly critical, but all I’ve done is write about the world as it is, rough around the edges. All I’ve ever done is try to see things as they are.”
Sage advice for all, including journalists; say it as you see it, write it as you feel it.
The comments are from a conversation with Joshua David Stein, for New York magazine’s One Great Story online feature, about the globetrotting, storytelling, culinary critic and book-writing wizard. The quote emerged over a meal that demonstrated Theroux’s gusto — in chronicling life, meals and travels. …
JACOB’S LADDER
Hawaii actor Jacob Batalon, a fixture in the current revival of “Spider-Man” adventures, climbs the Christmas tree ladder in Netflix’s “Let It Snow,” one of a series of yuletide streamers this fall.
The teen comedy, based on a young adult novel, drops Nov. 8. It’s about teens in a small town, who become trapped together during an unexpected snowstorm on Christmas Eve.
Batalon was last seen on the big screen in “Spider-Man: Far From Home.” The film’s young cast includes Netflix regulars Kiernan Shipka (“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”), Odeya Rush (“Dumplin’”), Liv Hewson (“Santa Clarita Diet”) and Anna Akana (“You Get Me”) and teen flick stars Shameik Moore (“The Pretenders”), Matthew Noszka (“Star”), Mitchell Hope (“Descendants”), Isabela Moner (“Instant Family”) and Miles Robbins (“Halloween”). …
LOUNGES GONE, TOO …
A couple of readers emailed, “Why aren’t there lounges with island entertainment anymore?” This, after I recently reflected on the disappearance of main showrooms.
Lounges were not as spacious as supper clubs but also became an endangered species. Not surprising, since most hotels shuttered nightclubs in the past three decades, eliminating the cozy performance spaces thereby cutting back on show amenities. Freestanding spaces, too, were closed — not sure if the reason was operational costs or wavering crowd support.
Remember Jimmy Borges at Trappers, Loyal Garner at the Canoe House, the Kahauanu Lake Trio at the Royal Hawaiian’s Surf Room, Kit Samson’s Sound Advice at the Kahala Hilton’s Maile Lounge, the Makaha Sons at Hank’s Place and the Ranch House and Carole Kai at the Hilton Hawaiian Village’s Garden Bar? Those joints were jumping in the height of lounge-hopping.
More casual sounds were provided by Myra English and Martin Denny at the Outrigger Waikiki’s Blue Dolphin Room, Jay Larrin at the Gangplank Lounge, and Al Lopaka and Iva Kinimaka at the Cock’s Roost. Those were the days.
The scarcity of lounges — training ground for entertainers seeking a Waikiki spotlight — also explains why there are virtually no main attraction “name” headliners anymore. …
And that’s “Show Biz.”
Wayne Harada is a veteran entertainment columnist. Reach him at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com.
