Wayne Harada, Author at wayneharada.com

October 7, 2021October 7, 2021

CRETTON LANDS 2ND CHINESE PROJECT

One down, one more to go.

Destin Daniel Cretton, the Maui director who helmed the Disney/Marvel box office hit, “Shang-Chi: Legend of the Ten Rings,” has another Chinese film as his next assignment.

He has signed on to direct “American Born Chinese,” based on a graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, which will be a Disney+ vehicle.

“American Born Chinese” explores the challenges of Jin Wang, a teenager conflicted with his immigrant home life and his efforts to fit in with social life at school. The storyline will entangle the lad in battles with legendary Chinese mythological gods.

Cretton will direct and also serve as an executive producer, with Kelvin Yu and Charles Yu adapting the graphic novel for the screen. Kelvin Yu also will be showrunner.

“Reading Kelvin’s riveting adaptation of Gene’s incredible novel had me laughing and crying and jumping out of my chair on every page,” Cretton said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter. “I feel deeply connected to the characters in this story and the brilliant team bringing it to life. This show is going to be unlike anything we’ve experienced on TV, and I can’t wait for the world to see what we’re cooking up.”

Clearly, Cretton’s follow-up to “Shang-Chi” should boost his profile as a global film-maker and further extend and expand his fame as a Maui-boy-makes-good figure in Hollywood.

The project, from Disney Branded Television, is the first series for Ayo Davis, the division’s new president.

In an announcement of the project, Davis said: “We are delighted to continue our relationship with Melvin Mar and Jake Kasdan and thrilled that Destin Daniel Cretton is set to direct. The team are visionaries in bringing character-driven adventures to life, and we cannot wait for our audience to experience his fantastically memorable and imaginative adaption of the graphic novel. This is a universal story that moves between worlds and explores the impact of culture, identity and acceptance through the lens of adolescence.”…

Oh, and good news for Disney+ viewers who have yet to view “Shang-Chi.” The flick will be available on Disney+, along with a lot of other anticipated content, on Nov. 12. It’s part of the start of a celebration of the streamer’s second anniversary. …

A peculiar Hoku Awards

The 44^th annnual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards will be aired at 7 p.m. today (Oct. 7) on KFVE, with additional virtual coverage on Facebook Live.

But there’s a peculiar element for the winners-to-be. The Hoku Awards show, celebrating achievement in island music, was taped “live” earlier at the Hawaii Theatre, with nominees, musical acts and the usual “and the award goes to” rhetoric.

But the nominees each had to prepare and tape an acceptance speech, which by now has been inserted into the flow of the show, creating a strange situation. Is it easy or difficult to feign emotions? I suppose this was the most convenient way to handle a challenging mission; this is not network TV, which could stage a show and have an army of handlers contact winners by phone or a Zoom set-up, to get live, at-home reactions. No?

The show will repeat at 7 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 9) on KGMB and at 7 p.m. Oct. 30 on KHNL.

To the winners, an early congratulation cheer; to the losers, well, you got to practice for a future win. …

And that’s Show Biz. …

October 5, 2021October 5, 2021

PAIVA OVERCOMES HER ADDICTIONS

The pandemic has sidelined many entertainers, for obvious reasons – many clubs statewide have not been retaining performers largely because patrons have not been plentiful.

But for Brittni Paiva, the 33-year-old Big Island ukulele whiz, the past two years –embracing the coronavirus lockdowns — have had a profound impact in her life..

In a Facebook post, Paiva revealed her triumph amid challenges.

“In a little over two years, I went from alcoholic and drug addict, to now sober and moving to Los Angeles to actually live my dream. I’m pretty damn proud of how far I’ve come.”

In her prime and while living in Hilo, Paiva became one of the Big Island’s favorite troupers, collecting awards from the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts, the Hawaii Music Awards, and the Big Island Music Awards.

Her last album was “Tell U What.”

Paiva has not disclosed what her “dream” in L.A. entails, or whether she will resume her career as a multi-talented ukulele artist. While she was a piano-trained musician, picking up the four-stringed uke was a life changer. As she has said, it was “love at first touch.”

Whatever her path, we wish her well in the next chapter of her life. …

Monday night TV

Monday night’s TV viewership had the usual 1-2-3 leaders, though numbers were slightly less than previous weeks.

So:

CBS’s “NCIS,” attracted the most viewers, 7.6 million, with a 0.6 in the 18 to 49 year-old demographics.

NBC’s “The Voice,” drew an audience of 7.2 million, with a 0.9 rating in the age-accented demos.

CBS’ “NCIS: Hawai‘i,” with 5.4 million viewers, logged a 0.4 demo rating.

Storylines may sway and tilt the scale, and a rotating door of actors may exit and enter, but the mothership ”NCIS” — with Mark Harmon as Leroy Jethro Gibbs — concluded last night with a surprising show-closer: a glimpse of a tombstone with his name and birthdate, with a blank place for a death date.

Was that merely a teaser, or a preview of what’s to come? Gary Cole, meanwhile, is now a regular as special agent Alden Park, a buttinski who seems to be the logical lead agent, should Gibbs terminate by choice or by script.

Further, with the “Hawai‘i” spin-off still a work-in-progress and in see-saw mode, it may be the right-show-in-the-right-time savior for the NCIS brand. Simply, it could emerge as this season’s newbie with the best chance of becoming the first of this year’s crop to be rewarded with a second-season pickup, even with its No. 3 ranking. It boasts behind-the-sceners from the cancelled “NCIS: New Orleans” eager to make this one last. …

Stay tuned. …

And that’s Show Biz. …

October 3, 2021October 3, 2021

ABOUT SHOTS: HAD YOUR SHINGLES PAIR?

As a kid, do you recall having periodic shots at a doctor’s visit? For flu prevention. Perhaps a booster to combat the flu.

As an adult, I started including cortizone injections as part of my regimen, to combat pain, Like carpal tunnel syndrome in my right wrist, and shots in my lower back, to ease arthritic and pinched-nerve issues.,

But there was a pair of injections I had over the past four years, to prevent a shingles attack, where you can have blistering rashes anywhere on your body. Some have the shingles on their faces, if you can imagine.

So I ask now: Have you had a shingles shot? One or two?

OK, OK, OK. Enough about shots, right? The coronavirus pandemic has been an invasive species, making many shy away from being vaccinated.

But shingles is another issue. As health folks indicate, shingles is sneaky, caused by the same virus as chickenpox. No one is happy, getting shots. But vaxxing means prevention.

And if you’re over 50 years old, the shingles shots – one, then another later –is highly recommended. Why? Because stats show 1 in 3 people will get shingles. And shingles is not pretty, but highly painful, like a bad, blistering rash, and it could be incapacitating, if you get a bad attack.

I’ve had both shots over the past four years. When the battle call was sounded several years ago — that seniors over 50 should get those shots — it was virtually impossible to even sign up for the procedure. The serum supply here was scarce; most doctors didn’t have it, pharmacies like CVS Longs and Walgreens couldn’t get ‘em. Strangely, Safeway with pharmacies had supplies, but the waiting list was so long, the pharmacy shut down its waitlist.

Eventually, I found an independent supplier and was able to get the first, then the second. Once you have both shots, you’re done.

Lest you forget, we’ve become beings that try to get annual shots to lessen the chances of catching the winter flu. And every season, the shots change because the flu attack heightens.

Sure, making the effort to receive any shot takes time and effort. The trade off is if you catch the disease of the moment, your period of recuperation will be easier and faster.

“Shingles rarely kills you,” says William Schaffner, M.D., a professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, “but it can make you wish you were dead.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says Shingrix, the vaccine it approves for shingles prevention, is “spectacularly effective”. The shot is 97 per cent successful in preventing those in their 50s and 60s from catching the rash, and 91 per cent for those 70s and older.

Something to consider when you get your annual fall/winter flu shot.

October 2, 2021October 3, 2021

2ND TV SERIES FOR MOSES GOODS

Moses Goods, the respected and versatile performer and writer, has had good fortunes in recent week, with productions “on location” in Hawaii.

His visibility and accolades were tantamount, when he appeared in CBS’ “NCIS: Hawai‘i”as Wally Holman, the Waimanolo-based father of Kai Holman, the secondary agent character portrayed by Alex Tallant supposedly with island roots but dubious loyalty of becoming a “local” again. For the record, Tallant is part Maori and Samoan, and would pass for a Hawaii lad, but lacks the aura and credibility of Goods, formerly of Maui and now of Oahu. Surely, you’re familiar with Goods, a native Hawaiian-black actor-playwright who wrote and starred in a one-man show, “Duke,” about the legendary surfer and Olympian Duke Kahanamoku. The producers wanted to make his at-home scenes credible, so Goods brought in some real vintage photos that are now plopped on a table, providing realistic set accoutrements to the household.

But here’s where the good fortune comes in. Goods recently auditioned for a recurring role in the HBO Max lifeguard drama, “Ke Nui Road,” the pilot for which begins filming on the North Shore shortly. His character is Jeremy and what he does has not yet been revealed.

“Ke Nui Road” aims to be a lifestyle portrait of the grittiness and grandeur of North Shore lifeguards, in that monster-wave setting that instantly attracts athletes and spectators. No, don’t expect a reboot of “Baywatch;” the “Ke Nui” team should deliver a drama as huge as the waves, at best.

Maybe his “NCIS” performance was a factor, maybe not, but Goods got word that he will be seen as Jeremy, and clearly, he impressed the executive producers, John Wells, Matt Kester and Erin Jontow, who had a note of congrats attached to an orchid plant in a basket, delivered to his doorsteps. Naturally, Goods was blown by the kindness and hospitality of the Wells-led team. If you’re up on TV honchos, Wells was the showrunner of “The West Wing” and “Shameless,” Kester is an “”Animal Kingdom” writer, and Jontow is president of Television at John Wells Productions.

Perhaps Wells and team should enlist North Shore resident Jack Johnson to create authentic original island-style music for the score? Just thinking, if the team hasn’t thought of this yet. …

Manoa DNA has Blue Note gig

Manoa DNA will take stage at Blue Note Hawaii at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Oct. 13, not focusing on its melodies but doing tributes to legendary pop acts.

The trio now is a duo, with dad Lloyd Kawakami (the D) and son Alx Kawakami (the A) still in the act. Nick Kawakami (the N), son of Lloyd and bro of Alx, now is involved full-time in real estate.

The group – with skills in harmonic vocals — will feature the tunes of Crosby, Stills & Nash and Simon & Garfunkel. It earlier presented a slate of songs by The Eagles.

Reservations: www.bluenotehawaii.com or phone 777-4890. …

Tito’s schedules

Tito Berinobis will perform solo from 6 to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, at Chart House Waikiki, with a tweaked schedule due to coronavirus restrictions. Chart House is launching a weekend brunch, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., beginning today (Oct.2) and Sunday (Oct. 3). Call 941-6669.

Berinobis continues to entertain at the Ilikai Courtyard from 6 to 9 p.m. Sundays and at the Elks Club Waikiki from 6 to 8 p.m. Fridays, schedules unchanged. …

And that’s Show Biz. …

October 1, 2021October 1, 2021

BRUNO MARS, WEDDING SINGER

Say you’re getting married, have a lot of money or a source to get the moolah, and want Bruno Mars to sing “Marry You” as your headliner.

It’s not impossible, and it did happen earlier in September, according to The New York Post, when Troy Brown got hitched to Kristin Ryan at the Chatham Bars Inn on Cape Cod, MA.

The deep pockets to pay the tab was the groom’s father, who is CEO of Motorola Solutions. His name is Greg Brown, who reportedly had a salary of $20.3 million last year.

The Post reported that following dinner, a marching band led guests to a “secret speakeasy,” where guests had to utter the secret password, “Magic,” to receive keys that said “Join us in room 24.”

The clues might have been obvious: “24K Magic” was a monster hit for Hawaii-born Mars.

How long Mars entertained, or what he sang, is not known. How much he was paid is unknown, too, though Scarlet Events, a luxe party planner, indicated that Mars’ standard fee for an event like a wedding starts at $3 million … so the sky’s the limit, budget willing …

New Ballet Hawaii exec director

Kimi Takazawa is the new executive director of Ballet Hawaii, effective today (Oct. 1). She succeeds John Parkinson, who served the organization for the past 14 years.

Takazawa, most recently the chief operating officer at ‘Olelo Hawaii, has vast leadership and experience with non-profit organizations such as the Boy Scouts and After-School All-Stars.

And that’s Show Biz. …