By Dennis Oda Star-Bulletin
The shoes of Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal
are hard to fill, as Miss Switzerland, Tanja Gutmann, discovered
while Miss Turkey, Asuman Krause, watched. It was even worse
for 3-year-old Nigel Barrington, below, who broke into tears
when he tried to walk in the mammoth size 22 booties.

Basketball feats
hard to beat

Miss Universe Pageant
contestants try their hand at hoops,
and even try Shaq's shoes
on for size

By Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin

IT wasn't a slam dunk for any of the 1998 Miss Universe Pageant contestants on the 8-foot baskets for the "Rock, Jock 'n' Relay" at the Official All Star Cafe, but Miss Venezuela did dazzle a few hundred onlookers, sinking a half-dozen long-range shots outside the Waikiki restaurant.

After a half-hour of run-and-gun shooting with each contestant wearing a pair of size 22 shoes -- the same size as Los Angeles Lakers' center Shaquille O'Neal -- the 81 contestants joined 200 invited guests in the restaurant, including host Gov. Ben Cayetano, for dinner, dancing and limbo.

Earlier in the day, according to sources, a major disagreement occurred between the Hawaii Host Committee, headed by Al Masini, Joe Blanco and Tony Vericella, and CBS officials, about Hawaii promotional video to be shown in several spots during the pageant next Tuesday at the Stan Sheriff Center.

By Dennis Oda Star-Bulletin

CBS apparently wanted to edit portions of the completed video to insert more of the contestants, which would eliminate Hawaii scenes, a source said.

But the Hawaii committee prevailed, and the finished videos designed to provide Hawaii with maximum exposure will be shown. Masini declined comment.

Cayetano and Vericella were so impressed with the video that three of the 1-minute 15-second segments produced by Masini will be played continually at the World Expo '98 in Lisbon May 22 through Sept. 30. Two videos feature Hawaii scenic locations and one portrays the state's business environment.

Coming up

TONIGHT

Iolani Palace tour with Princess Kawananakoa (private)

An Evening at the Governor's Man-sion; dinner and music by the Honolulu Sym-phony (private)

TOMORROW

Rehearsals for Miss Universe Presentation Show and dinner on the set at the Stan Sheriff Center (private)

By Dennis Oda Star-Bulletin
Miss Dominican Republic, Selines Mendez, left, and
Miss Switzerland, Tanja Gutmann to for the hoop
wearing size 22 "Shaq" shoes.

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