Pearl City grad
keeps it all P.C.THIS has been some year for Pearl City people. Brook Lee surrendered her Miss Universe crown, Jason Scott Lee is making a new film with Kurt Russell and Adelaida Severson has been making like Leticia Baldridge. Adelaida, daughter of fabled barkeep Tommy Velasco and his wife of 39 years, Rumelia, has become something of a social "hostess" at Arizona State University, accompanying such people as Henry Kissinger and former President George Bush around campus and to and from the airport. Quips the Pearl City alum, "I was kind of scared of being branded 'Adelaida Lewinsky.' " The ultimate came when Barry Goldwater died, and Adelaida was appointed to coordinate the funeral service for the former senator, since it was held at ASU. She had to deal with media, dignitaries, parking, security, an F-16 fly-by, etc. And you thought your job was tough! ...
THEN there's Ray Sasaki of ADR Modeling Agency, who was asked to produce the fall couture collection for the House of Cassini. Unaware of Hawaii's geographical location, the Cassini people faxed Sasaki, asking which train to New York he'd like to book. He faxed back a page from his atlas, prompting a reply from Paris: "Thank you, perhaps you would prefer an airline." Rev up that Concorde, will you? ...
No boo hoo for Hu
LOCAL girl Kelly Hu was once Miss Teenage USA and has become a pretty good actress, appearing regularly in the CBS show "Nash Bridges," filmed in San Francisco. Kelly appeared on "VIBE" last week, and is taping a "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee" segment for June 26. That same day she'll appear with local photog Russell Tanoue at the Pro-Import Calendar kick-off in S.F. In addition to her appearances on the Don Johnson TV'er, Kelly has been picked up for a second pilot on CBS ...SPEAKING of S.F., I ran into former isle adman John Cavanagh last year when in the city, but not during my last trip there. Last week I found an e-mail from Cavanagh, who mentioned he browses the Star-Bulletin's Internet site to see what's going on in the islands. Cavanagh operates a specialized ad agency in S.F., handling plastic surgeons around the country. Wife Mary Ann and daughter Karen (Punahou '78) run the company. Son Brad (Punahou '81) and his wife, Debi, a Continental flight attendant, presented the Cavanagh's with their first grandchild, Sophia, a year ago ...
CHICAGO upsetting Utah Sunday (the Jazz were two-point favorites) eliminated the need for a game tomorrow, meaning KHNL can duck the likelihood that they'd be the only TV station in the U.S. to run the final game of the series on a delayed basis. With the final game held Sunday, they managed to get it on live ...
Call her Nanny Wood
IT was an exhausting job for Mona Wood of Ikaika Communications, massaging the press during the three day opening of the Hawai'i Convention Center. She must have been inspired when, at the initial press party prior to the opening, G.M. Dick Walsh told the attendees that Wood reminded him of "The Nanny" -- the whiney Fran Drescher -- on TV. Her nanny skills came into play during the final day of the open house when security called to tell her an 8-year-old girl named Kimberly, from Kauai, had become separated from her parents. Nanny Wood took the crying youngster under her wing, regaled her with stories of Leonardo DiCaprio and the Spice Girls, and the smiling keiki seemed reluctant to say goodbye once her dad showed up to claim her. All in a weekend's work ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
His columns run Monday through Friday.Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.