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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, January 3, 2006

SHOW BIZ
Can it be? Yes! It's time for the Waynie Awards

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Columnist

LOOKING BACK: For the first column of 2006, we take one last backward glance at the just-pau year.

These are the Waynie Awards, this column's annual yeas and nays of homegrown achievements, the grand and the dubious.

No envelopes to open, no ceremonial acceptance speeches, and a committee of one — Moi! — decides.

So moving right along ...

Stars of the Year: The cast of "Lost." OK, technically, the actors are not residents — though they live here when they're filming. For individual laurels, you can pick your personal fave, from Josh Holloway (deemed to be the most likely to break out into movie stardom) to Matthew Fox and Naveen Andrews (Golden Globes nominees). Certainly, Daniel Dae Kim, Yunjin Kim, Jorge Garcia, Harold Perrineau, Dominic Monaghan, Evangeline Lilly, Terry O'Quinn, Maggie Grace and Emile de Ravin have maintained the show's momentum in Season 2, proving the ensemble spirit works.

Tarnished Stars: "Lost" regulars Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Watros, whose driving misfortunes made headlines.

Biggest Surprise: Charles Michael Brotman's ki ho'alu compilation (beating out established talents Keali'i Reichel, The Brothers Cazimero, Ho'okena, Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom and Willie K) in the first-ever Hawaiian Grammy Award last February.

Male Vocalist: Keali'i Reichel. Despite a scarcity of concerts, the kumu hula/singer has maintained a vital following here and abroad. "Kamahiwa" crisply demonstrated both sides of his life, as singer and chanter.

Female Vocalist: Raiatea Helm. She's making all the right moves, from local fave to potential Mainland mainstream, with a Hawaiian Grammy Award nomination in the 2006 finals in February.

Instrumentalist: Jake Shimabukuro. The 'ukulele wizard signed with the William Morris Agency, his "Dragon" soared in Japan and in domestic sales, landing him on his first-ever network TV show, Conan O'Brien's late-nighter, in December.

The Sweetest 16: Michelle Wie. She turned pro this year, nabbing $10 million in deals with Sony and Nike. So what if she didn't make the cut to play with male golfers in the PGA?

Best Makeover — Male: Jake Shimabukuro. From geeky to edgy, he now has spiky, color-accented hair, and no horn-rimmed glasses.

Best Makeover — Female: The relaunch of Na Leo, by producer Keith Olsen. We felt the spirit.

Best Concert: The Eagles. They turned the Blaisdell Arena into "California Hotel."

Comedian: Augie T. He's parlayed his radio stint into a vibrant part-time stint as a stand-up comic, and his DVD, recorded live in concert at Iao Theatre, is propelling a blossoming career in Waikiki and Mainland clubs. What next, a sitcom?

Worst Launching: Jasmine Trias' Pizza Hut/Taco Bell commercially tied single. The "first" recording by Hawai'i's beloved "American Idol" songbird ricocheted, diminishing interest in her official CD launch months later. She's still big in the Philippines, but has been unable to penetrate this or the Mainland market.

The 15 Minutes of Fame Still Burning Strongly Award: Jordan Segundo. He's the perpetual American Idol.

Best Comeback: Don Ho. Perhaps the stem-cell therapy he underwent in Thailand will hereby be known as the Don Ho Heart Procedure? His personal health crisis has become a worldwide story of hope and treatment.

Reappearing Acts: Frank B. Shaner, on KUMU-FM; Jodi Leong, on KITV-4.

Disappearing Acts: The Honolulu Skylark, from KHUI-FM; Jade Moon, from KGMB-9.

And that's Show Biz. ...

Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.