WHEE, THE PEOPLE: Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster, now on Island screens in "The Brave One," stayed under the radar when she holidayed recently at Ko Olina with her two sons, Charles and Kit. Foster, who earned her Academy Award for 1988's "The Accused," was a longtime friend of the local-boy filmmaker Randy Stone, who died of heart failure last February, and she delivered the eulogy at his services. Stone was the son of the Rev. Beverly Stone and Dick Stone, and the brother of Ko Olina developer Jeffrey Stone. ...

Transsexual actor Candis Cayne, now in a recurring role as Carmelita on ABC's primetime soap "Dirty Sexy Money," has Maui roots. Cayne was born Brendan McDaniel on the Valley Isle. She moved to New York, where she initially worked a drag act that led to her current name, and had a gender-changing operation in 1996. Her character is the lover of Sen. Patrick Darling, portrayed by Billy Baldwin, brother of Alec Baldwin. ...

ISLAND-HOPPING: Entertainer John Cruz is riding high. His "One of These Days" CD is No. 1 in local sales, and at a promotional appearance at Borders in Hilo, he drew huge throngs. After singing and autographing his album, he encountered a late-arriving woman and her son. "What, you're done? We missed you?" she said to him, and Cruz stopped in his tracks, sang a tune for the kid, earning a rousing ovation from spectators. ...

And at a Maui Borders gig, a woman sang along to his tunes — a feat, considering the CD had been out just five days. "Give that lady her own mike," Cruz uttered. ...

Dean Pitchford, the composer ("Fame," "Footloose") and author ("The Big One-Oh"), spent a few days at the Fairmont Kea Lani on Maui recharging his batteries. His first novel will have its third printing this fall, and Random House's Listening Library (books-to-tape division), has optioned it for an audio book. During cross-country book tours, Pitchford wrote and sold his second novel to Putnam and the tome was submitted in August. I asked Pitchford if he's involved in the planned remake of "Footloose" (which he also wrote) reportedly starring Zac Efron ("High School Musical," "Hairspray") in the Kevin Bacon role. His comment: "Paramount announced the remake ... without so much as a phone call to me, so, no, I have no plans to be involved." Efron apparently offered to read the script when one is available. ...

ON THE RECORD: Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom, off to New York for her Feinstein's gig, should be jingling bells this season. Her "A Hawaiian Christmas" CD is due out today. It's a collection of holiday tunes with growing-up-on-Maui connections — "Po La'i E," "Ave Maria" and, of course, "Mele Kalikimaka." Sounds like one winnah already. ...

And the Matt Catingub Orchestra of Hawai'i releases this year's version of "Back to Romance" Oct. 16. The CD is brimming with male talent: Afatia, Nathan Aweau, Jimmy Borges, Robert Cazimero, Cecilio & Kapono, Fiji, Eric Gilliom, Bruce Hamada, Hapa, Kawika Kahiapo, Henry Kapono, Kaukahi, Jeff Peterson and Jake Shimabukuro.

ITEMIZATIONS: Kareem Abdul Jabbar, in town for Lakers basketball action, caught the attention of diners at Keo's in Waikiki. Tables away, Lakers center Chris Mihm also had dinner and posed for a Keo's Wall of Fame photo. ...

Japanese slack-key guitarist Agnes Kimura, who is a bridge between Island culture and her Nippon audience, recently marked 30 years of recording Hawaiian music at a concert in Japan last month. Appropriately, she had congratulatory messages from Mayor Mufi Hannemann, Japan Consulate General Toshio Kunikata, Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, Grammy-winning producer Milton Lau, the Music Foundation of Hawai'i's Johnny Kai and the folks at the Hawai'i Tourism Authority. Lau, by the way, invited Kimura to next year's Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Festival. ...

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.