PICKING UP THE SLACK: Out Kaua'i way, slack-key guitarist Paul Togioka, of "Ki ho'alu Inn" CD fame, performed for a wedding ceremony — that of Chimene Diaz, sister of actress Cameron Diaz, and Robby Armstrong (of alt-rock Robby Armstrong Band) in a private ceremony at the Waimea Plantation Cottages. ...

Family and friends, including Cameron's beau, Justin Timberlake, all came from California. The look-alike sisters had requested slack-key music, and Togioka was tapped. He gave the couple and family members copies of his CD and they appreciated his artistry. ...

Ka-Hoku Productions' Milton Lau, who staged a Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Festival earlier this month at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort, bumped into entertainer Wayne Newton, who was vacationing at the hotel. The Las Vegas star expressed interest in ki ho'alu, attended one night's performance, and was gifted with Ledward Ka'apana's ki ho'alu CD. Now Newton is eager to get some lessons down the line, inviting Lau to his Vegas home for instruction. ...

And Lau reports that Jack Johnson, our homegrown super trouper, is a big fan of slack key and is learning the technique from Kawika Kahiapo. Johnson just might be part of a ki ho'alu festival next year. ...

NIGHT WATCH: Jimmy Borges and Betty Loo Taylor will celebrate 33 years of music-making together with a pair of shows, from 7:30 to 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental hotel. Jan Goessing, hotel general manager, will provide anniversary cake for all. You've gotta be an oldie to remember the gorgeous Borges voice and the precise piano maneuverings of Taylor from their early days at Keone's on Lewers Street and Trappers at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki. Both venues are long gone — and both jazz icons are still at it. ...

That was Jessica Alba — last seen as Sue Storm in "Fantastic Four," and soon to appear in "Into the Blue" opening Sept. 30 — dining with a party of five at Roy's Ko Olina, according to g.m. Bob Obuhanych. ...

Don Tiki will be the opening act for Monica Mancini's Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 Honolulu Symphony pops concerts at Blaisdell Concert Hall. Pops maestro Matt Catingub has been orchestrating compositions by Don Tiki's Kit Ebersbach along with classic Martin Denny and Les Baxter tunes. ...

The Funkaholics, who perform from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturdays (last gig this weekend) at Longhi's Ala Moana, boast a stellar lineup — DeShannon Higa, Larry Cook, Todd Yukumoto, Charlie Longhi. And when he's in town, as he was recently, Ricky Peterson (who performs with David Sanborn and also is musical director for Prince) sits in, too. Sanborn himself showed up. ...

PERSONALITIES: Bob Billig, a familiar face to localites who auditioned for "Miss Saigon" and "Les Miserables" here, just wound up a sold-out run of "Wicked" in San Francisco. Among the local talent rehearsing for entry into that Tony Award-winning musical: Cliffton Hall, who will join the tour with the company (with wife Deedee Magno-Hall and new son, Kaeden Ryley Hall, in tow). Hall, who earlier performed in both "Saigon" and "Les Miz," is heading this way (and taking a breather from "Wicked" rehearsals) to perform with Deedee, Alexander and Jenni Selma, Michael K. Lee and Kim Varhola in "Raise Your Voice," playing Sept. 23, 24 and 25 at Castle's Ronald E. Bright Theatre. ...

Chef Roberto Los Banos of the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Bali-by-the-Sea will showcase his Filipino heritage at the Sept. 24 Harvest Moon Festival at Hawai'i Plantation Village in Waipahu. His dad, Domingo, is a docent at the Plantation Village, and his cousin Tim Los Banos (dean of academics at Saint Louis High School) will emcee, so it's all in the family. ...

FINALLY: Quite a turnout for the first anniversary celebration at Li Mae Tang's Shanghai Bistro recently. It was a benefit for the Palolo Chinese Home, which received a check of $2,500. Resident chef Chih Chieh Chang and several guest chefs from Tang's native Taiwan prepared a special menu. Among those attending: Philip Wong of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office; Calvin Say, speaker of the state House; Brenda Tsai, coordinator of the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund; Danny Au Young, representing Mayor Mufi Hannemann; and community leaders such as Edith Leong, Blossom Tyau, Betty Wo and Dr. Lawrence Tseu. ...

Flashback's karaoke event at Ige's Restaurant raised $1,376 for Hurricane Katrina relief. ...

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.