Two Hawaii newsmakers, Bette Midler and Manti Te’o, are featured in Vanity Fair magazine this month. Bette, the former Radford High girl, gets a multipage spread on taking on a one-woman Broadway role about her late friend, Hollywood superagent Sue Mengers, who died in 2011 at 79. New York Times writer Maureen Dowd, whose column appears in the Star-Advertiser, "profiles the pairing of showbiz legends," according to the mag.
Mengers is described as the superagent who "boozed, schmoozed, smoked, toked and wisecracked her way into the boys’ club." The show, "I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat With Sue Mengers," opens April 24 at Booth Theatre. Dowd writes that Mengers’ friends agree she would be thrilled at being conjured back to life by the other "Divine Miss M."
On the other hand, Te’o does not fare well. The former Punahou and Notre Dame football star who was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy is listed in a story headlined "Breakdown of Champions." Te’o is in fast company: The others in the "Breakdown" lineup are Lance Armstrong, Alex Rodriguez, Joe Paterno, Roger Clemens, Marion Jones, Oscar Pistorius, Suzy Favor Hamilton and Tiger Woods.
But Tiger is back. He has overcome his heavy personal demons and is winning tournaments again. The golf world will be watching him when the Masters tourney gets under way Thursday at Augusta National. Let’s hope Te’o also survives his messy downfall, comes back strong in the NFL and wins the cheers of football crowds once again …
TWO FORMER Hawaii TV anchors, Diane Ako and Leslie Wilcox, were filmed March 14 for separate "Hawaii Five-0" episodes — "Ho‘opio" and "Aloha, Malama Pono," respectively. Both play newscasters. Ako, Halekulani’s public relations boss, was with KHNL; PBS Hawaii chief Wilcox toiled for KGMB and KHON … On April 19 at 6:30 p.m., Ako emcees Halekulani’s "Chefs and Slippahs," part of the Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association’s fundraising Charity Walk event. Chefs Alan Wong, Roy Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Fukui, Joel Capinpin and Vikram Garg will provide the food. Wine will be from Southern Wine and Spirits. Tickets are $95 and guests are encouraged to wear slippahs. I’d like to see what kind of footwear those elegant, well-dressed ladies who attend will be wearing.
This year’s Charity Walk is chaired by Waikiki Parc General Manager Julie Arigo. The annual walk has raised $24.7 million for Hawaii charities since it began in 1978. Good going! …
Busy Ako and Howard Dashefsky, former colleagues at KHNL, will emcee the University of Hawaii School of Travel Industry Management’s "Celebrate a Legacy in Tourism Dinner" at 6 p.m. April 23 at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. Halekulani Corp. Vice President Patricia "Patty" Tam will receive the Legacy in Tourism Award; Kevin Iwamoto and David Kong will be inducted into the Alumni Hall of Honor. Jimmy Borges is singing …
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Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
