OBSERVATIONS: A list of 100 Honolulans whose achievements over the past 100 years have defined the city, compiled by Honolulu magazine and the Honolulu Centennial Celebration Commission, is fodder for further discussion. While we concur with most of the entertainment honorees, we winced at some glaring omissions, including 'Iolani Luahine, a legendary hula goddess; Hilo Hattie, a beacon of hapa-haole song and dance; Bette Midler, a show-biz luminary; Edith Kanaka'ole, whose impact still resonates in Hawaiian language and dance; Tandy MacKenzie, an opera voice of note; James Michener, whose "Hawai'i" was a booster shot for tourism; Lena Machado, a pioneering entertainer; Ronald E. Bright, an inspiration in educational and theatrical circles; Martin Denny, the father of exotica; Tom Selleck, star of "Magnum P.I."; and Jeannette Paulson Hereniko, founder of the Hawaii International Film Festival. ...

NAME-DROPPING: Hawai'i's inaugural Grammy winners, a contingent of ki-ho'alu players, made a stunning Honolulu debut Friday at the Hawai'i Theatre as part of the Hana Hou! series. It's easy to appreciate why they won. The varied strumming styles, some augmented by vocals and hula, were exceptional, something producer Charles Michael Brotman sensed when he recorded "Slack Key Guitar, Volume 2," the honored CD. Highlights? Ken Emerson's playing-like-steel moment, John Keawe's nahenahe manner, Keoki Kahumoku's local-style patter, Sonny Lim's exquisite precision. ...

Publicist Lisa Josephsohn provided champagne and cheese to toast Hawai'i Theatre manager Burton White in his new second-floor corner office, overlooking Bethel and Pauahi streets, during the ki ho'alu intermission. ...

AIR WAVES: Paul Ogata is abandoning radio, leaving his morning drive slot on 102.7 Da Bomb by year's end. Reason: He'll devote full time to his widening career in stand-up comedy. His final station promotion will be the Bomb Birthday 5 celebration at 9 p.m. Saturday at Pipeline Cafe, when Brooke Valentine, Mashonda, Nino Brown, Baby Bash, Jasmine Trias and Camile Velasco will appear.

Ogata (whose birthday is Sunday) will do "Paul Ogata's One-Night Farewell Tour," at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at Pipeline, with tickets going on sale Nov. 12. And Ogata will front the D.L. Hughley show Nov. 19 at Blaisdell Concert Hall. Further, he's doing comedy sketches destined for KFVE The Home Team with Stan Egi, Shawn Felipe and Cathy Tanaka. ...

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.