Leslie Wilcox Blogs

Queen's Poi Supper

     The Queen's Medical Center, celebrating its 150th anniversary, invoked the Hawaiian time period in which it was founded and set the table for an 1800s-style poi supper last Saturday (June 27, 2009).

      The poi supper was held on the front lawn, in elegant white tents near majestic trees. With foliage screens blocking the view of traffic on Punchbowl Street,  guests did have a sense of going back in time.

      I was reminded of a famous 1889 black-and-white photo showing a table groaning with dishes and bowls of food. At the head of a large table in the Waikiki home were visiting author Robert Louis Stevenson, then-Princess Liliuokalani, King David Kalakaua, and Stevenson's mother. All of the diners were dressed up and wore maile lei. But in the Hawaiian tradition, it was clear that the formal affair was also an eat-and-drink-hearty party.

     You'd think that conversation at the modern Queen's outdoor soiree would have been pierced by the sirens of ambulances arriving at the hospital's emergency room nearby. No, it was a peaceful couple of hours in Honolulu.  Instead, diners heard the wonderful harmonies of the Makaha Sons performing live.

       Among the guests were prominent citizens Susan Kobayashi (who with her husband Bert served as event hosts), Lynne Ariyoshi and Norman Chong who recovered from serious illnesses and who count themselves grateful to have been treated at Queen's. 

        Queen's also treats people who are unable to pay.

        Expect Queen's to  revive the Hawaiian old-world ambiance and tradition of poi suppers by making the dinner an annual event for donors.

 

Try out My Weekly E-Newsletter

      Every week, I write an e-newsletter and send it out to anyone who wants a heads-up on some of the interesting programs ahead on PBS Hawaii. It's a handy way not to miss good shows. Thought I'd share the upcoming week's e-newsletter with you. If you'd like to subscribe, just send your email address to newsletter@pbshawaii.org. Promise I won't use your email address for any reason other than sending you PBS Hawaii programming information!

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Aloha mai kakou from Leslie Wilcox, President and CEO of PBS Hawaii...

 

In what is rapidly becoming a specialized, niche world, PBS continues to prize discovery through diversity. Viewers come across subjects and ideas that they didn't know about or didn't realize they were interested in.

 

In the upcoming week, watch for new programs that allow you to explore different experiences. Some shows, including WIDE ANGLE, NOVA ScienceNOW and SOUNDSTAGE are starting new seasons.

 

The most spectacular fireworks display anywhere in the country takes place in high-definition on the Capitol's West Lawn in A CAPITOL FOURTH 2009 (Sat., July 4, 8 pm). It's a big, bright birthday party for the nation, hosted by actor Jimmy Smits, with the National Symphony Orchestra and performances by the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, crooner Barry Manilow, pop sensation Natasha Bedingfield and classical pianist Andrew von Oeyen. The Muppets also make an appearance with a patriotic medley.

 

Here's a sampling of other programs coming up, in the order in which they'll appear:

 

--MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! (Sun., June 28, 8 pm)  assigns enigmatic Belgian  detective Hercule Poirot to solve the murder of a cleaning woman. The case only appears to be open and shut.

 

--LONG STORY SHORT (Tues., June 30, 7:30 pm) brings us the second part of a two-part conversation with University of Hawaii alum, Richard Parsons, new chairman of one of the largest and most troubled financial conglomerates, Citigroup. He warns against simplistic fingerpointing in the economic crisis and defends large bonuses for top performers. (After this conversation was taped, the feds cracked down on bonuses and Citigroup just made news by hiking salary levels.)

 

--In its season-opener, NOVA ScienceNOW (Tues., June 30, 9 pm) delves into the engineering of artificial diamonds, the science used to solve deadly post 9/11 anthrax attacks, and new software that turns sour notes into sweet sounds.

 

--P.O.V. (Tues., June 30, 10 pm) presents "Beyond Hatred," a French verite film that tells the aftermath of a hate crime against a gay man, who died. The man's  family struggles to rise above hatred and the wish for revenge.

 

--AMERICAN MASTERS (Wed., July 1, 8 pm) follows the travels of "Garrison Keillor: The Man on the Radio in the Red Shoes." 

 

--WIDE ANGLE (Wed., July 1, 10 pm) is a documentary made possible by journalists risking their lives to film undercover for 10 months. "Crossing Heaven's Border" is the story of North Korean defectors fleeing across the border to northeast China, where they live in hiding and work illegally, aching to reach South Korea and asylum.

 

--INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAII (Thurs., July 2, 7:30 pm) offers a live discussion of "Surviving in Hard Times," with guests UH economist Byron Gangnes, temp agency CEO Barron Guss, Dennis Oshiro from the Hawaii HomeOwnership Center, and State securities commissioner Tung Chang. Dan Boylan moderates and Howard Dicus files a perspective. The panel will field viewer questions sent in over the phone, email and Twitter.

 

--SOUNDSTAGE (Sat., July 4, 10 pm) features rock's poet laureate Jackson Browne, with new work from "Time the Conqueror" as well as old favorites like "Boulevard."

 

Viewer support pays for quality programs on PBS Hawaii for people throughout the state, including the under-served. Mahalo for investing in the community through Hawaii's only public television station.

 

www.pbshawaii.org/support

 

A hui hou kakou--until next time,

Leslie

What to Say to Grieving Family Members?

     I went to pay my respects last evening at my friend's father's funeral. All I wanted to do was give my friend a hug and tell her and her family that I'm so sorry for their loss.

     In my heart I know that there's nothing one can say to make loved ones feel better, that the most important way to speak is with one's presence. Even though I know that, I still managed to say  dumb things as I went down the reception line. Like "Great to see you!" Fortunately, it's one of the nicest families one could meet and nobody rolled their eyes or took offense, just thanked me for coming.

     In retrospect, I wish I'd found a way to convey a Helen Keller quote that the family of the late Doug Woo, my friend and former news colleague, shared on its thank-you card to those who attended the services.  I think of it often.

     Helen Keller: "What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us."

Fireworks Bursting on Computer Wallpaper

The largest fireworks display anywhere in the country is coming up again on the nation's birthday--and I've just changed my computer wallpaper to feature the Fourth of July pyrotechnics on the U.S. Capitol's West Lawn.

This wallpaper, with a July 2009 calendar, is available for free downloading at www.pbshawaii.org/ourproductions/wallpaper.php

Other calendar wallpapers being offered this month by PBS Hawaii: the imposing architecture of the Parthenon, and--you can't go wrong with the strong dancers of Robert Cazimero's Na Kamalei: The Men of Hula!

PBS Hawaii is airing in high-definition the fireworks extravaganza A CAPITOL FOURTH at 8 pm Saturday, July 4, hosted by actor Jimmy Smits and featuring top musical performers, on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. 

Polling News That's Not News

       "Duh" was my friend Sandy's response to my news, hot off the press. 

         Sandy's an educator, and she usually uses nouns and verbs and whole sentences. So I got the message, very clearly, that I was wasting her time.

        I'd phoned her to let her know that PBS Kids emerged as the most educational media brand when compared with Leapfrog, Nick, Jr., Playhouse Disney, Noggin, Discovery Kids, National Geographic Kids, KOL (AOL for Kids), YahooKids and others.

      "I could have told you that," Sandy said.

      Instead, the finding came from a Roper Survey by the non-partisan international research company which interviewed more than a thousand randomly selected American adults.

      Those surveyed also agreed that PBS leads the rest of the industry--including those in cable and commercial broadcast--in helping children realize their potential and get them ready for success in school and life.

     "Plus," my friend Sandy pointed out, "you guys don't load the kids up with visions of expensive sugary cereals and overpriced gadgets because you don't interrupt the shows with commercials."

      I became acquainted with Sandy in working on a Hawaii school-supplies charity project in which we met a number of Micronesian immigrants whose toddlers were learning to speak English from PBS children's programming. In fact, the mothers told us through interpreters that they were counting on their children to do well in school and then teach their parents to speak English.

       Sandy's parting words in our phone conversation: "You called to tell me PBS Kids shows are the best? Next time, tell me something I DON'T know."  

       OK, then. 

Joseph Nawahi's Story to be Told

Ever heard of Joseph Nawahi? Traditionally, history has been written by the victors--and that explains why most people in Hawaii have never heard of this Hawaiian Renaissance man. He was on the losing end of a forced change in government, fighting the 1893 overthrow of his Queen, Lili'uokalani, and the end of Hawaii's monarchy. Deemed "treasonous," he died in harsh prison conditions in 1896.

Nawahi is worth knowing about today. The Puna native was an indefatigable learner--learning profession after profession in following his passions.  He was a teacher, surveyor, newspaper editor, self-taught lawyer, legislator, cabinet minister, and painter (one of his landscapes was professionally appraised recently at $450,000).

His remarkable story will be told  on Thursday (June 25, 2009) at 8:30 pm when PBS Hawaii partners with the University of Hawaii Center for Biographical Research to present a documentary: "Biography Hawai'i: Joseph Nawahi."

We're pleased to present the program twice in a row--first, in the English language, with Hawaiian subtitles; the second time with a Hawaiian narrative, and English-language captions.

The other evening, independent producers Craig Howes and Joy Chong-Stannard held a screening of the film in our studio at PBS Hawaii. (A third producer, writer Victoria Nalani Kneubuhl, was out of town.) It was great to see the great-great-grandson of Nawahi and other descendants gather and take pride that a new generation would learn of Nawahi's achievements.

Nawahi was an influential figure in the days of  the struggle over Hawaiian sovereignty. His integrity, skills and connections made him a formidable adversary.

UH scholars Larry Lindsey Kimura, M. Puakea Nogelmeier, Jonathan Osorio, and Noenoe Silva took part in this documentary. Ka'upena Wong narrated in English; Kala'i Ontai narrated in Hawaiian. There are scenes in which Kalena Silva plays Joseph Nawahi.

And kudos to PBS Hawaii's Daryl Harada, who did an exceptional job of editing the hour-long  documentary, working with only two and a half  photographs of Nawahi.

Counting Down to Sesame Street Live

I had the treat of leading kids and their parents in counting down the seconds until Elmo, the Cookie Monster, Big Bird and the rest of the Sesame Street gang came dancing out on stage at the Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu over the weekend.

Many of the preschoolers already knew how to count backward from five! The characters turn out to be pretty tall when they step out of the TV box. Big Bird is more than eight feet tall!

In Hawaii as in the rest of the world, the sweet, bland Elmo has eclipsed the rest of the residents of Sesame Street as the most wildly popular.  This traveling production--Sesame Street Live, which knows how to keep fidgety kids in their seats, entranced--is from a for-profit company affiliated with the nonprofit PBS kids show.  Before the shows, PBS Hawaii held a party for our Keiki Club members--and the furry stars padded over to the party room to sit for photos with families. After Oahu, the show headed for Maui.

Richard Parsons' Attraction to Crisis

Richard Parsons met up in Hawaii with his old college buddies, who ribbed him for not showing any sign during his University of Hawaii days that he'd rise to international stature.

Parsons was a 16-year-old from New York when he arrived for classes on the Manoa campus.  He played basketball for Coach Red Rocha, worked part-time jobs, didn't get too excited about school.

When I saw him for the first time in person, in our PBS Hawaii studios, he looked like he'd never left Hawaii. He was wearing an aloha shirt inscribed with the UH logo and was chatting comfortably about life in the islands.

As it turns out, he's been rather busy as as a lawyer,  adviser to five Presidents and  leader of  huge companies.

He didn't need his latest job--chairman of the very troubled international financial conglomerate Citigroup, which has taken three federal bailouts. The  fact that it  is very troubled attracted him.  He set aside retirement plans that would have put him in Tuscany, drinking wine produced in his own vineyards.

Parsons says he likes guiding companies out of crisis. Stress galvanizes him. He gets bored sailing in calm business-as-usual seas.

In Hawaii in April 2009, he was making good on a commitment he made to his alma mater to share with students, faculty and the public,  in a special annual lecture series funded by Sen. Dan Inouye and his late wife Maggie.

He spent mornings on the phone and online with US Treasury officials and other players feverishly working to clean up the economic mess, and afternoons/evenings on his UH Manoa rounds.

One of his afternoon stops was with me,  for a conversation on the weekly PBS Hawaii show, Long Story Short. We'll air it in two parts, starting tomorrow, Tuesday, June 23, 2009, at 7:30pm. The second part runs the next week Tuesday  at 7:30pm June 30. (And yes, he talks about butting heads in biz with another prominent businessman with Hawaii ties, Steve Case.)

Finish Line, Starting Line, and the Bottom Line

      This public television station has been wrestling with our budget as PBS Hawaii ends one fiscal year and gets ready to start another on July 1.  Our station's fundraisers have been flat-out running to make up for lagging individual and business giving, we've taken pains to protect other sources of funding such as 1% of the cable franchise fee, and our voluntary Board has committed extra personal funds to the cause.

      But of course, our first and overarching priority has been to make sure we're worth giving money to. 

      We've created and acquired quality programs, improved interactivity and viewer services, made costly infrastructure changes to switch to digital transmission, provided community outreach and free educational materials,  and operated with transparency and inclusivity.

      We're not perfect. We've made mistakes and probably will make more. But if you have dealings with any of our staff or Board or volunteers, I think you'll conclude we're earnest, honest and embrace our educational mission to serve the people of Hawaii.

     And, I'm relieved to report, our bottom line is holding up pretty well in the distressed economy.

      Which is especially gratifying considering the precariousness of many public television stations in the country.  Nearly one in five public TV stations in the country is thought to be in fragile financial condition. 

      Our viewers, foundations and other stakeholders are dealing with their own financial worries and sebacks but continue to stick with us. In the new fiscal year, we'll start all over again, working hard and smart to deserve their trust and the investment of their resources.

Starry Starry Inuit Nights

    The new Lincoln Child book, Terminal Freeze, is a good read,  especially if you like suspense laced with science, and a beastly plot set in Arctic hinterlands.

    Later I may forget a character or two, but I'll remember the book's reference to an Inuit proverb when I look at night skies:

    What seem to be stars are actually openings where our departed loved ones smile down to reassure us they are happy.