All in Da Ohana

I'm going out on a limb here, but... do you folks remember those Andy Bumatai specials that they used to play at least once a year on TV, "All in Da Ohana" and "High School Daze" back in the 80's?

For some odd reason, they just popped into my mind today. Those classic lines like "da kahuna goin' take care us" and those comically stereoptypical characters like Honey Girl and Junior Boy still crack me up when I think about it.

Maybe I'm the only one that enjoyed those shows, but they're a fond memory of my childhood days. Ahhh... da hanabata daze... when life was simple and I could run around barefooted on the asphalt, riding my bicycle with the banana seat and buy skoo lunch for a quarter.

But I digress...

Does anyone know if those shows ever came out on video or DVD? (Or maybe I'm the only one in Hawaii looking for them.)

Comments

I remember them. You could check your nearest Tower Video store to see if they have it.

dry ova' hea...I like go disco!
Not! Yes! Not! Yes! Not!
Yo' he-ah mo' long den mine!

Egads, talk about old school. I wanted sequined tube tops and satin disco pants like Honey Girl to wear while dancing to The Krush!

Mr. Bumatai's website doesn't mention anything about future plans to release them on DVD and it doesn't look like there are any copies available. I'd like to get my hands on a copy of his "Live from Waikiki" album. My dear parents gave us a copy and we wore out that cassette trying to memorize ALL of his jokes.

I'm also waiting for "Rap's Hawaii" to be released on DVD...I need to practice my chant for Merrie Monarch! jes' joking.

"I'm lost! And if dey no find me dey going sell me, man!!!"

I have been looking for these for years. Anyone who went to public school in Hawai'i in the 70s can relate to the cafeteria scene!

I have the All in the Ohana videotape (must've bought it from BlockBuster or Borders).

"All in Da Ohana" and "High School Daze" are both out on video, but I guess not on DVD. A pity. Now days, I only buy DVDs.

And I most certainly remember them. Andy Bumatai (classic, pre-Augie T. Bumatai) and Rap Reiplinger were my absolute faves. Auntie Marialani is cited frequently in our kitchen — "Not too sweet, not too rancid, but jus' right!"

Courtesy Google, here's an article on Bumatai's 20th anniversary return to his original "School Daze" material.

Also, a brief writeup of local comedy from Hawaii411.com — a site, admittedly, I'd never heard of before. I enjoyed the memories (and the skewering of how some stars have had to sell out to pay bills), but would strongly disagree that "Da Bruddahs" and "Augie T" are worthy of being called the next generation of great comics.

Finally, I completely forgot to mention Bumavision! I actually caught it on OC16 a while ago (and was even considering a HawaiiStories thread about it). While it had its cringeworthy misses (owing mostly to the usual comic failing of not knowing exactly when to stop beating a dead horse), it was still quite hilarious.

Sadly, I've forgotten the high points... there was the Waianae Home Entry Systems commercial, and the "Ina Gadda Davida" hula.

It's amazing what actual talent and moderately high production values can do for a small-town TV show. I hope "Bumavision" has more than one episode...

Bumavision. I love it. The "Inna Dadda Da Vida" sketch is hilarious: Andy sits on a raised platform, playing a noseflute, and Ray sits on the floor, pounding an ipu. They look like the Cazimeros.

At one point, Ray goes crazy and smashes his ipu, then lights it on fire, just like Jimi Hendrix at Monterey Pop.

Raevyn, I have Live in Waikiki on LP. I'd be glad to lend it to you, if you've got something to play it on.

"To Whom It May Concern:
Andrew was not in school yesterday because. Signed, His Fadda."

Oddly enough, I'm listening right now to one of those radio ads for the dubiously named American Academy of Film & Television. I found the ad featuring Augie T. to be a disincentive, but there's also an "Introduction to Stand Up Comedy taught by Andy Bumatai.

Note the "Important Note": Students will be expected to 'work clean' which means that no 'dirty words' or material that is not 'suitable for the whole family' will be allowed in class or on stage during nightclub performances.

Whoa! I don't know how I could've missed this thread! Those were the days--cultural differences were parodied and embraced and you didn't have to check to see if it was okay to laugh in public.

Yesterday I was at the annual Honolulu District Elementary Speech Festival at Kaimuki High School. As usual, Frank Delima was there to provide pre-awards-ceremony entertainment. Frank spun out his familiar routine for the kids: the "History of Hawaii", Delima style, mixing Hawaiian chants, doo-wop pop songs, and lots of ethnic comedy.

He did a bit on names - how Hawaiian names are so very long, how Chinese names are so very short (but Chinese give their kids long English names to compensate), how Filipino names have an overabundance of "a"s in them, how Korean names sound like they're randomly picked from a menu of syllables, how Japanese names are so very precise and structured. He talked about how, as a kid, he learned to mimic the languages of his neighbors without understanding most of their actual speech. All in good fun and not putting anybody down.

As I listened and laughed, I thought about how ethnic humor has gotten criticized more and more these days. There's a fine line between laughing with someone and laughing at them, and it seems like many people have (1) forgotten where the line is, and (2) forgotten that there is a line. Which is too bad.

KGMB is coming out with another one of their retrospective shows again next month, this time focusing on local comedy, so there's sure to be some of that old Bumtai and Rap stuff in there. As for DVD releases of the old shows, I'd suggest writing to the station...most folks there are from the mainland and don't have a clue, but I know for a fact that the old shows are on a shelf somewhere in there. The biggest hurdle in getting those released are due to legal matters and who is entitled to the profits from those releases.

I emailed Andy Bumatai about any future DVD plans and this is what he replied:

"I just cut a deal with the station that air the "All in the Ohana" program to make a DVD of it within a year. Sorry, but that's the best I can do on "All in the Ohana"."

Perhaps KGMB will hustle and put it on the market in time for Christmas? *hint hint*

Woohoo! He actually emailed me back and apologized for taking five days to reply...

Wow! Great scoop! Thanks for the update.

If you have a chance to correspond with him again, let him know there are at least a couple of fans of BumaVision here, and we'd love to know what the future is of that show!

YES! I moved to the mainland in 1986 and bugged my mom to find these classics for YEARS. SHE FOUND THEM a few years ago, I have ALL IN THE OHANA, HIGH SCHOOL DAZE and RAP'S HAWAII on video tape!! I don't know where in Hilo she found them but she did.

Today I was running errands with my aunty who came in a couple of days ago from texas. We were searching all over for "RAP'S HAWAII & ALL IN THE OHANA", we couldn't find all in the ohana, but we found rap's hawaii at JELLY'S in aiea. right now it's going for $10 on video. I hope they come out with both if those show's on DVD'S, so by the time christmas comes, I can send it to the mainland. Well if anyone out there know's where we can get all in the ohana, please contact me via e-mail as soon as possible, before my aunty goes back. Mahalo...REE
email:shay_beb1@yahoo.com

If anyone is still looking for Rap's Hawaii on video you can contact me. I have a copy.

Word out from The Mountain Apple Company this week is that "Rap's Hawaii" is coming out on DVD on November 25.

Here's the track list: Da Old Man, Chanting, Mahalo Airlines, Eulogy, Fate Yanagi, Merdie Murdock Used Cars, Taste Test, Candidate Willie Maunawili, Auntie Marialani's Cooking Show, Comedy Robot, Japanese Roll Call, Room Service, and Puka Shell Tour Guide!

I live in Canada, but spent a lot of time in Hawaii in the 80's. I would love a copy of "Rap's Hawaii" on DVD - where can I get a hold of one? My mom will be in Hawaii Dec. & Jan. Can you let me know where in Waikiki or on the Big Island she can find me one? Thanks.

Tracy, I imagine most local video and music stores will have the "Rap's Hawaii" DVD on the shelves. I don't think the Tower Records hut is in Waikiki anymore, but your mom will probably be a stone's throw from the Ala Moana area where there are dozens of likely shops.

Hi Everyone,

I hope this isn't to comercial but I wanted to let you know "All in the Ohana" is available on DVD at AndyBumatai.com and on ebay.

I'm trying to get "School Daze" out on DVD and hopfully it will be available early next year.

Again, sorry for the shameless plug.

Thanks,

Andy

Andy, shameless plugs for personal material are fine, I think. ;)

here is the website where you can purchase all of Mr. Bumatai's material
http://www.andybumatai.com/flash.htm
Enjoy!

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