Booga Booga reunion SkitS

Here’s another skit from Booga Booga’s 1982 reunion gig at a Honolulu comedy club called the Laff Stop!

The late Pat Morita, who had yet to star in his world famous role as Mr. Miyagi in the Karate Kid franchise, was instrumental in getting the trio back together and also emceed their two week run. Here’s an excerpt from Rap’s bio about that reunion, picking up after James Grant Benton confided to Morita that he’d like to get Booga Booga back together:

A few months later, Rap, Jimmy and their other former Booga Booga brother, Ed Ka‘ahea, sort of bonded over a bikini contest at a Waikīkī beach bar.  After the guys had the tough job of judging bikini-clad girls at the Shorebird’s weekly T & A competition in late February 1982, a newspaper item dished that the three had “hinted strongly” at a Booga Booga reunion.  Behind the scenes, Jimmy was working to sell Rap and Ed on the idea.  He proposed, “Heck, it would be a dynamite bill if Pat Morita would be the master of ceremonies for a Booga Booga reunion!”  As it turned out, Ed said, “Pat served as the adhesive for these three knuckleheads to get together.”

 “James was sort of at the forefront of the fever to get them back together,” recalled Morita.  “Ed was non-aggressive, Rap was on another planet.  I played a small part in this reunion when they all came and stayed with me for a day and a half, when I had a place at 1350 Ala Moana.”  

Click below to see rare footage of the skit, “Aliʻi for One Hour” from one of those shows where Rap, Ed and Jimmy finally came back together (also leaving up the link to another skit from the Laff Stop shows, “Birds”) Then scroll down to see where you can get your copy of Rap’s bio to find out more about the historic group, Booga Booga. Mahalo to David Soon for digitizing these videos from VHS!

MANY MAHALOS TO

MICHAEL W. PERRY!

“Rap created  brilliant characters and perfect lines that became part of our shared culture in Hawaiʻi. 

My grandchildren use expressions that he created decades before they were born! Now Leesa’s book is available for them to learn where it all started, and for us to have a great time laughing and remembering how we were affected by that genius of a man. 

It’s well-written and much appreciated!”

MICHAEL W. PERRY – Perry & the Posse, KSSK Hawaii, iHeart Radio

You can check out Rap’s biography at most public libraries

throughout the state of Hawaiʻi. If you’d like to purchase a copy

for yourself and/or for a gift, scroll up to see all of the

retailers offering “The Rap Reiplinger Story” or click the word

RETAILERS in the banner menu above or click ORDER ONLINE.

Henry Kapono Kaʻaihue, Karen Keawehawai‘i, Michael W. Perry, Leesa Clark Stone, Ed Kaʻahea and Sweetie Pacarro celebrate the release of “Paradise to Paradise: The Rap Reiplinger Story”

Click STORE in the menu at the top of the page

Rap’s biography is also available on Amazon and at many island retailers

Scroll up to see a list of retailers

BLOG

Please support

your local

retailers!

But if you aren’t

in Hawaiʻi…

Rap’s biography is

also available on

Amazon

RETAILERS OFFERING

Paradise to Paradise:

The Rap Reiplinger story

OʻAHU

BARNES & NOBLE –

(they frequently sell out, so if you don’t see the book, please ask them to get more in stock!!!)

ALA MOANA SHOPPING CENTER

BookEnds –

600 Kailua Road, Kailua

Da Shop – (closed Mondays)

3565 Harding Ave, Kaīmukī

Homegrown –

Pearlridge Center, 98-1005 Moanalua Rd, Aiea

Iolani Palace Gift Shop –

364 S King St, Honolulu

Na Mea Hawaiʻi –

Ward Village, 1200 Ala Moana Blvd.#270

Native Books –

1164 Nuʻuanu Avenue, Honolulu

Sugar Cane –

1137 11th ave #101

BIG ISLAND

Basically Books –

1672 Kamehameha Ave, Hilo

Elements, Jewelry & Fine Crafts –

55-3413 Akoni Pule Hwy, Hāwī

Kona Stories Bookstore –

Keauhou Shopping Center, 78-6831 Alii Dr,

#142, Kailua-Kona

Lyman Museum –

276 Haili St, Hilo

Maui

Barnes & noble –

Maui marketplace, 270 dairy road, kahului