Month: August 1988

Linda Ronstadt and Hank Williams Jr.

Jae-Ha Kim

In the first of two Poplar Creek shows, Linda Ronstadt played to an enthusiastic, predominantly adult audience, of many of whom sang along with the Mexican lyrics she belted out in her inimitable, guttoral soprano. I got the impression that if she needed to, she could do just as well without the microphone. The tour is in support of her latest album, “Canciones de Mi Padre” (Songs of My Father). Subtitled “A Romantic Evening in Old Mexico,” the Poplar Creek show was the same production that played for three weeks on Broadway. The two-act revue was as much theater as it was a concert.

Sinjin Smith: Star volleyball player’s success nets him new careers as model, actor

Jae-Ha Kim

Competitive volleyball got major exposure during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles when the American men won the gold medal. But beach volleyball is a different sport, with two-man teams covering the entire court. Sinjin Smith and his partner, Randy Stoklos, are the No. 1 team in the world. “It’s hard to believe I get paid to play in the sun and ogle girls in bikinis,” Smith said with a chuckle. “Seriously, the great thing about volleyball is it’s a sport anyone can play. It’s cheap, and you don’t have to be 19 to excel at it.”

Dustin Nguyen `jumped’ into a bonus – Star is `lucky to be alive’

Jae-Ha Kim

In 1975, actor Dustin Tri Nguyen and his family escaped Vietnam during the fall of Saigon at the end of the war. His best friend wasn’t so lucky. The Viet Cong killed him. “A lot of people say I’m so fortunate to be on a hit TV series. But when you put things into perspective, I’m just lucky to be alive. Being an actor is a bonus. Being on a series where controversial topics are addressed is an actor’s dream.”