Cool words of wisdom from Hawaii's prince of comedy...

Comedy is good for the soul. Laughing is good, laughing is cool, and maybe we just don't laugh enough. Frank DeLima has been Hawaii's prince of comedy for decades and it doesn't look like he's slowing down a bit, and that's good news. From the old Noodle House in Waikiki many, many years ago, to turning current happenings to famous songs, Frank has been a part of Hawaii's culture and will always be remembered as such. Who can forget "What, June Jones, you going leave us now?" to the Kenny Rogers' tune "You Took a Fine Time to Leave Me Lucille" and his most recent "Furlough" to the timeless Harry Belafonte classic "Day-O". But in all his zani-ness and crazi-ness, there are lessons and truths in the comedic things that Frank DeLima has to say. Ah, as the old chinese sage once said, "Laughing at ourselves is medicinal, taking things too seriously will make you ill, but in comedy we learn to deal with the cards life deals you." OK, that wasn't from an old chinese sage, but it sounded good.

At this time of graduation here's something that crossed my path, words of wisdom for the graduate. Pretty cool stuff if you ask me.


Frank's graduation address bears some good thoughts amongst his "local-ness"! Thought this was worth sending on to all of you.


Subject: "To The Class of 2010" By Frank Delima

“EAT RICE”

Ladies and gentlemen of Hawaii’s class of 2010…

Eat rice.

If you only pay attention to one thing I say, pay attention to this:

Rice is the breakfast of champions … the lunch of champions … the dinner of champions

Whole empires, entire dynasties have been built and fortified on its humble food.

One grain, by itself, is nothing. Just an embarrassing sticky white t’ing stuck on your T-shirt after lunch. But many grains together -- that’s greatness! It is the foundation of a Spam musubi, the heart of a thousand plate lunches, the force behind the global kingdom of L&L drive ins

Rice holds the world together. Be a part of the world.

Be a part of the future.

Eat rice.

That said, the rest of what I am going to say is just my opinion.
You will have bad days.
Some day you going be the dog, some days you going be the tree. Wish wasn’t, but that’s the way it is.

Take a lesson from Furlough Fridays. Got a money problem? Don’t take it out on the kids.

And brah … vote! Okay? There’s an election coming up. No excuses. Just do it. This is your country. Own it.

You know the saying: If you have lemons, make lemonade. That’s true. But a bittermelon will never become a honeydew. The moral of the story: If can, can. No can, no can.

Some Hawaii folks have an inferiority complex. Don’t be like that. Consider this: Last year, our state produced BOTH a president AND a saint.

Not all malassadas are made perfectly round. So what. The purpose of a malassada is not to look good, it’s to taste good. Remember that.

Don’t sneeze when you eat saimin.

Take your face out of Facebook, okay? At least for a little while. Real faces are better anyway. So are real books. Read one. Or two.

Buy a newspaper. Only get one left. If you don’t, that one going be gone – along with the Longs ad forever.

Recycle your graduations leis before they become ma-ke. Care homes could all use some extra flower power.

And remember, you live on the most beautiful spot on earth. Malama the ‘aina. Respect the land, respect the water, respect the air, respect all life. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Slow down. Walk more. Drive less. The less you drive, the more you’ll see.

Give at least one can of tuna to the food bank. Don’t strive to be mediocre. Be great. Go for the gusto. If you want to climb a mountain, pick Mauna Kea. Not Red Hill.

Learn to play the ukulele. Memorize the words of Hawai’i Pono’i. Make your own lei. Go to the Merrie Monarch Festival. Tour ‘Iolani Palace. Walk around Punchbowl. Buy local. Eat local. Wear local. Support Hawaiian music.

And no forget, thank our military personnel.

Above all, eat rice.

If you have diabetes, make that brown rice.

-posted by Cool Tropical Jazz LLC @