Hope in Hawaii, sometime in the 70s!

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on May 13th, 2008

We got married in Honolulu in 1988. We had just moved to Burbank in September and we immediately planned a trip Hawaii. It would be our first trip to the islands and we’d be leaving in late November and staying for 10 days.

Just after arriving, the Male Half popped into the Honolulu Comedy Club (at the time, atop the Ilikai) and, in a conversation with proprietor Eddie Sax, let it be known that he and the Female Half were interested in getting hitched while in town. Sax recommended Rev. Richard B. Elsner. That’s him in the photo, between Bob Hope and KGMB radio DJ Hal Lewis, aka “Akuhead Pupule.” He’s playing bass. He played bass and some horns for a lot of the shows that came through Hawaii for 35 years.

We contacted the Reverend and he married us on December 2, in the shadow of Diamond Head, at a park on the ocean. Rev. Elsner’s living in Vegas now, marrying people at the Monte Carlo and at the Stratosphere. We’re hoping to get together with him when we perform at the Riv July 7-13.

We dig that crazy long-sleeve Hawaiian shirt tha Hope’s wearing!