A Hollywood Tale, #468

For a boy from Hawaii, it was a treat meeting former Miss USA/Miss Universe Brook Lee at Wednesday's "American Idol" party. Brook was the guest of Quan Phung, one of Fox's top programming execs.

After sharing the usual "you're-from-Hawaii-I'm-from-Hawaii" pleasantries (including my standard, "Yes, I'm ultra-haole, but I just can't tan" line), we talked about what she's up to these days (she was crowned in 1997) and why she's not on one of the new island-themed dramas coming to primetime.

Strangely enough, Brook says casting agents consider her more for Latina roles than Asian/Pacific Islander ones. She then told me about the time she tried out for "Miss Congeniality," that Sandra Bullock pageant-themed movie, as Miss Hawaii.

In the bag, right? Brook was a Miss Hawaii. How much more real can you get? According to Brook, the casting agent turned her down. Didn't look like a Miss Hawaii. Huh? Brook even brought along her crown -- yup, they get to keep them -- to prove that, hello, former Miss Universe over here! But no dice.

Brook is awesome, by the way. One of the nicest people I've met in a while. I told her about my "Hawaiian Eye" radio show, and she happens to be working with some slack key guitar artists -- ones I've even played on the show --- so perhaps we'll get them on the air too.