GO, 'BOW: Jon de Mello, the Mountain Apple Co. CEO, was driving on Nimitz Highway recently when he noticed another motorist "eyeing" him. They played cat and mouse for a stretch, until they both stopped at a red light — with the driver of the other vehicle motioning de Mello to bring down his car window. "Aay, you Jon de Mello?' the fellow shouted. "I'm Iz's biggest fan."

With the guy's wife rolling her eyes, the gent said in a Southern twang that he's such a fan of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, he had the trademark IZ logo emblazoned in black and red on his chest; he lifted his shirt to display the tattoo. Before de Mello could ask for a phone contact number, the guy zoomed off. ...

Thanks to "Over the Rainbow," Bruddah Iz has become an icon in Island music; the song has been featured in more shows than you can remember. The commercial tie-ins are mounting, too. De Mello said the ditty recently has been optioned for use in selling skim milk in Amsterdam, deodorant in London, with more requests with each passing month. ...

ITEMIZATIONS: Maureen McGovern, recently co-starring as Marmee in Broadway's "Little Women, The Musical," took in the "'Ulalena" show recently with three friends at the Maui Theatre in Lahaina. McGovern, best known for her hit, "The Morning After," from "The Poseidon Adventure," now is on a limited national tour of "Little Women." ...

Iolani alumna Brianna Christiansen recently graduated from the Liverpool School of Music, according to Iolani teacher Bob Harrison, and a piece she composed was performed during the commencement. Besides the diploma she picked up, Christiansen also collected a congratulatory kiss from Sir Paul McCartney, the former Beatle. ...

Comic Paul Ogata is off to New York and Las Vegas this week. He was to do a benefit for Hurricane Katrina survivors last night with his "Take Out Comedy" colleagues in The Big Apple's Chinatown. Tonight, he has a Friar's Club engagement in New York — "the bad news is that I have to wear a suit," said Ogata — so he practiced before leaving by putting on a jacket over his T-shirt when he opened recently for David Sanborn at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. "The only person I know who wears a suit to do comedy in Hawai'i is Andy Bumatai's comedy school graduate, John Choi," said Ogata, adding: "But he's a lawyer and comes to the shows right from work." Saturday night, Ogata joins Bumatai in a California Hotel engagement in Las Vegas. ...

With Kualoa and Friends (featuring fireman Les Harris and Taz Vegas) now performing Friday nights at Compadres Bar & Grill, Kellie Harris (spouse of Les and new director of operations at the Mexican restaurant) no doubt will be a Friday regular. Among the "friends" who've dropped by — Sonny Apukakehau from Ho'onu'a and Courtney New. ...

KOKUA TIME: Benefits for Hurricane Katrina relief continue to emerge, and one to consider is at 7:30 tonight at Ige's Restaurant and 19th Puka in 'Aiea. Dalton Tanonaka's band Flashback will perform; admission is $10 donation. Earlier kokua concerts have raised $1,500 for tsunami victims and $10,000 for Hawai'i's 29th Battalion. ...

Another hurricane fundraiser: Culinary wizards Alan Wong, Roy Yamaguchi, D.K. Kodama, Chai Chaowasaree, Russell Siu, George Mavrothalassitis, Hiroshi Fukui, Guillaume Burlion, Doug Lum, Colin Nishida (and more to be announced) will join forces in a benefit Sept. 19 at Aloha Tower Marketplace. Na Leo Pilimehana and Cecilio and Kapono will perform from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $150 for food samplings, wine tastings and music; corporate tables are $10,000 and $5,000, for sit-down meals prepared by three of the celeb chefs. Tickets are available now at Chai's Island Bistro; make checks payable to The Salvation Army Katrina Relief. Check www.wineanddine hawaii.com for details. ...

And a biggie: The Hawai'i Restaurant Assn. will participate in a "Dine for America" fundraiser Oct. 5, with local restaurants deciding how portions of that day's proceeds will help the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund — could be part of a sale, canister collections, specific menu items earmarked for the cause. Visit www.hawaiirestaurants.org. ...

Roy's Ko Olina marks its first anniversary with a benefit from 6 p.m. Sept. 18 to help heart transplant patient Taylor "Tee" Burton. For the first time, Roy Yamaguchi's cuisine from all six Hawai'i eateries (Hawai'i Kai, Poipu, Waikoloa, Kihei, Kahana plus Ko Olina) will be served in one location. Tickets: $125 at the door, $100 in advance. Call 676-7697. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.