LIHU’E — Compiling over 100,000 phone-in votes of the more-than-300,000 ballots cast, Kekaha’s Troy Allen Lazaro ran away with the “Hawaii Stars” talent-contest crown Sunday. It was late Sunday night before all of the votes could be counted, and by
LIHU’E — Compiling over 100,000 phone-in votes of the more-than-300,000 ballots cast, Kekaha’s Troy Allen Lazaro ran away with the “Hawaii Stars” talent-contest crown Sunday.
It was late Sunday night before all of the votes could be counted, and by that time only Lazaro supporters remained at the Polynesian Palace at the Ohana Reef Towers hotel in Waikiki where the live show was held and aired earlier on KHON-TV Channel 2.
He arrived at Lihu’e Airport yesterday afternoon to a hero’s welcome, complete with banners, balloons, lei, and nearly 50 family members and friends who helped pile up that massive vote total the night before.
“I never expect this. Thank you all so very much,” the overwhelmed Lazaro told the supporters outside the Aloha Airlines baggage claim area.
His winning song was “Come Become Hawai’i,” made popular by The Brothers Cazimero as recorded on Mountain Apple Records.
For winning the contest, Lazaro, 24, son of Hilda and Anthony Lazaro of Kekaha, wins a recording contract with Mountain Apple, a trip to Las Vegas, a $500 K’Aloha koa ‘ukulele, and a one-month engagement in December at the Polynesian Palace, on the same bill as comedian Frank DeLima.
The Vegas trip has not yet been scheduled.
“This is so nice,” said Lazaro, his face nearly covered with lei.
More than all of the prizes, he said, the best gift was, “of course, all the great friendships. None of the contestants were upset because I won. All of them were screaming” when Tania Boyd of the “Channel 2 Morning News” made her announcement that Lazaro had won.
The only ones a bit perturbed were the show’s producers, who didn’t get any of the custom-made Troy Lazaro T-shirts family members had printed up. He ran out of his supply before he could give them to the show’s producers.
Not to worry, though. Plans were being made to have more shirts made up while the airport festivities were taking place yesterday afternoon.
On Sunday night, Lazaro was totally out of his element when Boyd announced Sunday night he had won the finals of the “Hawaii Stars” talent contest.
He was speechless, briefly.
Telling Boyd he only entered the contest for the chance to win a trip to Las Vegas for his brother Stanley, his family and friends pushed him over the edge in the telephone fan voting that determined the winner.
Several of his relatives, like aunty “Sunny” Lazaro of Kekaha, got the phone number to vote for Troy Lazaro, then just kept hitting redial, she said.
“Our family’s very, very proud,” she said, explaining their support for the only Kauaian in the finals also took the form of the specially made T-shirts of red, white and gray, proclaiming “Kaua’i’s Homegrown,” with an autographed picture of Troy Lazaro and mention of the show and network.
“He’s floored by the reception. And he’s not the only talented one in the family,” Sunny Lazaro said. “And now he’s got a goal in life, and that’s even better.”
He was also asked to be the grand marshal of the Kukui Grove Center Christmas parade this Saturday, Nov. 29.
Representatives from the Mountain Apple Company assigned songs to each of the six finalists earlier this month, and Lazaro and the other finalists gathered on O’ahu to get their assignments, and for filming another special segment of “Hawaii Stars” that aired the week before the finals.
Lazaro, 24, is a concierge at Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club who also dances hula.
He appeared on the “Channel 2 Morning News” yesterday, singing his winning song and being interviewed, before returning to Kaua’i.
Associate Editor Paul C. Curtis can be reached at pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
