Frank De Lima

Franklin Wilcox Napuakekaulike De Lima[1] (born July 8, 1949) is an American comedian and singer from Hawaii.

Frank De Lima
Birth nameFrank Wilcox Napuakekaulike De Lima, Jr.
BornJuly 8, 1949 (age 74)
Pauoa Valley, Hawai'i, U.S
EducationChaminade University of Honolulu (BA) Saint Patrick's Seminary and University (MDiv)
Years active1975- present
Websitehttps://www.frankdelima.com

Early life and education

De Lima was born and raised in Pauoa Valley within a large Portugese family with strong Catholic values and realized his comedic talent while growing up.[1] He graduated from Damien Memorial School and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Chaminade University and a Masters of Divinity from St. Patricks Seminary and University. After graduating from St. Patricks, he was ordained as a deacon in the Roman Catholic Church at the age of 25 before realizing his passion and returning home to start his career as a singer. [2][3]

Career

De Lima is one of Hawai’i's most popular and beloved comedians. For over 40 years, he has been entertaining local residents and tourists alike with his zany parodies, outrageous sense of humor, and spontaneous creativity. De Lima's specialty is translating issues – such as current events, fads, attitudes, and people – into fresh musical parodies. His approach has distinguished himself from other comedians and has been one of his unique traits.[2]

De Lima’s performances have became one of the most popular tickets in Hawai’i's entertainment scene. De Lima, along with his musical duo David Kauahikaua and Bobby Nishida, has headlined nightclubs, performed at sold-out concerts and events throughout Hawai’i and along the West Coast, and produced numerous audio and visual works. Thus far, De Lima's catalog includes three videos and 17 comedy albums. During his over 40-year career, De Lima has received an unprecedented 14 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, which is Hawai’i's GRAMMY equivalent.[2]

Non-profit and charity work

In 1980, De Lima founded the Frank De Lima Student Enrichment Program after he had recovered from a car accident and used his free time to visit schools.[1] This non-profit organization is devoted to helping Hawai’i's students understand the importance of reading, studying, laughing, family, managing major emotional and physical life transitions, and providing the support needed to middle and intermediate school students. [2][4] Since the program's inception, De Lima’s visits have increased to 300 schools statewide biennially. In recognition of his commitment to Hawai’i's keiki (children), De Lima has received numerous honors, including Governor Cayetano's Kilohana Award for Volunteer of the Year and the Ellison S. Onizuka Memorial Award from the National Education Association.[2]

When De Lima was 50 years old, he developed Type 2 diabetes. Since then he has advocated for prevention and healthy lifestyles. In February 11, 2006, De Lima went as a guest speaker for the 'Taking Control of Your Diabetes Conference' in the Hawaii Convention Center.[5] In March 2017, De Lima joined with the Hawai’i DoH and served as the spokesperson for Prevent Diabetes Hawai’i which promotes pre diabetes awareness to address the states issue.[6]

During the Covid-19 pandemic, De Lima worked with Hawai’i DoH to promote public awareness through songs and advertisements to prevent further spread of the virus. [7]

Discography
  • "A Taste of Malasadas" - originally released in 1977
  • "The Best of De Lima Too!!" – 1991

References
  1. Acid Logic, An Interview w/ Frank Delima
  2. "About". www.frankdelima.com. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  3. Dekneef, Matthew (2016-09-14). "Comic Relief » FLUX". FLUX. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  4. "HOME". www.frankdelimastudentenrichmentprog.org. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  5. "StarBulletin.com | Features | /2006/01/31/". archives.starbulletin.com. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  6. "Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of the Prevent Diabetes Hawai'i Campaign" (PDF). Hawai’i Journal of Health and Social Welfare. 79 (3): 8. March 2020.
  7. "Hawai'i Department of Health launches COVID-19 public awareness campaign featuring Frank De Lima". health.hawaii.gov. Retrieved 2023-10-05.


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