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James Grant Benton Biography

james-grant-benton
  • Born: January 15, 1949
  • Years Active: 1970s
  • Member of: Booga Booga
  • Genre: World & Reggae

James Grant Benton may not be a household name, but he was one of the most notable comedians to arise out of the burgeoning Hawaii comedy scene in the early '70s. A founder of the Booga Booga comedy troupe, Benton's humor appealed to his native islanders, where colorful local characters were the inspiration for many a gag. With fellow Booga Booga founders Rap Reiplinger and Edward Ka'ahea, Benton's comedy was based in detailed sketches and character studies, offering a clever spin on the idiosyncrasies of natives and tourists alike. Other members joined and left, but the original trio was the one most revered by fans of the troupe. They enjoyed great success with albums and television specials, but by the mid-'80s, Reiplinger had passed away and Benton seemed ready to move on to other projects. Among other things, he wrote and adapted a pidgin English (a Hawaiian variation on mainland United States English) version of Tweflth Night, he became one of the most popular stage actors in Hawaii, and scored countless bit parts on shows like Magnum P.I., Baywatch, and of course, Hawaii Five-O. He also developed a series of workshops with Ka'ahea that helped train professionals in management to deal with people, using comedy to connect his various points. A dependency on drugs and alcohol had always hampered his ability to work, but he kicked his habits in his later years and became a dependable comedian for club engagements and television commercials. Benton was preparing a Booga Booga show with Ka'ahea that poked fun at their advanced age when his longstanding heart problems finally claimed the comedian in 2002. He passed away at the age of 53, survived by an intimate, close family and his last surviving partner, Ka'ahea. ~ Bradley Torreano, Rovi

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