After a mostly successful four-year run, the comedy team of Jimmy and Joe performed their last routines together during the Mar. 9, 2005 Maui County Liquor Commission meeting. It was the end of a five-year contract for Jimmy—aka Commission Chairman James Gomes,—but Commissioner Joseph “Joe” Tanaka still has another year with the network.
The mugging and banter that marked their comedy duo went on virtually non-stop during their show’s hour-and-a-half series finale—a result that was partially due to the presence of Akaku’s three video cameras. But it was nice to see the team save some of their A material for the end.
Joe began with one of his more popular bits—the questioning of the prospective licensee, who in this case was Michael Capuano of Wow-wee Maui’s Kava Bar & Grill in Kahului.
“What kind of customers will kava attract?” Joe asked Capuano, who seemed more than willing to play the straight man.
“Actually, the mayor was in last night having some,” he said.
“Put it on record!” said Joe, prompting the rest of the Commission and some of the audience to laugh.
A few moments later, Capuano explained that kava isn’t a hallucinogenic substance at all. “I had 17 cups to test it out,” he said.
“You look it,” said Jimmy, still wielding his trademark wit. Then he pointed to his longtime partner.
“Actually, moving on,” said Jimmy, “he’s the one who really needs some.”
Near the end of the meeting, Joe fell back on the “senile old man” routine that’s made him such a legend around LC headquarters by suddenly pointing out the Akaku cameras.
“You’ve been here two hours and you just noticed the cameras?!” asked Jimmy, prompting great belly-laughs from the audience.
“He just woke up!” said another commissioner, trying to muscle in on the act.
But Joe stayed strong. “He’s the only guy wearing red,” he said of Jimmy a few minutes later. “How come?”
“He finally woke up,” Jimmy said, shaking his head slowly.
The meeting ended shortly thereafter. The network has yet to announce the show’s replacement.
Goodnight Jimmy and Joe, wherever you are.