April '08 Notes from Norm — Norm Clarke Column

Saturday 04-05-08

Table set for Hef at Playboy Club


	Holly Madison, Hugh Hefner, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson arrive at the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award event honoring Al Pacino in Los Angeles on June 7. Photo by The Associated Press

Hugh Hefner already has a street named after him at the Palms, and a 10,000-square-foot sky villa in the Fantasy Tower. Now he's getting his own table at the Playboy Club.

"Hef's Table" will be unveiled tonight when the Playboy founder celebrates his birthday. He turns 82 on Wednesday. Palms owner George Maloof will dedicate the table to Hefner at 10:45 p.m.

The event is open to the public.

"It's part of the evolution of creating a special place for an icon, part of the Playboy Club experience," said Maloof.

The reservation package for the space will include a Playboy Club photo book and other special amenities.

The table, located along the video wall that features thousands of Playboy covers, will be covered with photos from the grand opening of the Playboy Club in October 2006.

Accompanying Hefner tonight will be "The Girls Next Door," galpals Holly, Bridget and Kendra.

Holly and Kendra will sign autographs from 2-3 p.m. today at the Playboy Store and will return for a meet and greet from 4-5 p.m.

R.I.P. FAY MCKAY

Las Vegas entertainer Fay McKay, a longtime opening act for Liberace, died Friday at the El Jen Convalescent Hospital.

McKay's career took off after she won the Ted Mack Amateur Hour in 1951 at age 21. She settled in Las Vegas after touring extensively with the Ted Mack troupe.

McKay befriended Liberace while performing at the Top of the Landmark Hotel and later traveled with him around the world as his co-star. She also appeared in such shows as Bloopers and Casino de Paris, and performed with the Mickey Finn band.

McKay, who was born in Manchester, N.H., in 1930, was eventally billed as "The Fabulous Fay McKay." Her "Twelve Daze of Christmas," in which she pretended to be an intoxicated singer, became a holiday classic.

The Scene And Heard

Nevada first lady Dawn Gibbons is making the opening remarks at the preliminaries of the Miss USA pageant tonight at Planet Hollywood Resort. The event begins at 7 p.m. and includes swimsuit and evening wear competition. ...

Holly Kiser, the face of the Privé nightclub ad campaign, won Bravo's "Make Me a Supermodel" on Thursday. She beat out 12 other contestants and was chosen by fans of the show, who voted every week online.

Sunday 04-06-08

Competition for KLAS heating up

Eleventh-hour competition is heating up as potential suitors join the bidding for local media powerhouse KLAS-TV, Channel 8.

Rumors are swirling that CBS may be among the potential buyers, along with several other media giants expected to pay more than $700 million for the longtime CBS affiliate once owned by billionaire Howard Hughes.

At least one local entity, the Review-Journal, remains interested after being initially rebuffed because of FCC cross-ownership regulations.

A daily newspaper is prohibited from having a controlling interest of a full-service TV station in the same market.

However, R-J publisher Sherm Frederick said he remains interested in being a partner. "We would have to be the minority owner. We would like to own part of it and leverage some of our advertising and news content."

KLAS staffers have been told that the station's owner, Landmark Communications of Norfolk, Va., wants the new owners taking over by August.

There's been buzz in the KLAS newsroom that Jim Rogers, the owner of archrival KVBC-TV, Channel 3, made more than one attempt to join the bidding for KLAS.

However, Ralph Toddre, president and chief operating officer of Rogers' Sunbelt Communications Co., denied that Sunbelt got involved, saying "no, not at all."

The FCC prohibits duopolies, or one company owning two stations in the same market, unless one is under financial duress.

Family-owned Landmark announced in December it was getting out of the media business, including KLAS and WTVF in Nashville, dozens of newspapers and The Weather Channel. The latter is expected to go for a staggering $5 billion by itself.

KLAS' value has been rising with the Las Vegas population explosion. Las Vegas ranks No. 43 among U.S. TV markets with 707,470 households, thanks to a soaring population. The Las Vegas metropolitan population jumped from No. 63 in 1990 to 32nd in 2000, an 83 percent gain (from 852,737 to 1,563,282.). The 2005 census had Las Vegas cracking the nation's top 30 largest cities, at No. 29.

HEF BACKS OBAMA

Playboy founder Hugh Hefner said he's shifted his support to Barack Obama.

"I'm plugging for Obama. We need some healing in this country and the rest of the world," Hefner told Vegas Confidential Saturday during an interview in the Palms sky villa named after him.

Hefner made a statement about the civil rights movement in the 1960s when he booked Dick Gregory into the Playboy Club in Chicago, "the first white club to book a black performer."

"My father grew up in Nebraska and his values didn't include any kind of bigotry," said Hefner, who is in town to celebrate his 82nd birthday, which is Wednesday.

Playboy icon Hugh Hefner, who turns 82 on Wednesday, says he is supporting presidential candidate Barack Obama.

The Scene And Heard

Residents in Wayne Newton's neighborhood are abuzz over sightings of Michael Jackson and his family. Word is he is renting. Jackson returned to Las Vegas late last year and spent more than three months in a Palms suite before moving out last month.


Monday 04-07-08

Pamela Anderson dances for Hefner What do you get Hugh Hefner for his birthday? Pamela Anderson, who appeared on the cover of Playboy more than anyone else (12 times), gave him a birthday dance in her birthday suit. Anderson surprised Hefner, who was in town to celebrate his 82nd birthday, when he returned to the Sky Villa supersuite named after him at the Palms Fantasy Towers late Saturday. When Hefner walked in, Anderson walked out of a bedroom wearing only high heels. "He was stunned. He had the biggest smile I've ever seen," said Palms owner George Maloof, who dedicated a table in the Playboy Club to Hefner later in the evening. OFF TO A SHAKY START Miss Nevada USA Veronica Grabowski isn't scoring points with the Miss USA organization. Two developments surfaced last week that raised eyebrows. Grabowski gave little notice early last week when she canceled out of an appearance that was to promote the Miss USA event during a morning show at KVVU-TV, Channel 5, after the station had promoted her appearance. Miss Texas ended up handling the duties. Then organizers caught wind of an e-mail invitation, that featured Grabowski and her boyfriend/magician Criss Angel as celebrity co-hosts of the evening's festivities Friday at LAX nightclub at Luxor. With the Miss USA pageant scheduled for Planet Hollywood Resort, some organizers considered it bad form to have a contestant host a party at a hotel other than the host site, especially if Grabowski were among the top finishers. It is not clear whether Grabowski, a veteran of Texas pageants before competing in the Nevada competition, was asked to cancel the LAX appearance, but a new e-vite was issued a few days later with Angel the only person featured on it. A TWISTED TALE The fur is flying again at KVBC-TV, Channel 3, in a dispute over meteorologist John Fredericks' pup. Fredericks issued a statement Friday saying it was the NBC affiliate's decision, not his, to remove L.J. from the air back in March. The young lab, who appeared with Fredericks during the weather reports, "was removed from the broadcast by (KVBC) pending the resolution of contractual terms for L.J." Fredericks has reportedly been seeking a separate deal for the 9-month-old dog, a replacement for his longtime on-air sidekick Jordan, who died last summer. The station wants exclusive and total rights for L.J.'s image, sources said. In his statement, Fredericks said that he wanted "his loyal viewers to know that L.J. is both happy and in good health" and that he "wants nothing more than for L.J. to return to the broadcast, and believes that the contractual issues resulting in the current situation will soon be resolved." The Scene And Heard Nevada first lady Dawn Gibbons had the fashion police buzzing at the Miss USA preliminaries Saturday at Planet Hollywood Resort. She walked on stage in what appeared to be khaki kulats and flats at an event that called for something more fashion forward, like cocktail attire. It got worse from there: During her proclamation, she mispronounced the name of Miss USA President Paula Shugart as "Sugar" and said "commiserate" instead of "commemorate."... John O'Hurley, the lead in "Spamalot" (Wynn), is doing double duty for the next seven weeks. Starting Tuesday, he's hosting "The Secret Talents of Celebrities" on CBS. He'll fly back and forth to Hollywood almost daily until the May 22 grand finale. He's not a fan of reality TV ("it's mostly social voyeurism"), but this show "celebrates talent, like 'Dancing With the Stars' and 'American Idol.'" he said. You'll see country star Clint Black doing stand-up comedy, Olympic skater Sasha Cohen performing a contortion act with the Shanghai Circus and George Takei of "Star Trek" performing as a country singer. "It's going to be a logistical nightmare," O'Hurley said, "because it's a live show, and we have to reset the stage after every act. It's like a NASCAR pit crew."

Tuesday 4-08-08

Norm is taking Tuesdays off

Wednesday 4-09-08

Chilling message for 'Buffalo Jim'

Somebody familiar with James "Buffalo Jim" Barrier's auto shop left a chilling message after an Easter weekend break-in.

Ceiling panels had been kicked down where someone entered and Barrier's office files had been rifled through. On his desk was a tax document that listed his home address.

"They're telling me they know where I live," Barrier told Review-Journal features writer Corey Levitan, who was shown the scene two days later after dropping in to have his car repaired.

A shaken Levitan went home that Wednesday and e-mailed me details of the conversation he had with the colorful wrestling promoter.

I flew to Phoenix the next day for a long weekend and didn't write another column until Sunday.

"Buff called me on Sunday," Levitan recalled Tuesday, "and said, 'Norm didn't run the piece.' He seemed to want it to run. He said, 'I feel like it's protection.'"

With a family reunion, a wedding and all, the Barrier story escaped my mind. It's something I'm going to regret for a long time.

Barrier was found dead Sunday at a Motel 6 on Boulder Highway. His four daughters are convinced that Barrier, a man who wasn't easily intimidated, was murdered.

Barrier called me a few weeks ago, as he often did when he had a hot tip, and left me a message. "Call me, brother. Got a good story for you."

Levitan believes Barrier was going to fill me in on a reality show he had in the works. "He told me he was working with an NBC producer. The show was going to be based on a campaign for mayor he planned to mount for 2011. He was going to run on an anti-corruption ticket."

The Scene And Heard

Dethroned Miss Nevada USA 2007 Katie Rees goes on trial today on six misdemeanor charges, including resisting arrest. She was arrested about 3 a.m. on Feb. 6 and charged with assorted traffic violations. One question will be answered upon her arrival: Will she tone down her party-girl image? She showed up for her March 7 hearing in a revealing cocktail dress and high heels in Judge Joe M. Bonaventure's courtroom. Her attorney, Michael Cristalli, told reporters at the hearing that he was considering a police brutality lawsuit as a result of a broken tooth Rees suffered in a scuffle during her arrest. ...Hugh Hefner's eccentric dining habits were on display over the weekend. Hefner, whose routine includes faxing instructions to his restaurants of choice, ordered his usual at Trader Vic's on Saturday. A regular at Trader Vic's in Beverly Hills, Hef ordered chop suey, mashed potatoes, a tall glass of milk and a Mai Tai. The Palms, which has an exclusive contract with Coca Cola, had to ship in Pepsi for the Playboy founder. "And it has to be opened in front of him," said a spy. ... "American Idol" judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson, along with host Ryan Seacrest, will host Tryst's two-year anniversary party at the Wynn Las Vegas. The red carpet is scheduled to begin at 11:30 p.m. at Tryst. ... Candace Crawford, Miss Missouri USA, is the sister of Chace Crawford, star of the hit TV show "Gossip Girl." His recent breakup with country music star Carrie Underwood, of "American Idol" fame, made news. She confirmed Monday that they called it quits via text message.

"Buffalo Jim" Barrier, owner of Buffalo Jim's Auto & Marine Electric, stands outside his business in 2000. Barrier was found dead Sunday at a Motel 6 on Boulder Highway.
Photo by K.M. Cannon

Thursday 4-10-08

Larson tells a tale of dating Clooney

Sarah Larson cleared up a big mystery on Wednesday: how she ended up in the company of actor George Clooney, one of the world's most eligible bachelors.

It was long before the much-reported "Ocean's Thirteen" premiere during CineVegas last June at the Palms, said Larson, in her first lengthy interview since their relationship got serious.

"It was on his birthday three or four years ago at Whiskey at Green Valley Ranch," she said. Clooney was with some friends, including Whiskey owner Rande Gerber, "and I was with some friends.

"We were all dancing, taking pictures, being silly," she said. Larson, who worked as a cocktail server at Whiskey, was dating someone else at the time.

Last June, when Clooney came to town for the "Ocean's" premiere, "he heard I was working at Moon," made contact at the nightclub, and "we hung out," she said. A month later, he invited her to go to Italy.

Sarah Larson, girlfriend of actor George Clooney, poses on the runway and models Pucci at the Clark County Medical Society Alliance's 7th annual Fashion Show at the Four Seasons on Wednesday. Photo shown Above is by Ronda Churchill

It's been a whirlwind romance ever since. She's attended world premieres with him, attended the Academy Awards on his arm, survived a motorbike crash with him and met his parents.

She continues to shuttle back and forth to Los Angeles, while her modeling career is taking off. She recently signed with the Los Angeles-based Nous Agency, which reps Mischa Barton.

She and Clooney, who turns 47 on May 6, are heading for Italy soon, a trip that could help expand her modeling career in Europe.

"We'll be in Como, which isn't that far from Milano," she said, dropping a big hint after appearing in a fashion show that featured Emilio Pucci's spring collection at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Clooney has been supportive of her new career, she said. "Your boyfriend better be. If they aren't, you gotta kick 'em in the butt and walk away."

The charity event, organized by the Clark County Medical Society Alliance, was a benefit for the Shade Tree.

The Scene And Heard

Flamingo headliner Toni Braxton has canceled the rest of her shows this week after a heart scare. She spent Monday night in St. Rose Dominican Hospital after her heart started racing during her show. The six-time Grammy winner has been treated in the past for pericarditis, a viral inflammation of the heart. ...

A flurry of activity broke out backstage before the start of the Miss USA preliminaries on Saturday at Planet Hollywood Resort. Nevada first lady Dawn Gibbons was told the governor was in the front row. She was insistent he wasn't in town, and given their strained marriage, she should know. Suddenly, the curtain parted ever so slightly and the mystery was solved. It wasn't the governor. It was Mike Mecca, the dapper CEO of Planet Hollywood Resort. The first lady was there to deliver a proclamation on the governor's behalf. ...

I'm hearing the next new nightclub in Vegas will take excess to another level, with square footage in the same ballpark as Pure, the megaclub at Caesars Palace. Meanwhile, more rumblings that the Fountainbleau has cooled on plans to bring in Pure to do the nightclubs in Vegas and Miami. ...

Katie Rees, the dethroned Miss Nevada USA, won't be going to jail for resisting arrest. Those charges were dismissed in a plea bargaining deal Wednesday in Las Vegas Justice Court. Rees, 23, pleaded no contest to five other traffic counts, all misdemeanors. She was arrested Feb. 7 at 3 a.m. near her home as she was making an ice cream run. She had a front tooth chipped during an altercation with Las Vegas police officers, her attorney, Michael Cristalli, alleges. Cristalli told Vegas Confidential he's exploring plans to go ahead with a civil rights excessive force lawsuit, stemming from the incident.

Friday 4-11-08

Miss Nevada adds Bling to pageant

When flowers just aren't enough, bring on the makeup bling.

Illusionist Criss Angel, the star of Bravo's reality show hit "Mindfreak," showed up with jewelry Tuesday during a break in the Miss USA rehearsals. According to buzz around the pageant, Angel had some work to do to put the magic back in his relationship with Miss Nevada USA Veronica Grabowski.

Spies say she was seen Wednesday showing off some pricey-looking diamond earrings to fellow contestants. They match a big honking diamond Angel reportedly presented to the Texas beauty. She's wearing it on the ring finger of her left hand, usually reserved for wedding and engagement rings.

"They're not engaged," said Steve Flynn, who is Angel's public relations rep.

Angel and Grabowski were spotted taking off during an 8 p.m. break Tuesday, reportedly to patch up some friction after published weekend sightings of Angel with Pamela Anderson at Elton John's show at Caesars Palace.

Grabowski was sequestered over the weekend with her roommate, Miss California Raquel Beezley, and the rest of the 51 contestants, who couldn't have company until Tuesday. They arrived on March 26.

I asked a pageant official on Thursday to explain the sequestering policy.

"That word is kind of harsh," said Miss USA publicist Esther Swan. "What you're calling sequestering, we're calling 'in production.'

"The rooms are locked down. They have roommates. We move in packs. All 51 girls, another 16 chaperones, security, there's PR, there's camera crews that go up for the productions."

Family members and loved ones start arriving at the end of the 10 days on "in-production" and are allowed to spend about an hour with the contestants leading up to the finals, she said.

Earlier in the evening, Angel may have stepped over the line during a chance encounter with a pageant judge. While Angel was chatting with Mike Mecca, CEO of Planet Hollywood Resort, in the valet area, Mecca's wife, Sandy, joined them.

During the conversation, Angel said to Sandy Mecca, "I hear you are a judge. I hope you are going to give my girl high marks."

Sandy Mecca, during a telephone interview with me late Thursday, said she was immediately uncomfortable, "even though my judging responsibility had ended Sunday," the second day of preliminaries.

She recognized the conflict, she said, and requested that she and her husband part company with Angel.

The Scene And Heard

A 40,000-square-foot nightclub will go into Steve Wynn's Encore, the sister property to Wynn Las Vegas, it was announced late Thursday. "It will be the greatest nightclub in the world," said Victor Drai, co-owner of Tryst at Wynn and the new club, which will be called XS. A December opening is planned. ... KVBC-TV, Channel 3, entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs, who judged the preliminaries, predicts Miss Missouri Candice Crawford will win the Miss USA title tonight. She's the sister of "Gossip Girl" star Chace Crawford. Others in Jacobs' Top 5: Miss Texas Crystle Stewart, Miss Kansas Michelle Gillespie, Miss Massachusetts Jackie Bruno and Miss Rhode Island Amy Diaz. Jacobs is a former Miss Nevada USA and Mrs. United States. As for Miss Nevada, Jacobs said, "we were told she was unavailable to us for an interview." ...

Vegas headlining legend Tom Jones will sing the Welsh national anthem at the Joe Calzaghe-Bernard Hopkins light-heavyweight title fight on April 19 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

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