December '08 Notes from Norm — Norm Clarke Column

Saturday 12-06-08

Maddison has Arc in his sights

The number of New Year's Eve daredevil stunts in Las Vegas has grown to three.

Aussie Robbie Maddison, who set a world-record motorcycle leap of 322 feet and 71/2 inches last December, will need more finesse than horsepower for this one.

He will attempt to soar more than 120 feet and land on top of the 96-foot-high and 40-foot-wide Arc de Triomphe replica in front of Paris Las Vegas.

That's only the half of his stunt. Upon landing on top of the monument, he will then freefall 50 feet to a massive landing ramp below.

The other component to the "Red Bull: New Year, No Limits" action will feature New Zealander Rhys Millen and his attempt to become the first person to complete and land a backflip in an off-road truck. That location has not been announced.

Also scheduled: Robbie Knievel's previously confirmed jump over the Mirage volcano, as part of a Fox TV special.

CLOONEY CONSPIRACY

The Las Vegas Chippendales were part of a prank pulled on George Clooney on Friday by co-conspirators Brad Pitt and Ellen DeGeneres. At the playful urging of Pitt, DeGeneres had the Chippendales dancers show up at Clooney's office in an effort to get him to appear on her show. Clooney wasn't there so the Chips put on a show for the ladies in the office. "Brad wouldn't steer us wrong," DeGeneres told her audience. We predict hellish payback from Clooney, a noted prankster. ... During the taping of the show on Thursday, musical guest and this week's Grammy nominee Katy Perry ("I Kissed A Girl") wouldn't let the guys leave until they came down to her dressing room to meet her.

The Scene And Heard

Former Flamingo headliner Toni Braxton is dealing with another health scare. TMZ.com reported Friday that she missed the finale of "Dancing with the Stars" after discovering a lump in her breast before she was set to appear on the show and was told she had to have it removed immediately. She opted to wait until after she was eliminated from the show. She got good news: it turned out to be benign. She missed the finale because she was still recovering from the surgery.

Sightings

Country singer/songwriter Reba McEntire, joined by "American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson at Bette Midler's "The Showgirl Must Go On." ... CC Sabathia, the 2007 American League Cy Young Award winner and a 2008 sensation with the Milwaukee Brewers, at Tryst (Wynn) with former teammates Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Bill Hall and Cleveland Indians second baseman Josh Barfield. ... CNN political contributor and Democratic strategist James Carville, dining with Steve Wynn on Thursday night at Wynn's SW Steakhouse. ... Middleweight world champion Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins, dining Thursday night at the Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grille inside MGM Grand. ... Houston Astros relief pitcher LaTroy Hawkins, at the Desert Pines-Cheyenne boys basketball game on Thursday night. He and his wife were there with the parents of Cheyenne star, University of Kansas-bound Elijah Johnson. Hawkins and the Johnsons know each other from their days in Gary, Ind.

Sunday 12-07-08

Ex-manager for Agassi sues Graf

Andre Agassi's former manager, Perry Rogers, has filed a lawsuit against Agassi's wife, retired tennis star Steffi Graf, claiming breach of contract.

In the lawsuit filed Friday in Clark County District Court, Rogers is seeking $50,000 plus interest and legal fees for acting as her manager and agent since 2002.

Agassi, in a statement, said, "I am both saddened and disappointed to learn that Perry has filed a lawsuit, and sadder still that he has sued my wife, Stefanie.

"I remain hopeful that we will be able to resolve our business issues with minimal damage to our families and mutual friends."

According to the court document, Graf had agreed to grant Rogers a 15 percent partnership interest "in all business ventures in which she thereafter engaged" once a Bear Stearns' investment account achieved the stated value of $20 million. When that benchmark was reached in January 2007, Graf began making the 15 percent income distributions to Alliance Sports Management, doing business as Prism. Rogers, the company president, and Agassi each own 45 percent of its stock.

The document said Graf made the payments until October 2008.

Amid rumors of strife between Rogers and Graf, Agassi and Rogers announced the end of their long business relationship in mid-October, calling it an amicable parting.

Rogers said at the time they had been discussing going in different directions for some time, and it was "our desire not to let anything get in the way of our longstanding friendship."

The Scene And Heard

Message on the main electronic marquis at the Las Vegas Boulevard entrance to Planet Hollywood Resort: "Run Eddie Run." It was there to cheer on KLAS-TV, Channel 8 reporter Edward Lawrence, who was running his fourth Las Vegas marathon. ...

Philadelphia Phillies centerfielder Shane Victorino got a key to the city last week from Mayor Oscar Goodman. A post-season sensation, Victorino lives in Las Vegas during the off-season.

Sightings

"American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson, at Saturday night's performance of the National Finals Rodeo with Reba McEntire, who sang the national anthem. McEntire's grandfather, John McEntire, was the steer roping champion in 1934. She was a college sophomore when she sang the anthem in 1974 at the NFR when it was held in Oklahoma City, Okla. ... Angelo Dundee, Hall of Fame boxing trainer for Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, dining Friday night at Terra Verde at Green Valley Ranch. ... Bette Midler, dining Friday night at Piero's Italian Cuisine. ... Political analyst James Carville, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, actor Scott Caan and movie producer Steve Bing, lunching together and watching football Saturday at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab (Forum Shops). ... At Lavo (Palazzo) on Friday, at separate tables: actor James Caan, poker star Johnny Chan and baseball great Mo Vaughn. Actor Giovanni Ribisi was on the terrace. In the nightclub: slugger Frank Thomas, Charles Barkley and Zach from "Real World Key West." ... Rapper Nelly, with camera crew following him Friday through the casino at Planet Hollywood Resort. ... Barkley and friends, having dinner Friday at Craftsteak (MGM Grand). ... At Drai's After Hours (Bill's Gamblin' Saloon) on Friday: Vaughn, Mike Tyson, San Diego Chargers standout Shaun Phillips, Derrek Lee of the Chicago Cubs, rapper Too Short and Cleveland second baseman Josh Barfield. ... San Diego Chargers linebackers Shawne Merriman, Stephen Cooper and Phillips, taking over a corner section on the dance floor Friday at Jet (The Mirage).


Monday 12-08-08

Lawsuit motive spurs speculation The nastiest Las Vegas breakup in years has the city buzzing with speculation. What was characterized in October as an amicable parting of the ways has turned litigious, with Andre Agassi's wife, Steffi Graf, being sued by Perry Rogers, Agassi's former manager. Rogers' lawsuit, alleging breach of contract, against Graf comes seven weeks after Rogers resigned as president of Agassi Enterprises, where he oversaw all of the business and marketing operations. Friends since childhood, Agassi and Rogers have been drifting apart for years, friends say, and Rogers' recent divorce, with his strong personality, created friction. Some in the legal community said Rogers' lawsuit had the hint of a pre-emptive strike. That usually involves business deals gone bad. The timing is interesting. Rogers alleges Graf stopped paying him in October when the business partnership ended between her husband and Rogers. Graf has been represented by Rogers since 2002, the lawsuit said. FREDERICKS' RESPONSE KVBC-TV, Channel 3, weatherman John Fredericks said his dog LJ's "thing for the ladies" cost him his job at the station. Fredericks said LJ, short for Little Jordan, has not only been banned from the station but from KVBC events as well after chomping on the arm of a female employee the day before Thanksgiving. "It was an act of affection," not aggression, said Fredericks, who has been at the station since 1996. "He 'mouthed' her arm as if to say: 'I'm LJ. I like you. Let's be friends and go for a walk,'" he added. LJ spent hours at the station with Fredericks during the morning newscast and often appeared on camera. The Scene And Heard A year ago we told you about marathoner Julian Myers, a legendary Hollywood publicist. He was back for more on Sunday in the Las Vegas Marathon. Running in the half marathon's 70-to-98 age group, he finished 31st in little more than 51/2 hours. That is motoring about 2.4 miles per hour, which ain't bad at the grand old age of 90. Sightings At the Oscar De La Hoya-Manny Pacquiao bout Saturday at MGM Grand Garden: Russell Crowe, Will Ferrell, Usher, Eva Longoria, Mike Tyson, Marc Anthony, George Lopez, Mario Lopez, Will.i.am, Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, Luke Wilson, Keisha Cole, Tito Ortiz and Jenna Jameson. ... Usher, joining Tryst co-owner Victor Drai in the VIP owner's box on Saturday. The celebrity-soaked scene included baseball's CC Sabathia -- for the third night in a row -- Grady Sizemore of the Cleveland Indians, Torii Hunter of the Anaheim Angels, Bill Hall of the Milwaukee Brewers, Reed Johnson of the Chicago Cubs, Shane Victorino of the Philadelphia Phillies, Josh Barfield of the Cleveland Indians; mixed martial arts notables Andrei Orlovsky, Ortiz, UFC President Dana White and Affliction vice president and co-owner Tom Atencio; NFR contestant Josi Young; British soccer stars Billy Holliday, Scott Booth and Will Lee-Kemp, all of Chelsea in England's Premier League; Shaun Phillips and Stephen Cooper of the San Diego Chargers; boxer Joe Judah and Frankie Delgado of MTV's show "The Hills."... Crowe and Longoria, seated next to each other and chatting during the fight before heading for dinner at N9NE Steakhouse in the Palms with a group that included Palms owner George Maloof, Mario Lopez, Barkley, Miller and Maloof's brothers Joe and Gavin, owners of the Sacramento Kings. ... Later at Lavo, in the Palazzo: Longoria, Anthony and Crowe, at a dance floor table and showing off their moves. Barkley sent over a magnum of champagne to Longoria and her table. They later motored off to Tao via the Lavo/Tao custom Escalade golf cart. At Tao, Usher joined their table for the rest of the evening.

Tuesday 12-09-08

Norm took the day off

Wednesday 12-10-08

Pete Rose's son seeking DJ job

Pete Rose's youngest son is hustling for a nightclub DJ job in Las Vegas.

Tyler Rose, named after Ty Cobb, the all-time hits leader until Pete Rose overtook him, dropped off a promotional CD of his mixing skills Monday at Poetry nightclub at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace.

Tyler Rose, 23, bills himself as "TRose" on the red (of course) plastic CD holder.

His father spent most of his career with the Cincinnati Reds as player and player-manager before he was banned from baseball in 1989 for gambling. In 1985, he broke Cobb's record of 4,191 hits, the same year his son was born.

Branden Powers, a partner in Poetry and the hip-hop club's marketing director, said young Rose's mixes "are solid" but the music, a mix style known as mashup, which combines rock, techno and hip-hop, is "a little too fast for our club."

Powers, who said he receives 10 to 20 DJ demos a week and tosses 99 percent of them, said he listened to it on his way home in rush-hour traffic. "That's a good sign," he said.

Tyler Rose has lived in Los Angeles for much of his life while his sister, Kara, pursued an acting career there under the stage name Chea Courtney.

He was named to a Beverly Hills Little League all-star team but later gravitated toward basketball. He averaged 13.3 points in conference games as a 6-foot-4 guard for Glendale Community College in suburban Los Angeles.

The Scene And Heard

Two of Playboy's "30 Sexiest Sportscasters in America" are from Las Vegas, and both attended Green Valley High School. Jamie Little covers motor sports for Motorsports ESPN and ABC while Molly Sullivan is a sideline and features reporter for the Mountain West Sports Network (The Mtn.), a division of CBS College Sports and Comcast Sports Net.

O.J. Simpson has been making friends in jail by picking up the tab for their snacks. Simpson's Las Vegas-based attorney Gabriel Grasso told Associated Press special correspondent Linda Deutsch that "O.J. was actually buying stuff for all these other guys who don't have anybody on the outside. Candy bars, soup, chocolate, whatever you can buy at the commissary. I think when he does meet people in jail, they're going to treat him well because he treats them well." Simpson, 61, was sentenced Friday to nine to 33 years on 10 charges stemming from a September 2007 incident with two sports memorabilia dealers involving items that the NFL Hall of Famer claimed were stolen from him.

Sightings

At Monday's Strike Out Cancer event for the Nevada Cancer Institute at Fix restaurant (Bellagio): big league managers Tony LaRussa (St. Louis), Joe Girardi (Yankees), Jim Leyland (Detroit), Ozzie Guillen (White Sox), Bruce Bochy (San Francisco), Dusty Baker (Cincinnati), Bobby Cox (Atlanta), Lou Pinella (Cubs) and Dave Tremblay (Baltimore). Also there: MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren, Bellagio president Randy Morton, former UNLV head basketball coach and longtime LaRussa friend Charlie Spoonhour, former major leaguer and current TBS announcer Buck Martinez, Atlanta Braves president John Schuerholz, Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Jim Hammer, who helped organize the event. ... At Sunday's Toys for Tickets event at Green Valley Ranch: Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry and Kristy Lee Cook of "American Idol" fame. ... British bad boy Russell Brand, pulling up to the Planet Hollywood Resort on Saturday night in a white Rolls-Royce, straight from a press junket in Los Angeles to promote his latest film project, "Bedtime Stories." Then Brand, who hosted the MTV's Video Music Awards in September and was fired a few weeks from his BBC talk show, was off to the Palms where he got a shout out at the Oasis concert from Noel Gallagher. Also at the concert: members of The Killers, Benji and Joel Madden, "Survivor" creator Mark Burnett, boxer Ricky Hatton and British singer Rick Astley and Carey Hart.

Thursday 12-11-08

Greg Maddux still man of few words

Future Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux took the same approach to public speaking as he did with hitters: Make it short and sweet.

He gave reporters a few more sound bites Monday, but that was only because he was announcing his retirement.

One of his shortest speeches was about five years ago, when Maddux and his brother, Mike, were inducted into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame.

Maddux's friend, Jack Sheehan, recalled their telephone conversation shortly before the event.

"Greg called and asked if I would do the honor of his introduction because, he said, 'I want you to go long because I'm going to go short.' "

Sheehan, a prominent local author, delivered a 10-to-15 minute introduction and turned it over to Maddux.

"He stood up and quickly thanked his Valley High baseball coach, Roger Fairless (who also was inducted that year), and his family; and then while everyone was hanging on what Greg would say next, he just kind of scanned the crowd and said, 'It's been a long program, and I can tell that a lot of you guys have to take a leak, so we'll just wrap it right there.' "

OVERACHIEVERS

In a year of grim economic news, there are some positive local stories.

The Hard Rock Hotel has landed among Advertising Age's 50 Top Brands of the Year.

"Morgans Hotel Group says it's spending more than $1 billion to upgrade the legendary Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. Now it's up to VP-Marketing Phil Shalala to make that bet pay off," according to the article.

Cable channel TruTV is airing (10 p.m. Tuesdays) one of Shalala's "most successful innovations, the notorious Rehab Sunday pool parties. Rehab generates its own revenue stream -- $6 million in 2007" and flirted with a 20 percent increase this year.

At Hooters Hotel, mentalist Gerry McCambridge is taking on more shows while downsizing is rampant. With comedian Bobby Slayton's show dark for December, McCambridge is doing two shows a night until Jan. 7.

McCambridge has been building momentum for some time. Since arriving at Hooters in June, he's gone from three nights, to four, then five and now six.

He had a similar challenge when he arrived at the Rampart Casino in Summerlin 3½ years ago.

"They signed me to a three-week contract which lasted 49 weeks," McCambridge said.

The Scene And Heard

In April, when Hugh Hefner was filming birthday party footage at the Palms for "The Girls Next Door," rumors were flying that all was not harmonious in the hutch.

Now the Internet's abuzz that Hef may have had something going with Ukraine beauty Dasha Astafieva, the 55th anniversary Playmate. She'll sign issues at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Palms before joining Carmen Electra for the Playboy Club party. Electra will be a Bunny dealer.

Hef's ex, Holly Madison, isn't missing many chances to promote boyfriend Criss Angel -- or tweak her ex. She was spotted this week on a flight from Las Vegas to Los Angeles wearing Angel's signature sweatshirt.

Viewers of "Girls Next Door 5" have noticed her wearing the same style of sweatshirt.

Angel's signature black handkerchief appeared in a scene with Madison's red 1957 Corvette in a photo shoot for the 55th anniversary edition.

Hell hath no fury. ...?

Sightings

Staff from XS nightclub at Encore and Tryst at Wynn Las Vegas, showing up Wednesday at the KLUC-FM, 98.5, toy drive site with a record $32,000 in goods. ... UFC champ Frank Mir and wife Jennifer renewing their vows on their wedding anniversary Wednesday with family members at the Little Church of the West. ... New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter, dining with friends Tuesday at N9NE Steakhouse (Palms). ... Chicago Cubs manager Lou Pinella, at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab (Forum Shops) on Tuesday. Near Pinella, New York Mets manager Jerry Manuel, having dinner with general manager Omar Minaya and other execs. Also at Joe's: entertainment producer David Saltz, who has produced Super Bowl half-time shows and pop stars.

Friday 12-12-08

Lion handler gets bitten at MGM

A handler was bitten on the leg at the MGM Grand's lion habitat Wednesday night, a company spokesman confirmed Thursday.

A quick reaction by another trainer, who thumped the lion on the nose and stepped between the two, might have prevented the incident from escalating, an eyewitness told the Review-Journal.

The attack occurred during a feeding about 8 p.m. and was witnessed by numerous onlookers, many of whom recorded the scene on video and took photos, an eyewitness said.

The male handler required stitches "but will be back to work soon," said Alan Feldman, vice president of communications.

Feldman said "nothing has been determined as far as a 'cause' yet, although the entire thing was quick, minor and easily resolved. The animal involved is also doing fine and behaving normally."

The witness said the handler was throwing raw meat to the lion when it bit him.

VEGAS VACATION

It might be the ultimate Vegas comp.

About half of Cranfills Gap, Texas, population 350, is getting an all-expenses-paid trip here next week, courtesy of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Tanya Davidson, 33, one of the 120 planning to take the offer, plans to get married in a drive-through wedding chapel. They arrive Sunday for the five-day visit.

The LVCVA is paying $2.5 million for the promotion.

Terry Jicinsky, senior vice president of marketing for the LVCVA, told The Associated Press that aggressive marketing is crucial with the addition of 9,000 new hotel rooms this year and 14,000 more planned for next year.

The Scene And Heard

Citing "extreme declines" in ad revenues, KVBC-TV, Channel 3, announced a staff reduction plan on Wednesday that cost 14 jobs, with three more reassigned, according to general manager Lisa Howfield. Most of the changes were outside the news division, she said, with "none of our on-air talent impacted." However, Vegas Confidential has learned that several anchors voluntarily accepted 25 percent pay cuts. We hear at least one said no. ...

Local freelance writer/podcaster Steve Friess is back from New York where he scored a lunch sitdown with Vanity Fair columnist Dominick Dunne. Friess had a standing invitation to call when visiting New York after they met during the O.J. Simpson trial, in September, when poor health forced Dunne to return home. Dunne's much anticipated column about the trial has yet to appear in Vanity Fair because he's been working on a couple other projects, including his memoir. "He's 83 and his doctors want him on chemo for his bladder cancer, but he says he doesn't want to and anticipates having to 'cause a whole lot of trouble' to ward it off," Friess wrote this week in his blog vegashappenshere.com. "Surgery has been ruled out because of a weak heart, so my impression was that Dunne was ready to let this cancer take its course."

May I Recommend

Stoney's Rockin' Country, with acres of dance floor space, and the Gold Coast, known for its wall-to-wall Stetson crowd, are legendary watering holes for the National Finals Rodeo, which wraps this weekend. Stoney's is north of South Point, 9151 S. Las Vegas Blvd., which is the site of the Wrangler NFR Go Round Buckle Presentations tonight at 11.

Sightings

Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie, bailed out of the Magical Forest at Opportunity Village on Thursday for $16,000 from community donors after being "locked up" for less than two hours. All proceeds help the disabled at Opportunity Village. ... At the National Finals Rodeo (Thomas & Mack Arena) on Thursday: Charlie Daniels and the Charlie Daniels Band, opening the session with "Ghost Riders in the Sky," and Gov. Jim Gibbons. (See today's Neon section for my interview with Daniels). ... Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre, back at Piero's Italian Cuisine on Wednesday for the second time this week with a big party. He was in with a group of 10. Earlier in the week he came in with 18. It's part of his annual "guys" weekend in Las Vegas. ... Luke Wilson, checking out Wasted Space at the Hard Rock Hotel on Wednesday. He's in town filming "Middle Men," the story of the birth of the Internet porn industry. ... Six members of the "Jersey Boys" cast, including Rick Faugno (Frankie Valli) and Jeff Leibow (Nick Massi), performing the national anthem at a swearing-in ceremony at The Magical Forest. The event was officiated by a judge from immigration services for 20 children.

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