Sunday 02-17-08

Larson's leading man was Clooney

George Clooney's romantic tour of Las Vegas with galpal Sarah Larson had hearts fluttering Friday.

They followed up their Valentine's Day date Thursday at Nove Italiano restaurant at the Palms Fantasy Tower, and Cirque du Soleil's "Love," with stops at Little Buddha and N9NE Steakhouse on Friday, before heading for the sultry Crazy Horse Paris show at the MGM Grand.

After arriving for the 10:30 p.m. performance just as the showroom went dark, they ordered Absolut and sodas and whispered back and forth during the show.

After the show, as they were escorted through the hotel's service hallway, Clooney made a point of greeting the kitchen staff before continuing toward the exit.

"It was like he was running for office," said a spy.

Clooney and Larson, who met when she was a cocktail server at the Palms' Moon nightclub, were having "a great time." At one point, Clooney performed a funny dance that cracked up Larson.

As they waited for a limo at the MGM Grand's Mansion entrance, they began dancing around the fountain outside the mansion while singing a song together. After the dance, they embraced for a kiss and left in a limo.

Judging from all the affection, it's serious, folks.

The next-best indicator, sayeth my sidekick, the Leggy Blonde: "If he takes her to the Oscars." That's next Sunday.

The Scene And Heard

Is Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller the next Las Vegan to join ABC's "Dancing With the Stars.?"That's what a tipster tells me. There was no response from Jillette's publicist by deadline....

Turns out Clooney is a steak-and-wine guy. His Valentine's Day date with Larson at Nove Italiano started with 1999 Bollinger Grande Annee champagne ($265), a 2003 Solaia ($400) and 1997 Sassicia ($900). The Bollinger bubbly is the same stuff James Bond sipped in "Live and Let Die," a film notable for Roger Moore replacing Sean Connery as Bond. ...

The celebrity Web site, perezhilton.com, ran a survey asking readers to respond to Criss Angel's new beard. Out of almost 80,000 votes by Saturday, 94 percent voted "Hell, no" to the scruffy look. ... Kanye West kicks off Station Casinos' Summer Concert Series at Red Rock Resort's pool on April 25. Look for tickets to go on sale March 23.

Tuesday  02-19-08

Man claims find of Monroe photo

A Las Vegas man plans to unveil on Wednesday what he says is a rare photo of Marilyn Monroe posing as a nude hitchhiker.

A 1 p.m. news conference has been scheduled at The Orleans.

Former service station owner Lawrence Nicastro, said to be in his 70s, says he found the photo last year while going through storage items at his home in Las Vegas, according to publicist Chris Harris.

If the photo is authentic, look for a bidding war in the multi-millions.

Nicastro was running a service station in the Bronx when a man dropped off a car for repairs on New Year's Eve 1962. When the man didn't return to pick up his car, a 1962 Ford Sunliner convertible, Nicastro opened the trunk and placed the contents in storage.

Nicastro moved to Las Vegas in 1995.

Harris said he thinks the photo was taken near Pyramid Lake, near Reno, in 1960. Monroe filmed "The Misfits" with Clark Gable in 1960 in Nevada.

It was the last completed film for both: Gable, 59, died a couple of months after finishing the film, and Monroe, 36, died of a drug overdose in August 1962.

FAREWELL TO BELL

Friends of rock 'n' roll pioneer Freddie Bell, who died Feb. 10, gave him a memorable musical send-off Sunday.

Several dozen local entertainers joined the Gary Olds Trio during a post-service sing-a-thon at the Italian American Club, on East Sahara.

Carme Pitrello delivered the eulogy Sunday, and Paul Xavier Campanella sang "River of God" during services at Palm Mortuary, 7600 Eastern Ave.

Among the group: Elvis drummer Bobby Morris, Sonny Charles of the Checkmates, Skip Trenier and Don Hill of The Treniers, Sammy Shore, Lon Bronson, former Nevada Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, Dennis Bono and Bill Acosta.

Madonna, not Marilyn, in photo

Instead of lost photographic treasure, that photo of Marilyn Monroe hitchhiking in the nude got a thumbs-down Tuesday when the 73-year-old owner discovered it was Madonna in a blond wig.

Lawrence Nicastro, a retiree from New York who had high hopes of hitting the jackpot, had scheduled a news conference today at The Orleans to unveil what he thought was a vintage Monroe photo.

"The poor guy was devastated," said George Ciccarone, a Henderson TV producer who delivered the bad news at Nicastro's home.

Ciccarone got a sneak preview and sent footage of the photo to ABC's "Good Morning America." ABC correspondent Brian Rooney saw the footage and something clicked.

"Brian goggled it and he found the Madonna photo," Ciccarone said.

"He (Nicastro) wanted everyone to know he felt so bad," added Ciccarone.

Nicastro found the poster-sized photo late last year and enlisted the help of Chris Harris, a publicist and Monroe expert from California.

Harris did not return calls Tuesday.

LITTLE BLOOD CLOT

Impressionist Rich Little performs Oct. 25 at the Golden Nugget hotel-casino, where he has canceled his remaining dates.

Celebrity impersonator Rich Little is "responding well" after a blood clot scare in a leg, according to a family spokesman.

It was serious enough that Little has canceled his remaining dates at the Golden Nugget. He was booked into early April.

Little, 69, sought medical care over the weekend and was in the emergency unit at Summerlin Hospital.

"The doctors believe they have it under control and he is responding well to treatment," said spokesman Norm Johnson, who sent a note Tuesday asking "for everyone to take a second to pray for Rich."

Little has been struggling for several weeks with what was thought to be the flu, said family friend Charlotte Morgante.

Little went ahead with his Thursday and Friday shows before making an urgent care visit on Saturday.   Photo by Jane Kalinowsky.

JAHNA STEELE OVERDOSED

Transgender entertainment legend Jahna Steele died from an accidental overdose of drugs, including cocaine and morphine, the Clark County coroner's office confirmed Tuesday.

Steele, 49, died Jan. 24 in Las Vegas.

During the early 1990s, she was voted the sexiest and "most beautiful showgirl" before an expose by "A Current Affair" outed her as a transexual and cost her her job as host of the "Crazy Girls" topless revue at the Riviera hotel-casino.

The cause of death, according to the coroner's office, came from a mix of cocaine, morphine and hydromorphone.

She returned to Las Vegas in 2004 as host of The World's Most Beautiful Transexual Contest at the Riviera.

The Scene And Heard

Singer Pink and motocross star Carey Hart have separated after a two-year marriage, according to Pink's rep, Michele Schweitzer. She proposed to him in June 2005, and they were married in January 2006 in Costa Rica. ...

Comedy magician Nathan Burton is moving from V Theatre to the Flamingo's main showroom. He will have a 4 p.m. show. Burton just missed making the finals of NBC's "America's Got Talent" in 2006, but received more exposure than any other contestant. He was called back to perform with host Regis Philbin in the finale. ...

Paris Las Vegas has been in talks to bring in a comedy show featuring actors from "Ugly Betty" and "Sex and the City" to the main showroom.

Feds take a look at LV cash flow

A lot of people saw it coming.

Rumors have been flying for more than a year that the high-flying, cash-laden nightclub scene was being scrutinized by the feds.

The shoe dropped Wednesday when the Internal Revenue Service and other law enforcement authorities raided Pure nightclub and Pure Management Group headquarters, confiscating a number of computers.

Cash-heavy operations are known to get the attention of the IRS.

Sources have been telling me that doormen at several clubs are clearing $8,000 to $10,000 a night before they share tips. So much cash is pouring in that some doormen are making $400,000 to $500,000 a year, several nightclub executives told me.

"Pure has guys at the door making more than the president," said one executive with intimate knowledge of the cover-charge system. He was referring to the annual salary of the president of the United States, which is $400,000, plus benefits.

A Pure executive told me over the weekend that 5,000 people showed up for Paris Hilton's 27th birthday party and her guest appearance with the Pussycat Dolls.

About six months ago, on a busy night at Pure, I overheard two men bitterly complaining about the cover charge. "They wanted $1,000 per person. I said the highest I'd go was $800!" one said.

It's not just Pure, the largest club in town with a capacity of 2,400. Grumbles about nightclub gouging have been growing louder.

In my nearly completed book "Vegas Confidential: Sinsational Celebrity Tales," I write: "It's no secret that most clubs understand that the longer the line the higher the anxiety. That's where the 'line slide' comes in.

"If people have been waiting all night, they're not going to go somewhere else and start over," said a club exec (not at Pure).

"Club employees, usually the size of big league umpires, will go down the line and fish for people who really want to get in. The line guy might get $200, but now everyone in the group is still going to have to pay a $30 to $40 cover charge. Sometimes, the doorman demands more, maybe $50 to $100 per person."

Then there's bottle service, which means you have to buy a bottle to sit in the VIP section. The usual requirement is one bottle per three patrons. Two-bottle minimums are not uncommon. Bottles at most clubs are going for $350 to $650 a piece.

WYNN WOOING GANS?

Is a Danny Gans-Steve Wynn reunion in the works?

Wynn attended Gans' show Tuesday at The Mirage and held a "post-show pow-wow," KVBC-TV, Channel 3 entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs said in a report Wednesday.

Gans, who was hired by Wynn when he owned The Mirage, has a year left on his 10-year contract.

Jacobs said her sources said Paris Las Vegas is "also making a play" for Gans, who has one of the most successful shows on the Strip.

Friday 02-22-08

Montecito resort closes its doors

All bets are off on NBC's "Las Vegas."

The fictional Montecito resort has gone dark after a five-year run.

"That's why they call it show business, emphasis on the business part," creator Gary Scott Thompson told me by telephone Thursday.

NBC informed him Wednesday that the show would not be renewed, meaning last Friday's 106th episode was the finale, three shows short of a full season.

"The cast was not happy," said Thompson, adding, "We were really a victim of the (writers) strike."

Another factor, he said, was the NFL's anti-Las Vegas stance, which prohibited lead-in advertising on NBC's Sunday NFL game. That forced the show to a Friday time slot, and "Friday night didn't make any money. They told me they tried 18 or 19 scenarios to keep us."

It was the fourth time slot the show had to deal with.

"That's asking a lot of the fans, but we've had some loyal fans," Thompson said.

Because the final episode, "Three Weddings and Funeral, Part I," ended with a cliffhanger, NBC received a storm of fan reaction.

The episode ended with Delinda DeLine's baby in jeopardy. Molly Sims played the role of Delinda.

"Apparently, there's an online fan campaign, and people are sending baby booties, baby dolls," Thompson said. "I sort of understand from the fans' standpoint. They're saying, 'We invested five years, and we deserve an ending.'

"Tell Las Vegas that we appreciate all that the city did for us. We love that town, and we love the show, and we wish we could have done another 100."

Most of the cast, co-producers, writers and NBC executives gathered at the Palms last month for a ceremony to mark the 100th episode. Mayor Oscar Goodman, who had three cameos on the show, presented the cast with ceremonial keys to the city.

The cast and crew will gather for a barbecue next week "to say our goodbyes," said Thompson, who fell in love with Las Vegas when he visited here as a 19-year-old.

The Scene And Heard

Impersonator Rich Little has been released from Summerlin Hospital after being treated for blood clots in his leg. Little, 69, had to cancel the remaining dates of his show at the Golden Nugget. His 20-week engagement was to conclude in early April. "He went home late yesterday afternoon and is in good spirits and is resting," family spokesman Norm Johnson said. ...

Las Vegas favorite Jimmy Hopper is back in town for a weekend engagement in the Lava Room at Trader Vic's inside Planet Hollywood Resort. Best of all, his show (10 p.m.) is free. Table reservations: 405-4700

Pre Order Vegas Confidential: Sinsational Celebrity Tales

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