July '08 Notes from Norm — Norm Clarke Column

Saturday 7-12-08

	Governor chums with club cronies Gov. Jim Gibbons' club-hopping continued this week. He was spotted at the Hard Rock Hotel, chatting with celebrities at "Wasted Wednesdays," the kickoff event for the newly opened Wasted Space lounge, site of Nicole Ritchie's blowup at a fan last Saturday. The governor walked over to a table where former state attorney general George Chanos was seated with actor Billy Zane, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart, A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys, John Dolmayan of System of a Down, and former major leaguer Marty Cordova. Gibbons was seen on the dance floor at Tao nightclub at The Venetian on Saturday, conversing with Chanos and Zane after hanging out with a younger couple in a Tao VIP area. A bottle of tequila, a brand known as 1800, was on Gibbons' table, according to spies. In an interview last October, first lady Dawn Gibbons said the governor "has a glass of wine once in a while." Gibbons told police he had two glasses of wine the night of the incident with Chrissy Mazzeo, the 32-year-old cocktail server who accused the governor of making unwanted sexual advances on Oct. 13, 2006. Gibbons was seen earlier Saturday with the couple at the Ultimate Fighting Championships event at Mandalay Bay. The governor obtained an unidentified number of tickets to the UFC event through the Nevada Athletic Commission, which is standard practice for a state event, according to Elisabeth Shurtleff, the commission's public information officer. "There was nothing inappropriate" about accepting the tickets, she added. Gibbons and his party were seated on the apron of the UFC octagon, which would qualify as the best seats in the house. The UFC confirmed that their highest-priced tickets for the event went for $800 each. State law requires elected officials to file annual financial disclosure statements that list all gifts valued at more than $200 along with who gave them. "We're keeping a record of all the gifts and we'll disclose those as appropriate," said Ben Kieckhefer, the governor's press secretary. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid got in hot water in 2006 when he accepted ringside tickets from the Nevada Athletic Commission to three professional boxing matches. He received the comped tickets while that state agency was trying to influence him on federal regulation of boxing. According to the Associated Press, which broke the story, "U.S. Senate ethics rules generally allow lawmakers to accept gifts from federal, state or local governments, but specifically warn against taking such gifts -- particularly on multiple occasions -- when they might be connected to efforts to influence official actions." The Scene And Heard David "The Bullet" Smith, who holds Guinness world records as a human cannonball, will perform his daredevil feat today at 11 a.m. at Findlay Toyota, 7733 Eastgate Road in Henderson. Sightings ESPN's "Sports Center" anchor Stuart Scott, with his wife at the pool at New York-New York on Friday. He's been filming at ESPN Zone. ... NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor and Jason Taylor of the Miami Dolphins, dining at The Country Club (Wynn) on Thursday. St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson had dinner there Thursday night. ... International magician Hans Klok, filming a Dutch documentary Friday inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. ... Talk-show host Montel Williams, dining at Rick Moonen's RM Seafood inside Mandalay Bay on Thursday night. Chef Moonen served up sushi and lobster and crab tempura to Williams and friends. ... Chef Kerry Simon, hosting a private birthday dinner for Nick Ribis, owner of the Las Vegas Hilton, and a large group of his friends at Simon at Palms Place Thursday night. There are rumblings that Ribis and Simon are working on a deal for a restaurant in one of Ribis' Atlantic City casinos. ... The witty troika of Bobby Slayton, David Brenner and George Wallace, breaking bread at Empress Court at Caesars Palace. ... Bette Midler, holding a surprise book signing after her show Wednesday at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. She made the announcement during her show and spent from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. signing books for the 400 who gathered on the Colosseum steps... Basketball legend Julius "Dr. J" Erving, cooling off with Perriet-Jouet champagne at Caramel Bar & Lounge at Bellagio during "The Dark Night" movie ticket release party on Wednesday evening.

Sunday 7-13-08

Health put little damper on Carlin

Comedian Dennis Blair opened for George Carlin more than 3,000 times, including Carlin's finale four weeks ago today at The Orleans.

About three years ago, Blair witnessed a scary moment.

Carlin "couldn't catch his breath on stage."

It was around that time that Blair detected a change in Carlin's personality.

"He was suffering. That's when his heart problems started getting bad. He wasn't the same George.

"His moods started getting cloudier. He would barely say hello backstage. I got the impression he knew he didn't have much time left," said Blair, who did about 150 dates a year with Carlin for 18 years.

Before that, "he'd always be goofin' around, upbeat," said Blair.

Carlin died June 22 in Los Angeles of heart failure at age 71.

Blair is convinced that Carlin was with some special friends after his last show.

"I got the impression there was an Air Force connection; friends he knew for a long time," he said.

Blair cherishes the memories of taking 90-minute car rides with Carlin to gigs.

"In 2003, he went through a period when he was taping impressions. I recall he was working on Christopher Walken. Not that he wanted to do them on stage. He just needed another challenge."

Hecklers didn't have a chance with Carlin.

One night, he took on the whole audience, said Blair, when Judy Tenuta opened for him and "ran off the stage in tears."

"George told me he went off on the audience for the first 10 minutes of his show."

Blair was working with Carlin when his wife, Brenda, died after a long illness.

During a memorial for her, Blair said the only thing he remembers was when Carlin, an avowed atheist, said, "If there is a God, he'd better be on his toes with Brenda up there."

The Scene And Heard

Look for an announcement soon: Jessica Simpson will perform at the fifth "Nina's Night Out," a benefit founded by TV personality Nina Radetich. Simpson will perform at the Sept. 18 event at The Pearl at The Palms. Radetich, who recently joined KTNV-TV, Channel 13 as an evening anchor, is partnering with the Palms and Coyote Country KCYE-FM, 104.3. All proceeds will go to The Rape Crisis Center. Tickets will go on sale at 1 p.m. next Saturday. ... An invite-only Miss Universe screening party is being held today in the Newport Lofts' 24th-floor Sky Deck lounge. I hear there's going to be a big announcement at the end of the pageant, which is being held in Nha Trang, Vietnam. ... Just asking: Whatever happened to Chrissy Mazzeo? She's dropped off the radar since taking a public-relations pounding after accusing Jim Gibbons of making sexual advances in the final weeks of his 2006 gubernatorial campaign.

Sightings

Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs, with his wife, Amy, and another couple, enjoying the view at the Voodoo Lounge (Rio) after dining at Voodoo Steak on Friday. ... ABC talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at Nove Italiano (Palms Fantasy Tower) on Friday. ... Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, checking out Moon (Palms) and Tryst on Friday. ... At Poetry (Forum Shops at Caesars) on Friday: D.J. Strawberry, NBA players Marcus Banks, J.R. Smith and R&B artist Ryan Leslie performing. ... At LAX (Luxor) on Friday: former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kordell "Slash" Stewart and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh. ... Roseanne Barr, dining at Capo's Restaurant on Thursday while being serenaded by crooner Bobby Liguori.


Monday 7-14-08

Dara Torres' ex still seems bitter Swimming sensation Dara Torres wound up in the gossip section of a Miami-area newspaper over the weekend. Torres, at 41, has not only qualified to become the first American swimmer to compete in five Olympics but she will make history as the oldest female swimmer in the Summer Games. Her ex-husband, West Palm Beach surgeon Itzhak Shasha, won't be among her well-wishers when she competes in the Beijing Olympics next month. "Believe me, I've achieved many significant things in my life," Shasha told Palm Beach Post gossip columnist Jose Lambiet, "and none of them was being married to her. I don't want to talk about that marriage, and I don't want to talk about her." Torres, whose father, the late Ed Torres, owned the Aladdin with Wayne Newton for almost two years, divorced Shasha, now in his 60s, in December 2004. Two years ago, she had a baby daughter with David Hoffman, a reproductive endocrinologist, who was the fertility doctor who treated Shasha and Torres. "I did treat them, but they were separated when we started dating," Hoffman said. "I didn't cause that divorce. That relationship was collapsing way before we started dating. "It started when my secretary tells me one day I should call Dara because she heard she and Ike (Shasha) were separated." Torres and Hoffman have not married but are raising Tessa Grace together in Florida. "There's no animosity between Ike and I," Torres told the Post during a break at training camp. "It just didn't work out. And I'm very good friends with his wife. We both go out with our babies." She grew up in Beverly Hills while her father was running Las Vegas casinos during the mob years. She was 14 in 1982 when she broke the first of three world records and won the first of her nine Olympic medals in 1984. She medaled in the '88 and '92 Games before retiring from competitive swimming the first time. Four of her medals are gold, and she won a total of five medals in Sydney in 2000, when, at age 33, she was the eldest member on the team. She retired again, but found the fountain of youth and won two races at the U.S. Olympic trials. When the 600 U.S. Olympians march into the stadium during opening ceremonies Aug. 8, there are rumblings that Torres will probably be out front as the flag bearer. The Scene And Heard Donald Trump's Miss USA pageant will return to Las Vegas for the second year in a row next April. The announcement was made during the Miss Universe telecast from Nha Trang, Vietnam, where Miss Venezuela Dayana Mendoza was crowned today. Planet Hollywood Resort will again be one of the hosts. ... Tao Las Vegas will be honoring George Clooney's ex, Sarah Larson, on July 25. She will be partying across the street from Christian Audigier the nightclub at Treasure Island. She's the new face of Audigier's clothing line. Sightings Baseball icon Pete Rose, dining in the club level restaurant at Cashman Field on Saturday during the Pacific Coast League game between the Tacoma Rainiers and the Las Vegas 51s on Saturday. Rose was banned from baseball in 1989 for gambling. ... Cameron Diaz, midnight snacking at Fix Restaurant & Bar at Bellagio on Saturday night with two gal pals. Diaz was spotted at a Bellagio craps table, celebrating the 60th birthday of a family member. ... At Drai's (Bill's Gamblin' Hall) on Saturday: NFL standout wide receiver Wes Welker of the New England Patriots, injured Arizona Diamondbacks star Eric Byrnes, and NFL All-Pros Dwight Freeney (Indianapolis Colts) and Terrell Suggs (Baltimore Ravens). ... Carmen Electra, with her fiancé, former Korn guitarist Rob Patterson, at Privé (Planet Hollywood Resort) on Saturday. ... Professional dancer Kym Johnson of "Dancing with the Stars," partying at CatHouse (Luxor) with 12 Australian friends on Saturday. ... At Poetry (Forum Shops at Caesars) on Saturday: Marcus Banks of the Miami Heat, arriving in an orange Lamborghini with matching orange rims; former UNLV star Stacey Augmon, rapper Rick Ross, the Toronto Raptors' 7-foot-1 center Primoz Brezec, and Sacramento Kings point guard Beno Udrih. ... At LAX Nightclub (Luxor) on Saturday: Dave Navarro and Perry Ferrell of the rock band Jane's Addiction, Godsmack lead vocalist Sully Erna, Jermaine O'Neal of the Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Bobcats power forward Sean May, and New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, who joined poker pros Nenad Medic, David Williams and Theo Tran.

Tuesday 7-15-08

Norm is taking Tuesdays off

Wednesday 7-16-08

Curtain falls on flying body parts

Life is going to be a whole lot duller for 14 musicians who spent 18 months avoiding flying body parts while playing for "Monty Python's Spamalot," which closed Sunday at Wynn Las Vegas.

There were too many maimed knights to remember.

"Near the beginning of the run, the head of the knight decapitated by the killer bunny rolled into the pit at least five times," recalled solo French hornist Beth Lano.

"No damage was done, and on at least one occasion, the head was lobbed back up onstage, with the conductor not skipping a beat in throwing it back."

In the Black Knight scene, "we had a few occasions where the knight's arm fell into the pit, once directly into the arms of Wayne Green, the conductor, who found himself in the unfortunate position of having to hold onto the arm while continuing to conduct with his own two."

On at least two occasions, the exploding Holy Hand Grenade flew back into the pit, Lano said. "And while the catapulted cow didn't completely make it into the pit during the show, the tail and hindquarters hung precariously over the edge a few times, the result of overzealous catapulters."

She said the cow did land in the pit during one of the rehearsals, however.

JASON SCOTT R.I.P

Mentalist Jason Scott, who has been appearing as a regular for two years at The Playboy Club at The Palms, died Tuesday from unknown causes at his Summerlin home, according to his manager, Clinton Ford Billups Jr.

Scott, 33, had spent the previous six years at The House of Blues Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay.

Billups said Scott returned from a weekend engagement in Boston complaining of stomach problems. An autopsy is planned, and funeral arrangements are pending.

Billups, who produced The Amazing Kreskin, said Scott was a rising star. "In the last year, he performed at birthday parties for Steven Spielberg, Sting and Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics."

HOME WOES FOR CELINE

Her European tour over, Celine Dion expected to return to a completed beachfront mansion in Florida.

But that's not the way it is.

She isn't homeless, but her battles with architect Randall Stofft caused delays of more than a year on her $3.2 million Jupiter Island estate.

After she fired him two years ago, reportedly over his resistance to her design plan for an octagonal room facing the beach, he had a $104,000 lien placed against her for his work. She was to pay him $550,000, but she's suing him for almost $250,000.

After ending her 41/2-year run at Caesars Palace in December, she toured in Europe from February to last weekend.

The Scene And Heard

An Internet report that Sarah Larson has been offered a hefty contract to pose for Playboy is "just an old rumor," according to her manager, Kenya Knight of Nous Model Management. "I have not spoken to anyone at Playboy so there's no offer." Knight cleared up questions raised by Larson's July 25 hosting at Tao Las Vegas (Venetian). Asked why Larson would appear at Tao when she is the new face of Christian Audigier's line of dresses, Knight said her deal with the French designer does not prevent her from hosting at other nightclubs. Larson's absence at the July 4 opening of Christian Audigier The Nightclub at Treasure Island raised eyebrows. "She has no issue with Christian's club. She has no exclusive deal with them," Knight said.

Saturday's grand opening of the Hard Rock Hotel's Wasted Space lounge, billed as Las Vegas' first "anti-club," will feature Gavin Rossdale and a celebrity-studded red carpet. The lounge's co-owners include motocross star Carey Hart, New York Yankees slugger Jason Giambi and Benji and Joel Madden of the rock group Good Charlotte.

Sightings

Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, performing several songs at the Quack! pool party Tuesday at Palms Place. ... NBA Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing, having lunch Tuesday at Mr. Lucky's (Hard Rock).

Thursday 7-17-08

Norm took the day off

Friday 7-18-08

Norm took the day off

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