May '08 Notes from Norm — Norm Clarke Column

Saturday 6-21-08

	Javon Walker's tale not seen on video Oakland Raiders wide receiver Javon Walker was seen entering a car under his own power at the Bellagio the morning he was found beaten and unconscious, it was learned Friday. Metro police have surveillance tape of Walker going to the car, and it doesn't match the abduction story he told a Web site Tuesday, the source said. It does not appear on the tape that Walker is being coerced, the source said. Bill Cassell, spokesman for the Metropolitan Police Department, said he could not comment beyond saying that there is an ongoing investigation. Walker was found in a pool of blood around 7:30 a.m. Monday about a block east of Las Vegas Boulevard. The Hard Rock Hotel has confirmed Walker left Body English nightclub sometime after 3 a.m., after spraying clubgoers with champagne. Walker also was seen at an after-party in the Hard Rock's penthouse suite. A Hard Rock public relations representative said the hotel had no information on when Walker left the property. "I was just back at my room, and at about 5:30 in the morning," Walker told TheDirty.com, "I got a knock at the door. I opened it, and three guys with guns were there. They cracked me in the head a few times, knocking me unconscious. They then robbed me of everything I had; my watch, money, everything. Somehow they got me to a car and dropped me off in the street. That's what happened." Nik Richie, who reported the abduction story on his Web site, TheDirty.com, confirmed in an interview with Vegas Confidential that he talked to Walker on Tuesday, the day after the alleged incident. "He's a good friend of mine," Richie said in a telephone interview from Scottsdale, Ariz. Richie said he called Walker to see how he was doing and the former NFL All-Pro wideout agreed to talk about what happened on one condition: Walker wanted to shoot down the rumors, Richie said, that the champagne spraying had created issues with boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., who was with his entourage at a nearby table at Body English. "That's why he agreed to talk," Richie said. Walker, who suffered a moderate concussion, a broken eye socket and other facial injuries, was released from Sunrise Hospital on Wednesday. He had been found in a driveway at the Summer's Bay Resort on Winnick Avenue and Koval Lane. Walker's abduction story has been met with skepticism, given the 2,000 video surveillance cameras in the Bellagio, including valet areas, elevators, elevator lobbies and public lobbies. The Scene And Heard Pamela Anderson will be on hand at Planet Hollywood Resort today when her Dodge Viper RT/10 Roadster will be auctioned off. The event will be broadcast live on the Internet by The Auction Network. A portion of the proceeds will go to her favorite cause, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA. Anderson will start off the second session of bidding at 2 p.m. on the mezzanine level. It's open to the public. Also up for auction: Elvis Presley's black suit from "Viva Las Vegas" and a rare set of behind-the-scenes footage of Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable from "The Misfits."

Sunday 6-22-08

Daughter to get Smith's lingerie

Anna Nicole Smith's lover, Larry Birkhead, was in Las Vegas on Saturday to buy some of her lingerie as keepsakes for their daughter.

Birkhead, the guardian of daughter Danielynn's estate, made a surprise appearance at a celebrity auction at Planet Hollywood Resort, where he purchased about $3,000 worth of lingerie, some from Anna Nicole's 1992 Playboy shoot.

A photojournalist when he met Smith at a Kentucky Derby party four years ago, Birkhead said he wanted the Playboy memorabilia as a gift to Danielynn "down the road."

He purchased four of Smith's lingerie pieces, including a pink bustier and a white negligee, at Julien's Auctions, which had bidders from 92 countries.

"I've got a big puzzle to put together for her," Birkhead said of Danielynn, who turns 2 in September.

Her mother, a Playboy icon, died Feb. 8, 2007, in Florida.

"The irony is I was considering doing an auction of all the overflow (memorabilia)," Birkhead said. Instead, he added more to the collection.

LATEST WALKER TWISTS

Metro's investigation into the bizarre Javon Walker case has focused on two critical points after he left Body English nightclub at the Hard Rock Hotel: Who was with him at a party in the Hard Rock penthouse and whom did he leave with?

And just when the story couldn't get any weirder -- on second thought, the hunch here is that it's going to get much wilder -- Walker's former Denver Broncos teammate Brandon Marshall showed up Friday at Tryst.

It was Marshall and his cousin who started spraying champagne at a Denver nightclub on New Year's Eve a year and a half ago, igniting bad blood with some gang members, according to published reports.

Shortly after Walker and some teammates left in a limo, Broncos defensive back Darren Williams was shot in a drive-by and died in Walker's arms.

TOUGH SPORT

Who knew the Rock Paper Scissors championship could be such a rock 'em, sock 'em sport? A competitor got so intense during a Saturday session at Mandalay Bay that he blew out a knee.


Monday 6-23-08

Buzz has Jacko looking at homes Michael Jackson is close to purchasing a home in Las Vegas, according to buzz in the real estate community. Jackson leased a home in Summerlin for six months a year ago before moving back East. He returned in November and has been spotted staying at a home on Palomino Lane for several months. He's been involved in comeback discussions with Tom Barrack, CEO of the investment firm Colony Capital, which has major ownership position in the Las Vegas Hilton. Colony Capital recently bought the loan on the singer's Neverland Ranch. Meanwhile, Jackson's father, Joe Jackson, is apparently joining the crowded reality show field. He was spotted dining at Makino Japanese seafood buffet near Eastern and 215, with a film crew taping his visit. SOCCER STAR VISITS British soccer star Wayne Rooney was at Tryst nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas on Saturday, celebrating his recent marriage. The Manchester United star married his childhood sweetheart, Coleen McLoughlin, on June 12 at a 17th century villa on the Italian Riviera. Rooney joined Tryst operator Victor Drai in his private booth. It has been rumored for some time that Rooney was going to have his bachelor party in Las Vegas. He told the British media that he suggested a "quickie" wedding in Sin City while he and McLoughlin were vacationing here last year. "I said let's just do it," he said, "but Coleen wants the big wedding." The Scene And Heard TV icon Barbara Walters joins "State of Nevada" host Dave Berns from 10-11 a.m. in studio at KNPR-FM 88.9. She's in town to tape five shows of "The View" over three days at Caesars Palace with co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd. The opening lineup today features members of HBO's "Entourage," recording artist Rihanna and Rio headliners Penn and Teller. ABC late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was scheduled to appear but he is no longer in the lineup. ... Local attorney/food critic John Curtas is heading to New York City this week to serve as a judge on the Food Channel's "Iron Chef" show. ... For a photo slide show of Elton John's 200th performance at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, click here: http://www.reviewjournal.com/media/slideshow/eltonjohn/

Tuesday 6-24-08

Norm is taking Tuesdays off

Wednesday 6-25-08

Carlin preferred dog's company

George Carlin much preferred the company of his dog over being a celebrity.

On the rare occasions that he went out in Las Vegas, it usually was to walk his Mo, a white Maltese that he took everywhere after the death of his first wife, Brenda.

"When I worked at Bally's, I'd see him hiding the dog in his coat because animals weren't allowed in the hotel," recalled lounge legend Cook E. Jarr, a friend of Carlin's since they met at the Sands in 1982.

One night, when Jarr was working at a nightclub at the Continental, he invited Carlin to opening night.

"He said, 'Can I bring along my dog?,"

Jarr said yes before checking with management. When he brought it up, he was shot down.

Jarr had to go to the top to get special permission.

Carlin, a comedy icon, died Sunday at age 71, a week after a four-night engagement at The Orleans. He has been a part-time Las Vegas resident since 1999, when he bought a condo in Regency Towers at the Las Vegas Country Club.

When Jarr moved to Carnaval Court at Harrah's, he'd occasionally see Carlin, "peeking around the corner, while walking the dog."

During one of their meetings, Jarr invited Carlin to bring Mo over so he could have the pleasure of doing his business on grass, instead of sidewalks along Las Vegas Boulevard.

"He showed up with Mo in a Louis Vuitton dog carrier," Jarr said.

Carlin wasn't a meet-and-greet kind of guy, Jarr said.

"All the times I saw him backstage, he rarely had anyone in his dressing room. He'd leave the stage and go upstairs and write. His whole life was the HBO specials."

Carlin did 14 of them, almost five times more than any other comedian, Jerry Seinfeld told CNN's Larry King on Tuesday.

"He was a perfectionist and he never deviated," Jarr said of Carlin.

About a year after Carlin's wife died in the late 1980s, "George called me and left a message saying he had found someone. He told me how much he was in love with this gal named Sally. He was so excited he sounded like a schoolkid. I called him and sang 'Mustang Sally.' "

On one of Carlin's visits, Jarr pulled out a super-sized blowup of Carlin with Jarr and his wife, Stacey.

Jarr made a rare request: Would Carlin sign the photo?

"You want something real sweet?" asked Carlin.

Sure, said Jarr.

Carlin signed it "(Bleep) you guys."

"He was a screwball. I loved him," said Jarr. "This really hurts my heart. What a drag."

The Scene And Heard

The Las Vegas Walk of Stars on Sept. 27 will make Elvis Presley its 27th star. Sponsored by the Viva Las Vegas Elvis Presley Fan Club, it will be in front of the Riviera, not the Las Vegas Hilton, where Elvis had more than 800 sold-out performances. Robert Alexander, president of the Las Vegas Walk of Stars, explained that an agreement with the county allows for stars to be placed only on sidewalks from the Sahara to Mandalay Bay. At the Riviera, Elvis's star will be near those of Sammy Davis Jr. and Liberace. ...

Anna Nicole Smith's lingerie wasn't all Larry Birkhead purchased last weekend at a celebrity auction. He bought Sammy Davis Jr.'s UNLV letterman jacket for $2,625 at Julien's Auctions at Planet Hollywood Resort.

Thursday 6-26-08

Remembering George Carlin

Las Vegas headliners are being urged to take a moment and say a word -- or seven -- to honor comedy legend George Carlin.

"Let's all help to do something great -- for George's fans -- together," said Chris Ritter, a New York-based entertainment manager and comedy writer with local connections. Ritter hopes the entertainment community will pay tribute Saturday on their own stages.

Carlin, a longtime Las Vegas headliner, died at age 71 on Sunday in Los Angeles.

Ritter initially proposed that Carlin's famous seven dirty words from his infamous routine "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" be part of the tribute.

Instead, "even the squeakiest clean comics out there can opt to simply mention George or to do something extremely clever in a television friendly way," Ritter said in an e-mail to the media.

The idea, he said, is to put together "a special reel of the various tributes as long as we have the permission of George Carlin's camp to do so. At that point, they can decide whether to put the reel up on YouTube.com or to do something else with it to best reach George's millions of fans."

Ritter has been reaching out to the reps of Las Vegas headliners, offering to take on the project. His telephone number is 646-285-7406.

'LOVE' CHANGES

About 30 percent of the cast of "Love" has been changed in recent weeks as the Beatles-Cirque du Soleil show nears its third anniversary.

A Cirque du Soleil rep said most of the departees were dancers.

"Some wanted to explore other options," said Anita Nelving, who added that three are having babies and several youngsters had exceeded the height limit.

She said about 20 jobs were involved.

"They had been with the show for almost three years, counting a year of creation," Nelving said.

The show, which opened June 30, 2006, at The Mirage, has undergone subtle changes as well, including the blackbird act and the choreography for "Come Together."

Holdovers include Brazilian actor Silvia Aberne, 73, who portrays Eleanor Rigby; Craig Berman, who plays Her Majesty the Queen; gum boot dancer Michael Moloi, and Charlotte O'Dowd, a solo dancer in "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

Friday 6-27-08

Lawrence to cover Carlin's show dates

Las Vegas singing legend Steve Lawrence will fill the dates of his late friend and comedy icon George Carlin on Aug. 15-17 at the Orleans, it was learned Thursday.

"An Evening With Steve Lawrence" will include the backing of a 27-piece orchestra.

Carlin died last Sunday of heart failure in Los Angeles. He was 71.

Carlin's last performance came during his June 12-15 engagement at the Orleans.

Lawrence and his wife, Eydie Gorme, have been Las Vegas favorites for decades. They were chosen to close the legendary Circus Maximus showroom at Caesars Palace in September 2000 and the Stardust showroom on Oct. 28, 2006.

Gorme, who has been battling back problems, is sitting out this one.

Tickets go on sale on Saturday.

Carlin's passing is being mourned by employees at the Orleans, said publicist Candi Cazau.

"He was so precious. He was just so down to earth. He was an icon and yet he'd drive his car here by himself every time he had a show.

"He was no-muss, no-fuss kind of guy. Every star should take a lesson from him."

Carlin rarely had any special requests, she said.

"He asked if someone would go grocery shopping for him at Whole Foods. He always wanted healthy food. He was very conscious of his (heart) problem. He went all organic."

THE ECCENTRIC SIDE

Fellow comedians Carrot Top and Carlin hit it off in the early 1990s, while they were taping an NBC New Year's Eve show.

"I was backstage rehearsing and he came up and told me he was a fan," he said.

It meant a lot because Carlin was the first big name comedian to befriend him.

When they ran into each other backstage on occasion, Carrot Top noticed Carlin had an eccentric habit. Every time he went by a soda vending machine backstage at the Hollywood Theatre at the MGM Grand, "he would dig in to check for change," said Carrot Top.

"I wanted to screw with him, so I left some change one night. I watched him and when he found it, he acted like he had won a million dollars.

"I am absolutely convinced that it was something he had done since his childhood, from growing up poor."

The Scene And Heard

A second show has been added Saturday for the final weekend of "Room 776," the comedy play co-written by Rita Rudner and her husband/manager, Martin Bergman. Sunday is already a sellout at the Little Theater (www.lvlt.org). Saturday's second show begins at 9:45 p.m. ...

Drew Carey is flying out the entire Lon Bronson Band for the "Price is Right" season wrap party this Saturday night in Hollywood. They will be headlining with the Las Vegas female electric string group Phad Strad. Bronson and his band were regulars for "Drew Carey Show" wrap parties since the 1990s. ...

KVBC-TV, Channel 3, on Thursday announced the addition of Dan Ball, morning anchor at KPSP in Palm Springs, to the weekend anchor team. He joins Marie Mortera, and Katherine Whaley won the 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. broadcasts....

A new nightclub with an old Vegas vibe is opening today on the 1000 block of East Sahara. The Red Apple will tap into nostalgia of the 1950s and 1960s. Local entertainers are invited to perform on the stage.

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