Sunday 3-09-08

Trial may reveal more tip tidbits

An upcoming trial claiming excessive force by doormen at Rumjungle nightclub at Mandalay Bay figures to shed more light on rumored shakedown practices at local clubs.

San Francisco firefighter Joshua Parks alleges his femur, the largest bone in the body, was broken by security personnel March 29, 2004, when he refused to pay a security guard to re-enter after leaving the club for a cigarette.

District Judge David Wall heard motions on the case last Friday. The trial is scheduled to start in his court March 24.

According to court documents, Parks was confronted by security guards Orlando Johnson and Nathan Vargas when the 5-foot-6, 155-pound firefighter attempted to rejoin a wedding party.

In a deposition, Parks said he felt he was being "muscled" for a tip and was beaten when he objected.

The lawsuit alleges his leg was intentionally broken during the incident.

Emmett Michaels, director of security for Mandalay Group, said in a deposition the injury had to be "some kind of excessive force." Surveillance video showed Parks' shattered leg ended up near his head, Michaels said. "Not in 18 years (as security chief) did we have anything similar to that ... not even close," he said.

Vargas, in his deposition, said he was fired by Rumjungle's management in 2005 for taking "excessive tips." Asked what he earned on average in a year for working the door, Vargas said, "I don't know."

When pressed for specific tax information, Vargas said he was told by management that he didn't have to file tax returns, because "they said it was a gratuity."

The trial is likely to shine more light on aggressive tipping practices and unreported income.

Club operators and casinos are already on edge after an IRS raid Feb. 20 at Pure Nightclub at Caesars Palace and Pure Management Group's offices.

Rumjungle is operated by the China Grill group, which leases the space from Mandalay Group, Mandalay Bay's parent company.

The Scene And Heard

Bad blood between two nightclubs resulted in the cancellation of Benji Madden, guitarist for Good Charlotte and Paris Hilton's new boyfriend, as Saturday's host at Privé Nightclub at Planet Hollywood Resort. Hilton was hosting at Pure Management Group's LAX nightclub at Luxor. Sources said Privé didn't want Madden showing up later at a rival club, a routine contract stipulation. On Friday, Hilton showed off a diamond-studded ring at the Kim Vo Salon and Spa grand opening at The Mirage. The ring featured the letters "BM," apparently a gift from Madden. ...

A reality show that would feature maverick chef Steve Martorano and his South Florida and Las Vegas restaurants is being shopped. The heavily tattooed Martorano is known for his South Philly fare and hard-edged atmosphere. Café Martorano opened at the Rio more than a year ago

Tuesday  3-11-08

Friends split hairs over Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton's red carpet appearance at a local salon opening has her friends wigging out.

Las Vegas salon operator Michael Boychuck, Hilton's longtime colorist and friend, is furious with Hilton pal Jeff Beacher, who showed up with Hilton at the Friday VIP opening of Hollywood stylist Kim Vo's salon at The Mirage.

Boychuck said he sent an X-rated text message to Beacher and later had words with him, accusing the entertainment impresario of "conning" Hilton into attending Vo's event.

Boychuck, who said he attended Vo's opener to support a former colleague, said he was caught off guard and hurt when Hilton arrived on the red carpet.

"Beacher orchestrated everything," said Boychuck, who contends Hilton thought Beacher was taking her to a cocktail party.

Hilton stopped on the red carpet and did not enter Vo's salon when she realized "she was being conned," said Boychuck, who runs salons at Caesars Palace and the Palms.

Beacher, he said, was delivering Hilton to the event to curry favor with The Mirage.

Beacher acknowledged he was doing "a favor," but was not paid for it. He added, "This is not a story. It's absurd. Paris can go wherever she wants. I'm not a celebrity wrangler."

Boychuck sent me what appeared to be an apologetic text messages from Vo, who worked with Boychuck years ago. "He's a class act," said Boychuck.

Vo went on to become one of the top celebrity stylists in Hollywood. His clientele includes Britney Spears and Pamela Anderson, Kate Hudson, Goldie Hawn and Teri Hatcher.

"Hairdressers have a code of ethics," Boychuck said. Hilton's presence at the opening gave the impression that she was endorsing Vo, Boychuck said.

"I've been getting calls from the media asking, 'Did Paris leave you for Kim?'" The Mirage, he said, "did that on purpose. That's the lowest scam I've ever seen."

A rep for The Mirage said Beacher called Scott Sibella, president of The Mirage, to say Hilton would be dining at Stack restaurant on her way to "Love" with boyfriend Benji Madden. "Scott said, 'Since she's going to be on property, why don't you bring her by (the event).' It was all very innocent."

NOT ENGAGED

George Clooney's publicist is dismissing an Italian newspaper report that claimed he and Sarah Larson have gotten secretly engaged.

"These reports are not true," Clooney's Los Angeles-based rep, Stan Rosenfield, told People magazine.

A source told Vegas Confidential that Larson, a Las Vegas model who met Clooney while she was a cocktail server here, recently hinted her plan was to "get serious about modeling" before getting deeper involved in the relationship.

Clooney took Larson to the Oscars last month after a romantic Valentine's weekend with her in Las Vegas. It was the first time Clooney has taken a date to Hollywood's most glamorous event.

The Scene And Heard

The cast and crew for the Rio's "Show in the Sky" were informed last week that the production is closing April 8. More than 70 people are being laid off. ...

Wolfgang Puck is in town for tonight's VIP opening at The Palazzo of CUT steakhouse, the latest spinoff of one of his Los Angeles fine dining emporiums. ...

 Ex-Nugget owner tells of wild ride

There's no shortage of nuggets in Tom Breitling's new book "Double or Nothing: How Two Friends Risked It All to Buy One of Las Vegas' Legendary Casinos."

	Tom Breitling, left, and Tim Poster owned the Golden Nugget for a little more than a year before selling it to Tilman Fertitta in 2005. Review-Journal File Photo

Breitling reveals the tense times with his Golden Nugget partner, Tim Poster; the embarrassment of the reality TV show "The Casino"; Breitling's breakup with actress Jaime Pressly, and the hardball deals with Barry Diller and Tilman Fertitta.

Masterful writing and reporting by co-author Cal Fussman takes the reader on the wild ride that made millionaires out of the co-founders of the Travelscape reservation service (later sold to Expedia) in their 30s.

Breitling blames a disappearing act by "Survivor" producer Mark Burnett for the stinker ratings of "The Casino."

We were his third-string show, and Burnett had left us with some first-time producers" who relied on staged scenes and every imaginable Vegas stereotype.

Friction was already building between Poster and Breitling when Pressly came between them.

Pressly showed up at the June 2004 premiere of the show in a miniskirt and halter top, "which couldn't have been further from the Vintage Vegas image Tim and I were trying to brand."

Poster took one look at the former Playboy cover girl and growled, "What the hell, Tom! The cocktail waitresses have more clothing on than she does."

Later, Poster spoke his mind. "Tom, this broad is not for you."

She became a wedge in the two pals' long friendship, and it came to a head in Dubai when they went to watch friend and Golden Nugget investor Andre Agassi play in a tennis tournament.

The blowup occurred in front of Agassi, who stepped between them and "explained everything he'd learned from his marriage and divorce with the actress Brooke Shields," Breitling said.

Stomach-turning, million-dollar losses to high rollers also tested their friendship.

Their worst nightmare was a video game creator code-named "Mr. Royalty," who won $8.5 million in less than two weeks while playing craps at $110,000 a toss.

Breitling and Fussman provide a dramatic account of a bidding war that broke out between Texas businessman Fertitta and his cousins, Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, the owners of Station Casinos.

The Fertitta brothers, longtime friends of Poster and Breitling, thought they had a deal with the duo for the Golden Nugget, but it fell apart during a meeting at Piero's Italian Cuisine.

The Fertittas released them from the deal and preserved the friendship. 

The Scene And Heard

Elvis Presley is getting his star on the Strip, thanks to the Viva Las Vegas! Elvis Presley Fan Club. The Las Vegas Walk of Stars ceremony will be held in September….

A red carpet event for Kevin Spacey's set-in-Vegas gambling film "21" will begin at 7 tonight on the casino floor at Planet Hollywood Resort. Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne, James Sturgess and author Ben Mezrich are expected. The film will premiere at Planet Hollywood Resort, Paris Las Vegas and Bally's for ShoWest conventioneers.

And it might have stayed here, too

New York ain't got nothin' on Las Vegas when it comes to renting a tart for the evening.

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, as the world knows by now, allegedly spent $4,300 for a "high-class" prostitute to take the train from New York City to Washington, D.C., and spend the night with him.

Based on the going rate we've heard about Nye County for rental services, $4,300 seemed kinda cheap.

Laraine Harper, the former Madame for one of the better tart rental joints in Nye County, was surprised, too.

A "straight lay" at a legal brothel in Nevada, she said, will run about $1,000. But a whole night can run up to $20,000. And if you want a "bungalow party," which involves more time and more ladies of the evening, you can drop $100,000 easily.

When it comes to consorting with soiled doves, "you can drive a Saturn or you can drive a Cadillac," Harper says.

By Nevada standards, she says, Spitzer was driving a Saturn.

Full disclosure: Harper has written a book, "Madame Dream Maker," that will be published this year by Stephens Press, which is owned by Stephens Media LLC, owner of the R-J.

The Scene And Heard

Ashley Alexandra Dupre, the call girl named in the Spitzer case, lists Celine Dion as a "top five" friend on her MySpace page. The wannabe singer's song "What We Want" was getting major play time Wednesday, with more than 400,000 plays by 6 p.m. Pacific time at www.myspace.com/ninavenetta. Along with Dion, Dupre named Madonna, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige and Amy Winehouse on her "top five" friends list. ...

Former Miss Nevada Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann in "Gilligan's Island," is back in the headlines. Wells, whose father ran the Thunderbird Hotel, was busted for possession of marijuana in her car near her home in Driggs, Idaho. But her lawyer told TMZ.com that a third party came forward and claimed full responsibility for the marijuana. Wells, 69, pleaded guilty last month to one count of reckless driving and received a five-day sentence that was suspended. ...

A reliable MGM Mirage source says repercussions from the IRS raid at Pure nightclub at Caesars Palace and LAX nightclub at Luxor are "bigger than you can ever imagine. Change is an understatement. The accounting is being deconstructed right now by the feds," and it could take months. He added that "there is an immense amount of pressure on the hotels to not outsource these venues going forward ... the heart of the ops will be taken in-house." ...

The "Show in the Sky" at the Rio will return with a new cast. "The show is definitely not closing, but the current cast's last day is April 8. We're looking at some changes," said Celena Haas, director of public relations for the Rio. ...

"Mamma Mia!" star Carol Linnea Johnson, who plays the lead (Donna), gets hitched in every show. But there was a sweet twist in Tuesday's show. The role of the priest conducting the wedding, Father Alexander, was played by her real-life husband, Don Burroughs. That means she's been both married to her husband and married by her husband (at least on stage).

Friday 3-14-08

Spring bouquet says just 'friends'

One of Gov. Jim Gibbons' young lieutenants is hanging out with and sending flowers to Hollywood hottie Lauren Conrad.

The former "Laguna Beach" co-star, now a lead in the hit TV show "The Hills," invited Brad Keating, 21, to the launch Tuesday of the fall collection of her fashion line at Los Angeles Fashion Week.

Keating, in a telephone interview Thursday, said he didn't attend because of a business class but sent flowers.

Red roses? "They weren't roses," he said. "A spring bouquet, I think."

They were introduced at the Video Music Awards at the Palms in September "by one of the Maloofs," he said. "We're good friends and we stay in touch. We hang out when she's been here on business with people we all know," Keating said.

He graduated from Coronado High School, where he was student body president during his senior year. He also advised former Gov. Kenny Guinn on teen issues, published reports stated.

While in high school, Keating created "The Wait Program," a national pregnancy prevention movement based on abstinence.

However, when I asked whether he was involved in a program promoting virginity, he said no. And after the interview, a photo of Keating at a nightclub surrounded by six young women was removed from his Web page on MySpace.com, which is a social networking site.

On another social Web site, Facebook.com, Keating lists Conrad among his friends, along with Anthony Eliades, scion of the Olympic Garden strip club family.

After serving as an intern to Gibbons upon graduating from Coronado, Keating later was a personal aide of Gibbons' in Las Vegas. He joined the governor's staff as an assistant to the governor when Gibbons took office in January 2007.

The Scene And Heard

Look for a line down the block tonight at DeStefano's Italian Restaurant, at Pecos Road and Tropicana Avenue. I hear Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme are showing up with crooner Vic Damone. All three had Top 10 hits: Lawrence hit No. 1 with "Go Away Little Girl" in late 1962, Gorme made it to No. 7 on the charts in early 1963 with "Blame It on the Bossa Nova," and Damone hit the big time in 1956 with "On The Street Where You Live," which rose to No. 4. Lawrence also had four other Top 10 hits. ...

Professional ballroom dancer Kym Johnson, who has been working with Penn Jillette for the upcoming "Dancing With the Stars" competition, is making a guest appearance today at Lake Elementary School.

Pre Order Vegas Confidential: Sinsational Celebrity Tales

Norm Clarke's newest book, Vegas Confidential: Sinsational Celebrity Tales ($12.95, Stephens Press, February 2008), dishes up a feast from Sin City's Ace Insider on celeb's club hopping, spending sprees, outrageous behavior, feuds and meltdowns, and the best (and worst) tippers. Discounted pre-orders are $9.95 and include free shipping. Pre-order your copy now!