March '08 Notes from Norm — Norm Clarke Column

Saturday 3-15-08

Viewers want 'em to put on the dog

A case of puppy love has turned into a dogfight pitting meteorologist John Fredericks against management at KVBC-TV, Channel 3.

In the middle of the storm is Fredericks' 8-month-old golden lab puppy, LJ, who replaced Fredericks' longtime on-air forecasting companion, Jordan, a golden retriever who died last summer.

LJ, short for Little Jordan, has become a cause célèbre since he disappeared from Fredericks' forecasts.

Dog lover Susan Russell organized a bring-back-LJ protest by sending an e-mail blast to several hundred animal lovers, calling for them to flood the station with calls and e-mails and join a picket line.

Reached on Friday, KVBC general manager, Lisa Howfield, initially responded by saying she and Fredericks mutually agreed to take LJ off the air.

But she called back later and said, "It was John's choice to take the dog off the air. I would have liked us to keep the dog on the air. I know people aren't going to believe that, but. ..."

Asked if the dispute involved contract negotiations with Fredericks, she said, "He has a long-term contract."

A source close to the situation said Fredericks was seeking a separate deal for the dog. Another source said the battle has to do with KVBC wanting "exclusive and total rights to LJ's image."

"It's John's dog. His son, in a lot of ways," said Howfield.

Fredericks has apparently been, umm, muzzled, because he did not respond to e-mail and telephone requests for comment.

The Scene And Heard

Vocal impressionist Gordie Brown is starting a limited engagement March 31 at V Theater on Miracle Mile (Planet Hollywood Resort). Brown, whose one-year run at The Venetian, ended last month, is reported to be working on a TV project with manager Bernie Yuman. ...

"Star Wars" creator George Lucas knows how to roll. In town to promote the animated "Star Wars" chapter, "The Clone Wars," Lucas made the most dramatic entrance at ShoWest, the annual theater industry trade show and convention, which ended a four-day run Thursday at Paris Las Vegas. He marched onstage accompanied by a legion of costumed Imperial Stormtroopers. "I never go anywhere without my army," he joked.

Sunday 3-16-08

Bodacious moved for decency's sake

A life-sized bronze bull, once a virile symbol of chef Mario Batali's new steakhouse at the Palazzo, has been put out to pasture, in a manner of speaking.

His popularity with the ladies became a bit of a problem.

Concerned about safety issues and some inappropriate fondling, the powers-that-be at the new hotel and casino ordered Bodacious to a backroom.

A number of frisky female admirers climbed on Bodacious' back for gag photos when he was positioned in front of Carnevino Steakhouse.

From there he was moved into the center of the Carnevino's main room, where several other incidents occurred.

Bodacious the bull has been removed from in front of Carnevino Steakhouse at the Palazzo. Concerned about safety issues and some inappropriate fondling, the powers-that-be at the new hotel and casino ordered Bodacious to a backroom.

"There were legal and safety concerns," a Carnevino manager confirmed. "There was definitely some climbing going on."

George Clooney might be interested in knowing that his girlfriend, Las Vegas model Sarah Larson, had a hand in getting Bodacious banished to the bullpen.

Bodacious was named after the legendary rodeo bull who was so feared that bull riding legend Tuff Hedeman refused to ride him during the 1995 National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

TRUMP FACES CHALLENGE

Donald Trump has recruited Donny and Marie Osmond to clean up his tarnished Miss USA brand, but he's facing some bad timing.

Donny and Marie, paragons of wholesomeness, will co-host the 2008 Miss USA pageant on April 11 at the Planet Hollywood Resort.

Trump is counting on the Osmonds to help repair the damage from recent scandals involving Miss USA Tara Conner and Miss Nevada USA Katie Rees.

Conner was given a second chance to remain as Miss USA a year ago amid allegations of underage drinking, drug use and publicly kissing Miss Teen USA Katie Blair.

Rees was stripped of her title a year ago as well, after racy photos of her surfaced on the Internet. She's continued to generate negative headlines with her wild partying and arrest in February on a charge of resisting arrest.

Trump, co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization, which includes the Miss USA pageant, will be in for a double dose of bad publicity when the pageant arrives in Las Vegas.

Rees' trial is set to start April 9, two days before the pageant, and E! Entertainment is airing a special that week on beauty queen scandals.

Alicia Jacobs, entertainment reporter at KVBC-TV, Channel 3, was recently interviewed for three hours for the E! special, mostly about Rees and her friendships. "They dig into her background big time," Jacobs said.

The Osmonds have been negotiating a resident headliner deal with the Flamingo.

The Scene And Heard

Chas LaForte, chef and original partner at Fellini's Ristorante Italiano since it opened in 1997, is signing his new book "An Appetite for Life" from 2 p.m.-5 p.m. today at a champagne and wine tasting at the restaurant, 5555 W. Charleston Blvd. It's more about one man's musings than LaForte's famous pasta dishes, but his "sensous shrimp" recipe is a classic project for amorous couples.


Monday 3-17-08

Pure's investors won't talk of raid Pure nightclub's celebrity investors aren't talking to the media about the recent IRS raid, but sources say there's been growing tension even before the feds got involved. I sent e-mails last week, asking for comment about the Pure raid from Celine Dion, tennis icons Andre Agassi, his wife, Steffi Graf, and NBA star Shaquille O'Neal. Dion's publicist Kim Jakwerth did not respond, nor did Perry Rogers, who represents Agassi, Graf and O'Neal. Las Vegas attorney David Chesnoff, who is representing Pure managing partner Steve Davidovici, dismissed rumors that celebrity investors were upset or considering dropping out of the partnership. Pure spokeswoman Kate Turner said she was unaware of any disgruntled partners. However, sources confirm that there has been at least one audit of the megaclub at Caesars Palace on behalf of several celebrity investors and that other investors have made their displeasure known. Sources said some of the unhappiness stems from the celebrity investors not being invited to be partners in LAX nightclub at Luxor, which they believed had been agreed upon. SHOOTING FOR THE STARS Wolfgang Puck, who opened his sixth Las Vegas restaurant last week, is aiming for the stars: his first-ever Michelin three-star eatery. During a stop at our table, I asked him if he's considered doing a dream restaurant to crown his career. "I'd like to do one with about 45 seats, and make it a three-star," he told me during his VIP opening of CUT Steakhouse at the Palazzo. It would be Puck's ultimate challenge. Michelin, the world's most prestigious dining guide, had never published a Los Angeles or Las Vegas version until this year. The only three-star rating awarded to a restaurant in either city went to Joel Robuchon's at the MGM Grand. Puck's next fine dining frontier is likely to be Singapore, where billionaire Sheldon Adelson, owner of The Venetian and he Palazzo, is building Singapore's first casino on a 50-acre waterfront site near the financial district. Wolfgang Puck aims for his first Michelin three-star eatery.

Tuesday 3-18-08

Norm is taking Tuesdays off

Wednesday 3-19-08

Mills has a shot at another crowning

Heather Mills, $48.6 million richer after her divorce settlement with Paul McCartney, will be a judge for the Miss USA pageant in Las Vegas in April.

Mills, who sought $250 million, reportedly blew up in court and dumped water on McCartney's attorney, Fiona Shackleton, near the end of Monday's hearing in London.

Mills will join Donny and Marie Osmond at the pageant at Planet Hollywood Resort. An announcement is coming today, we hear. The Osmonds have signed on as hosts.

The 40-year-old Mills was married to the Beatles icon for four years.

TIPPING POINTS

If the widespread tipping shakedowns don't cease at local nightclubs, here's an idea: make room on the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign for a logo showing an outstretched hand.

The upturned palm, unfortunately, is the image too many tourists take home these days after being hassled for tips at every turn.

Even with all the horror stories and recent media criticism, the greedy practice continues.

A Denver friend, while coordinating a bachelor party for 18 the past few weeks, made lodging reservations at the MGM Grand's Signature luxury towers.

Partying at nearby Studio 54 in the MGM Grand made sense geographically, my source said.

But after getting set up with VIP tables and bottle service at an estimated cost of $3,000-$4,000, my friend said, the VIP host requested a final add-on: a $300 cash payment was expected at the door "to make sure you get a good table."

My friend bitterly backed out this week and took the party elsewhere, where there was no mention of palm-greasing expectations at the front door.

Which begs the question: Didn't hotels get rid of the maitre 'd showroom tipping system years ago because it was so off-putting?

Hospitality, long the foundation of the Las Vegas experience, has been replaced by soaking the customer in every imaginable way.

Add a teetering economy to the shakedown scandal and surfacing cases of excessive violence and an argument could be made that Las Vegas is at a tipping point.

I called Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, for his take.

"We are concerned about the overall experience people have in Las Vegas," he said. "We need to have customers come back."

A NEW OPENING FOR PENN

Penn Jillette opened the sixth season of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" to mixed reviews.

"He's big, he's funny, he's vastly entertaining. But when he dances, the ironic magician brings to mind Peter Boyle stomping through 'Puttin' On the Ritz' in 'Young Frankenstein,' " wrote Julie Hinds of the Detroit Free Press. "Still, you've got to give Jillette credit for showmanship."

Jillette, half of the Rio's Penn & Teller headlining act, finished one point from the bottom on the opening night. Tim Goodman of the San Francisco Chronicle said, "Jillette was robbed of one, maybe two points" and had "the bigger beef, since he was markedly better" than actor Steve Guttenberg and comedian/radio host Adam Carolla "but suffered from going first."

The Scene And Heard

A couple of announcements from Rumor Central: Sorry, folks, if it looked as if I was AWOL on Tuesday. But I'm moving to a six-day schedule (Wednesday through Monday), with my pal Doug Elfman capably filling the space on Tuesdays. Secondly, we've added a new member to our family. Rumor, our 11/2-year-old Yorkie-Silky, has a new running mate, a spitfire Silky named Scandal. It's a fact: where there's a Rumor, a Scandal isn't far behind. If the Leggy Blonde can teach 'em how to operate a camera, we'll have our own puparazzi.

Thursday 3-20-08

'Gondo' awaiting heart transplant

Instead of being courtside in his longtime role as radio analyst for the UNLV Rebels basketball team, Glen Gondrezick is playing a waiting game at UCLA Medical Center.

He's waiting for some good news, after learning Tuesday he's come down with pneumonia while checking in to begin a heart transplant procedure.

As he spoke from his hospital bed, it was clear his heart will be in Omaha, Neb., where the Rebels are playing Kent State in a first-round NCAA tournament game.

The 6-foot-6 Gondrezick's all-out hustle helped UNLV reach the Final Four for the first time in 1977 with a record-breaking 23 100-point games.

"People have said one of the reasons I'm in here right now is because I played so hard it put strain on my heart," he said. "That's what a cardiologist told me."

For 16 years, Gondrezick, 52, has been providing commentary for the Rebels.

The Findlay Automotive Group on Wednesday announced a fundraising event to assist him in what figures to be astronomical medical expenses. The company, founded by former UNLV player Cliff Findlay, hopes to raise more than $20,000 by donating $100 for every vehicle sold at Findlay dealerships March 28 and 29.

Others have set up a fund in Gondrezick's name at all local Bank of America branches. "Here I am struggling with a heart problem, and other people are showing me how big their hearts are," he said.

The Scene And Heard

When a blackout hit the Excalibur on Tuesday night and auxiliary power failed, comedy veteran Louie Anderson improvised. He told his audience he would stay if they did. The crowd gave him a big ovation, and, after stagehands came up with three high-powered flashlights, Anderson continued his show in the Thunder From Down Under showroom. He even gave the crowd an additional 15 minutes. The blackout also knocked out power at the Luxor, Mandalay Bay and the Four Seasons. ...

The UNLV Rebels got a warm reception when they showed up for dinner Wednesday at Sullivan's steakhouse in Omaha. The manager, Mandy Tibbals, graduated from UNLV in 2005 with a degree in hotel management. The Winnemucca native had the female servers dressed in referee jerseys with red ribbons in their hair. Tibbals had reached out and invited the team to dinner. ...

UNLV's NCAA Tournament opener against Kent State today will be shown on the 130-foot by 40-foot LED video screen at the entrance to the Miracle Mile Shops (Planet Hollywood Resort). Game time is 11:55 a.m....

Friday 3-21-08

Pure group hopes for some good PR

Moving quickly to repair its image after an IRS raid, Pure Management Group has hired a high-powered Los Angeles public relations firm that specializes in crisis management.

Sitrick and Company has been retained as "communications advisors" to assist Las Vegas-based Kirvin Doak Communications with the city's biggest nightlife scandal in years, a source confirmed Thursday.

PMG is Sitrick's latest high-profile client on a list that includes billionaire gaming mogul Kirk Kerkorian, talk-show host Rush Limbaugh, party girl Paris Hilton, Oscar winner Halle Berry and supermodel Naomi Campbell.

The headquarters of Pure Management Group, a nightclub and restaurant empire operated by Robert Frey and Steve Davidovici, was raided Feb. 21 by IRS agents, who also paid a visit to the flagship club Pure at Caesars Palace and LAX nightclub at Luxor.

Headlining magician David Copperfield hired Sitrick last year after an FBI raid in connection with rape allegations.

Sitrick also is representing prominent Los Angeles entertainment attorney Terry Christensen, who has been indicted on charges of paying private detective Anthony Pellicano $100,000 to wiretap Kerkorian's wife at the time.

Pellicano was indicted on federal wiretapping charges in 2006, after a massive investigation that rocked Hollywood.

The Scene And Heard

Citing an economic downturn, Las Vegas Life magazine announced a reorganization Thursday that will end its monthly publication next month after a 10-year run. The Greenspun Media Group publication will switch to a "Best Of" format after the April issue, Michael Carr, president of Greenspun Media Group, told staffers in an e-mail. "We plan to use the title as the umbrella title in the development of our digital and interactive strategies online," he wrote. Three upper-level employees were laid off, including the director of sales and the art director. The magazine had a circulation of about 40,000. ...

Luxor nightclub Cathouse Loungerie reopens tonight after being closed for almost a month when structural issues forced more than 100 club patrons to evacuate a second-floor lounge. "CatHouse and Luxor management worked closely with MGM MIRAGE engineers and Clark County Building inspectors to address these issues and assure the safety of our guests and employees," all parties said in a statement Thursday.

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