October '08 Notes from Norm — Norm Clarke Column

Saturday 10-18-08

	Soccer fans sport 'Borat' mankinis Borat would have fit right in at the Crown & Anchor Pub, a popular local hangout for the soccer crowd. During last week's World Cup qualifier match between England and Kazakhstan, two fans stripped down to what is known as the Borat mankini. British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, cast as a fictional Kazakhstani journalist, wore one of the suspendered thongs in the 2006 hit film "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." Crown & Anchor owner Ron Schultz missed it but heard so many accounts that he drew his own conclusion. "Fun, yes, but a good look ... no," said Schultz. Cohen plays a flamboyant Austrian fashionista in his next film, which comes out in May. It is titled: "Brüno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt." FULL HOUSE Swedish golfers Jesper Parnevik and Daniel Chopra are taking togetherness to extremes. Close friends, Parnevik and Chopra are not only staying in the same house during the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, but they shot identical opening rounds of 69 and 65 at TPC Summerlin. They are in a 15-way tie for 21st, eight strokes behind co-leaders Matt Kuchar and Marc Turnesa. Parnevik and Chopra are among 15 guests staying with Michael and Jenna Morton. "It's kind of like Team Sweden at the Mortons," said Michael Morton, a partner in N9NE Group, which operates restaurants and nightclubs at the Palms. Parnevik, whose father Bo is Sweden's most famous comedian, attended "Blue Man Group" at The Venetian on Thursday with the Mortons and Swedish fashion designer Johan Lindeberg, who designs Timberlake's new line, William Rast. Oh, and the guest house is occupied as well. Chris Affleck, mother of actors Ben and Casey, has been a guest of the Mortons for several weeks. She's running one of the Barack Obama campaign offices in Las Vegas. ELVI CREATOR GETS STAR Flying Elvi creator Dick Feeney was presented his ceremonial star from the Las Vegas Walk of Stars group on Friday at the Plaza Hotel & Casino. Feeney came to Las Vegas in 1985 as an associate producer of "An Evening at La Cage" at the Riviera and two years later produced the "Crazy Girls" revue. He organized the skydivers who appeared in the 1992 hit movie "Honeymoon in Vegas." Later, during a skydiving event he announced to the crowd that "the Elvi have left the building," and name stuck. They were based in Las Vegas and were the only such officially licensed by the Elvis Presley estate. His star will be placed in front of New York-New York. The Scene And Heard The local TV and radio community gathers tonight at Paris Las Vegas for the Electronic Media Awards. The event honors on-air talent as well as the advertising side of the Southern Nevada broadcasting industry. Money raised goes toward scholarships for communication students at UNLV and College of Southern Nevada. Sightings Beijing Olympics swimming star Michael Phelps, back in Las Vegas on Friday. He's staying in a penthouse at Palms Place. He was here shortly after the Olympics to take poker lessons ... Rihanna, making a purchase at Herve Leger at the Miracle Mile in Planet Hollywood Resort on Friday ... Tyra Banks, in town filming "America's Next Top Model" at Caesars Palace, attended the early show at "Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular" and the late performance of "Love" on Thursday night. She was accompanied by "America's Next Top Model" producer Brad Sisk ...

Sunday 10-19-08

Big day nears for Palin look-alikes

A Las Vegas strip club already has been asked the question: Can men enter Thursday's Sarah Palin look-alike contest?

You betcha, by golly, dontcha know.

"But I'm not sure how he'll compete in the swimsuit contest," said Mark Wiley, a publicist for Club Paradise, site of the pole-litically incorrect competition.

The club is casting a wide net for strippers who can look vice presidential. The first round of competition calls for business attire, which can be a blazer and skirt, Wiley said.

Contestants will wear swimsuits in the second round.

Club Paradise's regular emcee will dress up as Republican presidential nominee John McCain.

"He's been practicing mannerisms all week," Wiley said.

The "debate" will start at 8 p.m., with the winner receiving $2,500 in cash and a trip for two to Washington, D.C., in January for the presidential inauguration.

The media response has been amazing, Wiley said. Even a French news station has indicated it will send a reporter, he said.

Nobody's complained about the contest, so far, he added.

Can a Say-It-Ain't-So Joe The Plumber contest be far behind?

The Scene And Heard

"All Together Now," a 90-minute documentary about the making of "Love," the collaboration between The Beatles and Cirque du Soleil, will be shown at Rave Town Square 18 at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Monday and at Brenden Theatres & IMAX at the Palms at 5, 7 and 9 p.m. Cast members of "Love," which opened at The Mirage in June 2006, will appear at Rave in costume from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.

Sightings

At Privé (Planet Hollywood Resort), site of the official after-party for Justin Timberlake's charity concert, "Justin Timberlake and Friends": Timberlake, with girlfriend Jessica Biel; his pal Trace Ayala; members of Boys II Men; British singing sensation Leona Lewis; Dutch singing star Esmee Denters (who Timberlake signed to his record company last year when she was 18); former fellow *N SYNC bandmate Chris Kirkpatrick; former "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" star Alfonso Ribeiro; "America's Got Talent" finalists Nuttin' But Stringz and Will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas, who put in a three-hour stint on the turntable. ... In the crowd at "Justin Timberlake and Friends": Biel, dancing in the sound board area with girlfriends, golfer Fred Couples, retired tennis pro/former Andre Agassi coach Darren Cahill and his wife, Victoria, *N SYNC's Kirkpatrick (on his 37th birthday) and British actor Max Beesley, who played opposite Mariah Carey in "Glitter." ... Baltimore Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller, out for the season with a shoulder injury, at LAX (Luxor) on Friday, sipping Fiji water and cranberry juice. ... Guy Fieri, winner of the second season of "The Next Food Network Star," at CatHouse (Luxor) Thursday having drinks with chef Kerry Simon. Earlier, Fieri rode a Harley-Davidson into UNLV's Chefs Artists Series Dinner at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is a UNLV graduate.


Monday 10-20-08

Duck to water: Phelps and poker Olympic swimming royalty Michael Phelps continues to possess the Midas touch. We also now know that he's a fast learner. Six weeks after coming to Las Vegas to learn how to play poker, Phelps made the final table of the Caesars Palace Poker Classic over the weekend. Proving he can swim with sharks, the poker species, Phelps finished ninth out of 187 entrants in Sunday's $1,570 buy-in event. And he continues to collect gold medals: While being introduced to the crowd Sunday, Phelps was presented with a gold Caesars Palace medallion by poker room manager Jim Pedulla and supervisor Bill O'Connell. It will fit nicely with his amazing Olympic collection of 14 gold medals, including a record eight in the Beijing Olympics. He's letting it be known he wants to play in the World Series of Poker. MONDAY BUZZ As the economic hangover looms larger, people are asking: Would MGM Mirage consider selling crown jewel Bellagio for a cash infusion as CityCenter's price tag continues to soar? The rumor's out there. ... We hear surveillance cameras are being trained on audience members, including media, at a much-discussed show to determine what elements of the show gets a reaction and which fall flat. POETRY IN MOTION About 200 Poetry nightclub patrons and others participated in an observance early Sunday at the Forum Shops at Caesars. Patrons were invited to observe the closure of a large fire door about 1 a.m. The door is at the center of legal action by Poetry owner Michael Goodwin, with partners in Wolfgang Puck's Chinois restaurant. They have sued Caesars Palace and Simon Property Group Inc., the owners of the Forum Shops. The Poetry lawsuit alleges business is being damaged because the main entrance to the mall is being closed on Friday and Saturday to force Poetry's predominantly black clientele to enter through a back door. The Scene And Heard Former heavyweight boxing champ Joe Frazier is visiting The Caring Place, 4425 S. Jones Blvd., Suite No. 1, from 5 to 6 p.m. today to lift spirits. He will be accompanied by Dan Grimaldi, who played twins Patsy and Philly Parisi on "The Sopranos" and comedian Jeff Parami. ... We hear Joseph Hall, the Elvis impersonator who appeared at the MGM Grand on Friday with the "America's Got Talent" finalists, has something else in common with The King: Backstage spies say the ladies on the show found the Lincoln, Neb., entertainer devastatingly charming. ... Former KLAS-TV, Channel 8, weekend anchor Colleen May was named Best TV News Anchor at Saturday night's Electronic Media Awards at Paris Las Vegas. It had to be the sweetest of the three she has won since 2005. Last month she was among 17 laid off at KLAS. Sightings Mena Suvari, who plays slaying suspect Sandy Murphy in Lifetime's "Sex & Lives in Sin City: The Ted Binion Scandal," which airs Saturday, has Murphy's character down pat. Other than posing for photos, Suvari didn't want anything to do with the media Saturday at the one-year anniversary party at Blush, in Wynn Las Vegas. No questions, her handler said. ... Josh Henderson of "Desperate Housewives" and the new "90210," on the balcony Saturday at The Bank, in Bellagio. Also in the club: Star chef Bobby Flay and friends. ... Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler of "The Sopranos," making stops Saturday at Lavo, in Palazzo, and Body English, in Hard Rock Hotel. ... Also at Lavo: Cheech Marin, after his show at the Palms, and Apl.de.ap from Black Eyed Peas.

Tuesday 10-21-08

Norm took the day off

Wednesday 10-22-08

Believe it or not, Criss Angel's a hit

Days away from the Halloween launch of Cirque du Soleil's $100 million gamble on magic, Criss Angel is convinced he has a monster hit.

That's not just his confidence showing.

"Ultimately it's up to the public, and the public has spoken," the Luxor headliner said in a telephone interview Tuesday.

Advance ticket sales have been so robust, said Angel, that "I believe we're beating 'Love' and 'O' and every Cirque show, and we're now the No. 1 or No. 1 best-selling show in Vegas."

It wasn't planned this way, but "Criss Angel Believe" will open on the 82nd anniversary of the death of his hero, Harry Houdini.

The show title comes from one of Houdini's last conversation with his wife.

"After my death, many people will claim that they are still able to communicate with me. If their claims are valid, they will be able to tell you a code word. That word is believe."

Angel has faith that his collaboration with Cirque will win over the disbelievers.

"I mean no disrespect to the Review-Journal," he said, referring to some critical accounts of preview shows. "But it doesn't really matter what you, the Review-Journal, Criss Angel or (director) Serge Denoncourt think."

The public is all that matters, he said. "They're the ones that made me the No. 1 show on television and made me the No. 1 Cirque show in Vegas."

Opening night was delayed a month, he said, mainly because of the Jan. 28 fire at the nearby Monte Carlo.

"It created challenges in ways you can never imagine, and I'm not talking about artistic challenges" he said. "All the fire codes they had in place were then changed. Public safety is paramount, but it delayed us. We went over budget and over the time limit."

Gone from the show will be the song he performed near the end during previews.

"I did the 'Mindfreak' song because so many millions who watched the show know the words," he said. But it was only there because the show-ending illusion wasn't ready.

Not that Angel can't sing. He's been involved in music longer than magic. He was the lead singer of a New York rock band that had "one of the biggest followings," he said.

But he found the music industry "incredibly fickle."

He decided to concentrate on magic and incorporate his own music into it. He has five CDs of his own music in "Mindfreak," his popular TV show on A & E.

The anniversary of Houdini's death adds a "Twilight Zone" element to opening night.

"It ties in beautifully," said Angel. "You have to tip your hat to the past to go into the future."

The Scene And Heard

Riviera headliner Frank Marino, who introduced Bette Midler at Monday's rally for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama at Krave nightclub, wore a black feather coat onstage and asked the crowd if they liked it. When the crowd roared its approval, Marino cracked, "Sarah Palin (the GOP vice presidential nominee) shot it for me."

Sightings

Actress Jane Seymour, dining at Tao (Venetian) on Tuesday. ... Hugh Hefner's ex, Holly Madison, has been on the town, dining Monday with Olympic swimming star Michael Phelps and Palms owner George Maloof at Simon at Palms Place and then having drinks Tuesday at Cathouse (Luxor) with Angel (who gave $1,000 tips to the winner and runners-up in the B-Boy dance contest, saying it reminded him of his start as a breakdancer). Madision joined Maloof again on Wednesday at Lavo (Palazzo). ... Actor James Woods, dining Sunday at Yellowtail Sushi (Bellagio). ... Players on the Las Vegas Wranglers hockey team, racing Monday at Pole Position Raceway.

Thursday 10-23-08

Norm took the day off

Friday 10-24-08

Bellagio definitely is not on market

An East Coast gaming giant made an overture to buy Bellagio from MGM Mirage early in the Wall Street meltdown but was rebuffed, it was learned.

The buyer was identified as Peter Carlino, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Pennsylvania-based Penn National Gaming, Inc., which includes casinos, racetracks and resorts.

Steve Wynn, who built the Bellagio in the late 1990s for $1.6 billion, said Carlino confirmed he "wanted to buy Bellagio but Terry Lanni said it was not for sale. That was three weeks ago."

Alan Feldman, vice president of communications for MGM Mirage, said, "These rumors fly around all the time." He added, "we're not in position to rule it out, if somebody had the money, but who has the money in this economy?"

Wynn's comment came during an interview in which he was asked whether he had an interest in buying back the Bellagio.

Wynn sold the Bellagio in June 2000 as part of his $6.6 billion deal that put his Mirage Resorts properties under the MGM Grand Inc. umbrella. He turned around and purchased the Desert Inn and built Wynn Las Vegas on the site.

If the MGM Mirage sells off any properties, Wynn predicts it probably would be the 50 percent it owns in the Borgata in Atlantic City with Boyd Gaming.

Wynn said his focus is on his own backyard.

"Don't look for me to buy anything on the cheap," Wynn said. He has big plans to develop the golf course land at Wynn Las Vegas, where he has a convention center project planned on the 150-acre site.

With a deep recession being forecast, "2009 will separate the men from the boys," Wynn said.

May I Recommend...

The James Beard Foundation's annual Taste America is in Las Vegas for the first time this weekend. Today's schedule features seven dinners by Las Vegas chefs at Alex at Wynn Las Vegas, Ristorante di Mare at Wynn Las Vegas, Fiamma at MGM Grand, Rao's at Caesars Palace, Restaurant Charlie at The Palazzo, Simon at Palms Place and Valentino at The Venetian. A fundraiser Saturday at the Palazzo ballroom will feature more than a dozen JBF-award winning chefs, with multiple JBF winner Charlie Trotter honored as the special guest. A free culinary panel discussion is at UNLV at 10 a.m. A cooking demonstration will be at 4 p.m. at Payard's at Caesars Palace (for $20). Prices range from $175 to $500, depending on the restaurant. Tickets to the fundraiser are $350. For more information, go to www.JBFtasteamerica.com.

Sightings

Actress Jane Seymour, who performed in "Dancing With the Stars," at the early show at "O" (Bellagio) on Wednesday. Backstage, she met with the cast and told one of the dancers that her career started with dance, but she gave it up to go into acting. ... Wynn, arriving at the Michelin Guide event arm in arm with Picasso chef Julian Serrano, whom Wynn hired at Bellagio. Serrano, Alex Stratta at Wynn and Guy Savoy at Caesars, received two stars from Michelin. They were among more than 60 chefs from Las Vegas and around the country who attended the debut of the 2009 Michelin Guide on the Sunset Terrace at Wynn Las Vegas. For the second year in a row, Wynn Las Vegas was awarded Michelin's ultimate rating, five red pavilions. MGM Grand chef Joel Robuchon, the lone three-star winner, was traveling and could not attend. ... MTV reality show star Tila Tequila, hosting the grand opening of T&T (Tacos & Tequila) on Wednesday at Luxor. Other attendees included illusionist Criss Angel, comedian Carrot Top, the girls of "Fantasy," Thunder From Down Under, magician Nathan Burton, and rock-capella group Mosaic. The TBS show "Dinner & A Movie," filmed a segment near the water's edge in MonteLago Village at Lake Las Vegas on Wednesday. It is scheduled to air in early January.

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