September '08 Notes from Norm — Norm Clarke Column

Saturday 9-20-08

	Norm took the day off

Sunday 9-21-08

Ailing writer says O.J. trial to be last

Barring a medical miracle, Dominick Dunne figures his days of covering celebrity trials will end in Las Vegas with O.J. Simpson.

The last chapter could come this week: During an interview over dinner Friday, Dunne, 82, said he's returning home to undergo stem cell treatment in hopes that he can win his battle with bladder cancer.

Depending on how he feels -- "I felt great after the first (treatment)" -- a frail Dunne said he may make it back to the Regional Justice Center, where Simpson's armed robbery and kidnapping trial may last about a month.

"The word around the courthouse is that Judge (Jackie) Glass has an Oct. 20 cruise," said Dunne, who has been covering trials of the fallen famous for Vanity Fair since 1982 when his daughter was strangled by an ex-boyfriend.

The cancer diagnosis depressed him, and his son and doctor pleaded with him not to make the trip to Las Vegas and risk putting more stress on his health.

Asked why he would jeopardize his recovery, he leaned forward at the table at Wynne's Alex restaurant and said, "I'm a fighter. It's important for me to do this."

No one should question his grit, not after he won the Bronze Star for saving a comrade's life at the Battle of the Bulge in a frozen Belgium forest in 1944.

"He's obviously thriving," said his longtime friend, Associated Press special correspondent Linda Deutsch. They have been covering trials together since the 1980s.

"He looks better," Deutsch said. "Being in the middle of the action is what he does. Observing, writing, the socializing. He just loves it. It's what he lives for."

VALDEZ, ROSELLI PROMOTED

More moves at KLAS-TV, Channel 8, after last week's reorganization that claimed 17 jobs, including four in the newsroom.

Effective Monday, Denise Valdez will move from morning anchor to the afternoon anchor team. Valdez, who joined KLAS 21/2 years ago after stints in San Antonio, Dallas and Los Angeles, will co-anchor the noon and 4:30 p.m. newscasts.

Dayna Roselli, who anchors the traffic segments in the morning, will be filling in as co-anchor with Dave McCann until Valdez's replacement is selected.

General manager Emily Neilson said Valdez is an "experienced journalist who has made a big impact in our community in a short amount of time."

During an interview, Valdez, who won an Emmy at KLAS for reports on education, said she was thrilled to be joining the team of Dave Courvoisier, Paula Francis and Gary Waddell.

She volunteered that she wanted to address a 1996 Los Angeles Times report that resurfaced in this column when she arrived in Las Vegas.

She was mentioned in the Times article about a trend among newscasters who changed from Anglo to ethnic names to take advantage of affirmative action rules designed to benefit minorities.

Valdez, who has a Swiss father and a Hispanic mother, said she went with the traditional hyphenated parental names very briefly when she started her TV career 16 years ago.

"A news director said, 'This is too complicated,' so I went with my mother's," she said, adding that she's equally proud of both names.

She was misquoted in the article, she said. Another factor in the decision to shorten her given name was "just to have a personal life," she said.

The Scene And Heard

Former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and DJ AM, critically injured in a plane crash in South Carolina on Friday, performed together in Las Vegas on a number of nightclub stages, including LAX (Luxor) and Pure (Caesars Palace).

Sightings

Simpson, with lawyers and friends, at The Scintas' show at the Las Vegas Hilton on Friday. The friendship goes back to his NFL days with the Buffalo Bills. Earlier, Simpson was seen at McCarran International Airport, where he was waiting for actor Samuel L. Jackson ... Former "View" co-host Star Jones, sitting on her new beau's lap at The Bank (Bellagio) on Friday.


Monday 9-22-08

Faux-J room joins Vegas knockoffs To the array of Las Vegas knockoffs, from a lava-spewing volcano to an indoor Grand Canal and a petite Eiffel Tower, add the Faux-J experience. A 335-square-foot replica of the Palace Station room where authorities allege O.J. Simpson committed armed robbery and kidnapping -- the existence of which was reported in Saturday's Review-Journal -- may be unveiled this week at his trial The tab for this one probably will cost more than the $35 the sports memorabilia dealers spent to rent the room the night that Simpson and others stormed into it. According to local freelance writer/blogger Steve Friess, who is covering the trial for the New York Times, Clark County District Attorney David Roger ordered the reproduction of the room. Friess posted photos of the room over the weekend on his blog, VegasHappensHere.com. The room mock-up was built in a basement conference room at the Clark County Regional Justice Center. But here's where the story goes south faster than Simpson's infamous white Bronco. Friess reported that presiding Judge Jackie Glass "took one look at the plywood structure and decided that this would not give the jury an accurate understanding of the alleged crime scene." So, instead, she ordered a jury get a secret tour Friday of the scene of the alleged crime at Palace Station. Also making the trip with the 12 jurors were six alternates, prosecutors, defense lawyers, court officials, a reporter and photographer from the Review-Journal and a videographer from cable network TruTV. I smell an uproar. Sightings Hall of Famers Tony Dorsett, Gordie Howe and Johnny Bench, dining together Saturday at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab (Forum Shops at Caesars). ... Vanity Fair celebrity crime columnist Dominick Dunne, having dinner Saturday with Simpson attorneys Yale Galanter and Gabriel Grasso and their wives at SW Steakhouse (Wynn). ... At LAX (Luxor) on Saturday: Oscar-winning actor Joe Pesci, sipping Cristal champagne with the cast of the Fantasy revue. ... Heidi Montag of "The Hills," celebrating her 22nd birthday at Christian Audigier The Nightclub (Treasure Island) on Saturday. Accompanying her was her longtime boyfriend Spencer Pratt. The crowd serenaded her with "Happy Birthday." ... Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, as well as Tito Jackson, in the audience at Seal's concert at Green Valley Ranch's Ovation showroom. ... Choreographer and two-time Emmy winner Wade Robson, celebrating his 26th birthday at Blush Boutique Nightclub (Wynn) on Saturday night with his wife, Amanda, and friends. ... Female impersonator and longtime Las Vegas headliner Kenny Kerr, throwing out hints during his appearance at Saturday's Clark County Public Education Foundation that he'd love to return to a Las Vegas showroom. Honored at the event were Harrah's executive Jan Jones, with the education hero award, and former Clark County School District Superintendent Brian Cram. Before Jones became mayor of Las Vegas, Kerr appeared in some hilarious TV commercials as Jones' evil twin Elvira. ... Tyra Banks, at Cher (Caesars Palace) on Saturday, filming an upcoming Las Vegas episode of her daytime talk show "The Tyra Banks Show." She spotted Star Jones in the crowd and ran to greet her. ... Tennis star Serena Williams, working with her hitting coach Sunday at Club Sport in Green Valley. ... Chicago Bulls standout Drew Gooden, with friends in the owner's section at Tryst nightclub inside Wynn Las Vegas. Also at Tryst: UFC fighter Clay Guida and mixed-martial arts fighter Kim Couture, wife of UFC legend Randy Couture. ... The Las Vegas Tenors, composed of Bill Fayne, Teddy Davey and Bobby Black, sang the national anthem Saturday at the NASCAR Craftsman Truck race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. ... Ashley Tisdale, her boyfriend, Jared Murillo, (a cast mate in "High School Musical"), and her two dogs Maui and Blondie, waiting for luggage at McCarran Airport after arriving from Burbank. She's in town for her sister Jennifer's 27th birthday. They celebrated at The Bank on Friday, where Jennifer was the celebrity host. ... Actor Laurence Fishburne, wearing a burnt orange suit while partying at Tao Beach (The Venetian). ... Hugh Rowland and Jerry Dusdal of the History Channel's "Ice Road Truckers" at the Qwik Liner Las Vegas 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday night.

Tuesday 9-23-08

Novelist suffers scare at O.J. trial

Novelist and celebrity crime writer Dominick Dunne was briefly hospitalized Monday after being stricken with abdominal pain during testimony in O.J. Simpson's trial.

The 82-year-old Vanity Fair columnist turned to CNN producer Paul Vercammen about 10 a.m. and said he was in pain and gestured to his lower abdomen.

Dunne, who disclosed earlier this month that he has bladder cancer, was rushed to Valley Hospital.

"He's grateful to the court marshal (who noticed Dunne was in distress) who called the paramedic," Linda Deutsch, special correspondent for The Associated Press and a friend of Dunne, told me.

Dunne told Deutsch: "Tell them not to worry. I'm fine. They're going to check me out, and I'll go back to the hotel and watch the trial there today."

Deutsch said Dunne was checked by paramedics in the hallway before he was wheeled away on a gurney and taken by ambulance to the hospital.

He was treated for an infection and released after a few hours.

Don't count him out. He told Deutsch that if he feels up to it, he'll be back in court today.

His first two visitors at the hospital? The wives of O.J. attorneys Yale Galanter and Gabriel Grasso.

Simpson's sister, during a break in court, told Deutsch that she's "praying for Dominick."

Dunne's first-person reports have appeared in Vanity Fair for more than 25 years, most of them covering high society and celebrity trials. They include the trials of Simpson, Claus von Bulow, Michael Skakel, William Kennedy Smith and the Menendez brothers.

During dinner on Friday, Dunne told me he had planned to return to New York at the end of the week for medical tests and another round of stem cell treatment.

Get-well wishes can be sent to: http://dominicksdiary.com/

The Scene And Heard

Thanks to my colleague Doug Elfman for offering to give up this space today to allow me to stay on top of Dunne developments. Doug's VegasLand blog has the latest on the conditions of DJ AM and former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker after their plane crash Friday. DJ AM was to perform Monday at Pure nightclub at Caesars Palace. The blog is at http://www.lvrj.com/blogs/elfman/

Sightings

Tennis star Serena Williams, at the House of Blues Foundation Room on Sunday with rapper Common, who performed later at the House of Blues. ... At Caesars Palace over the weekend: Ashley Olsen joined her new boyfriend, Justin Bartha, on the set of his new movie "The Hangover" as the production shot on the roof of Caesars Palace on Sunday night. ... Tyra Banks, dining in Restaurant Guy Savoy on Saturday at Caesars Palace. It has been rumored that she is shooting the first episode of "America's Next Top Model" at the casino and resort in November. ... Banks dined at Border Grill at Mandalay Bay before attending the Janet Jackson concert Friday. ... At Simon at Palms Place on Sunday in separate parties: Kid Rock and Holly Madison and Bridget Marquardt of "The Girls Next Door."... "High School Musical" star Ashley Tisdale, with sister Jennifer and girlfriends at "Love" on Saturday at The Mirage. ... Jackson and her dancers, arriving at the House of Blues Foundation Room after her concert at Mandalay Bay Events Center on Friday. ... "Entourage" cast members Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara and Emanuelle Chriqui at SushiSamba's grand opening on Friday at the Palazzo.

Photos are popping up of Nick Lachey and Sarah Larson, George Clooney's ex, playing softball together over the weekend in Tacoma, Wash. There were many photos, but none of Lachey's girlfriend, Vanessa Minnillo.

Wednesday 9-24-08

Norm took the day off

Thursday 9-25-08

Norm took the day off

Friday 9-26-08

Armstrong visits wounded soldiers

Lance Armstrong's whirlwind 18-hour visit to Las Vegas ended with an unscheduled thank-you speech to wounded troops.

Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France winner, was on his way to McCarran International Airport on Thursday when he learned that the vets had just arrived at a private hangar as special guests of casino mogul Sheldon Adelson.

The injured troops were among the first to meet with Armstrong since his announcement on Wednesday that he's returning to competitive cycling. He will race for Astana, a Kazakhstan-based team.

"He thanked them for what they have done," said Armstrong's friend, Tom Kaplan, senior managing partner of Wolfgang Puck Restaurants.

While in Las Vegas for the Interbike cycling trade show, he appeared at his second news conference in 24 hours and found himself facing his biggest critic, a glaring Greg LeMond, who sat in the front row.

LeMond, a three-time Tour de France winner, raised questions about Armstrong's anti-doping program which is to be led by Don Catlin, who sat on the podium next to Armstrong.

According to published reports, LeMond asked Catlin if he planned to measure Armstrong's oxygen intake, power output and maximum aerobic capacity -- factors that could indicate doping.

Catlin, who ran the first anti-doping lab in the United States at UCLA for 25 years, replied that he was not an expert in those areas.

When Armstrong asked for other questions, LeMond said, "So the whole history has just been passed over?"

In an interview with The Associated Press after appearing with Armstrong, Catlin said he would test Armstrong for "everything that you've heard, and then probably some new ones."

The Scene And Heard

Comedy Festival tickets go on sale today (www.comedyfestival.com), with a lineup that includes Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGeneres, Tracy Morgan and Katt Williams. The festival is being held again at Caesars Palace, from Nov. 20-22.

Sightings

Armstrong, after finishing 22nd among 94 in the Cross Vegas cyclo-cross race, dined at Wolfgang Puck's CUT restaurant in the Palazzo, where he stayed in the presidential suite on Wednesday. At dinner with Armstrong was Kaplan and fellow cyclist George Hincapie, who helped Armstrong win all seven Tour de France titles. Joining Armstrong at the news conference: cycling icon Eddie Merckx, Tyler Phinney, who finished seventh at the Beijing Olympics in the individual pursuit, and his father, Davis Phinney, the 1984 Olympic bronze medal winner in the men's 100-kilometer team time trial. ... Tito Ortiz, at CatHouse (Luxor) on Wednesday, celebrating the news that his girlfriend, retired porn queen Jenna Jameson, is expecting twins. She made it official on her MySpace page on Tuesday. ... Actor Ed Begley Jr., on a Burbank-to-Las Vegas Southwest flight Thursday with KVBC-TV, Channel 3, weather man Kevin Janison, in a conversation about electric bikes, according to a spy.

Bonus column

The Good Ol' Days

Elite maitre d' recalls early days of Las Vegas

• When Flamingo Road stopped at Industrial Road.

• When Maryland Parkway was a dirt road with no stoplights.

• When the Hilton kids who were painting the town red were named Barron and Nicky, not Paris and Nicky.

• When he went girl-chasing with Cary Grant, who was in love with a dancer named Yellow Bird, a star performer at the El Rancho Vegas.

• When he and his best friend, Bobby Darin, would dash downtown to the Fremont Hotel between Darin's shows at the Sands so the headliner could give singing tips to a young kid named Wayne Newton.

"It was so much fun in those days," says Muscelli, who celebrated his 86th birthday last month.

Fresh from New York hot spot Copacabana, where he worked for Jack Entratter, Muscelli arrived in 1952. Entratter had given him the job of food operations director for the 250-room Sands Hotel, which was opening on a patch of sand that now has 7,000 rooms, counting The Venetian and sister property the Palazzo.

Two years before Muscelli got here, Las Vegas had all of 24,624 residents -- Clark County 48,289. A booming decade was under way. The Desert Inn had just opened, followed quickly by the Sahara, the Sands, the Royal Nevada and the Dunes.

Before the decade ended, newcomers to the Strip included the Hacienda, Tropicana Hotel and the Stardust.

By then, the population of Las Vegas and Clark County had almost tripled. Muscelli's career was roaring as well in the superheated competition. He had been hired as maitre d' at the Dunes and later at the Flamingo, then billed as Las Vegas' largest luxury hotel. Kirk Kerkorian liked it so much he bought it for $11 million in 1967.

But Kerkorian was just warming up. He built The International, the world's largest megaresort, and installed Muscelli as maitre d' at the 1,512-room hotel-casino. It was 1969 and the hotel-casino was about to become the launching pad for Elvis Presley's comeback.

Elvis' two shows a night drew 4,000 fans over 30 days, an unheard of number in those days.

Muscelli would spent 27 years at the hotel before retiring in 1979. Over the years he saw Tom Jones sizzle and occasional mind-boggling flops. French icons such as Edith Piaf and Charles Aznavour "bombed because people only knew stars they saw on TV."

Not long ago, Muscelli was driving his golf cart toward his home at the Las Vegas Country Club, when he spotted a familiar face out for a walk.

It was Kerkorian, who turned 91 in June. They stopped to chat, two friends who had witnessed explosive growth and another wondrous era.

Kerkorian, one of richest men in the United States, told Muscelli, "Maybe I should buy the Hilton back and put all the old-timers back to work."

The rest of this week's First Glance breakdown:

Best new patio experience on the Strip:

The patio at Lavo at the Palazzo can seat about 100 and it's going to be a contender for the Strip's most popular outdoor dining venue, especially at night. It's located across from Treasure Island's "Sirens of T.I." show. Perfect for sharing desserts and exotic hookah flavors after grazing through the tapas-style Mediterranean menu. Managing partner Jason Strauss said the inspiration came from Les Bain Douches, a former Turkish bathhouse that was converted into one of the hippest clubs of Paris.

Best bet for a backstage tour?

It's rare, but it happens. Cirque du Soleil's "KA" at the MGM Grand offered it to the public not long ago. The rest of the time it takes some serious juice, as in high-end guests or celebrity. Over at The Mirage, "Love," the Cirque collaboration with the Beatles, has been offering Tapis Rouge, French for red carpet. For $295, you get one of the best seats in the house, open bar at the Beatles' Revolution Lounge, tray-served appetizers, and gift bag that includes a program, a poster and a signature martini glass. Early-show attendees who buy the package make it a post-show experience. Late-show participants get the pre-show experience.

Best out-of-town steakhouse experience?

On a recent trip to New York to say farewell to Yankees Stadium, we included a trip to Wolfgang's Steakhouse at 4 Park Avenue, not far from the Gramercy Park Hotel. Wolfgang Zwiener worked at the original Peter Luger Steak House in Brooklyn for four decades before opening at this midtown location about three years ago. The porterhouse for three was definitely worth a return trip. But for those of us who love a good steak sauce, this was the ultimate. Zwiener borrowed the best from Luger's, Zagat's No. 1 steakhouse for 20-some years, but sweetened this version and added more horseradish.

(Next week: Where and when you can reach out and touch Elvis' celebrity star on Las Vegas Boulevard and five reasons why Lotus of Siam still packs 'em in.)

Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. His new book, "Vegas Confidential: Sin-sational Celebrity Tales," comes out in November.

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