April '09 Notes from Norm — Norm Clarke Column

Saturday 04-11-09

Stars pay tribute to Ruth Brown

The life story of Ruth Brown may be headed for the big screen.

Brown's son, Ronnie McPhatter, has been in negotiations with actor Jamie Foxx, who won a Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of Ray Charles, it was learned Friday.

Ron Mancuso, chief operating officer of the Bootlegger Bistro, said McPhatter indicated he has been in talks with Foxx.

McPhatter was at the Bootlegger on Thursday night for a tribute to his mother, the R&B legend who performed at the Bootlegger every Thursday for a couple of years before her death in 2006 at age 78.

A packed house of more than 200 turned out for the tribute, which featured an all-star lineup of performers who sang many of Brown's favorites.

It was such a success, said Mancuso, that "we hope to do it every year."

It was a night of healing, he said.

Brown's weekly gig had ended with some hurt feelings over what was characterized as a miscommunications. She died two months later, before things were smoothed over.

But there was nothing but love, along with non-stop rhythm and blues, filling the room Thursday.

Regi Brown (no relation) started off the seven-performer show with "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman" and "Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean."

Sonny Turner of the Platters followed with "Have A Good Time" and Wendy Edmead, who worked with the Pointer Sisters, added, "Teardrops From My Eyes" and Brown's classic "If I Can't Sell It."

Sonny Charles of the Checkmates contributed "Love Letter" and Jimmy Castor performed "5-10-15 Hours"

In a rare public performance, Mary Wilson, one of the original Supremes, sang "Body & Soul" and "Smile."

McPhatter added "Treasure of Love" and "I Don't Know" before the group capped the night with "Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean."

"My mother would be very happy tonight," said McPhatter, whose father, Clyde McPhatter, like Brown a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, formed the Drifters.

Atop the piano that Brown played was the leopard print-padded chair she used during her Bootlegger days.

The Bootlegger's wait staff paid homage in its own way.

A snifter of blackberry brandy was placed on the piano. It was the drink she started each show with.

The Scene And Heard

Stefano Ripamonti, the Las Vegas-based Italian consul, is meeting today with members of the Italian community to plan a local fundraising concert/event for victims of the earthquake in Abruzzo province near Rome. Local entertainer Nelson Sardelli has been involved in organizing support. They are meeting at Town Center Lounge II, 2992 W. Cheyenne Ave.

Hearing rumblings of Chicago ownership involved in the purchase of Crazy Horse Too, with a major local nightclub tied in to a win-win side deal. ...

Steve Rossi, a regular on Ed Sullivan's show with comedy partner Marty Allen, is heading for Broadway as a headliner. He's one of the four leads in "Don't Leave It All to Your Children," a musical comedy that's been packing in crowds at the Annenberg Theater in Palm Springs, Calif., for several years.

Originally called "The Senior Class" four years ago, the show is about the older generation's take on baby boomers. It opens at the Actors Theatre on 47th Street on May 25, Rossi's 76th birthday. Allen and Rossi were one of the hottest comedy acts for years, with more than 40 appearances on Sullivan's show. ...

Sightings

Singer Macy Gray, having an early dinner in the upstairs area at Tao (Venetian) with her two daughters on Friday night. ...

Karl Engemann, Marie Osmond's manager, at Lance Burton's magic show (Monte Carlo) with his grandkids Friday while their parents, CNN's Larry King and his wife, Shawn, had dinner with Steve Wynn. ...

Nineties pop star CeCe Penniston, singing her club hit "Finally" at Tao (Venetian) on Thursday. Also in the crowd, rapper/producer Jermaine Dupri and comedian Bill Bellamy. ...

Former Vegas exotic dancer Bambi Jr., who later married talk-show host Montel Williams, at the opening night of Lon Bronson's band at Ovation showroom (Green Valley Ranch) on Thursday. She was visiting from Connecticut with her mother. ... Eli Mattson, third season runner-up of "America's Got Talent," joined Terry Fator (Mirage) on stage Wednesday during the show to sing a couple of numbers. ...

Sunday 04-12-09

Ne-Yo flying high, set to go higher

Ne-Yo's musical career has been a rocket ride. Next on the horizon, another opportunity to test his wings as an actor.

The three-time Grammy winner from Las Vegas has signed up to join the cast being assembled by "Star Wars" creator George Lucas, who is producing "Red Tails," a WWII movie about the legendary Tuskegee Airmen.

Ne-Yo, who has already written songs for Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and Enrique Iglesias, will co-star with Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr. and Oscar nominee Terence Howard as the famed African-American fighter pilots.

The 29-year-old R&B singer-producer, who was born in Arkansas and raised in Las Vegas as Shaffer Smith, was nominated for six Grammys in 2009 and won two for his hit single "Miss Independent." He won his first in 2008, taking home Best Contemporary R&B Album for "Because of You."

Lucas, who will be the executive producer with Anthony Hemingway making his film-directing debut, told the Hollywood Reporter last week, "I've been wanting to do 'Red Tails' for 20 years, and we've finally got the means to showcase the skill of the Tuskegee pilots. We're working on techniques which will give us the first true look at the aerial dogfighting of the era."

It would be Ne-Yo's fourth film as an actor.

His debut came in "Save the Last Dance 2" in 2006, and he appeared in "Stomp the Yard" in 2007.

In his next film, "Venice Beach," he will star and executive produce and write the soundtrack.

He launches a six-city UK tour on July 11 at London's 02 Arena, site of Michael Jackson's comeback on July 8. Ne-Yo has been writing songs for Jackson.

Sightings

Justin Timberlake, in town to promote his new tequila brand, made stops Friday at Southern Wine & Spirits, Blush Boutique Nightclub at Wynn, XS at Encore and the Playboy Club the Palms. Las Vegas is one of four stops on his campaign to boost his new 901 tequila, which gets its name from the area code of Memphis, where Timberlake grew up. ... Keshia Knight Pulliam, who played Rudy Huxtable in "The Cosby Show," at Planet Hollywood Resort to celebrate her 30th birthday with dinner at Strip House, "Peepshow" and Privé nightclub. ... At Red Rock Resort, for a three-day UFC photo shoot, current champions: welterweight Georges St. Pierre, heavyweight Brock Lesnar and light heavyweight Rashad Evans, in addition to Rampage Jackson, Thiago Alves, Michael Bisping, Dan Henderson and Brian Stegeman. Also spotted at Red Rock Resort: Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf and their kids as well as 10-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Johnny Chan. ... World Chess Federation champion Stan Vaughan, getting hitched at Little White Wedding Chapel on Thursday to Tatiania Honek (nee Basilkevich). Vaughan is slated to be playing Varuzhan Akobian starting in September for the defense of his WCF title, possibly at Hard Rock Cafe in a best of 21 decisive games, draws not counting. ... At XS (Encore) on Friday: Lesnar, with UFC president Dana White and friends. Also at the club: Terrell Suggs of the Baltimore Ravens, Golden State Warriors standout Corey Maggette, former NBA star Antoine Walker, and boxer Zab Judah. ... At Tryst nightclub (Wynn) on Thursday: UFC stars St.-Pierre, Henderson, Jackson and Bisping and Suggs. ... David Spade, at The Bank nightclub at Bellagio on Friday. Boxer "Sugar" Shane Mosely had dinner at Yellowtail Sushi Restaurant & Bar. ... At N9NE Steakhouse (Palms) on Friday: Cleveland Browns linebacker Willie McGinest Jr., St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson, and funnyman Anthony Anderson, all in separate groups. ... At Rain nightclub (Palms) on Friday: San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis; Heather West, winner of the second season of the "Hell's Kitchen" television show, celebrating her birthday. ... At Nove Italiano (Palms) on Friday: former UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian


Monday 04-13-09

Ballroom dancing boom helps couple Timing is everything. In life and on the dance floor. Dance instructors Tony and Dana Delgado won't disagree. Eight years ago they decided to trade their fast-paced existence in San Francisco for a slower pace in Las Vegas. They wanted to raise a family and operate a dance studio instead of traveling to dance competitions. Life in Las Vegas was good and normal. Then ABC launched "Dancing with the Stars" in 2005. "We really didn't think it was going to go anywhere. We were laughing. We thought it was corny," Tony Delgado said. Then the ratings exploded. "All of a sudden everybody wanted to be on it," or learning ballroom dancing, he said. "If the economy was booming, I'd be a billionaire right now," he said. After starting with a studio staff of three, counting himself and his wife, Delgado Dance Studios on South Grand Canyon Drive now offers 12 full-time teachers. "We're doing well," he said. It helps that more than two dozen dancers and celebrity partners from "Dancing with the Stars" have trained here with the Delgados. Other local celebrities, including Venetian headliner Wayne Brady, have been in as well. "I've been doing this 21 years," said Delgado, a two-time world champion who grew up in El Paso, Texas. "When people asked what I do for a living and I said, 'I teach ballroom dancing,' they thought I did something during the day and did ballroom dancing at night. Now it's in the forefront of glamorous professions." The public perception of ballroom dancing has gone from something for senior citizens, he said, to seeing an average age in the upper 20s. "The biggest trend is children. We have well over 100, and one-third of them compete," he said. He's pulling for two-time champion Cheryl Burke, who came to his class when she was 11. She didn't have her heart in it, he said, "so I made it fun for her. Her mother sends me Christmas cards thanking me (for sparking her interest)." Burke and her partner, French actor Gilles Marini, are one of the show's hottest couples. His popularity has been skyrocketing since he played Dante the Casanova in the "Sex and the City" movie, and excelled with Burke, who won with Drew Lachey and Emmitt Smith. "I got to talk to him in the trailer, and he's the nicest guy, so humble. I think he could be another Antonio Banderas," Tony Delgado said. The Scene And Heard Hillary Dobbs, the 21-year-old daughter of CNN anchor Lou Dobbs, will be competing in her first equestrian World Cup here this week, and she should get a medal for juggling a lot of plates. A full-time Harvard University student, she just finished her exams and qualified for the World Cup Finals in show jumping this week. She's being described as the new "it" girl. ... Something you don't see every day in the sky over the Strip: a skywriting plane spelling out "JESUS" and adding a heart. An Easter message. Sightings Boxer Winky Wright, ordering a 20-ounce steak Saturday at Tao (The Venetian) after losing a 12-round decision earlier to Paul Williams at Mandalay Bay. ... Ten Miss USA contestants, participating in the 9 p.m. Show in the Sky at the Rio on Saturday night. Winners from Pennsylvania, New York, South Carolina, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Oregon, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Ohio and North Carolina rode the riverboat and Pegasus fantasy floats, while tossing out beads. Later they went up to the Voodoo Lounge, where they danced to old-school hip-hop. ... At the Palms on Saturday: Pete Rose (N9NE Steakhouse), Willie Colon of the Pittsburgh Steelers (Moon) and Chuy Bravo of Chelsea Handler's show at Rain. ... CNN talk show host Larry King, at Society Cafe (Encore) with 20 members of family and friends. ... On Sunday, Holly Madison at the Easter Brunch at Simon at Palms Place.

Tuesday 04-14-09

Norm took the day off

Wednesday 04-15-09

CityCenter stage to feature guitar

Not all the news out of the CityCenter project has a Heartbreak Hotel ring to it.

For some time now, there have been rumblings that the theater for the Elvis-Cirque du Soleil show will feature a guitar as a design element.

A guitar-shaped ceiling? No, said MGM Mirage exec Bobby Baldwin, when I asked him more than a year ago

Now comes word that when CityCenter opens late this year, the stage will be shaped like a giant guitar.

Elvis fans will recall that Presley, and after his death, manager Tom Parker, sent a huge arrangement of red roses in the shape of a guitar to Ann-Margret, Elvis' co-star in "Viva Las Vegas," on her opening nights.

WYNN ON '60 MINUTES'

Charlie Rose, in his "60 Minutes" interview on Sunday with Steve Wynn, got the hotel magnate to open up on a couple of topics that many a reporter has been warned to avoid: Wynn's eyesight issues and his infamous temper.

Asked about the genetic eye condition retinitis pigmentosa, Wynn said "I was born with this recessive and rather rare condition that has diminished my vision since childhood, night vision when I was very young and periperhal as you get older."

And, yes, said Wynn, it "can be a source of great anxiety." He accepts that he is "face to face with the threat, the menace" and that "I won't be able to see this some day in the future."

Of his temper, Wynn said, "I wish that I was a more considerate person and to the extent that I demonstrate consideration for other people at my age, I wish I had gotten to that point earlier."

Wynn acknowledged that he has talked to the Dali Lama about his volcanic side.

"He says to me when you get angry," Wynn said, pausing. "I'll do an imitation. When you get angry, when you lose your temper, when you think that you should shout and react in a poor way to other people, it is a result of a false sense of yourself -- an inflated sense of yourself that is worthless."

Wynn was at his self-effacing best.

When Rose asked him about accidentally poking a hole in Picasso's "Le Reve" painting, which had been sold for a record $139 million but not delivered, Wynn referred to himself as "the Clouseau of collectors," a reference to the bumbling French inspector played by Peter Sellers in "The Pink Panther."

Wynn deflected talk about being the visionary who turned Las Vegas around.

"I've been given too much credit for that really. If you look at Las Vegas in the 1980s, there hadn't been anything built since 1973, new."

The city, he said, "was in a time warp and as so often has been the case in the valley of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. All of a sudden I looked like a rocket scientist."

The only point in the interview where Las Vegans undoubtedly sat up and shouted "what!" came when Rose talked about Wynn selling the Bellagio and the rest of his Mirage Resort properties in 2000.

"By then Las Vegas was calling itself the entertainment capital of the world," said Rose, who was only off by, say, about 50 years.

ENCORE FOR BEYONCE

Steve Wynn has been promising he was going to be adding big-name entertainment to his Encore Theater.

We hear he's got a four-night deal with R&B superstar Beyonce and talks have been going on with 1980s icon George Michaels.

One of them could be in the theater by late May or June.

Beyonce, the former lead singer of the girl group Destiny's Child, won five Grammys in one night in 2004, the year she went solo.

Michaels was a chart topper as a member of the British duo Wham!, which had five No. 1 hits between 1984 and 1987. After going solo in 1987, Michaels had six more No. 1 hits, including "Faith" and "Father Figure."

Sightings

Carlos Santana, handling ribbon-cutting honors Tuesday at the new Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel. ... Iconic rock 'n' roll legend Leon Russell, dining Monday with friends at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab (Forum Shops at Caesars) ... The Duke of Marlborough, John Spencer-Churchill at Bartolotta at the Wynn on Tuesday night. ... At Hash House A Go Go on Tuesday: former UFC fighter and mixed martial arts fighter Frank Trigg, with his wife, and at another table, former NBA All-Star Spencer Haywood.

Thursday 04-16-09

Las Vegas really has gone to dogs

With White House puparazzi chasing their tails to get photos of first dog Bo, for Bo Diddley, we checked to see what names local celebrities gave their pets.

Cher has a cat, Mr. Bigglesworth, named after the fluffy feline in the "Austin Powers" movie. It was found backstage as an abandoned kitten 10 years ago during her "Believe" tour.

Harrah's headliner Rita Rudner has a Chinese crested goldendoodle that was named Twinkle by daughter Molly.

"Our last dog, Bonkers, was named after my grandfather, who was insane," Rudner said.

During a visit to Robert and Vera Goulet's home almost 10 years ago, I was introduced to their menagerie of almost a dozen cats and dogs. Among the furry freeloaders: Genny and Arthur, two Akitas who got their names from the characters Queen Guinevere and King Arthur in the 1960 Broadway hit, "Camelot." Goulet played Sir Lancelot and named one of his cats after his character.

Illusionists Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn rescued seven dogs and named them Amigo, Viking, Happy, Feliz, Jolie, Anna Magdalena and Nembia.

Hotel developer Steve Wynn has two German shepherds, Palo and Tari, a male and female who are bilingual. Wynn speaks commands in German and converses with them in English.

Local attorney and KNPR food critic John Curtas bestowed the name Primo on his cat, after an irascible chef in "Big Night," a film about two Italian brothers, Primo and Secondo, who open a restaurant in America.

Encore headliner Danny Gans' purebred black Lab, Kadie, is "so regal we call her The Queen." Kadie's running mate, a cockapoo named Molly, is "the exact opposite. We call him the Court Jester."

Former "Erocktica" lead singer Gabriella Versace, currently lead singer for the band Nitro, has a miniature Doberman pinscher she named Rio, home of "Erocktica's" at the time.

Alicia Jacobs, entertainment reporter at KVBC-TV, Channel 3, is rarely seen without one of her four dogs, whether she's on the air, on assignment or on the town. Pearlie-Faye is a smooth-haired miniature dachshund named for Jacobs two grandmothers; Bojangles and Sparkle are long-haired miniature dachshunds, and recent addition Star, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, goes everywhere in luxury. Jacobs takes her to events in a custom-made dog carrier.

Flamingo headliner Marie Osmond named her Maltese teacup Lola.

Sometimes a name comes quite by accident. Joelle Jenson, the lead magician's assistant in Lance Burton's Monte Carlo show, has a chow named Corona. Shortly after the dog arrived at her home, somebody spilled a Corona and the dog lapped it up.

Jesse Garon, who spent several years as Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman's designated Elvis impersonator, named his two pugs Little Richard and Spanky. "I'm a big Little Richard fan and Spanky because I've got to spank his ass."

Garon takes them with him on top-down cruises in his 1955 pink Cadillac convertible previously owned by Lucille Ball.

"Good way to get dates," drawled Garon.

The Scene And Heard

"Dancing With the Stars" professional dancer Chelsea Hightower, who had a formidable challenge in teaching Steve-O, is a niece of former Clark County Commissioner Chip Maxfield. The duo were voted off the show Tuesday night, but she should be nominated for sainthood. ...

Jamie Foxx told Jay Leno on Tuesday about a harrowing flight to Las Vegas last December. He said the plane pitched down so violently that he could see trees through the cockpit window from his seat. He was on his way here for his birthday party Dec. 13.

Sightings

Micky Dolenz, former member of The Monkees and recent "Gone Country" star, hanging out Tuesday night at Blush Boutique Nightclub inside Wynn. ... The cast of VH1's "Tool Academy," on the town at Pure (Caesars Palace) on Tuesday. Also in the house: former boxing champ Fernando Vargas.

Friday 04-17-09

Miss USA hopefuls dish on contestant

A video of two Miss USA 2009 contestants ranting about a high-maintenance fellow contestant has mysteriously shown up on YouTube.com.

Miss California Carrie Prejean and Miss Hawaii Aureana Tseu spend several minutes sniping at the unnamed member of the field of 51 who compete Sunday for the Miss USA title at Planet Hollywood Resort.

The snarky back-and-forth is titled "Mean Girls" on the YouTube.com video.

Prejean and Tseu, who are roommates, are shown talking into a camera, dishing about the finicky table manners of the contestant, a blond Southern belle, we hear.

They related how the contestant returned to the table from the buffet with an empty plate, saying, "I can't eat this, I can't eat that."

At that point, recalled Tseu, the contestant decided to order a special meal and "tells the waiter, 'Can I have this made like this with a little bit of this.'"

"It was like the rudest thing to ever do," said Tseu, because everyone ate what was available.

Prejean chimed in, "Then, when the waiter did bring out the food, she ended up not even eating it."

It was disrespectful, both said.

The Scene And Heard

Esquire magazine is having its "best dressed real man" event from 8-10:30 tonight at The Bank, the Bellagio nightspot. It's part of Esquire's fifth year of competition for fashionable men. The contest runs from Feb. 17 to April 27, with readers voting for the semifinalists online until May 31. The winner will be announced in September on NBC's "Today" show. To register: www.esquirebdrm.com. ...

Barry Manilow is saying thank you at his show tonight (Hilton) to a group of students from Palm Springs High School who helped him form the Manilow Music Project, a nonprofit he set up to assist severely depleted music programs. Information: www.manilowfund.org. ...

Correction: I'm dangerous on the dance floor and off. In Thursday's space, I mentioned local talent Chelsie Hightower, one of the professional dancers on "Dancing With the Stars," is a niece of former Clark County Commissioner Chip Maxfield. So far so good. Then I stumbled, saying she and her partner, Stevo-O, were voted off the show on Tuesday. My BlackBerry has been overheating from diehard "Dancing" fans who let me know Chelsie, 18, is alive and well on the show and a big hit in just her first year. She and retired rodeo champ Ty Murray, the seven-time All-Around champion, have been kicking you know what. Her mother, Laurie Pullan Hightower, is a 1978 Western High graduate.

Sightings

David Cook, season seven winner of "American Idol," at the 7 p.m. performance of "Love" (Mirage) on Thursday, with four band mates. They are in town for a private event.

May I Recommend ....

The 35th annual UNLVino wine tasting is from 7-10 tonight at The District at Green Valley Ranch resort in Henderson. Wines from New Zealand, South Africa and Australia are featured. Cost: $100 at the door. Saturday, the grand tasting is at Paris Las Vegas from 2-5:30 p.m. That's $150 at the door.

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.