Sunday, November 17, 2002
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

COLUMN: Norm!

'Real World' gal says she and Leonardo not item

Leonardo DiCaprio, who turned 28 on Monday, held his birthday party Thursday in the Palms' high roller suites. ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

Leonardo DiCaprio's coziness with "Real World" cast member Arissa Hill had the rumor mill in high gear during the Palms' anniversary weekend.

Hill attended DiCaprio's birthday party Thursday in the Palms' high roller suites, and the couple were seen alone at N9NE Steak House on Friday, and partying at Rain, the Palms' nightclub.

It was "just conversation," she said Saturday by telephone.

"I just met him on Thursday. We are not an item. I think he's a nice guy -- normal. He said he watches the show all the time."

Hill, 23, moved to Las Vegas from Boston after the four-month taping of the MTV reality show in the Palms high roller suites, now known as the "Real World" suites.

Why the move? "It's very conducive to my nocturnal lifestyle," said Hill, who has been pursuing her modeling career. Her Web site: arissahill.com.

Asked about an Internet report that she was seen attending local Gamblers Anonymous meetings, Hill replied, "I definitely didn't." But she admits that she likely fueled rumors because of her marathon blackjack sessions.

"I was the only gambler in the house (suite). There was one 12-hour night when I played until 9:30 a.m. I'd sneak down after everyone else went to sleep and my boss had gone home."

She has reunited with the cast several times, "But I'm the only one who didn't move to L.A. We're all riding the wave of what's happened to all of us."

But no one has cashed in on the fame yet. "We're all finding that legitimately getting back in the real world is hard."

Asked if castmate Irulan's relationship with New York boyfriend Gabe had survived, Hill paused. "They are not together."

That begged the question of whether the breakup had anything to do with the obvious affection between Irulan and suitemate Alton.

"I'm not going to answer that, but I guess you can figure it out from that," she said.

The Scene and Heard

EFX, the MGM Grand's special effects extravaganza, is closing Dec. 31, several months earlier than planned to make way for the new Cirque du Soleil show. Alan Feldman, MGM Mirage spokesman, confirmed that Cirque needed the stage sooner. "Rick (Springfield) and the cast have been great about understanding that. But the opening of the Cirque show remains the same; spring or early summer of '04." ...

Michael Flatley, no longer a hoofer in his "Lord of the Dance" show, is taking up golf under the tutelage of Tiger Woods' Las Vegas-based coach, Butch Harmon. "I can certainly hit that bloody ball," said Flatley. "But he said I can't keep using a hockey stick anymore." ...

That startling photo of Michael Jackson and his damaged nose shouldn't have come as a surprise to readers of this column. On Sept. 22, it was reported here that Jackson showed up at the Guinness World of Records Museum with a bandage on his nose. When a nosey onlooker asked why the bandage, Jackson acknowledged he had "had another surgery."

Sightings

Birthday boy DiCaprio, being serenaded by his party of 20 on Thursday at N9NE Steak House (Palms). His pals, including Tobey ("Spider-man") Maguire and Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit, sang "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" four times during the dinner. DiCaprio turned 28 Monday but held his birthday party Thursday in the "Real World" suites. ... Friday's crowd at the Palms included: heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis; 'N Sync's J.C. Chasez, hanging with Hollywood hottie Tara Reid; Robin Leach; actor Mario Lopez; actors Jamie Foxx and Wesley Snipes; the Wayans brothers, Damon and Keenan Ivory; Macey Gray; "Alias" hunk Michael Vartan; boxer Sugar Shane Mosley; Judd Nelson; Ron Lester of "Varsity Blues" and raunchy rapper Too Short. ... Spikey-haired Nelson, solo at Coyote Ugly on Thursday night. At Bikinis on Friday: the Wayans brothers and Nelson. ... Former world welterweight champion Mosley, getting married at Little White Chapel on Saturday after a recommendation by cabbie Jerry Mazur, who took the soon-to-be-newlyweds to get their marriage license. "I told him that's where Michael Jordan got married, and he said, `That sounds great.' "

The Punch Line

"If I only had a little humility, I'd be perfect." -- Ted Turner

Norm Clarke's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can reach him at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com.