Monday, March 24, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
COLUMN: Norm!
Caesars goes extra mile to avoid singer's 'Vegas throat' problem
Singer Dolly Parton was unable to complete a 1981 engagement after getting "Vegas throat."
REVIEW-JOURNAL FILE PHOTO
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Is Celine Dion's new show too hot?
Warmish temperatures are the most common complaint in a random survey of attendees at her preview shows at the new 4,000-seat Colosseum built for her by Caesars Palace.
"Don't go after a big dinner or you'll fall asleep," said a longtime local publicist. "When I mentioned it was too warm, I was told, 'Can't change it.' It's a mandate from her so she won't have any vocal issues."
Concerned about "Vegas throat," plus the strain of 200 shows a year and a vocal-chord scare in 1990, Dion had Caesars install a $2 million atmospheric bubble (translated: a humidifier) designed to keep the onstage humidity at an optimal level.
The last thing Dion and Caesars want is a repeat of the Dolly Parton disaster.
In 1981, in a publicity move by Meshulam Riklis, owner of The Riviera, Parton signed for a then-Strip record $350,000 for a one-week appearance. After opening night she complained of "Vegas throat" and didn't finish out the week.
Art attack
To the startled bus load of senior citizens at the Valley of Fire visitor center Wednesday the scene had all the surrealism of "Mars Attacks!," the 1996 martian invasion parody that was shot all over Las Vegas.
Near the bus were three otherworldly creatures in silver spandex and boots with 3-inch heels.
Those weren't martians. They were Tina Walsh, Jennifer Terry and Karole Foreman, three of the main characters in "Mamma Mia!"
They were doing a photo shoot for the Los Angeles Times magazine.
The Scene and Heard
Tweaking of Dion's "A New Day ..." continues daily by director Franco Dragone, and don't be surprised, I'm told, if it continues long after opening night Tuesday. ...
The next hottest restaurant in town figures to be Bradley Ogden's, the new (4 days old) fine-dining eatery near the entrance of the Colosseum. It is Ogden's ninth restaurant, the first with his signature on it. He hails from San Francisco, where he has a big following at One Market restaurant and Lark Creek Inn in Marin County. His newest venture replaces a former cashier area "so we hope there's a good karma thing going," Ogden said Sunday. ...
Media from Quebec, Dion's home territory, could number three dozen for opening night. "She's bigger than everything, hockey, everything," said Hugo Dumas, a writer for the La Press, Montreal's second largest newspaper. ...
Silliest question of the first week of war coverage: "Why do they call it new port and old port?" CNN anchor Carol Costello to Christiane Amanpour, who was reporting on the battle for Umm Qasr's port. ...
Caesars Palace opened in 1966, not 1970 as mentioned here Sunday.
Sightings
Firefighting poet Ryan Sutter and Trista Rehn, who found love on "The Bachelorette," among the cast reunions of the ABC "Bachelor" shows and spinoffs Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel pool. After drinks and appetizers at Simon Kitchen & Bar, two dozen of the bachelorettes, including Helene and Brooke, went bonkers at Chippendales (Rio). Many of the bachelors headed for "X," the topless revue at the Aladdin. ... Lance Bass of 'N Sync, hanging with pals at ghostbar (Palms) on Friday night. ... Neil Sedaka, meeting the cast after taking in "Mamma Mia!" Saturday at Mandalay Bay. ... Sammy Halie Mourabit, Dion's makeup artist, buying up eyelashes and Paco Rabanne T-shirts and accessories for Dion's dancers at Talulah G at Fashion Show Mall. ... Scenes of the NBC pilot that stars James Caan were being shot Sunday at the Palms Spa. ... Kevin James of "King of Queens," stopping in Canyon Ranch Salon (The Venetian) on Friday to check on his girlfriend, who was getting her hair done. ... When Rick Poppe passed along the item that he ran into Natalie Cole at Capozzoli's a week ago Saturday night, he meant Bob Capozzoli's Casa di Amore at 2850 E. Tropicana, not Capozzoli's Ristorante at 3333 S. Maryland Parkway.
The Punch Line
"I have such poor vision I can date anybody." -- Garry Shandling
Norm Clarke's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can reach him at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com.
