Sunday, March 30, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

COLUMN: Norm!

New Cirque show to be its sexiest to date

Anna Nicole Smith and a cowboy named Cactus chat Saturday at the Laughlin rodeo. COURTESY PHOTO

The secret's out: An April 22 announcement is scheduled to unveil the name of the new Cirque du Soleil at New York-New York.

But Ms. Sinonymus told me to check the Web site www.zumanity.com, and sure enough, there's the answer.

"Zumanity, a provocative exhibition of human sensuality, arousal and eroticism, opens July 31st, only at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas," the Web site proclaims.

Zumanity is defined as "an intense visit to a world where human inhibitions are both unveiled and discarded, where style and intense sensual passion share an uncommon stage."

Translation: It is Cirque's sexiest show yet.

The Scene and Heard

Stephanie Richardson, the former Eldorado High School cheerleader stricken with brain cancer, lost her battle Thursday. Stephanie, 17, died at Sunrise Hospital about five days after her idol, Celine Dion, talked to her over a hospital speakerphone. Funeral services are at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the LDS Chapel at Stewart Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard. Our condolences to the family. ...

Postponed out of deference to the war in Iraq, last Tuesday's official premiere party for "A New Day..." has been rescheduled for April 27. ...

Las Vegans Ethel Ciulla and Helen Del Hoyo, 80-year-old twins, are living proof you're only as old as you feel. They were in the audience Thursday night, checking out the Chippendales dancers at the Rio. They told the performers, "We'll be back for our 85th birthdays." Ciulla and Del Hoyo, who are artists and teach senior citizens computer skills, were offered free tickets for life from Chippendales. ...

The Palms Hotel on Friday is hosting a private VIP premiere of "Lucky," FX cable channel's Las Vegas-set series starring John Corbett of "Sex in the City." Corbett is attending with girlfriend Bo Derek and other cast members. ...

Happy 35th birthday, Celine Dion. Also born on this date: Paul Reiser, 1957; Eric Clapton, 1945; Warren Beatty, 1937; Peter Marshall, 1930; Frankie Laine, 1913 (who is celebrating No. 90 today in Las Vegas) and Vincent Van Gogh, who would have been 150 today.

Sightings

Anna Nicole Smith, looking positively heifer-vescent at the Laughlin rodeo on Saturday, spent a lot of time chatting up a hunky cowboy named Cactus while her new boyfriend, Mark, baby-sat her dog Sugar Pie. Anna and Mark had a suite at Harrah's Laughlin, but my spies tell me the romance had all the sizzle of reheated bacon. ... NFL great Emmitt Smith, celebrating his new deal with the Arizona Cardinals on Friday at Tabu (MGM Grand). At another table: teetotaling Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean, with a Red Bull and Coca-Cola. On Thursday, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis; Billy Joel took a walk-through. ... Gloria Estefan, with husband Emilio and daughter Emily Marie, 8, wearing a tiara, leading several standing ovations during "A New Day..." on Thursday night. ... At ghostbar (Palms): NFL pass-catcher Shannon Sharpe, Pauly Shore and NFL Pro Bowl defensive end Hugh Douglas, now with the Jacksonville Jaguars. ... At Spago (Forum Shops at Caesars) on Friday: former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulrooney and family, and music executive Clive Davis and family, in town for "A New Day..." Joel, dropping 30 seconds of "Viva Las Vegas" in the middle of "In the Middle of the Night," during his concert with Elton John on Friday night at the MGM Grand.

The Punch Line

"Remember when we were launching rockets at the moon instead of at each other?" -- Moody Blues drummer Graeme Edge, during Thursday's concert at Paris Las Vegas

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