Monday, November 17, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

NORM: Roy PR effort may produce ill effects

Baldwin helps "SNL" spoof Roy. Jackson is a man for Four Seasons. Burton's rabbit bit has a Fox link. DiCaprio does a Rain dance.

NBC's "Saturday Night Live" took a tasteless swipe at the Siegfried & Roy saga over the weekend, signaling that the collective gloves are beginning to come off in some quarters.

I have a theory as to why the sensitivity is waning: the PR campaign is becoming a national joke.

The latest reports from Roy Horn's camp, delivered Friday on Larry King's CNN show, have Roy "giving orders" to nurses and making "significant" gains. Earlier accounts had him giving a thumbs-up and asking for his dog.

I certainly understand the natural inclination of friends and handlers wanting to put the best face on a difficult situation. But my concern is that the eternal optimism is giving an unrealistic portrayal of Horn's condition and opening up a seriously injured individual to satirical abuse.

Things are not hunky-dory. He isn't talking or eating on his own. He communicates with eye squints and finger squeezes.

The "Saturday Night Live" spoof had Roy making a heralded comeback in 2005.

Alec Baldwin played Roy, complete with a rhinestone plastic neck brace and an agitated tiger.

As Siegfried bites his knuckles with worry and Roy is introduced to the crowd, the camera shows a woman with a beehive hairdo sitting in the front row, a reference to Steve Wynn's theory that white tiger Montecore went bonkers over a patron's big hair.

A gory attack ensues, with Siegfried moaning, "Oh, nien! Here we go again."

The story is picked up a year later, with a Mirage sign proclaiming "Roy Returns Again."

This time he comes back with a trained turtle that, predictably, attacks Roy.

Let the truth come out. Those who genuinely care about Roy deserve to know. No way would he want to be any part of this circus.

The Scene and Heard

While others drove by, Joe Trammel did a very decent thing after seeing a horrendous traffic accident recently unfold in front of him. He did what every Good Samaritan hopes to accomplish: to help in whatever way. Tragically, a 19-year-old woman and her unborn child died in the crash. Trammel , who attended the victims' services Sunday, emcees for the "Crazy Girls" at the Riviera.

Sightings

Michael Jackson and entourage, checking out of the Four Seasons (Mandalay Bay) on Sunday after a two-week stay in Las Vegas. Earlier last week he was spotted at the Mirage villas. ... John Walsh, host of Fox Network's "America's Most Wanted," at magician Lance Burton's 7 p.m. show Saturday (Monte Carlo), with his pre-teen son, who was picked out of the crowd to assist with Burton's version of the rabbit-in-hat trick. Walsh is here this week to work with Metro on some cases. ... At the Palms on Saturday for its second-anniversary party: Leonardo DiCaprio, Vin Diesel and Steve Harris of "The Practice," dining at separate tables at N9NE Steak House; at Rain nightclub: DiCaprio dancing up a storm on the stage, Chris Kattan of "Saturday Night Live," Tara Reid, Chris Kirkpatrick of 'N Sync, Jermaine Dupri, Mekhi Phifer and Aimee Osbourne, the camera-shy member of the Osbournes. ... Tucker Carlson, co-host of CNN's "Crossfire," going for a nonpolitical spin Saturday while racing Billy Bush, "Access Hollywood" correspondent, at Fast Lap Indoor Kart Racing, 4288 S. Polaris St. ... Priscilla Presley, touring the Bellagio over the weekend.

The Punch Line

"Don't accept rides from strange men, and remember that all men are strange." -- Robin Morgan

Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com.