Monday, December 20, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

NORM: Palms to premiere Garner film

Jennifer Garner's new movie, "Elektra,'' will premiere at the Palms on Jan. 8. The story of Britney Spears dishing out $170 for a steak for her Chihuahua at Picasso at Bellagio apparently has been greatly exaggerated. The restaurant had been closed for an 11-day break. Spears is shown walking her dog on the red carpet during The 2004 Billboard Music Awards on Dec. 8. Photo by ASSOCIATED PRESS

The world premiere of Jennifer Garner's new film, "Elektra," will be held Jan. 8 at the Palms, a rare out-of-Hollywood film debut.

The 20th Century Fox film is a spinoff of "Daredevil," in which Garner played Elektra Natchios, the girlfriend of Ben Affleck's blind superhero character.

Garner, the star of the TV series "Alias," and Affleck have been dating since this summer.

Palms owner George Maloof said his property scored the coup through the efforts of his brother Phil, who heads Maloof Television.

"The property is perfect for premieres because we have the theaters (Brendan Theatres)," George Maloof said. "The guys from 20th Century Fox said there have only been three outside of Los Angeles or New York over the last 25 years.

"We hope to have two or three a year," he added.

Pup tale Part II

Ron Schultz, owner of the Crown and Anchor Pub, had the perfect gag when Bellagio's Picasso restaurant reopened Friday after an 11-day break.

He walked in, sat down at the bar and asked for chef Julian Serrano.

When Serrano came out of the kitchen to see his friend and customer, Schultz pointed to the bar stool next to him and said, "a very pretty blonde dropped by and left you this."

On the bar stool was a life-size Chihuahua stuffed animal.

Serrano "got a big kick out of it and started carrying it around" in jest, Schultz said.

The gag made fun of a bogus story out of Britain that claimed Britney Spears bought a $170 steak for her Chihuahua at Picasso.

It couldn't have happened because Picasso has been closed since Dec. 6.

"It's all over the place, and all of them added something," even quotes from Serrano, said the star chef, who was in Spain when Spears was in Las Vegas. "It even made the 6 o'clock news in San Francisco," where Serrano made his name.

The Scene and Heard

Illusionist Steve Wyrick and the Aladdin plan to add some Christmas magic for some youngsters. Wyrick is not only putting on a 15-minute show at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Opportunity Village's Magic Forest, immediately after his minishow, he and Aladdin execs are passing out 1,000 magic kits worth $30. His stagehands, dancers and the Aladdin's public relations staff teamed up as elves to put the kits together.

Sightings

Mike Galardi, former owner of Cheetah's strip clubs in Las Vegas and on the West Coast, claiming his Gucci Row seats from Georgia Tech fans during the Tech-Gonzaga game at the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday. ... The identical triplet Karshner brothers, at Krave (Aladdin) on Saturday night to promote their calendar. They were featured in the Cingular cellular TV commercial. You can find them at http://www.thekarshner triplets.com.

The Punch Line

"Your child may be an honors student, but you're still an idiot" -- bumper sticker

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