Sunday, February 01, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
NORM: NFL honchos use prevent defense
Lance Armstrong, five-time winner of the Tour de France, may bring his Tour of Hope to Las Vegas.
Derek Jeter, above, Leonardo DiCaprio and Charles Barkley took their star power to Light at the Bellagio.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Charles Barkley
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Was the NFL clampdown on Las Vegas Super Bowl admission parties a case of payback?
A major hotel-casino executive tells me he hears the NFL was unhappy with a Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority's Super Bowl commercial. The ad features an overview of the Strip with the roar of crowd noise and the wording: "If only it was this exciting at the game in Houston."
The ad has been running on the NFL site of ESPN.com.
Last year, the NFL ruffled local feathers by refusing to air LVCVA ads promoting Las Vegas during the Super Bowl broadcast.
The NFL informed local businesses late last week that it will enforce its rule banning admission to any Super Bowl broadcasts on screens larger than 55 inches diagonally.
Celine sidelined
A sinus infection was blamed for canceling Celine Dion's Friday, Saturday and Sunday shows.
She was 40 minutes into her show Friday when she had problems breathing, Dion's husband/manager Rene Angelil said Saturday. All tickets will be refunded.
Dion had not missed a show in 14 years until late October, when she was stricken with the flu.
She won't return to The Colosseum stage until Wednesday, on doctor's orders, Angelil said.
"She's been fighting this since father died" in November, he said. "It's not Vegas throat. Her vocal chords are fine."
The Scene and Heard
NBC's hit drama "Las Vegas" has been picked up for a second season, 22 more episodes. The season's top-rated drama averages 12.3 million viewers a week. ...
Tour de France king Lance Armstrong, in town for a flooring convention with a Belgian sponsor, discussed plans to bring his Washington, D.C.-to-Los Angeles Tour of Hope ride to Las Vegas this fall. "We're trying to bring the ride through the Forum Shops at Caesars," said Tom Kaplan, managing partner of Wolfgang Puck's Las Vegas restaurants.
Sightings
New York Yankees star Derek Jeter, hanging out with Leonardo DiCaprio and Charles Barkley at Light (Bellagio) in the wee hours Saturday. Also there: "The Bachelor" Andrew Firestone. ... DiCaprio, scarfing down stone crabs, lobster and ribeye steak at N9NE late Friday with a half-dozen pals, including actor Luke Haas. Also dining at N9NE: Chicago White Sox slugger Frank Thomas, Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman and Ed Kowalczyk, lead singer of the rock group Live. ... Jeter and entourage at Rain (Palms) on Friday. ... Nick Warnock, a contestant on NBC's "The Apprentice," in the VIP room at Studio 54 (MGM Grand) on Friday. ... Rocker Tommy Lee, with almost a dozen Hawaiian Tropic contestants in tow, visiting the Lassen Gallerie (Forum Shops at Caesars) on Saturday to chat with Christian Lassen. ... Drew Carey, drawing a crowd at Tabu (MGM Grand) on Friday.
The Punch Line
"Joe Namath could walk through the crowd waving a bottle of Scotch and chasing Bonnie Bernstein and not attract more attention than Rod Smart is getting." -- Greg Cote, Miami Herald, on the former Las Vegas Outlaws player known as "He Hate Me"
Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com.
