Saturday, January 17, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
Correction: This column mistakenly states that the mother of Dear Abby columnist Jeanne Phillips is dead.
NORM: Another mob hit
targets Schirripa
The Hall of Fame awaits Debbie Reynolds.
Steve Schirripa lands a new show.
A new deal for The
Amazing Johnathan.
Lynda Carter dines at Bellagio.
|
Former Las Vegas bouncer Steve Schirripa can't escape the mob.
Fresh from wrapping his fourth season on cable juggernaut "The Sopranos," Schirripa has landed the host role on the Discovery Channel's three-episode "Mob Scene," which airs March 9-10-11.
"Hopefully it will turn into a series," said Schirripa by telephone from New York.
He'll be all over the tube in March. His first episode, "Marilyn & the Mob," airs two days after "The Sopranos" premier.
A rough crowd gets rougher this season: Joining the cast is Steve Buscemi, who made his bad-guy bones in "Reservoir Dogs," "Pulp Fiction" and "Fargo."
"He plays the cousin of Tony Soprano," said Schirripa, the former entertainment director at the Riviera and bouncer at Paul Anka's Jubilation nightclub during the 1980s.
All is well
Casino Hall of Fame curator Steve Cutler and entertainment icon Debbie Reynolds have patched things up.
Reynolds, in a recent appearance on "Vegas Live" featuring Clint Holmes and Sheena Easton, said she was looking for a Las Vegas home for her extensive collection of show business memorabilia.
When Holmes suggested the Hall of Fame at the Tropicana, Reynolds was cool to the idea, saying "everything in there is make believe."
A miffed Cutler put in a call to Reynolds to enlighten her. She apologized for the mixup, apparently confusing the Hall of Fame with a wax museum or the Imperial Palace's "Legends In Concert," said Cutler.
"I certainly have no hard feelings," he said. "I just wanted to correct a misstatement. I'm hoping she'll go in the Hall of Fame in October."
The Scene and Heard
Longtime comedian Bernie Allen died Friday at Desert Springs Hospital from injuries suffered in a fall from his motorized scooter earlier this week. He would have turned 88 next month. ...
Comedian The Amazing Johnathan inked a contract Friday with the Golden Nugget and starts Friday. ...
New neon? Juan Mayans, a Seattle entrepreneur by way of Madrid, Spain, told the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at the Gold Coast on Friday that he's relocating to Las Vegas to introduce his new neon invention, which burns one-sixth the electricity and creates little heat, to the hotel and casino industry. ...
Stephanie Boixo, chief of staff for Mayor Oscar Goodman, says hizzoner was just joshing when he said he needed "about 17" takes for his "C.S.I." cameo mentioned here Friday. "He did it in one take," said Boixo. ...
If you haven't seen "Jubilee" at Bally's for a year or so, as was my case, do yourself a favor. I caught it this week and marveled at the sweeping changes. It's breathtaking, still every bit the Grand Dame of the Strip.
Sightings
Brat packer Jack Osbourne from MTV's "The Osbournes," at the Palms Friday. ... George Hamilton at the Stirling Club on Friday. ... "Wonder Woman" Lynda Carter, at Le Cirque (Bellagio) for dinner Thursday night with husband Robert Altman (the Washington attorney, not the director), and Robert and Blaine Trump and Phyllis McGuire. ... Lily Tomlin was all over the map on Thursday: After taking in Ronn Lucas at the Rio, she attended "V -- The Ultimate Variety Show" at The Venetian and later caught "Crazy Girls" at the Riviera.
The Punch Line
"All the world's a cage." -- Jeanne Phillips, who took over the Dear Abby column after the death of her mother.
Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com.
