Friday, January 23, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
NORM: Horn's recovery moves forward
CORRECTION ON 1/24/04
A correction in Friday's Review-Journal was incomplete. The newspaper in a Jan. 17 Norm Clarke column misidentified Jeanne Phillips, author of the Dear Abby column. Jeanne Phillips took over the advice column from her mother, Pauline Phillips, after she retired. The column mistakenly indicated Pauline Phillips had died.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck make their split official.
Roy Horn scores another positive.
'P Diddy' has been with J-Lo again.
Spears says no to speedway offer.
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Roy Horn has taken one more big step: His tracheal tube is out, allowing him to talk and to eat what he wanted, including two of his favorites, pistachio ice cream and Wiener schnitzel.
Horn's recovery, termed nothing short of miraculous since returning to his Las Vegas home Dec. 22, has manager Bernie Yuman predicting big surprises soon: "more progress than anybody could ask for."
Although he chose his words carefully, Yuman was hinting that Horn could be walking soon. Real soon.
"He's quite the miracle man," Yuman said. "It's amazing."
Horn suffered serious left-side paralysis and almost died twice after being mauled Oct. 3, his 59th birthday, by one of his white tigers during the Siegfried & Roy show at The Mirage.
The tube came out in mid-January, and Horn wasted no time ordering his first solid food in 100-plus days. "He wanted Wiener schnitzel (breaded veal), and Siegfried made sure it was brought in."
"The most important thing," Yuman said, "is that Siegfried is really challenging him" at what will require long-term rehab. "They're enjoying these tiny triumphs."
Ben, J.Lo split
It's all over but the shouting: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez made it official Thursday.
A representative for Lopez released a statement confirming the breakup. "At this difficult time, we ask that you respect her privacy," the statement said
The 18-month relationship started unraveling in September when they called off their marriage. After that, the closest they got to the altar was Dec. 30 when they walked into the Wedding Bells Chapel across from the Stardust as a free-publicity favor to the chapel owner.
Affleck raised eyebrows a week later when he showed up in Las Vegas alone. Lopez was spotted a few days later clubbing with ex-boyfriend Sean "P Diddy" Combs.
Spies tell me Affleck checked into the Bellagio on Jan. 8 under the name of Jack Walsh. That happens to be the name of the main character, played by Robert De Niro, in one of Affleck's favorite films, "Midnight Run." It was directed by Martin Brest, who also directed "Gigli," the 2003 box office bomb co-starring Ben and Jen.
Britney declines
You can black flag that phonied-up report in the little paper that Britney Spears might be singing the national anthem in Las Vegas at the main NASCAR event March 7.
The offer was made by the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in early December, shortly after her March 6 concert at the MGM Grand was announced.
"They called back a couple days later and said that she politely declined," said Jeff Motley, public relations director at the speedway.
Sightings
Former big-league star Steve Garvey, chatting with Bill Weidner, president of Las Vegas Sands Inc., at the Thursday opening of Thomas Keller's Bouchon, a new restaurant at The Venetian. Garvey and Weidner go back to their college days at Michigan State.
May I recommend ...
Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville at Flamingo Las Vegas is Parrothead Paradise for cheeseburger lovers. Buffett kicked off the grand opening with a poolside concert Thursday.
The Punch Line
"If one morning I walked on top of the water across the Potomac River, the headline that afternoon would read: "President Can't Swim." -- President Lyndon Johnson, on the media.
Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com.
