Monday, March 08, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

NORM: First daughter has hot time in the city

Jenna Bush at Rain, Studio 54. Rep. Jim Gibbons takes in the race. Mena Suvari dines at Piero's. Johnny Cochran has bought a local law firm with Randall Mainor.

Presidential party girl Jenna Bush was busy making wet-your-whistle stops over the weekend.

Surrounded by Secret Service, the 22-year-old daughter of President Bush and first lady Laura Bush made what was believed to be her first trip to Las Vegas since turning 21 in November 2002.

She danced with pals on the stage at Rain, the Palms hot spot, on Friday and Saturday and checked out the Playboy party at Studio 54, where a nontippling Britney Spears (her drink of choice: Red Bull and water) hung out until 4 a.m. with her hometown pals. There was no sign of Jason Alexander, whose 55-hour Las Vegas marriage to Spears in January was annulled.

Bush and Spears weren't the only bold-faced names setting off celeb tsunamis during a star-studded NASCAR weekend.

Our Tom Cruise-Penelope Cruz sighting mentioned here Sunday at the Circus-Circus roller coaster, coupled with the news that they attended "O" (Bellagio) on Saturday in a party of 17, set off a five-bell wedding alarm in the celeb kingdom.

PR coup

Ten years ago, Dave Kirvin, a Denver sportswriter, landed a public relations job in Las Vegas.

Three months later, Bill Doak, who was working for the same Los Angeles-based firm, Brener Zwickel & Associates, was named PR director at the MGM Grand.

Kirvin launched a small PR firm in 1999 and saw it grow to its current staff of 16, including Doak, who joined as a partner in 2002.

Last Thursday in New York City, Kirvin Doak Communications was named PR Week Magazine's 2004 national Boutique Agency of the Year and runner-up for overall Agency of the Year at the annual awards ceremony. The firm counts among its clients some of the city's high-profile resorts, restaurants, entertainment venues and retail outlets.

PR Week is the public relations industry's leading publication. Boutique Firm of the Year refers to agencies with billings under $3 million.

The Scene and Heard

NASCAR prerace emcee Robin Leach noted that the three local entries -- Kurt and Kyle Busch and Brendan Gaughan -- were the only drivers who didn't have Viagra sponsorships. "That's because you don't need Viagra in Vegas," Leach told the crowd of 142,000 and a national TV audience. Leach said the buzz around the track has Steve Wynn looking into landing a Formula One race after he opens Wynn Las Vegas in April 2005.

Sightings

At the NASCAR race Sunday: NFL greats John Elway, taking in his first NASCAR race; Troy Aikman, who is joining the sport as a co-owner of Hall of Fame Racing; and Terry Bradshaw. Also: Sen. John Ensign, Rep. Jim Gibbons, racing legend Carroll Shelby, and attorney Johnny Cochran, who has bought a local law firm with Randall Mainor. ... At the Playboy party: Hockey great Mario Lemieux, Teresa Earnhardt, Howie Mandel, Jenna Bush, 10 Playboy Playmates in bunny outfits, and March cover girl Torrie Wilson. ... At Piero's Italian Cuisine on Saturday: NASCAR driver Kyle Petty and, at another table with local film executive Trent Othick, Mena Suvari, the rose petal girl in "American Beauty."

The Punch Line

"Fame means millions of people have the wrong idea of who you are." -- Erica Jong

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