Sunday, April 10, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

NORM: Early interest in burlesque pays

Ivan Kane, flanked by dancers Erin Giraud, left, and Carolyn Pace, runs the Forty Deuce nightclub at Mandalay Bay. Willie Mays says hey at convention.

Ivan Kane's misspent youth in New York City included skipping school to visit the burlesque clubs that dotted 42nd Street.

"We called it forty deuce," said Kane. "We'd check out the old-school burlesque houses. I was floored."

Years later, he married East Coast burlesque dancer Champagne Suzy.

Eight years ago, after an acting career that began with a 1986 appearance in "Platoon" and included a role in "Born on the Fourth of July," Kane decided to take a left turn.

Sticking to the Hollywood scene, he opened his first nightclub and named it Kane.

To add an air of sexuality, he added dancers as the centerpiece. One club led to another and another, which he called Forty Deuce.

Soon, Kane was attracting the Hollywood "in" crowd, and the buzz reached all the way to Las Vegas.

"I thought Forty Deuce was tailor made for Las Vegas. Vegas is going back to a time that harkens back to when you'd see Sinatra and Dino sitting in the type of club that Forty Deuce is."

Kane shopped the concept to New York-New York, Caesars Palace and Mandalay Bay, where a deal was struck.

In November, Forty Deuce opened its doors to what Kane calls "a naughty but not raunchy show."

Forty Deuce joined the after-hours trend about a month ago and stays opens until 8 a.m.

The burlesque business is booming again in Las Vegas. Joining the retro trend are the famed Pussycat Dolls, who opened their lounge this weekend at Pure, the new nightclub at Caesars Palace.

Adding more fuel to the flames, Bravo cable channel launched a four-part series at 11 p.m. on Thursdays titled "Forty Deuce."

The Scene and Heard

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has scheduled a news conference on Monday to announce the headline act for the July 2 Centennial Concert. The only hint: "The world renowned, multi-platinum rock band has broken down musical barriers across the board," according to the press release.

Sightings

At the VIP opening of the Pussycat Dolls Lounge on Saturday at Pure (Caesars Palace): Eva Longoria, who emceed the show, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graff, Dr. Dre, Busta Rhymes, Mark McGrath, CSI creator Anthony Zuicker and actresses Mary J. Blige, Emily Proctor, Melinda Clark and Eliza Dushku. ... Howard Bellamy of the Bellamy Brothers, getting hitched for the fourth time on Wednesday at the Little Church of the West. Bellamy, 59, married Jennifer Wright, 24. In attendance was Bellamy's brother, David, who teamed up with his brother on their No. 1 hit "Let Your Love Flow" in 1976. ... Frank Scinta, buying an eye patch Thursday at the Walgreens at Flamingo Road and Buffalo Drive. He's recovering from an infected sty. Welcome to the club, Frankie. ... Actor Andy Richter, dining at Commander's Palace (Aladdin). ... Willie Mays, saying hey at the Pepsico booth at the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) on Friday. ... Jack Jones, "Downtown" Gordie Brown and Bill Fayne, joining Kelly Clinton at the Stirling Club (Turnberry) on Friday night.

The Punch Line

"I'm in the park this morning. I see the Robert Blake jurors walking their seeing-eye dogs." -- Craig Ferguson, host of CBS' "Late, Late Show."

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