Friday, April 15, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

NORM: 'Today' cast to be at Wynn event

Al Roker announces return trip to Las Vegas

NBC weatherman Al Roker shared a secret with students at Cashman Middle School on Monday.

A member of "The Today Show" lineup, Roker said he was coming back for the opening of Wynn Las Vegas and bringing Katie Couric and Matt Lauer with him.

"The Today Show," the No. 1 morning show in ratings, will be broadcast April 29 from the $2.7 billion Wynn Las Vegas, which opens to the public at midnight April 27.

Getting a first look will present some sleep challenges for the hosts. The show starts airing at 4 a.m. locally.

Johnathan jumps ship

The Amazing Johnathan is jumping from the Riviera to the Sahara because of a 100 percent rent increase.

He announced the move in an e-mail to the Riviera, saying his final show will be April 20. He plans to open his 10 p.m. show at the Sahara on May 6.

He blamed his landlord Norbert Aleman, the producer of "Crazy Girls" and "An Evening at La Cage," for the breakup. Aleman recently signed a new showroom lease with the Riviera and doubled the rent on Johnathan's four-wall deal, according to the comedy magician, who left the Golden Nugget a year ago.

In his e-mail, Johnathan thanked the Riviera for a "great year." He added, "It was really a blast, and we are sad about having to leave what we thought would be our home for a long time."

In a separate e-mail, Johnathan told me that within the past six months his show's numbers "have gone through the roof and we have surpassed `La Cage' numbers at the box office, much to the dismay of Norbert. He believes I am taking customers from his other shows, but I don't believe they are the same customers."

Aleman, reached by telephone, said he agreed to a one-year deal with Johnathan's rep in January. However, Johnathan came back and wanted a new deal with a different rep. "He made a deal and a deal's a deal," Aleman said. "Nothing personal, but he's crazy."

May I recommend ...

No trip to Las Vegas is complete without a souvenir stop at the Bonanza World's Largest Gift Shop, 2460 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Best sellers: the Elvis sunglasses with sideburns, the Welcome to Las Vegas sign, gag gifts and risque items. "Condoleezza Rice came in a year ago with an entourage of Secret Service," said owner Lynn Morris. "We've had Michael Jackson. Nicolas Cage was here when he was shooting `Leaving Las Vegas,' looking at rattlesnake key chains. We had a couple Saudi princesses show up, with security helicopters overhead. They bought thousands of dollars worth of cocktail glasses, which we thought was a little odd. I was in Rome a couple years ago and saw one of our merchandise bags in the gutter." Call 385-7359.

Sightings

Director Quentin Tarantino, downing a cheeseburger at Wolfgang Puck's Bar & Grill (MGM Grand). ... Nicky Hilton has a midnight fashion show at Rain (Palms) tonight for her clothing line, Chick. ... Sean "P. Diddy" Combs will be on hand at 4 p.m. today when Mayor Oscar Goodman honors him by declaring "Diddy Day." The ceremony will be outside the V Theatre at Desert Passage in the Aladdin. Combs also has an appearance tonight at Pure nightclub (Caesars Palace). ... Meg Cabot, author of the best-selling "Princess in Training," dining at Nobu (Hard Rock Hotel) on Wednesday with Las Vegas author Michele Jaffe ("Lover Boy" and "Bad Girl") and Dan Goldner, Jaffe's hubbie.

The Punch Line

"Memory loss makes dated comedy material seem new and fresh." -- David Letterman's Top 10 Good Things About Turning 58.

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