Friday, April 22, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

NORM: Carlin's humor packs the house

Comedian George Carlin performs at the Stardust on Thursday. Photo by Jeff Scheid.

George Carlin returned to the stage Thursday to prolonged applause after a 4 1/2-month break to treat a drug and alcohol addiction.

Ten minutes into his new gig at the Stardust, Carlin got another ovation from the packed house of 600 when he acknowledged that he's been clean and sober for 116 days.

Carlin's last outing in Las Vegas was in early December when he ended a four-year run at the MGM Grand with an anti-Vegas rant that questioned the intellect of tourists who visit here.

His material, for the most part, remained the same: a preoccupation with death and dark humor.

"Those beheadings in Iraq, that was interesting ... a 24-hour suicide channel, must-die TV," he riffed.

"Natural disasters ... the bigger the death toll, the better."

Gordon funeral

Entertainment wheeler-dealer Jack Gordon, whose clients included his wife, LaToya Jackson, and John Wayne Bobbitt, died Tuesday at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz.

With Gordon pulling the strings, Jackson tried to launch a music career, a la her famous brother, by posing for Playboy and doing soft-core porn films. They were married from 1991 to 1997.

Gordon called occasionally, hoping to drum up ink for one of his lost causes. Some days it was about Bobbitt, other times Joey Buttafuoco.

The last time I heard from him, about a year ago, he said he was in talks to do a book on his life and a possible movie. Gordon's co-author: Louis Eppolito, a former New York City police detective who was arrested at Piero's Italian Cuisine this year on charges that he worked as a Mafia hit man, killing rival gangsters.

A longtime Las Vegan, Gordon was 66. His funeral is today at 11:30 a.m. at Palm Mortuary, Eastern and Warm Springs.

The Scene and Heard

It's confirmed: Wayne Newton is heading for the Las Vegas Hilton for a 30-date limited engagement starting June 14, the hotel announced Thursday. Tickets are going for $75, plus tax and service charge, up from the $54.95 basic price at the Stardust, where he finished a run of five-plus years on Wednesday. ...

During a recent engagement at the Suncoast, singer-impressionist Bill Acosta dedicated Neil Diamond's "Coming to America" to his son, William Michael Acosta. The happy day has arrived. The first father-son reunion in four years occurs today at McCarran International Airport. Young Acosta, a 21-year-old U.S. Marine, has been in Iraq with Alpha Company, 2nd Tank Battalion.

May I recommend...

The wine is divine at UNLVino, the wine tasting fund-raiser that continues tonight at Cili at Bali Hai Golf Club and wraps up Saturday at Bally's Event Center. The Cili event, from 7-10 p.m., features wines from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa for $40. The Grand Tasting includes 700 wines from 325 domestic and international wineries, for $50 in advance and $75 at the door. 2-6 p.m. Information: www.unlvtickets.com or call 739-3267.

Sightings

Bill Clinton, having a peach, banana and strawberry smoothie Thursday at Tacone Global Grill in The District at Green Valley Ranch. ... Signing autographs at the Riviera's 50th anniversary party Thursday: Ruth Buzzi, Stella Stevens, Marty Allen and Deana Martin ... "The Third Wish" premieres at the Palms tonight, with red carpet introductions from 7-8 p.m.

The Punch Line

"Electronics experts say that by 2009 people will be able to watch TV programs on their cell phones. So we are now exactly four years away from the largest car accident in history." -- Jay Leno

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