Sunday, April 24, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

NORM: Luckiest mayor gets even luckier

Oscar Goodman takes Playboy gig. Debra Messing at Forty Deuce. Drew Carey leaves a monster tip.

Mayor Oscar Goodman's next stunt in his orgy of self-promotion will be as a guest photographer for Playboy.

His staff assistant, Elena Perez, confirms that a date has been tentatively set, probably early next month. Goodman's assignment: photograph Las Vegan Destiny Davis, who was Playboy's Miss January. I am presuming Miss Davis, 19, won't have her shirt on.

"Playboy really fell in love with him," said Perez, referring to Goodman's key-to-the-city presentation to three Playmates, including Davis, back in January. "I believe he's the first politician to be a guest photographer."

Count on another ethics firestorm, and I have a theory about that.

Actually it's more of a confirmation. About six months ago, an anonymous letter arrived from someone claiming inside information. The letter writer said Goodman is publishing a tell-all book about his mob-defending days that won't be released until after his death, with proceeds going to his family.

That would explain a lot. Is Goodman's outrageous, envelope-pushing behavior designed to keep building a buzz, and juicy chapters, for his book?

Everything from extolling his affinity for gin to fourth-graders to participating in pornography.

"If that's the case and this is another civic act, another action on the behalf of the city, that seems to be too much to swallow," said Goodman critic Craig Walton of the Nevada Center for Public Ethics.

The Scene and Heard

Former Folies Bergere poster girl Janu Tornell is off the island. After a heated episode that aired Thursday, Tornell, 39, voluntarily walked away from a potential $1 million prize on "Survivor: Palau." She was only the fourth person in the CBS reality show's five-year history to surrender.

Sightings

Tigers Woods, on the town Friday, checking out Light nightclub (Bellagio). ... Drew Carey, reinforcing his rep as a Hall of Fame tipper, leaving $2,000 on a $1,300 tab Friday at Mix restaurant at THE Hotel at Mandalay Bay. On a recent visit to Mix, Carey, a former bank teller in Las Vegas, toked $1,000 on a $300 check. ... California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, greeting Siegfried and Roy in a private box at the FEI World Cup event Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center. The crowd gave a rousing welcome to Siegfried and Roy during a ceremonial lap in a white Rolls-Royce. ... Debra Messing of "Will and Grace," enjoying the burlesque scene at Forty Deuce nightclub (Mandalay Bay) on Friday. Also in the house: former NFL quarterback Warren Moon. ... Bill Clinton, testing Steve Wynn's new golf course at Wynn Las Vegas on Friday before heading for Il Mulino restaurant (Forum Shops expansion at Caesars) for dinner. His dinner party included film producer Steven Bing; eBay founder and Henderson resident Pierre M. Omidyar, No. 16 on the Forbes 400 with an estimated net worth of $10.4 billion; Brian Greenspun; and George and Phil Maloof. ... Toni Braxton, celebrating her wedding anniversary at Friday's 10:30 p.m. performance of "Zumanity" (New York-New York) with a party of seven. ... Sinbad, checking out Pure (Caesars Palace) on Friday after dinner at Nobu (Hard Rock Hotel). Also at Nobu: Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw. ... At Body English (Hard Rock Hotel) on Friday: Sergei Federov, Carey and Kal Penn from "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle."... At Sushi Roku (Forum Shops expansion at Caesars) on Friday: Cedric the Entertainer and Moon.

The Punch Line

"I wasn't just fired, I was dumped. I was shot at the crack of dawn, I was left in the gutter, I mean, it was so cold." -- Fashion maven Steve Cojocaru, fired by "The Today Show" after four years after confirming he was going to appear on "Oprah."

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