Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
NORM: Woman had ties to killer, Web site says
Charo makes surprise appearance at Krave Las Vegas.
Lorraine Hunt sings show tune with boyfriend.
Clint Holmes takes in Agassi-Blake match at U.S. Open
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A Las Vegas woman who appears in the upcoming season of Donald Trump's NBC show, "The Apprentice," was a local stripper with ties to a triple murderer, according to The Smoking Gun Web site.
Alla Wartenberg testified in the 2002 California trial of Donald Acremant that she often performed lap dances for Acremant at the Palomino Club, under the stage name of "Ecstasy," for up to $1,500 a night and that they developed a "platonic" relationship.
Messages left at Wartenberg's business, Dolphin Court Salons & Day Spas, were not returned by deadline.
Trump recently described Wartenberg in a New York Times interview as "an ex-stripper who is tough as nails." The show begins airing Sept. 22 on KVBC-TV, Channel 3.
Acremant was convicted of killing two Oregon women and a California man during robbery attempts. He is on death row in Oregon.
Wartenberg testified in August 2002 at Acremant's trial in Tulare County, Calif., that Acremant showed up after a long absence in December 1995 and asked her to lunch.
During their meeting, he pulled out a stun gun and a handgun and started "panicking and freaking out, telling me that he, you know, he was very upset with me because I never loved him. I just used him for money." Wartenberg, a mother of four, founded the Dolphin Court chain.
Tigers with a twist
A Siegfried and Roy-inspired show is opening at a London's Albery Theatre.
Instead of big cats, the Kenneth Branagh-directed "Ducktastic!" features, well, ducks.
The storyline, according to a London newspaper, involves "world famous illusionist Christopher Ursula Sassoon who, after an accident with an emu, loses his license to perform in Las Vegas. He teams up with Roy de La Rue, a pet shop proprietor from Portsmouth, to form Sassoon and Roy and put on a new West End show."
Branagh, at age 29, directed and starred in the 1989 film "Henry V," which co-starred his then-wife, Emma Thompson. Branagh was nominated for Oscars for best actor and best director.
The show opens for previews Oct. 11, with opening night on Oct. 17.
Hilton angry at NBC
Kathy Hilton, in Las Vegas over the weekend, said she was not happy with the off-camera abuse heaped on the eventual winner of "I Want to be a Hilton."
During one of the later episodes, Hilton pointedly criticized one of the male contestants for saying he wanted nothing to do with any gay teammates.
"It was worse than anything they showed," Hilton told me during Sunday's Robin Leach-Michael Boychuck birthday party at Postrio (The Venetian).
Hilton said she let the NBC producers know she was unhappy over the harassment that the winner, Jaret Elwood, had to endure.
Hilton and her husband, Rick, were in town for daughter Nicky's fashion show at the Palms.
Sightings
Charo, making a surprise 30-minute appearance onstage Saturday at Krave Las Vegas. She introduced her new "Macarena"-style song and dance called "Picante." It was filmed live for MTV. ... Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt and boyfriend Dennis Bono, singing "Our Love is Here to Stay" during their appearance Sunday in "Tony n' Tina's Wedding" (Rio). Hunt played "Auntie Lorraine" and Bono "Uncle Dennis." In the audience was a large group of Hurricane Katrina first-responders. ... Lance Armstrong, in the audience during Sunday's U.S. Open final between Andre Agassi and Roger Federer. He was there to support Agassi. Tennis buff Clint Holmes spent part of his week in New York City at the U.S. Open, where he took in the Agassi-James Blake quarterfinal contest.
The Punch Line
"I'm gonna learn you all kinds of smart things." -- From David Letterman's "Top 10 Things You Don't Want to Hear From Your New Teacher."
Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com.
