The heavy metal band KISS has spawned a small army of tribute bands.
A battle of bantam-sized KISS tribute bands has turned into an international verbal smackdown.
Mini-KISS, an all-dwarf band out of New York, has filed a cease-and-desist order against Las Vegas-based Tiny KISS over who owns the tribute band concept.
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The little-person feud started in February when MiniKISS frontman Joey Fatale accused former Mini-KISS drummer "Little" Tim Loomis of ripping off the idea.
Loomis claims he had Fatale tossed from Beacher's Madhouse during a St. Patrick's Day show at the Hard Rock Hotel. Fatale was "looking for a fight," Loomis told the New York Post.
Fatale says Jeff Beacher, owner and host of the "Madhouse," concocted the threat of fisticuffs to drum up publicity.
If that's the case, it's been a colossal coup. The story made headlines in New York and the Los Angeles Times and has been mentioned on the British Broadcasting Co. and national TV, including a Tiny KISS appearance Wednesday on MSNBC.
Fatale, in his cease-and-desist warning, said he owns the rights to Mini-KISS and Little KISS.
Tiny KISS has a right to exist, Beacher said, just as other satirical cover bands do.
Beacher has incorporated little people in his variety show for 4 1/2 years and surprised Kelly Osborne with a 21-dwarf salute on her birthday.
Tiny KISS, made up of three little people and a 350-pound plus-sized woman, has signed a two-year, $1.5 million deal to appear at Beacher's Rockhouse, formerly Tequila Joe's at the Imperial Palace, starting June 15.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
The Next Big Thing on Las Vegas Boulevard? I hear gaming giant MGM Mirage is very quietly moving ahead with plans for a major project directly east of Mandalay Bay.
SIGHTINGS
Tiger Woods, filming a Nike commercial Friday at Red Rock Country Club. ... Tennis star Maria Sharapova, the 2004 Wimbledon champ, giving chef Barry Dakake carte blanche for her table's dinner Friday at N9NE Steakhouse (Palms). The 6-foot-2 Sharapova, who turns 19 on Wednesday, was drinking ice water with lemon. She was staying in the Hot Pink suite in the Palms' new Fantasy Tower. At another table: Brad Garrett of "Everybody Loves Raymond," ordering light before heading off to his show at The Mirage. ... Also at N9NE, Britney Spears' brother, Brian, getting the Tiny KISS treatment: Three little people dressed as Pussycat Dolls and a plus-sized guy in drag. The finale featured a striptease by the world's oldest male stripper, 65-year-old Bernie Barker. Witnessing the show were Freddie Prinze Jr., Dean Cain and Lance Bass. ... Dennis Rodman, orchestrating a yelling contest that pitted one side of the room against the other on Friday at N9NE. Later, he camped out onstage at Rain, ordering waves of Cristal champagne. ... The Rev. Al Sharpton, sipping a brand of bottled "Liquid Salvation" water FRiday night at OPM (Forum Shops at Caesars). That after having seen (the) Light, the Bellagio nightclub, on Thursday. ... Hunter Tylo and Fernando Lamas, former castmates on "The Bold and the Beautiful," having a romantic dinner Friday night at Hank's Steakhouse (Green Valley Ranch). In the soap opera, Lamas plays a superhot firefighter, and my spies say the sparks were flying. ... Teri Hatcher, buying $150 worth of toys from 5 Little Monkeys on Friday at Mandalay Place. ... Torino Olympics speedskating gold medalist Chad Hendricks, at Pure (Caesars Palace).
THE PUNCH LINE
"He disappears for hours with Whitney Houston." -- From David Letterman's Top Ten Signs You've Hired A Bad Easter Bunny
