Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian's second visit to a Riviera showroom in recent weeks has tongues wagging.
The 89-year-old MGM Mirage mogul arrived with six bodyguards and two ladies at the "Crazy Girls" topless revue on Thursday night. The week before, he was with a group that attended "La Cage," the Riviera's long-running drag queen show.
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One of the world's richest men, with a worth of $8.7 billion, according to Forbes magazine, Kerkorian is rarely seen at the Strip's racier productions.
He is the majority owner of MGM Mirage. Kerkorian launched the era of the megaresort in 1969, when he built the 1,512-room Las Vegas Hilton, then the largest hotel in the world. He upped the ante again with 2,000- and 5,000-room giants.
"La Cage" headliner Frank Marino said he didn't recognize Kerkorian and introduced himself to members of the group after the show.
Included in the group, which occupied all four of the showroom's VIP booths, was "a very sweet lady who introduced herself as 'Mrs. Kerkorian,'" Marino said. She had purchased tickets for the entire party, he said.
"I thought it was the queen of England," Marino said. "I've never seen that much security around a star in my 20 years here, and we've had everybody from Michael Jackson to Whitney Houston."
The other woman in the party was believed to be Rose Pechuls, Kerkorian's sister.
HOT SPOTS, COOL STUFF
KLUC-FM, 98.5 has a listeners' party from 4-6 p.m. today for Justin Timberlake's new single, "Sexyback," at Best Buy, 3820 S. Maryland Parkway. There's a lot of buzz that Timberlake will make an appearance, but no one's guaranteeing it...
Masaharu Morimoto of "Iron Chef" fame will preside over a battle of chefs from the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. Billed as "Simon Super Chefs Live!" the cook-off runs from noon to 5 p.m. today, with each of the eight chefs getting 14 minutes to make a gourmet meal. The competition is being held on the first level, near Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Amazing Johnathan will be on the Strip tonight with Carrot Top and Criss Angel, filming the video portion of his special for Comedy Central. The filming locations were not disclosed. ...
Longtime TV talk-show host Mike Douglas died Friday at 81. Douglas, an occasional Las Vegas headliner, appeared on Duke Morgan's KJUL show about three years ago at The Orleans. The audience got an unexpected treat when Morgan's wife, Orleans publicist Candi Cazau, presented Douglas with a two-hour "This Is Your Life" video that included many of his Las Vegas guests.
SIGHTINGS
Andy Garcia, in town for the "Ocean's Thirteen" shoot, meeting the cast of "Love" (Mirage) backstage on Thursday with his three daughters and wife after the 7:30 p.m. performance. ... Billy Idol, dining at Picasso (Bellagio) with his daughter Bonnie, who was celebrating her 21st birthday. ... Jazz legend Marlena Shaw, joining Clint Holmes onstage during his Harrah's show for a scat duo. ... VIPs at the 500th showing of "Forever Plaid" at the Gold Coast on Thursday: U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, Susan Anton, Sandy Hackett, "Plaid" grad Bruce Ewing of "Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular" and Breck Wall. ... David Eigenberg (Steve Brady on "Sex and the City"), hanging out at Caramel (Bellagio) with friends on Thursday.
THE PUNCH LINE
"They're banning hair gel. How's Al Sharpton gonna fly?" -- Jay Leno
