Reports are flying that Donald Trump will have Miss USA 2006 stripped of her crown today.
Leonard Nimoy seen backstage at "Love."
The party's over for Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner.
She was to fly to Las Vegas today for a 21st birthday bash at Pure nightclub at Caesars Palace. Instead, reports are flying that Donald Trump will have her stripped of her crown today for scandalous behavior.
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The Las Vegas party is apparently on ice. "We are still reaching out. It looks unlikely," said a Pure insider.
The former Miss Kentucky USA, who turned 21 on Monday, was to host the evening from the VIP stage, which features oversized white beds and white drapes.
Trump, who operates the Miss USA pageant with NBC, is preparing to make it official today that Conner is a goner.
Pure Management, seeing no downside to the publicity bonanza, continued to negotiate with Conner's reps as late as Monday.
It turned ugly quickly for the beauty queen. She was evicted from her Trump Place apartment, which Trump provides the pageant winner during her reign. Conner was sharing the apartment with Miss Teen USA Katie Blair, 18, the Miss Montana Teen USA.
According to published reports, the two were spotted kissing in public last week.
Barring a last-minute surprise, Conner won't make it to Las Vegas today, but Miss America 2006 Jennifer Berry is in town for the Las Vegas premiere of Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky Balboa."
Expect to see the Miss America pageant organizers draw the reins on the contestants even tighter next month when the event returns to the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Wanda Dee had a chapel rocking with her version of Ruth Brown's signature song "If I Can't Sell It I'm Going to Sit On It" at Sunday's memorial for Brown at the First Church of Religious Science. The expression on the attending clergy said it all: Oh myyyy. Also: Bootlegger Bistro owner Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt had a prior commitment, but her establishment, Brown's home on Thursdays in recent years, picked up the tab for the program, which featured nine color photographs of the rhythm and blues legend. ...
ABC's late-night talk show, "Jimmy Kimmel Live," continues to grow. Kimmel, who grew up in Las Vegas, drew his largest November sweeps ratings audience (1.8 million) in three years and saw his audience increase by 14 percent from the same point last year. Viewership has grown from the comparable week last year 47 times in 49 weeks. ...
"ER'' hunk John Stamos is joining the Beach Boys at their Dec. 29-Dec. 31 engagement at the Luxor Theatre. ...
You can support Andre Agassi's charitable foundation and the Keep Memory Alive Alzheimer's charity by participating in the holiday "Round Up" campaign. Just round up your check to the next dollar amount, and whatever extra you wish, and the restaurants will send the difference to the charities. ...
A sin of omission: Also judging the image model search finals at Fashion Show mall was my colleague Susan Stapleton, image editor.
SIGHTINGS
Billionaire media mogul Ted Turner, at the Little Church of the West on Monday for the wedding of his son, Robert Edward Turner IV, 44. ... About 300 Oregon Ducks and BYU Cougars, participants in Thursday's Las Vegas Bowl, attended the Blue Man Group performance Monday night at The Venetian. ... Leonard Nimoy and 14 members of his family, backstage after attending "Love" (Mirage) on Saturday. That's Mr. Spock, not Dr. Spock, as misstated here on Sunday. ... Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, at a family gathering at Spago (Forum Shops at Caesars) on Saturday. ... Members of the Las Vegas band, Panic! at the Disco, at a private event at the Rockhouse (Imperial Palace) Saturday night. ... Actor James Spader, back at Wolfgang Puck's Bar & Grill (MGM Grand) for the second day in a row on Sunday. ... Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil and his wife, Lia, at Tangerine (Treasure Island) after dining at Social House on Saturday.
THE PUNCH LINE
"You folks been to Taco Bell lately? They have a wonderful new menu item, it's the 'Taco Apocalypto.'" -- David Letterman
Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com.
