Miss Colorado Jessica Urban has dreams of an onstage moment.
Miss America rules bar contestants from gambling, but it didn't apply to a very lucky family member on Wednesday.
You may recall Sunday's mention here of Miss Montana Sophia Steinbeisser, who, before leaving for Las Vegas and the 2006 Miss America contest, was advised by her family to steer clear of "the Sin City stuff."
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Steinbeisser's cousin Amanda Fleishmann, 22, of Portsmouth, N.H., stopped at the Aladdin's Free Pull slot machine, and with her single pull, won a 2006 Toyota Scion.
"She gets to pick her color," said Jeff King, vice president of marketing at the resort. The car retails for about $15,000.
As reported here on Wednesday, Steinbeisser's luck turned, too. Two boxes containing her competition wardrobe surfaced on Tuesday, only a couple of hours before her first competition.
HEY BIG SPENDERS
When Britney Spears checked out of the Aladdin last week, it was clear her handlers had read a blurb here about her latest nontipping episode.
After the two SUVs were loaded Jan. 9, one of her people pulled out two $20 bills, made a show of holding them aloft so everyone could see them and then handed them to the bag handlers.
At least they got something. Not so lucky was the driver who spent four hours chauffeuring her around town and didn't get a thank you.
Spears is not alone in this stingy celeb club.
Another infamous stiff, a retired NBA megastar, caused a lot of head-shaking at one of our ritziest resorts earlier this month.
While gambling, his royal highness of the hardwood sent a cocktail server to a gift shop for some nasal medication. When she returned, he not only didn't tip her but also didn't pay her for the purchase.
Hmm, maybe he couldn't afford it. I hear he maxed out his $3.5 million in credit.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
A shrink would have a field day interpreting this one: Miss Colorado Jessica Urban tells me she's having nightmares with a recurring theme: She's performing in front of the Miss America judges and petrified because she has no shoes and no top on. ...
Add Gabriella Versace, the lead in the Rio's "Erocktica," to the list of local Miss America contestants. She was Miss Pennsylvania 1993. She uses Gabriella Versace as her "permanent" stage name, she said, for "personal and private" reasons.
SIGHTINGS
Wayne Newton, shooting a scene during his show at the Flamingo Las Vegas on Wednesday with Jeremy Piven, who is in town filming "Smokin' Aces." ... Miss America 1971 Phyllis George, addressing the Miss America Scholarship luncheon at Spago (Forum Shops at Caesars). Also speaking was Teresa Benitez Thompson, Miss Nevada 2002, whose third runner-up finish in the Miss America Pageant that year is still the highest by a Nevadan. ... Funnyman Howie Mandel, in the audience during Wednesday's Miss America Pageant rehearsals at the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Did you see Kobe and Shaq hugging last night at the Lakers game? I guess the feud is over. If this can happen, there can be peace in the Mideast. Last time Kobe hugged anyone like that he had to buy his wife a diamond ring." -- Jay Leno.
