In "Hello, Dolly," Barbra Streisand's iconic character Dolly Levi subscribes to the belief that "money, pardon the expression, is like manure."
"It's not worth a thing unless it's spread around, encouraging young things to grow," Dolly says.
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When it comes to gambling, Streisand doesn't practice what Dolly preached as far as spreading it around.
After her Saturday MGM Grand concert, where tickets went for up to $1,000 each, she was spotted playing blackjack for a miserly $15 a hand in a high-roller salon, with her pet poodle seated at the table.
More minnow than whale, Streisand played low-roller blackjack for about 90 minutes, until 3 a.m., before leaving the salon at the MGM Grand's Mansion, where the megarich are coddled to the max.
There were whispers that her dog was seen drinking or eating from a high-end china saucer while at the blackjack table. No word on whether the pooch was underage.
During Babs' concert, she told the audience she had a $100 millennium chip from her New Year's Eve 1999 show at the MGM Grand, and she planned to spend it.
Between songs, she mentioned she went to the Stage Deli for a chopped liver sandwich and a matzo ball soup, topped off with banana cream pie at Emeril's.
Spies tell me she was friendly and outgoing on numerous occasions as she walked through the MGM Grand with her dog.
NO TRUCE FOR TOM
Tom Arnold extended an olive branch to ex-wife Roseanne Barr on Saturday. It didn't go well.
Early in TBS' live telecast of "Comic Relief" from Caesars Palace, Arnold offered to let bygones be bygones during his appearance from New Orleans.
Barr, who has traded insults with Arnold for years since their messy divorce, had other ideas when she took the stage in Las Vegas.
"I don't think we should hang Saddam Hussein. That's too good for the bastard," she said. "I think he should have to marry Tom Arnold."
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Music mogul Russell Simmons and former NBA great Magic Johnson have reserved OPM nightclub (Forum Shops at Caesars) for the night of Feb. 16, the Friday before the NBA All-Star Game. ...
Correction: The name of David Pomeranz, the entertainer at The Stirling Club (Turnberry Place), was misspelled here Sunday.
SIGHTINGS
Chris Rock, joining George Wallace (Flamingo) on stage Saturday night before going to Jay-Z's 3:20 a.m. concert at Tao (Venetian). ... Rosie O'Donnell and Billy Jean King at Streisand's show. ... Paris Hilton, at Tao with English singer James Blunt after taking in his concert at the Hard Rock Hotel. Her sister Nicky was with David Katzenberg, son of DreamWorks' Jeffrey Katzenberg, while Nicky's ex, Kevin Connolly of "Entourage," was in the same VIP area with a date. ... In the "Comic Relief" crowd: Paula Abdul, Bo Derek, John Corbett and Joy Behar. ... Palms owner George Maloof, KTNV-TV, Channel 13 reporter Melissa McCarty and Mario Lopez of "Dancing With the Stars," at Tryst (Wynn) on Saturday. ... Dane Cook, dodging a plastic water bottle thrown from the crowd during his midnight show at The Colosseum. He ordered the lights be brought up and asked who threw it. When a man tried to bolt, audience members grabbed and held him until security arrived. At Pure (Caesars): Prince with comedian Katt Williams; at other tables: Haylie Duff and Jamie Kennedy. ... At the Playboy Club and Moon (Palms) on Saturday: Bill Maher, David Spade and Kennedy. ... Jane Seymour, at Olivia Newton John's concert (Luxor) on Saturday. ... At Social House (Treasure Island): Illusionist Criss Angel, performing in front of his A&E film crews while fellow magic man David Copperfield dined a few tables away with a blonde. ... All three McGuire sisters, Phyllis, Christine and Dorothy, dining at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab (Forum Shops at Caesars) on Friday. The trio, known for the No. 1 hits "Sincerely," "Sugartime," and "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight," were America's sweethearts during the '50s and '60s. ... A film crew for Home & Gardens Television, shooting a segment over the weekend at the Outfit boutique on the Wynn Esplanade for HGTV's Dec. 3 "Holiday Windows: 2006" special. Wynn's version of "Wynnter Wonderland" is the only West Coast location being showcased.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Wal-Mart is coming out with a $2 wine. So it looks like Jesus wasn't the only one to turn water into wine." -- Jay Leno
