Bill Maher joins the Comedy Festival lineup next month.
Kevin Eubanks takes a break from "The Tonight Show."
Ice, an off-Strip nightclub that was popularized in the reality show "The Club," is closing down on a high note.
"It's going to be a celebration, not a funeral," said Brian Klimaski, director of VIP services.
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The farewell party starts at 4 a.m. Sunday and runs until noon, or until the booze runs out.
Three years and two months after opening in the former Drink and Eat Too space, Ice has "run its course," Klimaski said.
"It's always been an uphill battle, and we had to wind down because the lease is up in March," he added.
Ice staffers will leave with a lot of cool memories.
There was the night -- well, morning -- that massive NFL partyhound Ross Verba decided the party wasn't over yet.
"Tiesto, who was the No. 1 deejay in the world at the time, was playing, and $10,000 in cash came raining down in the deejay booth, and we went another 90 minutes until 10 a.m.," Klimaski said.
On another night, Sean "P Diddy" Combs "ran up a $150,000 tab -- drank us out of every bottle of champagne we had," Klimaski said.
The 2004 airing of "The Club" in the U.S. and Canada provided a jolt of extra business, but it wasn't enough to survive against the megaclubs.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
The Comedy Festival announced two high-powered additions to next month's event at Caesars Palace. Dave Chappelle and Bill Maher will perform Nov. 16 in the Colosseum, Chappelle at 8 p.m. and Maher at 10:30 p.m.
MAY I RECOMMEND ...
Gordie Brown does it all: impressions, song and dance, and side-splitting bits in a new showroom at The Venetian. He does 7:30 p.m. shows on Sundays and Mondays; 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Tuesdays. Tickets are $69 and $79; call 414-1000.
SIGHTINGS
Paris Hilton, having a romantic dinner at Mix (The Hotel at Mandalay Bay) with illusionist Criss Angel on Wednesday. Later, they were seen at Cirque du Soleil's "O" (Bellagio) and at Tangerine (Treasure Island), where they danced and downed Jagermeister shots with comedy show producer Jeff Beacher. ... George Clooney and Hollywood producer Jerry Weintraub, shooting a scene Wednesday for "Ocean's Thirteen" at Sunglass City, 506 Fremont Street. The store was transformed into a pawnshop for the shoot. ... Sports photography icon Neil Leifer, who shot about 150 covers for Sports Illustrated, dining with friends Wednesday at Social House (Treasure Island). Leifer's gallery has opened at Caesars Palace. ... Roger Clemens and galpal and boxer Winky Wright, at separate tables at Pure (Caesars) early Wednesday. ... At Brown's VIP opening Tuesday: Clemens, Penn & Teller; Clint Holmes; Bill Fayne and Kelly Clinton; Robert Goulet; Brent Barrett, one of the two co-leads in "Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular"; Elvis confidant Joe Esposito; and Weintraub. ... Palms owner George Maloof and KTNV-TV, Channel 13 reporter Melissa McCarty, dining at Michael Mina's StripSteak (Mandalay Bay) on Wednesday. ... Cowboy Ty Murray and singer Jewel, having lunch at Toto's on East Tropicana. ... Hall of Famer Ernie Banks and his wife, dining at Pietro's (Tropicana) after taking in "Bodies ... The Exhibition." ... Big league sluggers Frank Thomas and Jermaine Dye, dining at N9ne Steakhouse (Palms) and moving on to the Playboy Club. ... In the audience for the "Bottom's Up" opening at Fitzgerald's on Tuesday: cast members from "Society of Seven," "La Cage" and Phyllis McGuire. ... Band leader Kevin Eubanks and members of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" band, at George Wallace's show (Flamingo) on Monday and Tuesday. ... Larry Wayne Morbitt and Rebecca Spencer of "Phantom," at Palo Verde High on Wednesday for a workshop with students who are preparing for their production of "Grease."
THE PUNCHLINE
"Madonna named the kid Stedman." -- From David Letterman's Top Ten Surprises in Oprah's Interview with Madonna
