Ruth Brown was fired by the Bootlegger Bistro in a letter. Photo by Craig L. Moran.
Communication issues are being blamed for a falling-out between Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ruth Brown and the Bootlegger Bistro.
Brown, a Thursday night regular for almost two years, says she was recently notified by mail that the Bootlegger was dropping her show.
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"I worked on Thursday, and I got a letter on Friday saying they were firing me," Brown said by telephone.
Bootlegger boss Ron Mancuso, whose mother, Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, owns the nightclub-restaurant on Las Vegas Boulevard South, acknowledged a letter was sent, rather than a face-to-face notification.
The reason for that, he explained, was that he was "told from the beginning only to discuss business with" Brown's son and manager Earl Swanson.
"We here at the Bootlegger have the utmost respect for Miss Ruth Brown. It is true that Miss Brown was not initially contacted personally," Mancuso said Tuesday.
Summer business is often slow, said Mancuso, "so we looked at adjusting Miss B's booking so that she could play to the full house she deserves."
Numerous e-mail attempts to request meetings with Swanson failed, said Mancuso, who offered to share his e-mail overtures.
"We would love to bring Miss B back for a well-promoted series of dates that would allow her to perform to a packed house and hope to have some constructive dialogue with Earl and or Miss B on how we can accomplish this."
Brown, 79, indicated she plans to "move on. I fall down, but I stand up again."
THE SCENE AND HEARD
About 250 cast and crew of "Ocean's Thirteen" held a private party in the Mix lounge at The Hotel at Mandalay Bay on Tuesday night. The bash, organized by rumjungle owner Donnie Richmond, came after most of the cast shot scenes much of the day at Bellagio and various other Las Vegas locations. The shoot wraps on Friday...
There's been a flare-up of activity surrounding the possible sale of the Sahara, and I hear the number is in the $1 billion ballpark. ...
The mood at Imperial Palace: not happy. Not after the season premiere of "Oprah" included her appearance at the celebrity impersonators convention, but made no mention it was at the I.P.
SIGHTINGS
George Clooney, director Steven Soderbergh and some "Ocean's Thirteen" writers, unwinding at Caramel bar & lounge (Bellagio) Monday after a long day of shooting at Bellagio. ... Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose and friends, partying at Body English (Hard Rock) before heading for the penthouse suite. ... At the 10:30 p.m. performance of Cirque du Soleil's "Love" (Treasure Island) on Monday: Andy Garcia, with one of his daughters. Also in the crowd: Lorraine Bracco of "The Sopranos," with a guest. ... Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, having a romantic, hand-holding dinner at Fix (Bellagio) on Sunday night. ... The David Copperfield birthday tour continued Monday, with a wee-hours stop at Seamless Club After-hours. Apparel disappeared, I'm told.... Celebrating Kelly Clinton's birthday at Celebrity Karaoke at the Bootlegger on Monday night: Lt. Gov. Hunt and Dennis Bono, Clint Holmes, Frankie Scinta, the Las Vegas Tenors, Lena Prima, Martin Nievera, the band Mosaic, and the ladies from "Menopause The Musical". ... John Stamos from "Full House" and director John Landis, in the crowd at The Mentalist's show at the Stardust on Saturday. ... World-renowned painter Vladimir Vorotchaev, joining the cast and crew at Rain (Palms) on Monday for the third anniversary party of "Zumanity" (New York-New York). The San Diego artist presented the cast with a collection he put together over the past year.
THE PUNCH LINE
"In Louisiana, federal agents raided Willie Nelson's tour bus and found a pound and a half of marijuana. Looks like Willie is cutting back in his old age!" -- Jay Leno
