Palms owner George Maloof and dethroned Miss Nevada USA Katie Rees hang out at the "Keep Memory Alive" gala Saturday. Photo by Norm Clarke/Review-Journal

Larry and Camille Ruvo's "Keep Memory Alive" Alzheimer's gala produced another record haul, a singing surprise and an eyebrow-raising couple.

Bolstered by jaw-dropping live auction bids, the $1,500-a-plate event at the MGM Grand Convention Center raised $22 million for the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute being built downtown.

It didn't hurt during the auction when U.S. Sen. John Ensign prodded the sellout crowd of 1,000 into action with the words, "I'm kind of taking names, and we can raise your taxes."

The $22 million total topped last year's $20 million bonanza.

A dinner for 40 at the Ruvos' Lake Tahoe home, prepared by Emeril Lagasse and featuring funnyman Robin Williams, went for an astounding $400,000.

The entertainment surprise of the night came when two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey unveiled a virtual duet with Dean Martin, reminiscent of Natalie Cole's tribute to her father, Nat King Cole.

Spacey told reporters afterwards that he and other entertainers were asked by the Martin estate to perform Deano's classic "Kick in the Head" for a Father's Day album of Martin's greatest hits. Several other artists are involved as well, he said. (See interview at normclarke.com.)

Spacey is in town filming an untitled movie based on a book about a team of card-counting MIT students who beat Vegas casinos out of millions.

A gossip frenzy erupted when Palms owner George Maloof showed up with dethroned Miss Nevada USA Katie Rees. They appeared to be very friendly.

Rees spent a lot of quality time with Maloof recently when she did a day-in-the-life feature on him for her tryout with "Extra."

"I still feel sad that things happened the way they did," she told the Review-Journal's Corey Levitan last week, "because I wasn't ready for that part of my life to be over. But I'm making the most of it. In retrospect, it has opened doors, and nobody can complain about that."

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Attendees at Saturday's 10 p.m. performance of "Love" (Mirage) had to flee the showroom when the sprinklers erupted. The downpour occurred about 40 minutes into the show. "It was pandemonium," a witness told me. Or was it "Helter Skelter"? ...

Las Vegas legend Wayne Newton will add a new title to his voluminous resume this week: Coach. He will be an assistant coach of the NBA All-Star All-Celebrity team. Eighteen celebrities, including Jamie Foxx, Nelly, James Denton and Bobby Flay, will compete in the McDonald's NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, presented by 2K Sports in association with T-Mobile USA. Former UNLV star Greg Anthony, an NBA analyst for ESPN, will coach the West team, with Newton serving as an assistant. (Full details at normclarke.com.) ...

I'm hearing Fred Glusman has a surprise planned for attendees at his 60th birthday luncheon today at Piero's Italian Cuisine.

SIGHTINGS

Donald Trump and fight promoter Don King, making a grand entrance at the Shane Mosley-Luis Collazo welterweight fight Saturday at Mandalay Bay. Earlier, Trump was seen at the Country Club Grill (Wynn), dining with Steve and Elaine Wynn. Having lunch at the grill was Johnny Damon of the New York Yankees, after a round of golf. ... Mel Brooks' brother, Bernard Kaminsky, with wife Bella and their son, Mitchell Edwards, all of Las Vegas, at "The Producers" after-party at Paris Las Vegas. Also there: Tom Meehan, who co-wrote "The Producers" book with Brooks, as well as "Spaceballs." Brooks and Meehan are collaborating on a musical based on "Young Frankenstein." Tony Award-winning choreographer and director Susan Stroman, who attended Friday's opener, will direct.

THE PUNCH LINE

"Michael Richards hands out Rap and Hip-Hop awards." -- From David Letterman's Top Ten Ways to Make the Grammys More Exciting

Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com.