High roller reality show gets testy
With two weeks of filming left, a reality show about Las Vegas socialites has turned into toxic infighting.
Leaks from anonymous sources are reaching flood level stage as cast members jockey for position down the stretch of TLC's project tentatively titled "Las Vegas High Rollers."
The dynamics have turned increasingly vicious and personal.
Last week, at least two local media outlets received calls from someone claiming a cast member had overdosed on drugs.
Some are dying to get their side of the story out.
About three weeks ago I received an email from a tipster claiming to be a cast member. The emailer included some inside information but added, "I would need compensation" for "juicier details."
Cast members have signed confidentiality contracts that prohibit them from bad-mouthing their colleagues.
There's nothing subtle about cast member Lana Fuchs, who regularly slams her cohorts and "haters" on Twitter without naming them.
On Sept. 27, she tweeted, "I feel sorry for the dogs who belong to women who don't have children & torture their dogs by dressing them up in clothes, shoes and sunglasses."
Some took that as a shot at castmate and TV entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs, who often takes her dressed-up dog to events in a dog carrier.
The Russian-born Fuchs shows up for public shoots with an entourage that includes bodyguards, little people and her sister, who was recently removed from a Mob Museum event for being out of control.
The drama played out in public 10 days ago when Amy Hanley, daughter of late hitman Tom Hanley, was rushed to Valley Hospital after a medical emergency during filming at the Mob Bar (misidentified here as the Mob Museum).
Eyewitnesses said she alternated between screaming in pain and appeared unconscious. Jacobs, who was shooting a scene with Hanley, called 911. A source said Hanley never lost consciousness.
She underwent tests at the hospital and later told friends her attack was caused by irritable bowel syndrome.
Meanwhile, there are rumblings of an intensifying feud between cast member Laurie Montoya and her husband, Ron, who owns Rain Cosmetics, and local makeup artist Rain Andreani and her husband, Alfredo Andreani, who have told friends they were pushed out of the company.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Mirage headliner Terry Fator is coming out with a DVD of a new song he wrote that honors wounded warriors. Written about two weeks ago and added to the show, "Heroes" has been getting huge reaction, he said. "I wanted something in the show that was my own," Fator said. He's donating all profit to wounded warriors. ...
Andre Agassi was in Phoenix last week to open a charter school for kids at risk. He joined Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton and partners involved in Eagle College Preparatory. The Canyon-Agassi Charter School Facilities Fund will help take the school from 180 students from kindergarten through fourth grade to 450 (kindergarten through eighth grade) by 2016.
SIGHTINGS
Kris Jenner, dining Saturday at Japonais (Mirage) after signing copies of "All Things Kardashian" at Kardashian Khaos.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Kris Jenner, matriarch of the Kardashian family, is planning to host her own talk show. If the deal goes through, Fox reportedly would give Mrs. Jenner a six-week test run of shows, which is also the Kardashian trial period for marriages." - Jimmy Kimmel
Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more
online at www.normclarke.com.
Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.
