Ventriloquist careful in kitchen

Not long after winning "America's Got Talent" and its $1 million prize, ventriloquist Terry Fator moved to protect his good-as-gold assets.

"I insured myself for not being able to use my voice or my hands," said Fator, who went on to land a five-year deal worth $100 million with The Mirage, where he opened last month.

He doesn't recall the value of the insurance coverage, only that "it's in the millions."

As a kid, Fator recalled the story that pianist extraordinaire Liberace had insured his hands for millions.

"When I was 15, I sliced my finger to the bone, and my doctor said I was a millimeter from slicing the tendon and completely losing use of my right hand," which operates the facial expressions of Fator's characters.

"I probably would have learned how to do it with my left hand. I'm a very tenacious person," he said.

But the biggest scare came a week after Fator won "America's Got Talent."

"I won it on August 19th (2007), a Tuesday, and one week later I was put in the hospital with an infection in my left hand. It was life threatening," Fator said.

"You just don't know what life is going to throw at you. Look at Natasha Richardson. Here she's on a bunny slope and dies from a fall."

Fator still helps his wife in the kitchen, "but I'm always extra careful when I'm working with the knife. I don't try any Emeril Lagasse 40-mile-an-hour chops. I'm easy to insure. I'm not a risk taker. I try to live as safe and as healthy as possible.

"I want to be George Burns and live to be 100 and perform on the day I pass away," Fator said, noting that famed ventriloquist Edgar Bergen performed in Las Vegas, "and that night he passed away. That would be the dream life."

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Ticket sales to Disney's "The Lion King" are roaring. I hear sales for the musical surpassed $1 million in the last week. Previews begin May 5, with opening night May 15. A coup for the Mandalay Bay cast is Kissy Simmons, who earned raves for her performance as "Nala" on Broadway. ...

Altovise Davis had plans to relocate to Las Vegas and was exploring a book project about her late husband, Sammy Davis Jr., according to a friend who asked that he not be identified. The book would have separated fact from fiction. One title under consideration was "Yes He Did," a takeoff of the entertainment legend's 1965 best-seller, "Yes I Can." His widow died last weekend in Los Angeles after a stroke. She was 65.

SIGHTINGS

Kristin Wiig of "Saturday Night Live," having beers and platters of food Friday with a friend at Dos Caminos (Palazzo). ... Flavor Flav, celebrating his 50th birthday at Jet Nightclub in The Mirage on Friday. He was presented with an oversized Jet Nightclub timepiece set to 5 o'clock for his birthday and a cake in the shape of the Viking helmet he wore on his hit TV show, "Flavor of Love." ... At XS (Encore) on Friday: Grammy winner Toni Braxton, with friends and family celebrating sister Tamar's birthday. Former NBA standout Kenny Smith joined Braxton's table. Earlier, her party attended George Wallace's show at the Flamingo. Wallace had Braxton and several members of her party join him on stage. ... Also at XS: Former NFL running backs Marcus Allen, Marshall Faulk and Eric Dickerson. ... Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil, joining Zowie Bowie on stage Friday. Neil was presented with a birthday cake, and the crowd sang "Happy Birthday." His 48th birthday was Feb. 8. ... Holly Madison, taking in Carrot Top on Friday at the Luxor. ... At Thursday's opening night of Monster Circus at the Las Vegas Hilton: Barry Manilow, Steve Harwell of Smashmouth, Patti Russo of Cher's show, Paul Crook of Meatloaf and Fator.

THE PUNCH LINE

"The Las Vegas odds against your team involve the sign for infinity." -- From David Letterman's "Top Ten Signs Your Basketball Team Isn't Going to Win The NCAA Championship."

Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.