Hockey fans look for Cirque rescue

A Toronto newspaper is reporting that fans of the NHL Montreal Canadiens would welcome the idea of having Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte take over the storied franchise.

With U.S. businessman George Gillett apparently ready to sell the club, the Toronto Globe and Mail said Thursday that "Quebeckers are praying for Mr. Laliberté to rescue the Canadiens."

But, the report added, "the province's second-richest man might be otherwise occupied."

The global recession would "put that to the test," the report said, because Laliberte's Montreal-based company, which has five shows in Las Vegas and a sixth in the works, is now facing "it's biggest gamble."

With the cash-strapped MGM Mirage "on its knees," Cirque will need "all of its trademark dexterity to avoid getting hit by the crossfire between MGM Mirage and its CityCenter partner," according to the report.

The Globe and Mail said Cirque is not anticipating any fallout from the CityCenter dispute and anticipates a Dec. 16 launch of its Elvis show at CityCenter.

"Our partner MGM Mirage has not given us any indication to the contrary," Cirque spokesman Renée-Claude Ménard told the newspaper.

It's not Cirque's first recession-related crisis. The company was forced to move one of its two planned Macau shows to a new location when gaming giant Las Vegas Sands halted a casino project in the Chinese gambling capital.

Cirque moved the show to New York's Radio City Music Hall, with a 2010 opening. Dubai was to be the home of another permanent Cirque show, but that may fall apart if "development freezes there," the newspaper said.

MYSTERY OF THE RHYTHMETTES

Las Vegas resident Milt Irvin hopes someone can solve this mystery.

While reading "Leonard Bernstein: American Original," he ran across a photo on page 192 of the legendary conductor of the New York Philharmonic.

The photo caption read:

"Yee-ha! Bernstein lets loose with the most American of cowboy salutations to the great delight of his Las Vegas welcoming committee, which included the Las Vegas High School Rhythmettes, 1960."

In the photo with Bernstein, who died in 1990 at age 72, are a number of the Rhythmettes, who are dressed as cowgirls.

If any of you readers have seen the photo and can identify any of the Rhythmettes, send me the information, along with why Bernstein was in Las Vegas.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Bette Midler's Caesar Salad Girls aren't just window dressing. They will be co-hosting a salad competition with Whole Foods Market on April 4 at Town Square. To enter, submit a recipe by April 3. Wearing their showgirl garb, the Caesar Salad Girls will put their pretty heads together and decide the winner of the event, which runs from noon to 1:30 p.m. The winner goes home with a pair of tickets to Midler's "The Showgirl Must Go On" and gets to attend a meet-and-greet with the entertainer.

MAY I RECOMMEND ...

Two new Chinese restaurants are getting raves for their authentic cuisine. On the Strip: Beijing Noodle No. 9 at Caesars Palace recruited executive chef Li Yu from a top noodle shop in his homeland. Off the Strip: China MaMa at 3420 South Jones Blvd. takes dumplings to another level.

THE PUNCH LINE

Today was the first day of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's two-day trip to Mexico. She spent the day with Felipe Calderon discussing the drug violence that has been spilling over into the U.S. Then she flew to Cancun to look for Bill." -- 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.