‘Folies Bergere’ ends run tonight
Lark Williams was a 20-year-old showgirl with a touring "Folies Bergere" troupe when she heard the most dreaded words in show business.
The cast was waiting in the wings, ready for the "Can-Can" finale. It was 1979 and they were in Mexico City on an eight-month tour through South America.
Onstage was the speciality act of Mario and Ulysses, doing their big finish, the knife tip to knife tip number. They were performing a handstand, one above the other, balancing only on knives point-to-point in their mouths.
"We were waiting for the applause and our cue," said Williams.
Instead, all they heard was ka-klump coming from the stage and a collective gasp from the audience.
"The next thing we heard in Spanish was 'is there a doctor in the house?'"
The director said "go," Williams recalled. "It was all about getting the 'Can-Can' number in. They were dragging Uly off stage. We thought his neck was broken. How do you top that? Boobs didn't matter at that point."
Uly survived, she said, "but they never worked again."
Williams, who later became one of the city's best-known radio personalities, will be at a VIP table tonight when the final curtain comes down in the "Folies Bergere" after 49 years at the Tropicana.
BEARD CONTENDERS
Wynn Las Vegas chef Paul Bartolotta has a shot at a rare double achievement in the culinary industry.
He could grab a second James Beard Award for best chef, in a second region of the country.
In 1994, as executive chef at Chicago's Spiaggia, he won a James Beard Award for best chef in the Midwest. It was the first time an Italian chef won the award.
Earlier this week Bartolotta was nominated for best chef in the Southwest, four years after opening Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare at the Wynn.
Instead of adopting the traditional Italian menu, Bartolotta sold Wynn on the bold step of featuring coastal Italian cooking -- "something no one else had ever done." Wynn agreed, "after some cajoling," Bartolotta said with a chuckle.
Bartolotta became the buyer and importer of the best Mediterranean seafood he could find.
The other Nevada semifinal nominees are: best chef, Claude Le Tohic, Joël Robuchon at the Mansion at MGM Grand; best new restaurant, Raku; rising star chef of the year, Vannessa Garcia, Restaurant Charlie, at Palazzo; rising star chef of the year, Sarah Kosikowski, Michael Mina at Bellagio; and best chef, Saipin Chutima, Lotus of Siam.
The winners will be announced the first week of May in New York City.THE SCENE AND HEARD
The Review-Journal's annual "Best of Las Vegas" show is a no-show this year, because of the recession, but KVBC-TV, Channel 3 entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs will be dropping names of many of the winners during tonight's newscast at 11. ... Inadvertently omitted from Friday's item about the Salad Show-Down at Whole Foods Market in Town Square was how to enter. Forms are available at the customer service desk at the Town Square location through April 4. Bette Midler's Caesar Salad Girls will choose the winner on April 4. ... Film legend Tony Curtis and his wife, Jill, will be honored at the 4th annual Autism's Angels Gala on April 4 at the Stirling Club at Turnberry Place. ... Looks as if actor David Arquette will serve as master of ceremonies for the inaugural Three Square benefit Friday at the Springs Preserve. Clint Holmes, Susan Anton and Josh "Chop" Towbin are co-emcees for the star chef event, with proceeds going to the valley's main food bank.
SIGHTINGS
Rapper MC Hammer, filming his upcoming A&E reality show Thursday inside Moon Nightclub and ghostbar at the Palms. ... Also at Moon, Dieter Schmitz from MTV's "Laguna Beach." ... Music legend Neil Sedaka, dining at Aureole (Mandalay Bay) on Thursday night. ...
THE PUNCH LINE
"I have a plan to end the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan: Bring all our soldiers home, and send in our investment bankers. They'll screw up the place in six months." - Jay Leno
Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.
