Mills has a shot at another crowning

Heather Mills, $48.6 million richer after her divorce settlement with Paul McCartney, will be a judge for the Miss USA pageant in Las Vegas in April.

Mills, who sought $250 million, reportedly blew up in court and dumped water on McCartney's attorney, Fiona Shackleton, near the end of Monday's hearing in London.

Mills will join Donny and Marie Osmond at the pageant at Planet Hollywood Resort. An announcement is coming today, we hear. The Osmonds have signed on as hosts.

The 40-year-old Mills was married to the Beatles icon for four years.

TIPPING POINTS

If the widespread tipping shakedowns don't cease at local nightclubs, here's an idea: make room on the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign for a logo showing an outstretched hand.

The upturned palm, unfortunately, is the image too many tourists take home these days after being hassled for tips at every turn.

Even with all the horror stories and recent media criticism, the greedy practice continues.

A Denver friend, while coordinating a bachelor party for 18 the past few weeks, made lodging reservations at the MGM Grand's Signature luxury towers.

Partying at nearby Studio 54 in the MGM Grand made sense geographically, my source said.

But after getting set up with VIP tables and bottle service at an estimated cost of $3,000-$4,000, my friend said, the VIP host requested a final add-on: a $300 cash payment was expected at the door "to make sure you get a good table."

My friend bitterly backed out this week and took the party elsewhere, where there was no mention of palm-greasing expectations at the front door.

Which begs the question: Didn't hotels get rid of the maitre 'd showroom tipping system years ago because it was so off-putting?

Hospitality, long the foundation of the Las Vegas experience, has been replaced by soaking the customer in every imaginable way.

Add a teetering economy to the shakedown scandal and surfacing cases of excessive violence and an argument could be made that Las Vegas is at a tipping point.

I called Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, for his take.

"We are concerned about the overall experience people have in Las Vegas," he said. "We need to have customers come back."

A NEW OPENING FOR PENN

Penn Jillette opened the sixth season of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" to mixed reviews.

"He's big, he's funny, he's vastly entertaining. But when he dances, the ironic magician brings to mind Peter Boyle stomping through 'Puttin' On the Ritz' in 'Young Frankenstein,' " wrote Julie Hinds of the Detroit Free Press. "Still, you've got to give Jillette credit for showmanship."

Jillette, half of the Rio's Penn & Teller headlining act, finished one point from the bottom on the opening night. Tim Goodman of the San Francisco Chronicle said, "Jillette was robbed of one, maybe two points" and had "the bigger beef, since he was markedly better" than actor Steve Guttenberg and comedian/radio host Adam Carolla "but suffered from going first."

THE SCENE AND HEARD

A couple of announcements from Rumor Central: Sorry, folks, if it looked as if I was AWOL on Tuesday. But I'm moving to a six-day schedule (Wednesday through Monday), with my pal Doug Elfman capably filling the space on Tuesdays. Secondly, we've added a new member to our family. Rumor, our 11/2-year-old Yorkie-Silky, has a new running mate, a spitfire Silky named Scandal. It's a fact: where there's a Rumor, a Scandal isn't far behind. If the Leggy Blonde can teach 'em how to operate a camera, we'll have our own puparazzi.

SIGHTINGS

Steve Schirripa of "The Sopranos," at Cafe Mastrioni, 4250 S. Rainbow Blvd., on Monday night. He's judging next week's semifinals of "The Last Comic Standing" at Paris Las Vegas.

THE PUNCH LINE

"A bar in New York City has banned the song 'Danny Boy.' On St. Patrick's Day! Isn't that outrageous? It's like West Hollywood banning the song 'It's Raining Men.' " -- Craig Ferguson

Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.