Gentleman Goulet was a prankster

Singing legend Robert Goulet loved a good joke, but he positively lived for the epic "gotcha."

Jeff Motley, senior director of public relations for Las Vegas Motor Speedway, was on the receiving end of a near-cardiac inducing doozy at the 2001 Sam's Town 300.

Motley was wrangling the Broadway star into position to sing the national anthem when he saw Goulet taping the words of the song to the side of the microphone.

"I asked him what he was doing, and he said I obviously hadn't heard about the time he botched the words before the Ali-Liston fight."

Goulet was referring to the stage fright he suffered on one of the largest stages. He forgot the lyrics while singing the national anthem before the Muhammad Ali-Sonny Liston heavyweight championship fight in Lewistown, Maine, on May 25, 1965.

It wasn't a piece of sports infamy that Motley wanted to relive.

"Then he pulls out another piece of paper, which I couldn't see what was written on it. He said it was a poem to Dale Earnhardt, who had died two weeks earlier at Daytona. I almost had a heart attack. I tried to explain to him that we were on live television, under a strict time schedule and that we had Air Force jets set to fly over at the specific time of 'Home of the Brave.'"

Just as Goulet was introduced and Motley on the verge of a panic attack, "he looked at me, winked, smiled and started singing the anthem. He had gotten me."

I was a newcomer in town in September 1999 when I met Robert and his wife, Vera, after a Shirley Bassey concert at the MGM Grand. They invited me to join them at the Brown Derby, along the hotel's restaurant row.

We had a fine time, and when we left, we agreed to get together soon.

Sure enough, Robert was on the telephone a week or so later with an invitation to join them.

"We've got you a blind date," he said.

I showed up at their home and, over wine, we waited for my date.

When she arrived, Vera brought her into the room for the introduction.

It was Altovise Davis, Sammy's widow.

We went to dinner at Picasso at Bellagio that night, and I've never heard so many Rat Pack stories in my years since.

I spent that night trying to get my jaw back in place, and Robert loved it.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Comedian David Brenner sent Goulet an e-mail last week reminding the hospitalized singer that he had hired Brenner as an opening act in 1971 in Framingham, Mass. "You were the first 'star' for whom I was the opening act," wrote Brenner, who wished Goulet a speedy recovery and offered to open for him again "for the same shit money you paid me the first time ($1,500), which at the time was a fortune."...

Usher is in town Saturday to host the evening at LAX Nightclub at Luxor. ...

Illusionist Criss Angel was involved in a tense blowup Wednesday on NBC's show "Phenonenon," a series billed as a live search for the "next great mentalist."

Angel, who is working on an illusion show with Cirque du Soleil at the Luxor, took issue with a competitor who said he could communicate with the dead, and things got ugly.

SIGHTINGS

Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, shooting scenes for "What Happens in Vegas" at the Palms pool and Rain nightclub on Wednesday night. They dined at Rao's (Caesars Palace) on Tuesday night. ...

At N9NE Steakhouse (Palms) on Tuesday: Marilyn Manson, the rock group Avenge Sevenfold, Hulk Hogan, his son Nick and X Games star Travis Pastrano. Earlier, Pastrano and young Hogan competed at Fast Lap Indoor Kart Racing. ...

At Moon nightclub (Palms): slugger Frank Thomas and Mix Master Mike of the Beastie Boys, who performed as guest deejay. ...

Angel and UFC fighter Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, taking in Halloween parties Tuesday at Pure nightclub (Caesars Palace) and Jet (Mirage). ...

Also at Jet: choreographer Cris Judd and actors Andrew Bryniarski and Jake Busey. Boston chef Todd English, at the Bellagio on Tuesday. He was in checking out Olives, his Bellagio restaurant. ...

THE PUNCH LINE

"The marathon is this weekend in New York City. Along the route they have those portable toilets -- or as Sen. Larry Craig calls them -- 'singles' rooms." -- David Letterman

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