Larry King says there’s ‘no excuse’ for Bill O’Reilly’s conduct

The Keep Memory Alive Power of Love post-party strayed past midnight on a school night Thursday. The flashy, DJ-driven event on the MGM Grand mezzanine was rife with frivolity. The party after the party offered the rare chance to witness one of the world’s great neurologists, Dr. Jeffrey Cummings, grooving just feet away from one of the NFL’s great cornerbacks, former Raiders Lester Hayes.

As always, Cummings’ technique was flawless. And as always, Hayes had it covered, even without the Stickum.

Whooo! #PowerOfLove @MGMGrand pic.twitter.com/toQ3WZndyg

— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) April 28, 2017

More odds and ends from the event that raised several millions for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health:

King chides O’Reilly

One of Larry Ruvo’s innumerable famous and influential friends, Larry King is a regular attendee at the Power of Love gala. I asked King, famous primarily for his years as host of his own interview show on CNN, about the recent ouster of Bill O’Reilly from Fox News.

The network fired O’Reilly on April 19, following an investigation into harassment allegations, after The New York Times reported this month that five women had been paid a total of $13 million to keep quiet about O’Reilly’s conduct at the network.

“He deserved what he got,” King said. “The treatment of women, that way, is not right. It wasn’t right years ago. It’s not right now. There’s no excuse for it. Whether he says the truth is going to come out — what truth?”

What will happen next with O’Reilly?

“I don’t know … I know Bill. I wish him all right,” King said. “I don’t think that any major network would hire him.”

King has won two Peabody Awards and 10 Cable ACE Awards in a career dating to his days as a radio DJ in Miami. The 83-year-old broadcast legend, who hosts “Larry King Now” on the web network Ora TV, chuckled about his most recent honor.

“I just won a Webby Award, for the best personality on the Internet,” he said. “But where is it? Where is the Internet? I can’t find it … But it is what it is.”

Why Thursday?

Typically staged on a Saturday, the event was held on a Thursday in deference to tireless philanthropist and main honoree Ron Perelman of MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated. Perelman observes the Jewish holiday Shabbat, the religion’s period of rest between sunset Friday through sunset Saturday. Thursday was the best option outside those times to draw an audience to the Strip, and the turnout was 1,550, about what it usually is for Power of Love.

Perelman was also rare among inductees for his unvarnished acceptance speech. Let’s just say that Perelman is an adult, and talks as such, tossing out a couple of F-bombs to punctuate his zeal for the event and for the Cleveland Clinic.

From the stage ... #RonPerelman is lauded by #SteveWynn #PowerOfLove @MGMGrand pic.twitter.com/HwKa1PvfAp

— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) April 28, 2017

Flores ‘not really for’ L.V. Raiders

Ex-Raider great Tom Flores, who coached the team to two Super Bowl victories and was its quarterback during the team’s inaugural season of 1960. Flores is still a member of the Raiders’ radio broadcast team and is not wholeheartedly backing the team’s relocation to Las Vegas.

“Well, I’m not really for it, that much,” he said. “I started with the Raiders in Oakland, so … But it’s part of progress. It’s part of the game. These things happen, and you’ve got to keep progressing.”

Nonetheless, Flores echoed the comments of fellow former Raiders QB Jim Plunkett, who said Thursday the appeal of Las Vegas as a tourist destination would draw fans to the team’s home games.

“If I’m not still with the radio team, I’ll be here as a fan,” said Flores, referring to the Raiders’ targeted 2020 opening in Las Vegas. “I like to come here. It used to be you’d come and gamble, but now you can enjoy everything, great restaurants, great shows, shopping.”

Flores recalled a trip he took with a couple of Raiders teammates in 1961.

“Yeah, we had a bye week and we came down here with our wives, three of us,” Flores said. “We went to a show that had topless girls flying! You had three football players looking up going, ‘Duh!’ ” Flores might have been referring to “Folies Bergere” at Tropicana or “Lido de Paris” at Stardust. Those two shows are history, but the entertainment that makes young men go “Duh!” remains.

Some #TomFlores action #PowerOfLove @MGMGrand ... Not big into the #LasVegasRaiders but loves #Vegas pic.twitter.com/8wK0qQBPk6

— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) April 28, 2017

The ring of Bernie

In the room and making his presence felt: Bernie Yuman, who made his mark in Las Vegas as manager of Siegfried & Roy during their landmark run on the Strip – including their sold-out run at the Mirage from 1990 through Roy’s career-ending injuries suffered when he was dragged off stage by the white tiger Mantecore on Oct. 3, 2003.

Yuman was also manager of Muhammad Ali for many years, having met the boxing legend in Miami in 1962. As always, he wore the stunning, gold-and-diamond ring spelling out “Ali” in diamonds with “Athlete of the Century” in gold lettering. He even allowed me slip the bauble on my finger, saying, “That’s a piece of history.”

Ali was named the Greatest Athlete of the 20th Century by Sports Illustrated in 2000, and had a few of these rings made for his close friends. “I was fortunate to have had him in my life for so long, my entire adult life,” Yuman said. “When you look at what he meant to me, the ring is kind of incidental. But it is fun to have and fun to show people.”

Yuman is currently working on the upcoming national tour of “On Your Feet,” the hit Broadway musical that tells the story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan, whom he also represents.

She is just terrific. #JenniferHudson #PowerOfLove @MGMGrand pic.twitter.com/IAfZCDQvnG

— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) April 28, 2017

Hudson levels the place

A late sub for Gwen Stefani, taken out of the event by a reported ruptured eardrum, Jennifer Hudson had about 12 hours to prep for her 20-minute performance. She made it count, cutting loose with “Hallelujah” to launch a medley of “Remember Me,” “I’m Every Woman,” and “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.” Jon Bon Jovi set the stage with a quite grown-up, acoustic set of, “Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” You Give Love a Bad Name” and “Livin’ On a Prayer.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section, and Fridays in Neon. He also hosts “Kats! On The Radio” Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on KUNV 91.5-FM and appears Wednesdays at 11 a.m. with Dayna Roselli on KTNV Channel 13. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.