13th Agassi slam another big hit

Andre Agassi summed up the evening early on Saturday. His 13th Grand Slam for Children, he said, was "in a different home, different year and different times."

The different home was the Lafite Ballroom at Wynn Las Vegas instead of the MGM Grand Garden, which was the host site of the previous 12 charity extravaganzas.

Different times?

Well, everyone in the crowd of 1,900 understood that part, and the ramifications, with financial markets in freefalls.

For a few hours, Agassi helped put that on hold with a best-ever lineup of entertainment that included Rod Stewart, Sheryl Crow (who teamed up with Stewart on a "First Cut is the Deepest" duet and sang "Always On Your Side" at Agassi's request), The Killers, David Spade, British star Natasha Bedingfield and special guest Charice Pempengco, a 16-year-old Filipino sensation who performed at Madison Square Garden last month.

Joining Agassi and his wife, Steffi Graf, on the red carpet were Steve and Elaine Wynn, Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, who guided Team USA to a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, Donny Osmond and star chef Emeril Lagasse.

SIGHTINGS

At Bette Midler's "The Showgirl Must Go On" (Caesars Palace) on Saturday: former Cirque du Soleil artistic director Franco Dragone, U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, producer, director and screenwriter Nora Ephron and songwriter Linda Perry. ... Justin Timberlake and his girlfriend, actress Jessica Biel, campaigning Saturday at a rally for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama at the Clark County Amphitheater. ... Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, celebrating his 40th birthday Friday at "Criss Angel Believe" (Luxor) and later at LAX, where they joined Angel, and The Bank (Bellagio. ... Heather Graham, shooting scenes for "The Hangover" near the valet area at Caesars Palace on Friday. ... Actress Kirsten Dunst, treating her best friend to a birthday weekend in Las Vegas that kicked off Friday at LAVO (Palazzo). They continued the party upstairs in the nightclub, where they celebrated with cupcake cones and sparklers. Also at LAVO, Justin Bartha, who is filming "The Hangover" in Las Vegas, and Lake Bell and her "What Happens in Vegas" co-star, Jason Sudeikis of "Saturday Night Live," along with fellow actors Lindsay Sloane and Nick Kroll. Earlier, Sudeikis attended "Love" (Mirage). ... At Ovation (Green Valley Ranch) for the Steel Panthers show on Friday: Poison drummer Rikki Rockett, pop-rock musician Ryan Cabrera, and "Saved By the Bell" principal Dennis Haskins, joining the band onstage and singing "School's Out." ... Los Angeles Lakers talent scout Bonnie-Jill Laflin, one of Maxim's "Hot 100," hosting Friday at Hawaiian Tropic Zone (Planet Hollywood Resort). ... Pop singer-songwriter Bedingfield, chilling out Saturday at the newly opened Minus 5 Ice Lounge at Mandalay Place before her concert at Mandalay Bay. It's the first permanent ice lounge in the United States.

THE PUNCH LINE

"I did take exception to (John) McCain calling Obama 'that one.' I can't think of anytime it would be appropriate to call a United States senator 'that one.' Well, maybe if you had to pick a senator out of a lineup." - Craig Ferguson

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