Brooks recounts blowup by Wynn

Garth Brooks had a front-row seat for one of those infamous Steve Wynn blowups.

Brooks related the story during his Friday appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

"I hang out with Steve Wynn -- the big boss!" said Brooks, who has a five-year contract at Wynn Las Vegas.

"He is a big deal there. We were sitting down having dinner," Brooks said. "While he's talking to me, these three ladies come over to the table to get an autograph. They're behind Steve, so he doesn't see them. I touched Steve's hand, and I said, 'Excuse me a minute.' "

As Brooks stood up, "They go, 'Can we have your autograph?'

"Wynn goes off and starts calling for the waiter. I'm panicking now! I don't know what to do. I said, 'Look, when this is over, if you're still here, I'll sign whatever you've got.' Everyone was embarrassed.

"Wynn just has his time when it's time for dinner or if he's doing business," Brooks said.

After dinner, as Wynn and Brooks were walking out, "I tell Steve, 'I've got to go back in and take care of something. ... I'll be right back.'

"As I'm walking toward their table, I see a look on their face that I've never seen before, and it's starting to hit me. When I got up to them, I asked them, 'You weren't asking for my autograph, were you?' Steve Wynn's the most popular guy on the planet; they thought I was his security.

"Then all of a sudden, these nice people were like, 'Oh, no ... we'll take a picture with you!' It was great. It was horrible. I hope that never happens again ever in my life."

Brooks celebrates his one-year anniversary at Wynn on Dec. 11. He and Trisha Yearwood's five-year wedding anniversary is Dec. 10, the last night of the National Finals Rodeo.

CLUB RUMBLINGS

There are rumblings that several Las Vegas nightclubs or properties have quietly decided to ban Paris Hilton.

She was banned by Wynn in September after being charged with felony drug possession following the discovery of a small bag of cocaine during a traffic stop by a Las Vegas motorcycle cop.

She started her mandatory community service sentence on Friday by painting over graffiti in Hollywood. She showed up in 4-inch heels. It's part of her Las Vegas plea deal, which calls for 200 hours of volunteer work. ...

I'm also hearing: Slash, former lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses, is looking into a nightclub at Town Square. ... Things are heating up on MGM Resorts International's lawsuit to evict Rumjungle from Mandalay Bay. ... 2011 will see some major moves to expand the gay and lesbian pool scene in Las Vegas. ... Harrah's is working on not only taking over the restaurants in its properties but also the nightclubs .

THE SCENE AND HEARD

The Neil Diamond-to-Caesars Palace deal update: Word is it's going to happen after his 2011 tour.

SIGHTINGS

Wynn, with Brooks and Yearwood at the Jazz Brunch (Wynn) on Sunday. ... At Lavo on Saturday: Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Matt Kemp, rapper Nelly, Bam Margera, the rock group Rooney and Zach Abel of ABC Family's "Make It or Break It."

THE PUNCH LINE

"Someone tell Wolf Blitzer to put on a shirt." -- From David Letterman's Top Ten Things Overheard at Larry King's Birthday Party

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