‘Burt Wonderstone’ lampoons Las Vegas institutions
Some Las Vegas institutions get lampooned in “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone,” which came out Friday.
The mockery includes a reference to Cirque du Soleil as “Cirque du So Lame” and James Gandolfini, cast as a pompous casino executive character, naming a hotel after himself (The Doug) a la Steve Wynn.
Longtime Wynn lieutenant Marc Schorr and his wife, Janie, gave it a thumbs down when I ran into them in Town Square after the show.
New-age illusionists Criss Angel and David Blaine won’t appreciate the beatdown of their brand of magic, or that David Copperfield has a good-guy cameo in the film.
Academy Award winner Alan Arkin plays a sweetheart of a character named Rance Holloway, a retired magician who inspired Steve Carell’s Burt Wonderstone character to pursue magic as a child.
Rance couldn’t be a nod to longtime Las Vegas headliner Lance Burton, could it? I’d take that bet.
The prediction here is that local magic legends Siegfried and Roy will find a lot to like, especially Carell’s spot-on poker-faced persona of Siegfried.
Las Vegas headliner Brad Garrett has a cameo as Wonderstone’s accountant.
The Review-Journal even has a cameo, when the front page is shown during a scene.
The finale provides the ultimate Las Vegas disappearing act.
BRITNEY BUZZ
The Britney Spears PR machine cranks up this week, with Spears making weekend appearances in Las Vegas.
A spy tells me she’s coming to town with her boys, Sean and Jayden, to create some buzz about her soon-to-be-announced deal at Planet Hollywood Resort.
Plans include a trip to Shania Twain’s show at The Colosseum inside Caesars Palace.
EXTRA EXPOSURE
Let’s hope where there’s smoke, there’s fire behind this rumor.
Rumblings are hinting that the PBS special on the opening of the Smith Center for The Performing Arts is up for an Emmy award nomination.
The performance center celebrated its first anniversary last week.
Emmy nominations come out in May, June and July.
PBS is re-airing the show three times this month, starting Friday at 9:30 p.m. It also airs on Sunday at 6 p.m. and on March 29 at 9 p.m.
And on the subject of smoke, one of the many lasting memories for some Smith Center staffers from that inaugural night is the sight of Willie Nelson’s bus parked at the dock.
To no one’s surprise, Willie declined an offer for a dressing room, preferring his own dressing room on the bus.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
The 10th annual Nevada Entertainer/Artist Hall of Fame honors Vincent Falcone, Joel Bergman, Jeanette Farmer, Robin and Danny Greenspun and Eric Whitacre on Thursday. Presented by the UNLV College of Fine Arts, the event is being held in the UNLV Student Union Ballroom, starting at 6 p.m. For more information: contact the UNLV Performing Arts Center Box Office at pac.unlv.edu or 702-895-ARTS (2787).
SIGHTINGS
Nike co-founder and chairman Phil Knight, 75, watching his beloved Oregon Ducks in the Pacific 12 Conference tournament at the MGM Grand. His interest in athletic shoes came early in life. He was a middle distance runner (a 4:10 miler) at Oregon before launching an empire that made him one of the world’s richest men. ... At Tao (The Venetian) on Friday: New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson, at separate tables. Sanchez was at Encore Beach Club Friday afternoon, drinking water after checking out Tao on Thursday. ... Kris Jenner, having lunch Friday at Spago inside The Forum Shops at Caesars. She was in town for her son Rob Kardashian’s 26th birthday celebration.
THE PUNCH LINE
“The new pope is a man of the people. Immediately after they elected him, he went back to the hotel by himself, brought his luggage downstairs and checked himself out of the hotel. There was the fight about the mini bar charge, but other than that, he was humble.” — David Letterman
Norm Clarke’s column appears Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 702-383-0244 or email him at norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke. “Norm Clarke’s Vegas,” airs Thursdays on the “Morning Blend” on KTNV-TV, Channel 13.
