Candidate proud of pageant feat
Politics were put aside for a few hours Wednesday night. Sue Lowden was back in the friendly swirl of the Miss America realm.
The Miss America second runner-up in 1974, who leads U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in polls, was reconnecting with friends from her pageant years at Planet Hollywood Resort. Among them: Miss Colorado Rebecca King, Miss America the year Lowden competed, and Lee Meriwether, Miss America 1955.
Lowden and I had not met until Wednesday, probably because she runs in more respectable circles. After our introduction by former TV reporter Mario Diaz after the second night of preliminary competition, the conversation continued at the valet area.
Lowden, who was with her husband, Paul, let me in on one of her proudest Miss America moments: She won the swimsuit competition at the 1974 pageant.
Paul said he was a gaming executive when he saw her on KLAS-TV, Channel 8. It wasn't just her beauty queen looks that got his attention. He had grown up in New Jersey and was convinced what he was hearing was a Jersey girl.
"I made a cold call" to the TV station. He had guessed right. At one time, they had lived about six blocks apart.
"Eight months later we were married."
Lowden is heading to Elko this weekend to campaign at the Cowboy Poetry Gathering.
Paul, former owner of the Sahara (where Sue was executive VP after they married), Hacienda and Santa Fe casinos, said her campaign team is coming together. He said political consultant Dick Wadhams, a Karl Rove disciple, is on board, plus a top political fundraiser from Colorado.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Jimmy Hopper is returning to Las Vegas to perform from 7-10 p.m. Sundays in The Lounge at the Palms. That's the room vacated by Matt Goss, new headliner in the former Cleopatra's Barge, where he will perform Fridays and Saturdays starting March 12.
MAY I RECOMMEND ...
Some tickets remain for the Miss America finals Saturday at Planet Hollywood Resort's Theatre for the Performing Arts. The finals begin at 5 p.m. with a tape-delay telecast on TLC beginning at 8 p.m. Go to www.missamerica.com for ticket information.
SIGHTINGS
Film icon Tony Curtis, who turns 85 on June 3, and lounge legend Cook E. Jarr, at Tom Jones' show Tuesday night (MGM Grand). ... Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys, dining at Lavo (Palazzo) Wednesday night. Also at Lavo: rapper Lil Jon and baseball slugger Jason Giambi.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Rapper and cologne-maker Diddy gave his son, Justin Dior Combs, a $360,000 car for his 16th birthday. He must really do the heck out of his chores." -- Jimmy Kimmel
Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.
