Chelios celebrates with a cannonball
Something about Las Vegas brings out the best and the bad boy in hockey tough-guy Chris Chelios.
Thursday it was another bizarre day.
Competing in the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational at Shadow Creek Golf Course, Chelios dropped a 45-foot putt on the 18th hole and celebrated the feat by jumping into the nearby lake, cannonball style.
That's tame stuff compared to some previous visits.
In 2004 he caused a plate-breaking disturbance at a dinner at Fix restaurant at Bellagio and was escorted out but later allowed to return.
Chelios' explanation: He's Greek and plate-breaking is a Greek tradition.
He was in town for Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer's annual "Bad Boy of Hockey" weekend.
In 2000, Chelios made a scene during a dinner at Morton's of Chicago here, this time with a live lobster.
Chelios removed the lobster from a tank and took it back to a table where he joined two horrified radio execs, including legendary deejay Rick Dees.
Chelios proceeded to smear butter on the crustacean and torment it by tapping its shell with a butter knife before management intervened.
Back to the tournament, boxer Winky Wright took a first-round lead in the stroke-play competition with a 21-under par score. Brett Hull is in second, a stroke back, and Jordan is in third, two back.
the scene and heard
UNLVino continues tonight with the Sake party at The Mirage pool from 7-10 p.m. and Saturday with the Grand Tasting at Paris Las Vegas from 7-10 p.m. Tickets are $75 in advance and $100 at the door.
MAY I RECOMMEND
The Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational is in Las Vegas this weekend for the first time after a long run in the Bahamas, and that's not the only first. It will be played at the legendary Shadow Creek golf course, which is open to the public for the first time. Tickets: $25 today and $50 Saturday and Sunday. Ticket information: 877-253-5847.
SIGHTINGS
Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil, at ghostbar (Palms) with a tall, buxom blonde on Wednesday for the weekly Snitch party. He was back in the news on Thursday when Las Vegas police recommended a charge of battery domestic violence to the district attorney's office for a March 24 ruckus at the Las Vegas Hilton. His former girlfriend, Alicia Jacobs, entertainment reporter at KSNV-TV, Channel 3, pressed charges against Neil, 50. He is accused of poking her and two of her friends, publicist Tricia McCrone and John Katsilometes of the Las Vegas Sun, during Hal Sparks' comedy act at the Hilton's Shimmer Lounge. Neil has been quoted as saying that he didn't touch anyone and that he's considering legal action against Jacobs and those who reported the alleged incident, including this columnist. ... Drew Barrymore at Surrender (Encore) until 3 a.m. Thursday with a guy friend. Wednesday she was spotted shopping at the Bonanza Gift Shop for key chains and a souvenir pen. She was in town as a presenter at CinemaCon at Caesars Palace. Others at the convention: Cher, Hugh Jackman, Colin Farrell, Larry the Cable Guy, Cameron Diaz, John Travolta, Tim Allen, George Lucas, James Cameron, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Julianne Hough, Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Vin Diesel and Ryan Reynolds. Also at Surrender: Diesel, filming for a show about his experiences when he was a bouncer in nightclubs. At another table: Crispin Glover, who played George McFly in "Back to the Future." Lisa Bonet of "The Cosby Show" and actor Jason Momoa of the upcoming "Conan The Barbarian," at Spago (Forum Shops at Caesars) on Wednesday.
THE PUNCH LINE
"A museum of organized crime opened in Las Vegas. Actually, Las Vegas is the museum of organized crime." -- Jay Leno
Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.
