Cirque du Soleil founder honored
Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte punctuated his induction into the Gaming Hall of Fame by thanking his team for helping "grow this flower in the desert."
In the beginning, though, it looked bleak, he said, when a "Mystere" aerialist fell on top of a patron.
Nineteen years after that mishap at "Mystere" (Treasure Island), Cirque shows continue to bloom, accounting for an average of 9,000 tickets a night in Las Vegas.
Laliberte was among four inductees in the American Gaming Association's class of 2012 at Bellagio on Tuesday, a night that included an abbreviated "O" performance.
Also inducted, posthumously, were Nevada political icon Bill Raggio and gaming giant Dennis Gomes. Completing the quartet: star chef Julian Serrano, who was joined by his daughter, Estefania, and restaurant staff members.
SIGHTINGS
A stunt involving cables attached to the top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas was being shot with a tall crane Wednesday. The scene reportedly involved actor Ken Jeong, who plays Mr. Chow in "Hangover III" ... Shania Twain and family at "Mystère" (Treasure Island) on Wednesday. She asked for her favorite Las Vegas "dinner" - popcorn & champagne. ... Basketball great Julius "Dr. J" Erving, having lunch Wednesday at Todd English's P.U.B. (Crystals at CityCenter). ... NBA legend Michael Jordan still enjoys comfort food reminiscent of his mother's home cooking. When he dined at Picasso (Bellagio) on Saturday, he ordered pork chops and asked for apple sauce on the side. ... Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline, filming a lobby check-in scene at Binion's on Wednesday for the film "Last Vegas."
THE PUNCH LINE
"Donald Trump announced that he will announce something big ... some very big news about President Obama. So it must be big news because it isn't like him to make a big deal out of something that isn't news." - 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. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.
