Cirque founder sues over book

Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte has had better weeks.

Instead of basking in the glow of accomplishment on the 25th anniversary of Cirque's megasuccess, Laliberte is mounting a legal battle against a tell-all book.

Unhappy that he's portrayed as a bed-hopping scoundrel, Laliberte, 49, is suing publishers of the unauthorized biography titled "Guy Laliberté: The Fabulous Story of the Creator of the Cirque du Soleil," which came out this month.

Laliberte's former girlfriend, Rizia Moreira, who had three of Laliberte's children, told author Ian Halperin that Laliberte was a serial cheater.

She was quoted as saying, "He'd come home after sleeping with other women and have sex with me. ... If he had told me, I never would have had sex with him. Not only was he being unfaithful, he was putting my health at risk. ... He was a master of deception and tricks and stunts."

Renée-Claude Ménard, the public relations rep for Laliberte and his Montreal-based company, told reporters there would be no comment, saying the book's contents "have been gathered through hearsay. We do not recognize this book as relevant nor factual."

Cirque du Soleil has six shows in Las Vegas: "Mystere," "O," "Zumanity," "KA," "Love" and "Criss Angel Believe." A seventh, based on Elvis Presley's music, will open at CityCenter late this year.

Laliberte recently confirmed he's going to be Canada's first space tourist in September when he boards a Russian Soyuz craft that will dock at the international space station.

It is his mission, he said, to raise awareness about the global water crisis and the charitable organization he founded called onedrop.org.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

The red-carpet entry to today's NHL Awards starts at 3 p.m. at the entrance of the Palms. Many of the nominees, including Washington's Alex Ovechkin and members of the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, are expected, along with NHL legends Tony Esposito, Stan Mikita, Mark Messier, Sergei Federov and Luc Robataille. Also making red-carpet appearances: recording artist Robin Thicke, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Chaka Khan, crooner Michael Buble and actor Kevin Connolly, star of "Entourage." ... NFL lightning rod Terrell Owens wasn't making many new fans Sunday at the Palms pool while filming a reality show. "He was all smiles when the camera was on," said a spy, "but he was a jerk to everybody that wanted a photo or even to say 'hi.' He gave people dirty looks when anybody said anything to him. He told one person in the pool, 'Say my name right!'" Good luck with that, Buffalo. ... Shawn King, who is opening for her husband, CNN talk-show host Larry King, on Friday at Encore Theater in Wynn Las Vegas, told her Twitter followers Wednesday that he met with "the people from 'Real Housewives of LA'" on Tuesday night before flying to Las Vegas for rehearsals. "They asked a lot of questions," she said. The show is actually called "The Real Housewives of Orange County." Someone in the know tells me the Bravo producers who were exploring "Real Housewives of Las Vegas" have moved on to Washington, D.C., which is now in development. Sounds like Vegas is on hold.

SIGHTINGS

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., and his wife, Darlene, were in Las Vegas last Friday for the grand opening of First Food & Bar at the Palazzo. He announced Tuesday that he had an extramarital affair last year with a staffer. ... "Gossip Girl" star Chace Crawford, just named Hottest Bachelor by People magazine, dining at Lavo (Palazzo) with a few friends and his sister on Tuesday. They moved on to Lavo's nightclub, where they had a table next to chart-topping rapper Asher Roth. ... Chris Hansen of "Dateline NBC" and "To Catch a Predator," dining at N9NE Steakhouse (Palms) on Monday. He's working on his new series "Vegas Undercover."... Cast and crew members of "The Lion King" are gathering tonight at Poetry nightclub (Forum Shops at Caesars). The club remains open to the public.

THE PUNCH LINE

"Thanks for coming, Regis." -- From David Letterman's "Top Ten Things Overheard at the Fire David Letterman Rally"

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