Cooper sends $225,000 fee for speaking back to UNLV
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper rocked the house as the moderator of Tuesday night's Democratic presidential debate at Wynn Las Vegas, but I'll wager he made even more fans Monday night at the UNLV Foundation Annual Dinner at Bellagio.
Cooper, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and popular public speaker, returned his $225,000 fee to the foundation, according to multiple sources. It was a classy move that had foundation members and others in attendance buzzing on social media.
It no doubt also brought to mind the dustup over Hillary Clinton's speaker's fee at a UNLV event.
MYSTERY MAN: The catcalls are flying after Monday's front-page story of a federal extortion investigation involving an anonymous, high-flying local businessman and the boyfriend of a Las Vegas stripper.
The story has set off a stream of wild speculation about the identity of the red-faced sugar daddy.
The surprise isn't that a local stripper might be caught up in an extortion involving a married businessman who had been throwing thousands of dollars at her and having sex with her. That's not exactly news around these parts.
It's that the sugar daddy was granted anonymity that appears to have readers up in arms.
Two repeated comments: First, a "stripper" who exchanges money for sex and lucrative gifts is usually called a "prostitute." Second, Johns are rarely referred to as "victims" in run-of-the-mill vice cases — nor is their identity withheld.
But, let's not forget, this is an extortion case involving a Vegas VIP.
Call me old-fashioned, but I'm still waiting for the names to surface of the corporate casino insiders who used Charlie Horky's limousine services when it was dealing dope and hookers to Strip addresses. Guessing I'll wait a long, long time.
JOSH SMILES: There's nothing funny about cancer, but 18-year-old Josiah Ojerio is putting one over on the disease thanks to the Southern Nevada Make a Wish Foundation.
The nonprofit granted his wish to travel this weekend to New York for a taping of "SNL." The announcement was made with Ojerio on stage with comedian Jay Black at the Tropicana's Laugh Factory Las Vegas.
WORK FAIR: The Las Vegas economy continues its slow recovery, and JobConnect is sponsoring a job fair starting at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Boulevard Mall. With more than a dozen businesses represented, JobConnect officials say hundreds of jobs are available for those who qualify. JobConnect provides training for Southern Nevadans to enter, and re-enter the local workforce.
MASS APPEAL: A groundbreaking for the new courthouse for the state Supreme & Appellate Courts of Southern Nevada is set for Oct. 27 at 408 E. Clark Ave. The building is privately owned, but the court will pay $640,000 per year in rent.
ON THE BOULEVARD: Making waves in the local service industry: talk about Manhattan dining guru Danny Meyer's decision to eliminate tipping at his restaurants. ... Show some love for big-swinging former Sierra Vista High baseball star Chris Carter, who had a tough regular season with the Houston Astros but at times looked great in a losing effort against Kansas City. ... Speaking of big swinging, former NBA player Lamar Odom's reputation as an all-star party animal is undeniable these days as he languishes in a local hospital after a bender that police say included cognac, cocaine and something to help him, ahem, rebound at Dennis Hof's Love Ranch at Crystal. ... Meanwhile, the local bar and nightclub scene continues to rack up overdoses and drug-induced assaults that gain only occasional notice in the media.
— Have an item for Bard of the Boulevard? Email comments and contributions to jsmith@reviewjournal.com or call 702-383-0295. On Twitter: @jlnevadasmith
