Cosby brings T.I. owner a tasty gift
Not everyone gets to deliver a chili burger to a billionaire.
You've got to hand it to Bill Cosby; he knows how to make a good first impression.
Cosby showed up for lunch with the burger at the office of Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin on Friday.
Before their first meeting ended, Cosby and Ruffin tentatively agreed that they were interested in doing a long-term exclusive deal.
"We're almost there," said Ruffin.
The chili burger just might have sealed the deal.
"I must say it was very good," said Ruffin, who admits to having a fondness for In-N-Out Burger.
Cosby, 72, was in town to perform Saturday at Treasure Island, believed to be his first Las Vegas showroom gig in more than a decade.
"He hasn't lost a step," said Ruffin.
Cosby, who was spotted at Tommy Burger on Boulder Highway on Friday morning, didn't bring a burger for himself.
He had the T.I. kitchen prepare him a salad of broccoli and green beans in olive oil.
"He made me eat one of his broccoli and a green bean so if my wife (Miss Ukraine 2004 Oleksandra Nikolayenko) asks what I had, I can say a broccoli and green bean salad," said Ruffin, who took over Treasure Island in March after purchasing it for $775 million from MGM Mirage.
'LION' PRIDE
A man seated front row center Wednesday at "The Lion King" (Mandalay Bay) had a large hand-drawn sign that said "Jade" on one side.
When he flipped it over it read:"That's my Grandbaby!" Jade Nelson, 12, plays one of the Young Nalas.
Speaking of the "Lion" cubs, another young Nala, Ruby Crawford, is leaving the show, along with 11-year-old Elijah Johnson, one of the young Simbas. She and Nelson rotate as the young lioness and pal of the future lion king. Both have to leave because they're blossoming teens. Johnson, a song-and-dance sensation at the Michael Jackson tribute benefit last Saturday, has reached the height limit.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
There's buzz around the Tropicana that the Wayne Newton deal I mentioned here last month is being hammered out after talks broke down. ...
Cirque du Soleil is keeping mum about a report that Cirque's Elvis show at CityCenter will be called "Viva Elvis." Local blogger Steve Friess attributed the information to creator-director Vincent Paterson. Friess checked and found that Cirque owns the Website domain VivaElvis.Com. ...
Sign of the Times: Branden Powers, a local nightclub marketing executive, spotted a boy holding a hand-made sign near Spring Mountain Road and I-15 on Friday. "His mom was standing right next to him. He looked like he was about 7 years and he was holding a handmade sign that said something like, 'I disrespected my teachers and I have to hold this sign. Honk if you agree," said Powers. "He was bummed out." ...
Fans of the hit TV series "Twilight" deluged my Twitter site the other day, asking about the rumor that a "Twilight" event is scheduled Dec. 12 in Las Vegas. I'll buy lunch for the tipster who knows the answer. ...
KXNT-AM 840 is conducting auditions today for "Radio Star 5," the fifth search for the station's next radio show host. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. at the South Point showroom. The auditions run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Previous winners have included afternoon show hosts Heather Kydd and Casey Hendrickson, and weekend host Ciara Turns. ...
SIGHTINGS
Professional dancer Kym Johnson of "Dancing With The Stars," taking in the late show at "Jubilee!" (Bally's) on Thursday after rehearsing with current partner Donny Osmond. ... Tori Spelling and her husband Dean McDermott of Oxygen Network's "Home Sweet Hollywood," walking to their suite at The Palazzo on Friday. They are hosting today's pool party at Azure at the Palazzo. Also at the Palazzo on Friday: Melissa Rivers and her boyfriend.
THE PUNCH LINE
"The air is so bad right now, that when Snoop Dogg rolls down his window, smoke actually pours into the limo." -- 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.
