Curtain falls on flying body parts
Life is going to be a whole lot duller for 14 musicians who spent 18 months avoiding flying body parts while playing for "Monty Python's Spamalot," which closed Sunday at Wynn Las Vegas.
There were too many maimed knights to remember.
"Near the beginning of the run, the head of the knight decapitated by the killer bunny rolled into the pit at least five times," recalled solo French hornist Beth Lano.
"No damage was done, and on at least one occasion, the head was lobbed back up onstage, with the conductor not skipping a beat in throwing it back."
In the Black Knight scene, "we had a few occasions where the knight's arm fell into the pit, once directly into the arms of Wayne Green, the conductor, who found himself in the unfortunate position of having to hold onto the arm while continuing to conduct with his own two."
On at least two occasions, the exploding Holy Hand Grenade flew back into the pit, Lano said. "And while the catapulted cow didn't completely make it into the pit during the show, the tail and hindquarters hung precariously over the edge a few times, the result of overzealous catapulters."
She said the cow did land in the pit during one of the rehearsals, however.
JASON SCOTT R.I.P
Mentalist Jason Scott, who has been appearing as a regular for two years at The Playboy Club at The Palms, died Tuesday from unknown causes at his Summerlin home, according to his manager, Clinton Ford Billups Jr.
Scott, 33, had spent the previous six years at The House of Blues Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay.
Billups said Scott returned from a weekend engagement in Boston complaining of stomach problems. An autopsy is planned, and funeral arrangements are pending.
Billups, who produced The Amazing Kreskin, said Scott was a rising star. "In the last year, he performed at birthday parties for Steven Spielberg, Sting and Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics."
HOME WOES FOR CELINE
Her European tour over, Celine Dion expected to return to a completed beachfront mansion in Florida.
But that's not the way it is.
She isn't homeless, but her battles with architect Randall Stofft caused delays of more than a year on her $3.2 million Jupiter Island estate.
After she fired him two years ago, reportedly over his resistance to her design plan for an octagonal room facing the beach, he had a $104,000 lien placed against her for his work. She was to pay him $550,000, but she's suing him for almost $250,000.
After ending her 41/2-year run at Caesars Palace in December, she toured in Europe from February to last weekend.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
An Internet report that Sarah Larson has been offered a hefty contract to pose for Playboy is "just an old rumor," according to her manager, Kenya Knight of Nous Model Management. "I have not spoken to anyone at Playboy so there's no offer." Knight cleared up questions raised by Larson's July 25 hosting at Tao Las Vegas (Venetian). Asked why Larson would appear at Tao when she is the new face of Christian Audigier's line of dresses, Knight said her deal with the French designer does not prevent her from hosting at other nightclubs. Larson's absence at the July 4 opening of Christian Audigier The Nightclub at Treasure Island raised eyebrows. "She has no issue with Christian's club. She has no exclusive deal with them," Knight said. ...
Saturday's grand opening of the Hard Rock Hotel's Wasted Space lounge, billed as Las Vegas' first "anti-club," will feature Gavin Rossdale and a celebrity-studded red carpet. The lounge's co-owners include motocross star Carey Hart, New York Yankees slugger Jason Giambi and Benji and Joel Madden of the rock group Good Charlotte.
SIGHTINGS
Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, performing several songs at the Quack! pool party Tuesday at Palms Place. ... NBA Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing, having lunch Tuesday at Mr. Lucky's (Hard Rock).
THE PUNCH LINE
"Instead of Andrew Jackson, their $20 bills have a picture of Tito Jackson." -- From David Letterman's Top Ten Signs You Have A Bad Bank
Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.
