Dentistry joke not lost on this crowd
Barbara Givens' first impressions of Barbra Streisand's first gig here in 1963?
Jaw dropping, on several levels.
Talent: off the charts.
Fashion: ummm, sort of painful.
Personality: on the kooky side.
Givens and her husband, a dentist, were at the Riviera to see Liberace that night in early July 1963.
They were invited guests, part of a promotion featuring most of the city's 20 or so dentists for Liberace's "million-dollar smile" contest.
After Liberace warmed up the audience, even teasing the very pregnant Givens, "out came this young woman in a red-and-white checked cotton dress. It looked like a picnic table cloth," Givens recalled.
When Streisand started singing, "we were mesmerized."
After a few songs, Streisand told the audience a dental group was in the crowd and that she had a "special song."
There was this dentist, Streisand said, putting the story to song. The dentist worked nighttime hours, and one night a beautiful woman had an appointment.
After packing her mouth with cotton rolls, the dentist said, "You are very attractive. You have beautiful eyes."
Streisand puffed out her cheeks, mimicking a garbled response. More compliments from the dentist. More garbled responses, with Streisand "looking like a chipmunk," Givens said.
After removing the cotton from the patient's mouth, the dentist asked, "Would you have a cup of coffee with me?"
The woman replied, "You said you were through at 10?"
Dentist: "What?"
Dentist humor, Givens said. "It was classic. We roared our heads off."
The rest of the audience, not so much. Chipmunk song and all, it was a memorable night.
"She was spellbinding."
DONE DEAL: IT'S ANDREA'S
As reported here on Sunday, Steve Wynn has named a new Encore restaurant, Andrea's, after his wife.
It will be Asian-inspired and feature a terrace overlooking Surrender Nightclub's outdoor space.
Wynn/Encore nightlife executive Sean Christie will be a managing partner.
Wynn Las Vegas resident DJ Steve Angello of Swedish House Mafia will be "musical chef," according to the media release.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Who better to be the poster boy for a naughty parody of the "Fifty Shades of Grey" than ... Britain's Prince Harry? David King, producer of "Shades of Temptation," told the London tabloid The Sun that he offered to pay $170,000 to Harry's favorite charity if the cheeky chap appeared in the striptease show, which opened last week at New York-New York. ...
On Thursday, I misstated Streisand's show at the MGM Grand. It's tonight.
SIGHTINGS
Former Playmate Jenny McCarthy, dressed as a cougar while judging a Halloween costume contest at Gallery Nightclub (Planet Hollywood) on Wednesday. ... Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson as the most menacing Batman ever, at Tao (Venetian).
THE PUNCH LINE
"Michael Brown, the former director of FEMA who was forced to resign after Hurricane Katrina, has criticized the president. He said Obama may have acted too quickly this time - instead of taking the wait-and-do-nothing approach that worked so well during Katrina." - 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.
