Fabio, Clooney go head-to-head

Romance novel cover boy Fabio has experienced another bird incident. This one came when actor George Clooney flipped off Fabio and a table of his friends on Friday when Clooney thought they were taking pictures of him and Sarah Larson, his Las Vegas galpal.

The 6-foot-3 Fabio flew into Clooney's face, and a shoving match broke out, according to In Touch magazine.

"Stop being a diva," Fabio reportedly told Clooney, explaining that the camera flashes were directed at his group, not Clooney and Larson.

Clooney quickly paid the tab and left the Hollywood restaurant, Madeo, where Oscar winners Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci also were dining.

Fabio's manager told In Touch, "George is lucky he didn't end up in the ER."

Fabio had his nose bloodied and broken during the inaugural ride of an attraction at Busch Gardens Tampa in 1996. Defying all odds, he was struck again on a thrill ride, when a stray goose flew into his face in 1999 at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

R-J reader Greg Clarke (no relation) has come up with a lodging option for O.J. Simpson, who is getting a cold shoulder from a number of major hotels. Simpson, who has a 10 a.m. pretrial hearing today in his armed robbery case, "should consider the New Frontier," Clarke said in an e-mail. "I hear they have VERY reasonable rates these days -- especially the upcoming night of Nov 12-13th. He should ask for a 15th floor room in the Atrium tower where he will certainly get the most bang for his buck! His media circus would also be most welcome." The New Frontier is being imploded at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. ...

Terry Fator, who signed a 15-show deal in 2008 with the Las Vegas Hilton, said the turning point of his career came two years ago during a long car ride from Las Vegas to Butte, Mont. Fator was riding with manager John Raymond, a Butte native. Fator, a ventriloquist, was singing a Garth Brooks song when Raymond said, "Have you ever seen Danny Gans?" On his next trip to Vegas, Fator saw Gans and the light bulb went off. Instead of doing comedy with his eight characters, Fator switched to singing. The payoff came quickly: He won the "America's Got Talent" show back in June, and he's one hot commodity. ...

Mexican actor Eduardo Verastegui, known as the Latin Brad Pitt, is in Las Vegas for the Latin Grammys tonight at Mandalay Bay and to promote his film, "Bella." He plays a soccer star who starts a new life as a cook in his brother's New York restaurant and meets a waitress, played by Tammy Blanchard, who turns his world upside down. ...

Among the White House invitees to Tuesday's social dinner for French President Nicolas Sarkozy: Las Vegas and Macau hotel magnate Sheldon Adelson his wife, Dr. Miriam Adelson, French chef Guy Savoy of Paris and Guy Savoy Restaurant at Caesars Palace, Vice President Dick Cheney and Lynne Cheney, and New York Mets pitcher Tom Glavine.

SIGHTINGS

Mel Gibson, dancing Tuesday at Blush, in Wynn Las Vegas, with Eddie Murphy's ex, Nicole Mitchell. Later, she was introduced to poker player Phil Ivey and joined his table until closing. ... Gibson and New York Yankees slugger Jason Giambi, in separate parties at Pure (Caesars Palace). Also at Pure: Jenileigh Sawatzke, Miss Wyoming 2006 who competed for Miss America in Las Vegas. ... Actors Benjamin Bratt, Angie Cepeda, Umbria Negrao and producer Scott Steindorff, celebrating after the CineVegas screening of "Love in the Time of Cholera" on Tuesday at Moon nightclub (Palms). ... Making a surprise appearance at the 30th anniversary of Boyd Gaming's talent show finals Tuesday at The Orleans: Aki, former star of "Enter the Night" who was billed as "Showgirl for the 21st Century." She performed as a special tribute to Bill Boyd, chairman of Boyd Gaming Corp. Aki, whose real name is Akke Levin, is now a Las Vegas attorney and the mother of a 4-year-old son.

THE PUNCH LINE

"You've been carbo-loading for 30 years." -- From David Letterman's Top Ten Signs You Won't Win The New York City Marathon

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