First lady may be kicking up heels

Jessica Simpson may not be the most sought-after blonde on the red carpet tonight at the grand opening of the Palms Place Hotel & Spa.

Britney Spears? Nope.

Rumor has it Nevada first lady Dawn Gibbons will be in stilettos -- instead of tossing them -- after making headlines this week by accusing her husband, Gov. Jim Gibbons, of an extramarital affair.

The first lady, I hear, may not be the only surprise on the red carpet, which begins at 9 p.m. at the main entrance of Palms Place, the new $400 million tower. The public is invited.

A court document filed on Dawn Gibbons' behalf Wednesday in Washoe County Family Court characterized the first lady as a "castaway wife" while the governor "succumbed to the seduction" of another woman.

She is seeking to have the governor's divorce proceedings, recently sealed by a judge, conducted in public.

Taking a glamorous turn on the red carpet is almost guaranteed to keep her among the top news stories.

STUPAK HOSPITALIZED

Local gaming legend Bob Stupak, who left his mark on Las Vegas in more ways than creating The Stratosphere, is in fair condition after abdominal surgery at University Medical Center.

Stupak, 66, has been battling leukemia for more than a year, a source close to the family said.

He underwent surgery Wednesday.

A high-stakes bettor and an even bigger dreamer, Stupak parlayed the tiny Vegas World into the 1,149-foot Stratosphere, one of the tallest structures in the United States.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

The phones at the call center at Planet Hollywood Resort were abuzz over UFOs early Friday. Callers were curious about the UFO convention footage that appeared on the marquee video screen. Turns out it was part of the 2 a.m.-6 a.m. filming of the movie "Race to Witch Mountain." Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was shooting scenes in front of Planet Hollywood Resort with co-star Carla Gugino while extras in alien costumes jammed the lobby. ...

Radio and TV personality Lark Williams has just completed filming her role as a brothel madame in an upcoming horror film. "Dark Moon Rising" is in production in Pahrump, with principal photography scheduled for completion next month. The cast includes Max Ryan, who is also co-producing; Maria Conchita Alonso, Chris Mulkey and Billy Drago. Williams' role fell to her when Jacqueline Bissett had a scheduling conflict. Williams took a hiatus from her deejay job at KXPT-FM, 97.1 to do the movie and has been bitten by the acting bug to the point that she's exploring more opportunities.

SIGHTINGS

Shannon Elizabeth of "Dancing With the Stars," working on a photo shoot at various locations in the Hard Rock Hotel on Friday.

THE PUNCH LINE

"Hillary Clinton still doing very well in one state: the state of denial." -- Jay Leno

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