Former TV boss remembers Palin

With Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in Reno today, making her first solo campaign appearance without John McCain, meet the man who helped make her a TV star.

John Hernandez, a San Diego horse racing consultant with Las Vegas ties, was sports director at KTUU-TV in Anchorage, Alaska, from 1984 to 1988. In late 1987, Hernandez was summoned to the TV station's front desk to interview a job applicant.

Her name was Sarah Heath and "she was fresh out of the University of Idaho. She was 24 years old, very outgoing, very eager," he said.

Hernandez hired her as an unpaid sports intern and taught her how to put together a sportscast, from writing to editing video.

"Typically in commercial TV, an intern is very rarely presented an opportunity to get airtime," he said in a telephone interview.

But her big chance came a couple of months after being hired when Hernandez' weekend anchor asked for the day off on the day of the 1988 Super Bowl.

"I didn't want to work it; I had plans," Hernandez said. "So I called her. She jumped at the opportunity. That was her debut. She was a little nervous and stiff, but it was a decent show."

The Web site link is here

A couple of weeks later, Hernandez attended the Calgary Winter Olympics and upon his return, he found himself out of a job because of "some newsroom politics."

Hernandez told Deadspin.com that he was ousted by a managing editor who suspected that Hernandez was grooming Palin to become the regular sports anchor. Not true, Hernandez told Deadspin. She was only intended as a weekend fill-in. And besides, he added, the point became moot when she eloped with Todd Palin in August of '88.

Palin, a former runner-up as Miss Alaska, became a small town mayor and businesswoman before being elected Alaska's governor in 2006.

Hernandez had worked for Richard Eng, when the latter was PR director at Santa Anita racetrack before becoming turf editor and handicapper for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and for Ralph Siraco, then director of Hollywood Park's radio and television department. Siraco created, produced and has hosted Raceday Las Vegas for more than a decade.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

It's a marriage made in hard body heaven. James Wilcox, a member of the Las Vegas Chippendales troupe, is marrying Susan Wilcox, a Hell's Belle's dealer at the Hard Rock Hotel. They're getting married today at the Hard Rock pool and having their reception at Madame Tussauds. They met in Washington, D.C., about 21/2 years ago when he was a physical trainer. When he was offered a job in Las Vegas with the Chippendales, he took her last name as his stage name. She officially becomes Susan Wusterbarth today. He is KVVU-TV, Channel 5's health and fitness director. ... Carlos Guia, former executive chef and partner at Louis's Las Vegas and Louis's Fish Camp, has joined SW Steakhouse at Wynn as chef d'cuisine. He made the move two weeks ago. "I wanted to get into a bigger organization and spread my wings a little more and change cuisines," said Guia, who was executive chef at Commander's Palace (Aladdin) for seven years. His replacement is Sean Kahlenberg, Guia's executive sous chef at Commander's Palace and at Louis's Las Vegas and Louis's Fish Camp.

SIGHTINGS

O.J. Simpson, having drinks Thursday with a group of friends at Rosemary's Restaurant, 8125 W Sahara Ave. A diner who was at the restaurant said the joke in his group was, "should we count the steak knives before we leave?". ... Cancer survivor Fran Drescher of "The Nanny," telling a standing-room-only crowd at the Nevada Cancer Institute: "I got famous, I got cancer, and I lived to talk about it, so I'm talking." She was promoting cancer awareness and her book "Cancer Schmancer." ... At Tryst (Wynn) and Blush (Wynn) on Thursday: Actor Chris Tucker, celebrating his birthday belatedly with friends. Tucker turned 36 on Aug. 31. Also at Tryst: Jermaine O'Neal (Toronto Raptors), Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons), Al Harrington (Golden State Warriors) and Tyrron Lue (Milwaukee Bucks). ... Ashley Spencer, one of the finalists of last year's "Grease, You're the One that I Want!" reality show on NBC, visiting the cast backstage at "Jersey Boys" (Palazzo) on Thursday. ... Mayor Oscar Goodman, meeting with a film crew from the campy gay superhero film "Surge Of Power: Revenge of the Sequel." The mayor has a cameo, along with his personal Elvis, Jesse Garon, and entertainer Frank Marino. The mayor's line: "Thanks for saving Las Vegas, Surge. I'm the happiest mayor in the universe." ... Verne "Mini-Me" Troyer and a friend at "Stomp Out Loud" (Planet Hollywood Resort) on Friday.

THE PUNCH LINE

"Sarah Palin took a break. She went back to Alaska. Now people can go back to ignoring John McCain. On her first day back, she shot two campaign commercials, a moose, and a caribou." - 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.