Hefner celebrates 84th in Las Vegas
Still making a statement about his staying power, Hugh Hefner, 84, continues his birthday weekend tonight in Las Vegas with three stops at the Palms hotel casino.
The quintessential playboy got started Friday with his traditional "Casablanca" theme party at the Mansion, which was converted into Rick's Café Americain.
Hef and his pals wore formal white dinner jackets with black bow ties, a la Humphrey Bogart's character in the 1942 classic.
The ritual began 18 years ago on the 50th anniversary of "Casablanca," Hefner said Friday by telephone.
After the movie, the party moved to the dining room for champagne and caviar. "It's always a romantic night," said the king of romance.
Then it's on to Las Vegas where he has a 9 p.m. dinner reservation at N9NE Steakhouse, a 10:30 p.m. arrival at the Playboy Club and an 11:30-12:30 stay at Moon nightclub.
Here's how the conversation went:
He was a big fan of Bogart but never met him.
"He died in 1957. I didn't get the Mansion until 1971. Coincidentally he and Lauren Bacall lived directly across the street from the Mansion."
I asked Hefner about his best friends in Hollywood early on.
Mel Torme, the jazz singer, Hefner said, and actor Tony Curtis, who has lived in Henderson for the past decade.
"Tony and I have been friends since 1960. He was in Chicago accepting a award for box office star of the year. He had appeared on 'Playboy's Penthouse,' and came back to the Mansion. At the end of evening he said, 'We should be making a movie of your life.'"
Does he think golfer Tiger Woods can overcome his playboy transgressions?
"He can if he wants to. But this whole idea that it's a sex addiction is a copout. Some people become obsessed with sex, but it's not like an alcohol or drug addiction. He did it because he could get away with it."
Hefner's oldest son from his relationship with former Playmate Kimberley Conrad turns 21 next year. Has he brought up where he wants to spend his 21st birthday?
"No," said Hefner. "He's concentrating on school work, thinking about now rather than next year." He's studying philosophy and has expressed an interest in teaching, added Hefner.
Funeral plans have been drawn up for some time. "Burial at Westwood Park directly next to Marilyn Monroe." She was on Playboy's first cover when the magazine was launched in 1953. Also buried there: Dean Martin, Jack Lemmon, Burt Lancaster and Roy Orbison.
Last question: Is it a true story that your mother loaned you $1,000 to start Playboy because your father disapproved?
"He was a certified public accountant and a good businessman and he just didn't think it would be a good business investment.
"When my mother and I went outside, she took me aside and said she was loaning me the $1,000. She had saved it from working in a war factory. I used $500 of it to buy the rights to Marilyn's photo."
"It wasn't that she believed in the investment, she believed in her son."
THE SCENE AND HEARD
"American Idol" finalists, who are prepping for next week's Elvis theme, are in town to take in "Viva Elvis" at Aria at CityCenter. Country singer Jessie James is performing at Coyote Ugly (New York-New York) tonight. There are rumblings that she's seeing Reggie Bush of the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints.
SIGHTINGS
Danny Devito, on the terrace with a group at Pure nightclub (Caesars Palace) on Thursday after UNLVino's Bubble-Licious event at Caesars Garden of the Gods. ... Oscar winner Forest Whitaker at "The Lion King" (Mandalay Bay) with family on Thursday.
THE PUNCH LINE
"It's elimination night on 'American Idol.' At this point, they're really just mercy killings." -- 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.
