Jimmer screens out Shaq’s act at Palms
Could be awkward if basketball big men Shaquille O'Neal and Chris Bosh bump into each other at the Palms.
Bosh, a member of the Miami Heat's Big Three, dined Thursday at N9ne Steakhouse.
O'Neal, in town for his retirement party tonight at the Palms' Moon nightclub, and Bosh have some bruising history. Two years ago, O'Neal belittled Bosh after scoring 45 points against the Toronto Raptors' big man.
Reports had Bosh saying that Shaq, then with the Phoenix Suns, wouldn't have been as dominant if refs enforced the three-second rule in the paint.
Shaq shot back: "That's strong words coming from the RuPaul of big men. I'm going to do the same thing (the next time we play) I did before -- make him quit. Make 'em quit and complain. It's what I do."
It takes a lot to steal some thunder from Shaq, but a 6-foot-2 guard who hasn't scored a point in the NBA accomplished it Friday.
The Palms' marquee Friday read: "Jimmer Fredette a Sacramento King." The high-scoring BYU star and 10th pick in the NBA Draft on Thursday, landed with the Kings, owned by the Maloof family.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
News of the arrest of notorious Boston mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger was quite the coincidence for Kathy Barrie, curator of The Mob Museum in downtown Las Vegas. Thursday she had wrapped up editing a video of Bulger for one of the portraits and testimonies exhibits for the museum, which opens early next year. Bulger's story will be one of the more compelling features of the museum because it is "a current mob story that has everything," she said. ...
Auburn's Cam Newton, the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner, is among a big celebrity turnout this weekend for Warren Moon's 11th annual Sports Dream Bowl to benefit inner city youth. The public is invited to watch the red carpet arrivals from 3 to 4 p.m. today at Texas Station. The bowling action is private. Also expected: NFL Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin, Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder, NFL pass rush great Charles Haley and Tony Gonzalez of the Atlanta Falcons. ...
Friends of ailing Las Vegas singer Michaelina Bellamy are gathering donations to help defray the cost of medical expenses after nearly three months in a hospital for a life-threatening condition. ...
Michael Hinden, who died much too young last week, will be remembered for his "Dinner in the Sky" concept that featured a table hoisted 150 feet in the air for a glittering view of the Strip. He died June 17 after suffering a stroke two days after his 40th birthday earlier this month.
SIGHTINGS
Bosh, with his bachelor party pals at Criss Angel (Luxor) on Friday. ... Sir Richard Branson was in town this week for a corporate appearance. A year ago, he rode a jet ski around the Fountains of Bellagio and jumped off the 400-foot Palms Fantasy Tower. While former San Francisco 49ers star Ronnie Lott cooled off Friday at the STK bar (Cosmopolitan), his ex-teammate, Rice, was having dinner in the restaurant. DJ Pauly D of "Jersey Shore" and "Peepshow" star Holly Madison, on the red carpet at Ditch Fridays (Palms) on Friday for the launch of Pauly D's residency. ... Tropicana headliner Brad Garrett, taking in Human Nature at Imperial Palace on Thursday.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Ron Artest of the Los Angeles Lakers had some big news today. Ron actually filed papers to have his name legally changed to Metta World Peace. I hope he gets in another fight in the stands because wouldn't it be great to see a guy get punched in the face by World Peace?" -- 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.
