KLAS-TV makes a round of layoffs
KLAS-TV, Channel 8 laid off 17 staffers, including three on-air personalities, and transferred four others Wednesday in what management termed a belt-tightening "reorganization" due to the recession.
In a memo released to the staff, KLAS general manager Emily Neilson said the moves were necessary because of the economic downturn and "a significant recovery is not expected for at least a few years."
Neilson's memo, which was obtained by the Review-Journal, characterized the layoffs as "a gut-wrenching experience for all of us." Her e-mail was sent at 9:35 a.m. Wednesday. A number of those laid off were contacted Tuesday night and others on Wednesday.
The station, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Landmark Media Enterprises, has been up for sale for months. The layoffs had "absolutely zero" to do with that, said Neilson, or with the collapse of Wall Street giant Lehman Brothers, which was announced on Monday. Lehman Brothers was brokering the KLAS sale.
In a telephone interview, Neilson called it "a tough decision but every business in Las Vegas is facing similar decisions. We wanted to be proactive as we go through this and be a leader coming out of it."
Layoffs hit every department.
Among those departing: noon and 4:30 p.m. anchor Charlotte Evans; weekend anchor Colleen May; reporter Ky Plaskon, and executive producer Randy Michaels. Another executive producer, Natalie Cullen, accepted a transfer to another position.
Also leaving is meteorologist Gina Cancelliere, who recently announced that she was going to be a stay-at-home mom. She is staying on through the November ratings period.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
A DVD release party at Wynn Las Vegas on Saturday will feature the Vivienne Westwood wedding gown worn by Sarah Jessica Parker in her role as Carrie Bradshaw in "Sex and The City: The Movie." The party, open to the public, is from 6-9 p.m. at Outfit on the Wynn Esplanade. Also on display: the Judith Leiber purse from the movie and "something blue" Manolo Blahniks "Mr. Big" used to propose to Carrie. ... The restaurant lineup at City Center, the $9.2 billion Strip project by MGM Mirage, will be announced today for ARIA, the resort casino. Las Vegas newcomers Masayoshi Takayama of Masa in New York City and Chicago star chef Shawn McClain will join a group already well known in the MGM Mirage family: Sirio Maccioni, Michael Mina, Julian Serrano, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, The Light Group and Jean-Philippe Maury. Le Cirque's Maccioni will be named Sirio. Other restaurant names and their operator: American Fish (Mina), Julian Serrano (Serrano), Bar Masa and Shaboo (Takayama), Jean Georges Steakhouse (Vongerichten), and Sage (McLain). Light Group's yet-unnamed restaurant will feature dim sum. Maury'a JP Patisserie is a follow-up to his same-named Bellagio eatery.
SIGHTINGS
It's been a week of Baseball Hall of Famers at N9NE Steakhouse (Palms). Tuesday it was former Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench, with friends. Sunday, former San Francisco Giants slugger Orlando Cepeda was in. Bench brought a new putter and photo of him with former teammate Tom Seaver for chef Barry Dakake. ... Rap and R&B singer/songwriter Ne-Yo, making a surprise appearance at Pure (Caesars Palace) early Wednesday. The Grammy winner, who grew up here, sang several of his hits. ... Clint Holmes, performing at a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Nevada, in Henderson at the Findlay Cadillac/Saab main showroom.
THE PUNCH LINE
"The O..J. Simpson trial started yesterday. It was exciting for me because I was worried that my kids would not get to experience their own O.J. trial." -- 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.
