Las Vegas man recalls his brush with Beatles
One more Sahara story -- make it a double -- for the road:
Las Vegans Bruce and Cathy Langson were arriving Sunday for a sentimental journey when I ran into them.
They spent their wedding night in a Sahara suite on Feb. 2, 1969.
Bruce's brush with Beatles infamy came five years earlier.
The Beatles were making their historic visit, but Langson said he was too broke to afford the $2.50 general admission ticket.
So he missed the show. But he nearly became entangled in their tour stop as a footnote.
He was driving north on Paradise Road near the old Convention Center, where the Fab Four appeared and now the home of the sprawling Las Vegas Convention Center.
Langson wasn't paying attention as he approached Sahara Avenue and suddenly saw brake lights.
"I swerved to avoid rear-ending a limo and as I looked over, a back window was open and there was Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
"I would have been famous," said the local developer, "but my name would have been mud."
Not to mention a guaranteed hard day's night.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
A red carpet and slot machine unveiling will be part of the Las Vegas premiere of "The Hangover II" on Saturday at Planet Hollywood Resort. A ribbon cutting for the slot machine named after the movie begins at 1 p.m., with red carpet arrivals, including cast members Justin Bartha and Jamie Chung, beginning at 1:15 p.m. on the mezzanine. ...
Leave it to R-J colleague Ron Kantowski to pen the perfect line of the Sahara's long goodbye: "My take on Sahara closing," he tweeted Monday afternoon. "It's midnight at the oasis, send your camel to bed."
Look for some sensational headlines from the new books by boxing legend "Sugar" Ray Leonard and UFC giant Brock Lesnar. Leonard's "The Big Fight: My Life in and out of the Ring" delivers a bombshell -- details about being sexually abused by a prominent Olympic boxing coach. Lesnar's book, "Death Clutch," comes out next Tuesday. It chronicles the rise of the South Dakota farm boy who brawled his way to the top of pro wrestling and the UFC before health issues humbled him. ...
A panel of judges that includes emcee Sugar Ray frontman Mark McGrath will determine which band from six semifinalists will win the right to perform Sunday during the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand. Billboard.com voters selected the six, who will compete at the Fremont Street Experience on Wednesday. Information: www.Billboard.com/battle. ...
The Taste of the Nation benefit will take place from 6:30-9 p.m. Thursday at the nightclub Rain at the Palms. Thirty of the city's top chefs are participating in the fight against childhood hunger in America. The Jeremy Cornwell Project is performing.
SIGHTINGS
Former world heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield, in the VIP section at Marquee (Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas) on Monday. Earlier he had lunch at Sierra Gold on South Jones and the Las Vegas Beltway . ... E! News host Giuliana Rancic and her husband, Bill Rancic, shooting a dinner scene with friends in Tao's private dining room on Monday at The Venetian hotspot. ... Criss Angel, visiting with "Absinthe" stars The Gazillionaire and his assistant, Penny, after Sunday's show.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Arnold knew Maria was going to divorce him. When she kicked him out, he had $500 and two phone numbers sewn into his pajamas." -- Rita Rudner
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.
