Michael Jackson fans feel at home
About 500 Michael Jackson fans got a look at the King of Pop's last Las Vegas residence Saturday, the second anniversary of his death.
Fans waiting in 100-degree heat endured a long delay caused by nearby gunfire that turned out to be a confrontation between police and a pit bull.
Jackson and his children moved into the seven-bedroom, 12-bath Spanish-style villa at 2710 Palomino Lane in 2008, after living in a Palms suite for several months.
Jackson was at the home when British fans serenaded him on his 50th birthday, Aug. 29, 2008. Jackson rewarded them with pizzas.
He moved to Beverly Hills but left a lot of his belongings at the Las Vegas residence, known as Hacienda Palomino. It was built in the 1950s.
The villa featured a secret tunnel and hidden stairs, according to tour guide Didi Lima, who said she represented the owner.
Standing in the courtyard, Lima pointed out a feature on a bell tower that she said likely caught Jackson's eye as a good omen. Instead of gargoyles, large musical notes were set in the exterior.
Vegas Confidential caught up with a friend of the Jackson family who was among the first to gain entrance after Jackson died in his Beverly Hills home.
Real estate investor Rutt Premsrirut said the family asked him to go to the Palomino Lane residence and retrieve some of the singer's treasured items.
They included two Academy Awards. Jackson had paid a record $1.5 million at a 1999 Sotheby's auction for David O. Selznick's Oscar for Best Picture from the 1939 epic film "Gone With the Wind." Premsrirut said the other Oscar was from "Chariots of Fire," which won four Academy Awards in 1981.
That's not all Premsrirut found. Taped on Jackson's bathroom mirror were notes and what appeared to be scribbled lyrics, business ideas and Billboard Top 10 charts. Jackson had purchased CDs for most of the songs on the charts.
"A lot of people thought he was out of touch, but he was really monitoring who was on top," said Premsrirut, who met Jackson through the singer's family in 2000.
He said drawings for something called "Thriller City" were among the items he gathered for the family.
"That one stuck out," Premsrirut said. "I think it was for an amusement park."
THE SCENE AND HEARD
The Electric Daisy Carnival created boffo business for taxi companies. One cabby, with the Twitter name of @LasVegas CabbieChronicles, tweeted he had a record-breaking night. A ride from the Strip to Las Vegas Motor Speedway averaged about $60, but with "really bad traffic" it jumped another $20, he said via email. He said festival-goers were "all very pleasant people, and there was a peace and love" sort of vibe.
SIGHTINGS
CNN political reporter Ed Henry, in town celebrating his one-year anniversary with his wife, Shirley, a CNN producer. Henry is leaving CNN and moving to Fox News Channel as chief White House correspondent. The Los Angeles Times characterized the move as "akin to a baseball player leaving the Boston Red Sox for the New York Yankees." ... At Marquee Dayclub on Friday: Singer and TV personality Nicole Scherzinger, kicking off her 33rd birthday celebration by the pool. Also there: 2010 Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, the NFL's No. 1 draft pick. ... Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat, partying at Marquee Nightclub. ... At Chateau on Friday: UFC fighters Michael Bisping, Tiki Ghosn and "Razor Rob" McCullough, partying in a cabana. ... Kix Brooks of country music duo Brooks & Dunn, at "The Mentalist" Friday (Planet Hollywood) with his wife, Barbara.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Eyebrows still haven't grown back from Memorial Day barbecue incident." -- From David Letterman's Top Ten Signs Your Summer is Already Off to a Bad Start
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.
