Olympians taking plunge in Sin City
The first wave of celebrating Olympians has arrived , including swimming gold medalist Ryan Lochte.
He was spotted on the town Thursday night. Tao nightclub at The Venetian released an e-vite on Wednesday with the teaser: "The better looking swimmer is here," referring to a hosting appearance Saturday.
The quote was a poke at Michael Phelps, who lost to Lochte in their first meeting in London before roaring back with four gold medals and two silvers.
Phelps, who has a record 22 Olympic medals, was a club-hopping, poker-playing regular here after his record eight gold medal haul in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Getting the party started was Australia's BMX star, Sam Willoughby, who won a silver medal in London and celebrated it on Wednesday, his 21st birthday.
LIBERACE IN SPOTLIGHT
A week of filming for HBO's ambitious Liberace film begins next week. A casting call is set from 5-8 p.m. Monday in ballroom C at the LVH, where Liberace headlined for years.
"Behind the Candelabra," written by Liberace's live-in, Scott Thorsen, features a big-name cast headed by Michael Douglas as the flamboyant pianist and Matt Damon as Thorsen, a dancer who was 18 when he met Liberace.
Dan Aykroyd has reportedly been signed to play Liberace's longtime manager, Seymour Heller. Debbie Reynolds is cast as Liberace's mother, Frances.
Adapted from Thorsen's 1988 book , the film takes place in Las Vegas between 1977 and 1987, when Liberace died of complications from AIDS.
The casting call is for men and women 21 and older of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities. Food will be provided. Pay begins when booked.
Bring a pen, small (3 x 5) photo of yourself "and a good attitude," the PR release says.
FRIENDLY FAREWELL
Jenny McCarthy confirmed to US Weekly on Wednesday she and Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher were moving on.
"I will continue to be the biggest cheerleader for him," she told the magazine.
Urlacher's many romances have made this space on numerous occasions, none bigger than a Las Vegas sighting in September 2003.
A spy told me Paris Hilton left Light nightclub at Bellagio about dawn, riding Urlacher piggyback while holding a broken stiletto heel.
Just like Cinderella, I noted.
My report included that Hilton, 21, accompanied him on a flight back to Chicago.
Urlacher's agent, Steve Kauffman, did his best to spin the story as silly gossip, saying Urlacher was with a group and the two are "just friends.
But then came the clincher as the Bears were playing on "Monday Night Football" in Chicago. As play-by-play announcer Al Michaels (I believe) read my Cinderella line on the air, ABC's cameras zoomed in on a Bears suite, where Hilton was seated, wearing an Urlacher jersey.
The "friendship" lasted almost as long as a Bears lead.
Game. Set. Mismatch.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Raffle items for the Aug. 25 Fat Boy Open golf tournament, a benefit for the Peoples Autism Foundation, run the gamut from restaurant gift certificates to books from aspiring authors. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has chipped in a set of congressional golf balls, a Senate hand towel, two passes to the Senate gallery and a VIP tour of the Capitol and Democratic leadership suite.
SIGHTINGS
Singer John Legend and fiancee Chrissy Teigen, in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue for three years, dining Wednesday at Public House (Venetian).
THE PUNCH LINE
"A man who lost his memory used pictures on Facebook to piece his life back together. ... Most people call that 'Sunday morning.' " - Jimmy Fallon
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.
