Osmonds offered contract extension
Flamingo headliners Donny and Marie Osmond have been offered a contract extension through 2012, Caesars Entertainment announced Friday.
News of the offer came hours after Donny Osmond told a Las Vegas radio station Friday that the duo wanted to scale down their show schedule.
A Caesars Entertainment publicist said their current contract expires at the end of this year but the brother-sister act has been offered a one-year extension.
"We love them. They are great partners of the Flamingo," spokeswoman Kelly Frey said.
Donny Osmond told KWDN-radio, 720 AM, talk show host Alan Stock, "I think Donny and Marie will always have a presence in Las Vegas. But I don't know about year around."
The Osmonds launched their show at the Flamingo in 2008 early in the recession, and it has been one of the strongest performers, with several extensions.
Two years ago it was announced that Donny and Marie were signed until October 2012, but when the duo severed their relationship with manager Chip Lightman, the deal was restructured, with the contract expiring at the end of this year.
During the interview, Osmond said the duo has "so many other things we want to do."
More likely, he said, a future deal would be "kind of like what Celine does when she comes back x amount of months throughout the year. The year-long thing I'm not sure that's going to happen much longer after the next year."
Osmond said he expect to hear next week if CBS plans to green light a pilot lottery game show titled "Secret Fortune," a spinoff of a current UK show.
He described it as "a cross between 'Deal or No Deal' and 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire?' "
THE SCENE AND HEARD
The Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational returns to Shadow Creek March 29-April 1, hosted by Aria resort for the second year in a row. Tickets are now sale
Fox News Channel's Shepard Smith will anchor his two programs, Studio B and Fox Report, from Pure nightclub at Caesars Sept. 27. Smith's stop is part of Fox News' six-city tour to celebrate its 15th anniversary.
SIGHTINGS
Newly crowned Miss Universe Leila Lopes (Miss Angola), celebrating at Surrender nightclub (Encore) on Thursday. In another group, Mexican singing star Alejandro Fernandez, in a group sharing two luxury bungalows. ... John Rich of Big & Rich and Cowboy Troy, surprising the crowd by joining the Country Superstars Tribute (Golden Nugget) on Thursday night. The real country stars gave standing ovations throughout the show, especially when they saw the Big & Rich tribute act (Joe Fairchild as Big and Leonard Queeneville as Rich). Rich and Cowboy Troy went on stage and sang "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)." Cowboy Troy added an impromptu hip-hop version of the same song.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Lady Gaga had a serious wardrobe malfunction at Fashion Week. She was caught in a blouse, skirt and hat made of simple fabric." -- Conan O'Brien
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.
