Palms owner sees Gaga as Palms hit

Palms owner George Maloof's courtship of Lady Gaga has begun.

Maloof said he was so blown away by Lady Gaga's successful engagement that he let her know she'd be "a perfect fit" for the Palms.

The pop sensation sold out both shows Thursday and Friday and exceeded Maloof's expectations, and not just because of what he considered a stunning performance.

"She was just so professional," Maloof said.

After the show, he invited her to join him in one of his nightclubs, but she declined.

"She's not a partier. That was really refreshing. She's dedicated to being the top artist in the world."

They met in the green room, which was dark except for some candles.

Maloof said he came away with an overall sense that "you know you've just seen a superstar."

MEDIA UPDATE

KTNV-TV, Channel 13 anchor Nina Radetich and Jack Finn, her boyfriend of three years, are engaged.

Radetich said Finn popped the question the night of the Las Vegas Marathon, after they both participated in the half-marathon. They were playing Scrabble, when the former TV reporter and spokesman for Gov. Kenny Guinn and U.S. Sen. John Ensign suggested they open a bottle of champagne.

In retrospect, she said, that should have been the first hint. The second came when he started pouring the bubbly and his hand was shaking. After Finn suggested they move to the fireplace, he got down on one knee.

It won't be a long engagement, Radetich said. "We're not going to waste a whole lot of time."

Finn resigned as special projects manager for NV Energy in September shortly after the two of them were involved in a conflict-of-interest scandal. Radetich recommended to a company being investigated by KTNV that Finn might be able do damage control. ...

Former Clark County Commissioner Dario Herrera is off the available list. Herrera, one of three former commissioners convicted for accepting bribes, has been dating Stephanie Wilson, president of Wicked Creative public relations. They have been in a relationship for about two months. His 50-month sentence was completed last week when he was released from home confinement.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Beyoncé's deal with Steve Wynn, I'm told, will reportedly end up being a four-night engagement similar to her previous gig at Encore Theater, meaning $750,000 a night. ...

Br-r-r-r! I'm in snowy Lincoln, Neb., for b-r-r-rief holiday with the Leggy Blonde, her family and our pups, Rumor and Scandal, who are in squirrel-chasing heaven. We'll be back after Christmas.

SIGHTINGS

Celebrating their 21st birthdays Friday at Lavo (Palazzo): Paulina Gretzky, with her parents, hockey icon Wayne Gretzky and actress Janet Jones Gretzky, and, in another party, Hannah Selleck, daughter of actor Tom Selleck. ... Tiger Woods, spotted at CityCenter last week. His image, that is, on an ad for Tag Heur, the Swiss watch company that dropped him last week as a celebrity endorser. ... Rapper Kid Cudi, hopping on the catwalk at Lavo (Palazzo) about 1 a.m. Saturday and proclaiming to the crowd that they were "witnessing the rebirth of Cudi right now in Vegas." He was the evening's guest host, a day after it was announced he was leaving Lady Gaga's "Monster Ball Tour" so he could "balance his schedule surrounding the recording of his next album and acting commitments." He performed "Pursuit of Happiness" and his big hit, "Day 'N Nite," to the chants of "Cudi, Cudi, Cudi." His departure as Lady Gaga's opening act came five days after he punched a fan in Vancouver. ... At N9NE Steakhouse (Palms) on Friday: Howard Johnson of the 1986 world champion New York Mets, and Jason Giambi, the ex-Yankee who later was seen at Lady Gaga's show at The Pearl. ... Jackson Rathbone of "Twilight," celebrating his birthday at The Bank (Bellagio) with members of his band 100 Monkeys. Also there: Giambi and his wife, dancing to Jay-Z's "Empire State."

THE PUNCH LINE

"New York Senator Chuck Schumer was on an airplane as they were landing. He called one of the flight attendants, apparently there was some ugliness, there were some words exchanged, it got heated and at one point the argument was so loud, it actually woke up the pilots." -- David Letterman

Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.