‘Peepshow’ to be touched by Angel
Holly Madison's assistant, Angel Porrino, has landed an improbable show business opportunity: She's stepping into Madison's lead role (Bo Peep) in "Peepshow" for a week next month.
It will be the show biz debut for the 21-year-old former cheerleader and former student body president at Mountain View Christian School. It's a giant leap and a big break for the single mom, who appeared in two reality shows with Madison: "The Girls Next Door" and "Holly's World."
She tapped danced competitively for years but hasn't had a speaking role in a production since elementary school, when she did "Christmas plays and cheesy stuff."
"I'm very excited about getting to relive my passion of being on stage," said Porrino, who said her last stage appearance was three years ago for her senior year dance competition.
The opportunity came out of the blue a few weeks ago, she said. Madison's Los Angeles manager Jason Verona approached Porrino and asked whether she was interested in being Holly's understudy during her vacation.
She leaped at the chance and started rehearsals for the burlesque show this week.
Like Madison, she'll be going topless, which makes her "very nervous," but she's cleared it with her parents.
"Better to ask for permission than ask for forgiveness," she said.
She met Madison three years ago at the Playboy Mansion "when I went out to test to be a Playmate. We hit it off, and I was in Season 5 of 'The Girls Next Door' and we've been inseparable since."
She and her 15-month-old son, Roman, live with Madison, her dogs, Josephine and Napoleon, and two newly acquired ferrets.
The effervescent Porrino said her "Peepshow" role requires "some choreography, some cute faces and pretty much being a full-on sex pistol."
MAJOR GARRETT LEAVES FOX
Former Review-Journal reporter Major Garrett has stepped down as chief White House correspondent for Fox News Channel to return to print journalism.
It was announced Wednesday that Garrett is moving to the National Journal as a congressional correspondent.
Garrett covered the cop beat and was a general assignment reporter at the R-J from 1986 to 1988. While working Las Vegas, he met Julie Kirtz, who was a reporter and noon anchor at KLAS-TV, Channel 8.
They got married and had three children. Both Garrett and Kirtz have been working at Fox for years. R-J columnist Jane Ann Morrison recalled Garrett attending an R-J staff costume party as "some sort of debonair cat burglar."
Garrett, who grew up in San Diego, turned 48 on Tuesday.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Starting Friday, actress Estella Warren serves as the first in a series of guest hosts for "The Ultimate Girls Night Out!" at the Chippendales show at the Rio. There's a 7:30 p.m. red carpet a half hour before the show. ...
A spy tells me the NBC telecast of the Miss Universe pageant on Monday narrowly averted a "total equipment failure." The night was saved by a "Herculean effort" by the folks in charge.
SIGHTINGS
At the launch event Wednesday for Carlos Santana's new album, "Guitar Heaven," presented by Clive Davis at Vanity nightclub (Hard Rock Hotel): special guest vocalists india.arie, Chris Daughtry and Gavin Rossdale, who also guest on the album; George Harrison's widow, Olivia Harrison; NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton; and Mary Wilson of The Supremes. ... Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, at a private event Tuesday at the new PBR Rock Bar inside the Miracle Mile Shops (Planet Hollywood).
THE PUNCH LINE
"Miss Mexico is the new Miss Universe, and today begins a grueling year of waving." -- 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.
