REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

There was a lot of big news in April: the mysterious death of "Buffalo Jim" Barrier; the third-richest man in America on the witness stand in a Clark County courtroom; an inquest into the controversial police shooting of an ice cream truck driver; the governor absent from the governor's mansion.

But none of those was the best-read article on the Web site of Nevada's largest newspaper last month.

No, dear readers. It was Pamela Anderson dancing in her birthday suit to celebrate the birthday of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner that captured the most reader interest. Columnist Norm Clarke wrote about the former Playboy centerfold donning high heels, and nothing else, to do a jig for Hef's 82nd birthday.

The item received nearly 90,000 hits during April, three times the number for the second-most-read article online. And no, there wasn't a photo.

It's enough to make a grown newsman cry, said one veteran R-J editor.

Clarke reported, however, that it made an 82-year-old magazine editor smile.

YOU'VE HEARD OF LAWYER JOKES, BUT WHAT ABOUT ECONOMIST JOKES?

Chris Meenan, senior resource analyst for the Southern Nevada Water Authority, offered this old chestnut during Thursday's budget workshop: "When you line up all the economists in the world end-to-end, you still can't reach a conclusion."

HENRY BREAN

IF ANYONE WANTED TO KNOW WHY THERE HAS BEEN A DECLINE IN INTEREST IN SEEKING LEGISLATIVE OFFICE IN RECENT YEARS, take a gander at some of the organizations that Assembly members and senators must sleep through.

To wit, there's the Subcommittee of the Legislative Committee on Health Care to Review the Laws and Regulations Governing Providers of Health Care, the Use of Laser and Intense Pulsed Light Therapy, and the Use of Injections of Cosmetic Substances (Senate Bill 4, Chapter 4, Statutes of Nevada 2007, 23rd Special Session).

The committee met Friday at the Sawyer Building in Las Vegas, where we imagine a winded chairperson had to call a recess after uttering the board's complete name to start the meeting.

ED VOGEL

OVERHEARD ON THE SCANNER: "Report of an individual using a knife to cut something open at the Target."

IN AN INTERVIEW THIS WEEK, FORMER "HOLLYWOOD MADAM" AND CURRENT PAHRUMP RESIDENT HEIDI FLEISS CONFIRMED HER NEXT BIG GIG: paid cast member of the VH1 reality show "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew."

Fleiss, who also admitted to past use of Vicodin and methamphetamines, said she thought the show could fill a very important void in her life.

"I'm going there to fall in love," she deadpanned. "Isn't that what everyone does when they go to rehab?"

HENRY BREAN

SINCE MOVING TO PAHRUMP JUST OVER TWO YEARS AGO, FLEISS HAS STARTED RAISING PARROTS AND OTHER EXOTIC BIRDS.

About a month and a half ago, one of her scarlet macaws, a giant rainbow-winged bird named Ruby, escaped from the house and disappeared into the desert.

So far, no one has come forward to claim the reward money she is offering, and Fleiss has begun to fear the worst. "We're talking $5,000," she said. "For $100, someone will rat out their mother."

HENRY BREAN

THE BOARD OF REGENTS HELD A SPECIAL MEETING THURSDAY to appoint College of Southern Nevada interim president Mike Richards to the permanent job and also to hear a presentation about the higher education system's upcoming capital improvement projects.

When it was his turn to introduce himself at the meeting, Richards also introduced his wife, Jan, who was seated behind him.

She wasn't there to see him land the four-year contract, and its $210,000-a-year salary, according to Mike Richards.

"Actually, she's more interested in the capital improvement projects," he quipped.

LAWRENCE MOWER