Secret life scandal taints latest celeb
Three-time Olympian Suzy Favor Hamilton is the latest celebrity to risk it all by leading a secret life in Las Vegas.
The 44-year-old former running star last week confirmed she has been working as a $600-an-hour prostitute in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Chicago. She went by the alias "Kelly Lundy."
She acknowledged the story after it surfaced on the website The Smoking Gun.
Her scandal comes three years after Tiger Woods' life was turned upside down by revelations of marital infidelity, much of it taking place in Las Vegas.
The allure of Las Vegas, with its high energy and round-the-clock action, is a powerful magnet for many.
"A lot of people buy into believing 'What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas' and for the most part it's true," said a veteran VIP host.
"The casinos take great pride in not sharing information," he said.
For political pundit William Bennett, it is an embarrassing gambling scandal.
After serving as U.S. Secretary of Education from 1985 to 1988 in President Ronald Reagan's administration and becoming a leading voice of conservative morals, Bennett acknowledged he lost millions while gambling in Las Vegas.
Ten years earlier he had authored "The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories." The organization he co-founded, Empower America, opposed the extension of casino gambling in the states.
When the acting career of Dana Plato, who starred in "Diff'rent Strokes," went into a steep decline, she moved to Las Vegas and went to work for a dry-cleaning store.
On Feb. 28, 1991, she held up a Las Vegas video store, netting $164. When she returned to the scene 15 minutes later, she was arrested, and it was learned she used a pellet gun for the holdup.
In and out of trouble for drugs and alcohol, she died of a drug overdose in May 1999 in Moore, Okla. She was 34.
Favor Hamilton's downfall occurred when she revealed her identity to customers and someone dropped a dime.
She's blaming her behavior on depression that "goes way back to my childhood."
She told the Wisconsin State Journal she was drawn to escorting "in large part because it provided many coping mechanisms for me when I was going through a very challenging time with my marriage and my life. It provided an escape from a life that I was struggling in. It was a double life.
"I realize I have made highly irrational choices and I take full responsibility for them," she said in an email to the newspaper. "I am not a victim here and knew what I was doing."
Favor Hamilton said her husband Mark, 44, was aware of her escort work.
"He tried, he tried to get me to stop," she said. "He wasn't supportive of this at all."
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Services will be Wednesday at Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave., for Jimmy Tipton, a prominent marketing executive and VIP host. He died unexpectedly Wednesday in his sleep. Over the past two decades, he was in charge of player development at the Hard Rock Hotel and the Palms. He was known for his annual pajama party that drew huge crowds of high rollers and celebrities. ...
Longtime Las Vegas restaurateur Marcel Taylor is going home this weekend after two weeks in a local hospital for neck surgery. Taylor operated Ruth's Chris steakhouses on Paradise and Flamingo roads. ...
Will pro poker star Daniel Negreanu find his Queen of Hearts on "The Millionaire Matchmaker"? He's featured on the premiere episode of Bravo's hit series on Jan. 10. He's sent to an astrologer who attempts to find out why he bluffs his way through dating.
SIGHTINGS
Actor Gilles Marini, taking spins at Exotics Racing on Thursday in a Lamborghini Aventador and a Corvette Z06. ... Miss Universe Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island, dining at Mesa Grill (Caesars Palace) on Friday. ... Food Channel chef Guy Fieri, on hand at UNLV's fall commencement on Thursday to accept an honorary doctorate from his alma mater. He was honored for his public service, for maintaining a strong connection with UNLV students and for supporting hotel college fundraising efforts. ... David Arquette, hosting his staff of 40 from his Los Angeles nightclub, Bootsy Bellows, at The Act (Palazzo) on Wednesday. Arquette's club is named after his grandmother, a famed burlesque dancer.
THE PUNCH LINE
"After three years and six seasons, the final episode of 'Jersey Shore' aired tonight. Or as the Mayans put it, 'So we were off by one day.' " - 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. His weekly segment, "Norm Clarke's Vegas," airs during the "Morning Blend" on KTNV-TV, Channel 13 every Thursday.
