Showgirls march against resort fee

Revving up its PR machine, Caesars Entertainment turned up the heat on its competitors Thursday with "protesting" showgirls shutting down the Strip.

Forty-some "Jubilee" showgirls kicked off the anti-resort fee rally with a five-minute march from Paris Las Vegas to the Bally's corner, before joining company headliners who took up the cause.

After Flamingo headliner Marie Osmond said she was "proud to be headlining at a no-resort fees property," she launched a savings clock on the giant marquee at the Flamingo Road intersection.

According to Caesars Entertainment, the elimination of resort fees a year ago has resulted in a savings of $37 million for guests who stayed at its nine Las Vegas properties.

By comparison, visitors spent $17 million a month on resort fees at non-Caesars Entertainment properties, according to a company press release. A Caesars Entertainment rep said the brief Strip closing was coordinated with Las Vegas police.

RADIOTHON STARTS TODAY

Sporting its best lineup of celebrity star power, the seventh annual 24-hour Talk Show Radiothon on ESPN Radio 1100/98.9 gets under way at 10 a.m. today at the Palms.

Hosts of the one-hour time slots include legendary broadcaster Brent Musburger, boxing greats Mike Tyson and Bernard Hopkins, Tony Dovolani of "Dancing with the Stars," UNLV basketball great Larry Johnson and veteran boxing announcer Al Bernstein.

Check hourly drawings at www.wearelv.com.

The radiothon benefits The Caring Place, a cancer center co-founded by Bernstein, his wife, Connie, and oncologist Mary Allison. Tina Kunzer-Murphy will be honored as the station's Sportsperson of The Year at a sold-out reception from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Key West Room at the Palms.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Phoenix talk show host J.D. Hayworth, who ran against U.S. Sen. John McCain in the Arizona GOP primary last year, was on the air Thursday during KXNT-AM, 840's afternoon drive time, a day after the termination of Alan Stock. Hayworth had subbed for Stock in the past. It was not clear if Hayworth was Stock's permanent replacement. ...

Tweet of the Day

@MikeTyson "For the last time, I am not doing 'Dancing With the Stars.' I don't know where the rumor started but it is not true."

MAY I RECOMMEND

The eccentric home of former Nevada Lt. Gov. Lonnie Hammargren will be featured on the History Channel's "American Restoration" at 10 tonight. Last month, MSNBC ranked Hammargren's bizarre funhouse No. 1 on its list of "Top 10 Weird But Wonderful Homes.

SIGHTINGS

NBA All-Star Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, at Surrender (Encore) on Wednesday. "Peepshow" star Holly Madison, in a party of three couples Wednesday at Joe's Stone Crab (Forum Shops at Caesars) after taking in Absinthe.

THE PUNCH LINE

"There's talk of splitting California into two different states. Apparently, this divorce between Arnold and Maria is bigger than we thought." -- Jay Leno

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.