Soccer fans sport ‘Borat’ mankinis

Borat would have fit right in at the Crown & Anchor Pub, a popular local hangout for the soccer crowd.

During last week's World Cup qualifier match between England and Kazakhstan, two fans stripped down to what is known as the Borat mankini.

British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, cast as a fictional Kazakhstani journalist, wore one of the suspendered thongs in the 2006 hit film "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan."

Crown & Anchor owner Ron Schultz missed it but heard so many accounts that he drew his own conclusion.

"Fun, yes, but a good look ... no," said Schultz.

Cohen plays a flamboyant Austrian fashionista in his next film, which comes out in May. It is titled: "Brüno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt."

FULL HOUSE

Swedish golfers Jesper Parnevik and Daniel Chopra are taking togetherness to extremes.

Close friends, Parnevik and Chopra are not only staying in the same house during the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, but they shot identical opening rounds of 69 and 65 at TPC Summerlin.

They are in a 15-way tie for 21st, eight strokes behind co-leaders Matt Kuchar and Marc Turnesa.

Parnevik and Chopra are among 15 guests staying with Michael and Jenna Morton.

"It's kind of like Team Sweden at the Mortons," said Michael Morton, a partner in N9NE Group, which operates restaurants and nightclubs at the Palms.

Parnevik, whose father Bo is Sweden's most famous comedian, attended "Blue Man Group" at The Venetian on Thursday with the Mortons and Swedish fashion designer Johan Lindeberg, who designs Timberlake's new line, William Rast.

Oh, and the guest house is occupied as well. Chris Affleck, mother of actors Ben and Casey, has been a guest of the Mortons for several weeks. She's running one of the Barack Obama campaign offices in Las Vegas.

ELVI CREATOR GETS STAR

Flying Elvi creator Dick Feeney was presented his ceremonial star from the Las Vegas Walk of Stars group on Friday at the Plaza Hotel & Casino.

Feeney came to Las Vegas in 1985 as an associate producer of "An Evening at La Cage" at the Riviera and two years later produced the "Crazy Girls" revue.

He organized the skydivers who appeared in the 1992 hit movie "Honeymoon in Vegas." Later, during a skydiving event he announced to the crowd that "the Elvi have left the building," and name stuck. They were based in Las Vegas and were the only such officially licensed by the Elvis Presley estate.

His star will be placed in front of New York-New York.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

The local TV and radio community gathers tonight at Paris Las Vegas for the Electronic Media Awards. The event honors on-air talent as well as the advertising side of the Southern Nevada broadcasting industry. Money raised goes toward scholarships for communication students at UNLV and College of Southern Nevada.

SIGHTINGS

Beijing Olympics swimming star Michael Phelps, back in Las Vegas on Friday. He's staying in a penthouse at Palms Place. He was here shortly after the Olympics to take poker lessons ... Rihanna, making a purchase at Herve Leger at the Miracle Mile in Planet Hollywood Resort on Friday ... Tyra Banks, in town filming "America's Next Top Model" at Caesars Palace, attended the early show at "Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular" and the late performance of "Love" on Thursday night. She was accompanied by "America's Next Top Model" producer Brad Sisk ...

THE PUNCH LINE

"This is Sarah Palin, do you consider yourself a maverick plumber?" -- From David Letterman's "Top Ten Messages Left On Joe The Plumber's Answering Machine."

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