Talent show judge Morgan films in LV
British TV personality Piers Morgan is in town this weekend, not to judge our talent, but to examine our city in a transitional time.
Morgan, best known in the United States as an at-times acerbic judge on "America's Got Talent," is here to film his popular globe-hopping documentary "Piers Morgan in ... ," which features various cities.
He was at The Mirage on Friday, checking in on friend Terry Fator's rags-to-riches odyssey.
Morgan did a walk-on during Fator's bit with Winston the sassy turtle, who introduced Morgan as "the nastiest thing to come out of England since kidney pie."
Two years ago this month, with an assist from Morgan, Fator was coronated the winner of Season 2 of "America's Got Talent."
Morgan and Fator's paths crossed 10 days ago when the singing ventriloquist made a guest appearance on the NBC summer show.
"It was great to see him," said Morgan, who decided to include Fator in his Las Vegas documentary.
It's an inspirational story, said Morgan, "rather like Susan Boyle. Someone who came from nowhether, a complete unknown."
Morgan was a judge alongside Simon Cowell on "Britain's Got Talent," the show that discovered Boyle.
He's here to go beyond the usual glitz and glamour side of Las Vegas.
A man of many hats, he parlayed his showbiz column into editorships at London's News of The World and the Mirror before becoming a TV and radio star.
He's here because "everybody knows Las Vegas has been through a pretty tough time. How it moves on from the tough times will be a very good story to tell."
The plan is to mix in celebrity encounters with Britons like Robert Earl of Planet Hollywood Resort and others who have a stake in the city's economic resurrection.
"I hope (the documentary) will be a good tonic for a very difficult time," said Morgan, who is also filming in Shanghai and Marbella, Spain, for airing next year.
DAHLBERG'S LATEST BOOK
Associated Press sports columnist Tim Dahlberg has authored another sports book on the heels of "Fight Town."
"America's Girl," published by St. Martin's Press, profiles one of America's first female sports heroines, long-distance swimmer Gertrude Ederle, a megastar of the Roaring 20s.
Not only was she the first woman to swim the English Channel but she bettered the times of the five men who accomplished it.
Her accomplishment, coming just six years after women won the right to vote, made her an international sensation.
Two million lined Broadway's Canyon of Heroes, welcoming her home with the biggest tickertape parade ever given an athlete.
Dahlberg, a Las Vegas resident, had his interest piqued after meeting Ederle's niece, Mary Ederle Ward. She had helped care for her famous aunt in her later years and had a huge collection of newspaper clippings and magazine articles about Ederle's life.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
A press conference with NBA superstar Shaquille O' Neal and boxing great Oscar de la Hoya is scheduled Tuesday at Planet Hollywood Resort. They will discuss their head-to-head exhibition and what handicap will be involved in the episode of the new ABC reality series "Shaq VS." ...
Jon Gosselin of the reality show trainwreck "Jon & Kate Plus 8" is hosting at Wet Republic, the MGM Grand pool, on Aug. 29. He's coming to town for the MAGIC clothing convention.
SIGHTINGS
Michael Jackson's former sidekick Emmanuel Lewis, asking a VIP host at LAX for $1,000 worth of $1 bills before "making it rain" at the Luxor nightclub. Lewis and comedy magician Nathan Burton ended up playing blackjack at Bellagio until 6 a.m. ... Steel Panther unveils its music video "Community Property" tonight at Aliante Station, starting at 9 p.m. for the first 100 people. A toga party follows.
THE PUNCH LINE
"In Idaho, police confiscated $20 million dollars worth of marijuana being grown near a Girl Scout camp. Police became suspicious after the Girl Scouts sold $20 million worth of Girl Scout Cookies." -- Conan O'Brien
Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.
