Viewers want ’em to put on the dog

A case of puppy love has turned into a dogfight pitting meteorologist John Fredericks against management at KVBC-TV, Channel 3.

In the middle of the storm is Fredericks' 8-month-old golden lab puppy, LJ, who replaced Fredericks' longtime on-air forecasting companion, Jordan, a golden retriever who died last summer.

LJ, short for Little Jordan, has become a cause célèbre since he disappeared from Fredericks' forecasts.

Dog lover Susan Russell organized a bring-back-LJ protest by sending an e-mail blast to several hundred animal lovers, calling for them to flood the station with calls and e-mails and join a picket line.

Reached on Friday, KVBC general manager, Lisa Howfield, initially responded by saying she and Fredericks mutually agreed to take LJ off the air.

But she called back later and said, "It was John's choice to take the dog off the air. I would have liked us to keep the dog on the air. I know people aren't going to believe that, but. ..."

Asked if the dispute involved contract negotiations with Fredericks, she said, "He has a long-term contract."

A source close to the situation said Fredericks was seeking a separate deal for the dog. Another source said the battle has to do with KVBC wanting "exclusive and total rights to LJ's image."

"It's John's dog. His son, in a lot of ways," said Howfield.

Fredericks has apparently been, umm, muzzled, because he did not respond to e-mail and telephone requests for comment.

SCENE AND HEARD

Vocal impressionist Gordie Brown is starting a limited engagement March 31 at V Theater on Miracle Mile (Planet Hollywood Resort). Brown, whose one-year run at The Venetian, ended last month, is reported to be working on a TV project with manager Bernie Yuman. ...

"Star Wars" creator George Lucas knows how to roll. In town to promote the animated "Star Wars" chapter, "The Clone Wars," Lucas made the most dramatic entrance at ShoWest, the annual theater industry trade show and convention, which ended a four-day run Thursday at Paris Las Vegas. He marched onstage accompanied by a legion of costumed Imperial Stormtroopers. "I never go anywhere without my army," he joked.

SIGHTINGS

ShoWest "Female Star of the Year" Anne Hathaway, partied with friends at Tryst (Wynn) on Thursday. Sarah Jessica Parker was spotted Friday walking through the Tower Suites at Wynn Las Vegas. ... Actor Laurence Fishburne, at the 10 p.m. performance of "Love" (Mirage) on Thursday. He has been in town promoting his new film, "21," which premiered here this week. ... At the ShoWest red carpet on Thursday: "Speed Racer" stars Emile Hirsch; Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox and producer Joel Silver; "Get Smart" cast members Steve Carell and Hathaway and director Peter Segal; Christian Bale, Maggie Gyllenhaal and director Chris Nolan of "The Dark Knight;" "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" stars America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, director Sanaa Hamri and director Lucas. ... Billy Bush of "Access Hollywood," hosting a private dinner to support his charity, Lollipop Theater Network, on Thursday at Tao Las Vegas. Attendees included "Sex and The City" star Parker; Brendan Fraser, "Sex and The City" co-creator Michael Patrick King; Palms owner George Maloof and several top movie industry execs. Also in the club: illusionist Criss Angel and girlfriend Veronica Grabowski and actor Jonny Lee Miller. Also in the house: world champion boxer Winky Wright. ... Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers, performing with local entertainer Michael Grimm Thursday at Louis' Fish Camp (Town Square). ... David Copperfield, checking out the Guernsey auction at the Palms on Friday. More than 800 pop culture items from the Pugliese collection, from Houdini objects to the gun that killed Lee Harvey Oswald and Madonna's "Like a Virgin" wedding dress, are on the auction block this weekend.

THE PUNCH LINE

"On their Web site they ranked the girls from one to seven diamonds. The diamonds represent how many you have to buy for your wife after you get caught." -- Jay Leno, on the call girl company used by ex-New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

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