Wynn apologizes for vegan lecture

Steve Wynn apologized for "preaching" but it was more a case of preaching to the choir.

Addressing his conversion to a vegan lifestyle, Wynn told a vegan-friendly crowd "this is a matter of fundamental survival and continued vitality of our society and our population."

It is not, he said, "some kind of fringe activity of tree huggers.''

Wynn made the comments during a brief speech Saturday at Encore before 175 attendees at Viva Las Vegan, an event he put together to showcase his chefs' vegan offerings in conjunction with Vegas Uncork'd by Bon Appetit.

He turned vegan about a year ago, Wynn said, after running into an acquaintance from India who looked like he "lost 25 pounds and 30 years."

Wynn said the 72-year-old man gave him a video that extolled the power of plant-based diets and warned of the impact the U.S. food system has on global warming, the environment and animal agriculture.

After viewing it on his yacht on the French Riviera, Wynn gave the documentary to all his employees at his Wynn and Encore properties.

During his speech, he said health care costs have "gone up so fast with this sick population we've got, and aging population and an obese population" that he agreed to a $2 million loan after a local union ran out of money about a year and a half ago.

"That's what it's come to," he said.

REID IN RINGSIDE

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was a spectator at Saturday's Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley fight but looked more like he had gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson.

His right shoulder in a sling, he was wearing sunglasses to hide a blackened left eye.

He dislocated his right shoulder and bruised his eye after he fell against a car while attempting to tie his shoelaces while on a jog last Wednesday.

Pacquiao had visited Reid, a boxer long ago, during a Capitol Hill tour in February.

SIGHTINGS

Latin crooner Luis Miguel and Daisy Fuentes, having a late dinner at La Cave (Wynn) on Monday. ... Boxing champ Floyd Mayweather Jr., at a table at Marquee Nightclub (Cosmopolitan) on Monday. At Marquee Dayclub: singer Bobby Brown. ... Pacquiao, taking in the "BeatleShow!" at the Saxe Theater on the Miracle Mile (Planet Hollywood Resort).

THE PUNCH LINE

"Officials say the terrorists are now going after our railways. The rail line you should really avoid is Amtrakistan." -- 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.