Wynn ready for another big finish

Casino developer Steve Wynn is going to new heights for his latest TV commercial.

He's recruited Hollywood director Brett Ratner to film a follow-up commercial to promote Wynn's new 638-foot luxury tower, Encore, which opens in December.

"Encores are big finishes, right?" Wynn said in an interview Wednesday.

Ratner's action films include "X-Men: The Last Stand" and the "Rush Hour" series, one of which was filmed at the Desert Inn before Wynn opened Wynn Las Vegas on the site in 2005.

Standing near the edge of the tower, Wynn will be equipped with safety straps when he delivers his spiel today to a camera on a helicopter.

"I've done the 'Rush Hour' films," said Ratner. "Jackie Chan is the most fearless actor I've ever worked with. Steve Wynn is the most fearless casino operator I've worked with."

"That's a rather small group," Wynn said, adding, "I think actually the most fearless casino operator is Sheldon Adelson. He's a swashbuckler."

That's high praise from Wynn, given the well-documented bitter rivalry with next-door neighbor Adelson, whose casino empire includes the Palazzo and The Venetian.

The chopper will be flown by the same pilot who shot many of the most dangerous scenes in "Cliffhanger," a 1993 thriller starring Sylvester Stallone and John Lithgow.

Wynn's 2005 commercial, like his Golden Nugget commercial featuring Frank Sinatra, ended on a self-deprecating note: "Can I get down now?"

Wynn and Ratner promise another laugh-out-loud finish.

In the classic Sinatra commercial that aired during the 1987 Super Bowl, Ol' Blue Eyes doesn't recognize a youthful Wynn as the Golden Nugget owner and asks the "kid" to fetch some towels.

On another topic, Wynn, asked to address the U.S. financial crisis, said he has "a strong personal belief the government should not buy all the paper. I think the government should ... make the banks and institutions clean up their own mess before they ever see a dime of profits, distribution or special bonuses."

That interview with me appears on the Web site www.NormClarke.com.

NEW DEAL FOR OSMONDS

Flamingo headliners Donny & Marie Osmond, barely a month into their six-month engagement, are doing such strong business that a two-year deal is being discussed with the hotel. "That's the magic number we're hearing," Donny Osmond said, while confirming talk with Don Marrandino, president of Harrah's Las Vegas and the Flamingo. Nostalgia has been a big part of the allure, Osmond said. It's the first time in 29 years that the duo have been Las Vegas headliners.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

We hear Celine Dion, currently on a break from her world tour, is returning to Las Vegas this month. She's taping a special "Oprah" episode in Chicago to promote her upcoming greatest hits album, "My Love ... Essential Collection," a single disc with 17 songs. It's being released Oct. 28. ...

Cher returned to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Tuesday, after missing four shows in a row with an undisclosed health issue.

THE PUNCH LINE

"So it looks like tough times ahead. Even the rich are affected by this -- they're saying Brad and Angelina may have to give an orphan back." -- Jimmy Kimmel

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