Bullock says no stealing involved in ‘Ocean’s’ reboot

Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack kept the Las Vegas brand sizzling with their ultimate heist in "Ocean's 11" in 1960.

George Clooney and his hip crew added to the city's aura 41 years later with their high-tech sequel, which was followed by two more movies.

Oscar winner Sandra Bullock is taking on a reboot of "Ocean's" with a female cast of characters.

The lead role was originally written for a man, Bullock said Thursday during an interview with Matt Lauer of NBC's "Today" show.

With Clooney teaming up with Bullock as executive producers, there was speculation Clooney might return to his role as Danny Ocean, who called the shots in the trilogy.

She shot down the notion that she "stole" the role from Clooney.

"It wasn't so much I said it should be a woman," Bullock told Lauer. "It's that when I read it, I heard the voice and I knew how to play it."

She continued, "It was a human role, and it was one that I was very familiar with because I know some people that are like that ... and are complex and irritating and powerful but incredibly broken.

"It just wasn't his role," she said, smiling. "I'll steal other stuff like maybe a house in Italy."

"Hunger Games" director Gary Ross would helm the film, according to Indiewire.com, and Clooney may have a role, the website reported.

'Zarkana' to headline

The 2015 Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl will be showcasing "a taste" of Las Vegas offers like never before.

That's the mission, according to John Saccenti, the bowl's executive director.

"This will be a one of a kind experience" featuring Cirque du Soleil's "Zarkana" as the halftime show, local entertainers performing during pre-game and timeouts and upcoming DJ talent, Saccenti said.

"The stage will feature several major Las Vegas headlining acts, giving everyone in the stadium and across the country a small taste of what our Las Vegas entertainment has to offer," he said in a email.

The game, set for Dec. 19 with a 12:30 p.m. start, pits the top team in the Mountain West Conference against the sixth selection from the Pac-12 conference.

Kristofferson remembers

Country Hall of Famer Kris Kristofferson doesn't forget his friends.

While co-headlining with John Prine at The Pearl at the Palms on Friday, Kristofferson gave a shout out to Gene Kilroy, the former business manager for Muhammad Ali.

Kilroy, a longtime casino host, and Kristofferson, 79, go back a long way. They had something in common — a love of boxing.

Kristofferson, a Golden Gloves boxer in college, was a Rhodes Scholar in 1960 when he decided to attended the Summer Olympics in Rome to see a young phenom named Cassius Clay, who won a gold medal.

Kilroy was there as a paymaster for the U.S. Army boxing team. Kristofferson and Kilroy met years later when Kilroy was working for Ali, who had changed his name from Cassius Clay.

Kilroy got Kristofferson a role in "Freedom Road," a 1979 TV movie in which Ali played a former slave and soldier who becomes a senator from South Carolina after the Civil War.

"It cost him a lot of his concerts down South," Kilroy said Saturday.

Also invited attending as special guests: Las Vegans Linda Cohen, the widow of longtime gaming executive Burton Cohen, and Pahrump casino owner Ed Sher and his wife, Mona.

The scene and heard

Tickets are now on sale for the Dec. 8 "Conversations With Norm" at Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts. Rick Harrison of the "Pawn Stars" hit reality show will be my guest. The show is being held on a Wednesday, with a 7:30 p.m. starting time.

On this day

Nov. 1, 1987: Movie stars Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis, who fell in love in Yugoslavia while filming "Transylvania 6-5000," decide on a whim to get married at a drive-in wedding chapel in Las Vegas. The marriage lasts three years.

Sightings

TV host and producer Ryan Seacrest and actor Scott Eastwood, partying into the wee hours Friday at Light in Mandalay Bay while channeling James Bond in their tuxedos. ... Washington Redskins wide receiver Andre Roberts, with friends at Tao in The Venetian on Friday.

The punch line

"The worst of memorable moments (in Wednesday's Republican presidential debate): We learned Donald Trump carries a gun. He told the group he carries a concealed weapon, conceals it in his hair." — Jimmy Kimmel

— Norm Clarke's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more online at www.normclarke.com. On Twitter: @Norm_Clarke.