Home Subscribe Las Vegas Review-Journal
  Jobs Cars Homes Shopping Travel Weddings Golf Best of Las Vegas Photo   Search:

RECENT EDITIONS
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

News
Mar. 19, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

NORM: Mills has a shot at another crowning

NORM CLARKE
MORE COLUMNS

Heather Mills

Heather Mills, $48.6 million richer after her divorce settlement with Paul McCartney, will be a judge for the Miss USA pageant in Las Vegas in April.

Mills, who sought $250 million, reportedly blew up in court and dumped water on McCartney's attorney, Fiona Shackleton, near the end of Monday's hearing in London.

Mills will join Donny and Marie Osmond at the pageant at Planet Hollywood Resort. An announcement is coming today, we hear. The Osmonds have signed on as hosts.

The 40-year-old Mills was married to the Beatles icon for four years.

Most Popular Stories
  • LANDLORD: AS TENANT, FLEISS FOR THE BIRDS
  • Experience Ending
  • NORM: Owner Jay-Z says 40/40 Club is fine
  • JUDICIAL DISCIPLINE COMMISSION: Panel suspends Halverson
  • 1958 CRASH: DEATH IN DESERT AIR
  • CALICO BASIN: Tranquillity lost
  • NORM: 'Idol' contestant set to go country
  • NORM: Jackson in action possibly in Vegas
  • NORM: Cruise the object of a twin crush
  • NORM: 'Phantom' sequel set for London



    • TIPPING POINTS

    If the widespread tipping shakedowns don't cease at local nightclubs, here's an idea: make room on the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign for a logo showing an outstretched hand.

    The upturned palm, unfortunately, is the image too many tourists take home these days after being hassled for tips at every turn.

    Even with all the horror stories and recent media criticism, the greedy practice continues.

    A Denver friend, while coordinating a bachelor party for 18 the past few weeks, made lodging reservations at the MGM Grand's Signature luxury towers.

    Partying at nearby Studio 54 in the MGM Grand made sense geographically, my source said.

    But after getting set up with VIP tables and bottle service at an estimated cost of $3,000-$4,000, my friend said, the VIP host requested a final add-on: a $300 cash payment was expected at the door "to make sure you get a good table."

    My friend bitterly backed out this week and took the party elsewhere, where there was no mention of palm-greasing expectations at the front door.

    Which begs the question: Didn't hotels get rid of the maitre 'd showroom tipping system years ago because it was so off-putting?

    Hospitality, long the foundation of the Las Vegas experience, has been replaced by soaking the customer in every imaginable way.

    Add a teetering economy to the shakedown scandal and surfacing cases of excessive violence and an argument could be made that Las Vegas is at a tipping point.

    I called Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, for his take.

    "We are concerned about the overall experience people have in Las Vegas," he said. "We need to have customers come back."

    A NEW OPENING FOR PENN

    Penn Jillette opened the sixth season of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" to mixed reviews.

    "He's big, he's funny, he's vastly entertaining. But when he dances, the ironic magician brings to mind Peter Boyle stomping through 'Puttin' On the Ritz' in 'Young Frankenstein,' " wrote Julie Hinds of the Detroit Free Press. "Still, you've got to give Jillette credit for showmanship."

    Jillette, half of the Rio's Penn & Teller headlining act, finished one point from the bottom on the opening night. Tim Goodman of the San Francisco Chronicle said, "Jillette was robbed of one, maybe two points" and had "the bigger beef, since he was markedly better" than actor Steve Guttenberg and comedian/radio host Adam Carolla "but suffered from going first."

    THE SCENE AND HEARD

    A couple of announcements from Rumor Central: Sorry, folks, if it looked as if I was AWOL on Tuesday. But I'm moving to a six-day schedule (Wednesday through Monday), with my pal Doug Elfman capably filling the space on Tuesdays. Secondly, we've added a new member to our family. Rumor, our 11/2-year-old Yorkie-Silky, has a new running mate, a spitfire Silky named Scandal. It's a fact: where there's a Rumor, a Scandal isn't far behind. If the Leggy Blonde can teach 'em how to operate a camera, we'll have our own puparazzi.

    SIGHTINGS

    Steve Schirripa of "The Sopranos," at Cafe Mastrioni, 4250 S. Rainbow Blvd., on Monday night. He's judging next week's semifinals of "The Last Comic Standing" at Paris Las Vegas.

    THE PUNCH LINE

    "A bar in New York City has banned the song 'Danny Boy.' On St. Patrick's Day! Isn't that outrageous? It's like West Hollywood banning the song 'It's Raining Men.' " -- Craig Ferguson

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

    Links powered by inform.com


    Leave Your Comment 11 Reader Comments
    Terms & Conditions
    The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsiblity of the authors. The reviewjournal.com does not review comments before publication nor guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by the comment policy. If you see a comment that violates the policy, please notify the web editor.

    Some comments may not display immediately due to an automatic filter. These comments will be reviewed within 48 hours. Please do not submit a comment more than once.
    Current Word Count:

    jim wrote on March 19, 2008 03:00 PM: its understood that service workers need tips to survive, but this is not what this is about...this is about skimming 100s of millions of dollars from these clubs, dividing up the money and not reporting it...the mobs of the 70s and 80s did the same thing..if the casinos were on the take, they will now distance themselves from it and throw the club operators to the lions, if they were not in on it, then now that they know how much money is involved, they will restructure the club concept so they benifit from the cash windfall..either way the party is going to be over for the sevice worker, it was just to much money and now that the public, the media, and the government know, it will have to end, the casinos and the city cant afford this type of negative publicity...its to reminicent of the mob era...


    David Shinder wrote on March 19, 2008 02:20 PM: I take exception to the tipping policies you mentioned. Most service industry employees survive on tips. The income alone derived from the hotels are not enough. With the change in market in Las Vegas, many Europeans don't tip because that is their custom. The host in question used poor judgement. In any major city in the US tipping is a way of life. It's not what you know but who you know holds true also. Why should Las Vegas be any different?


    aaron wrote on March 19, 2008 01:43 PM: Las Vegas seems to have forgotten that you can shear a sheep many times, but only skin him once.


    jim wrote on March 19, 2008 01:34 PM: you are right on norm, the tipping shakedown is different than tipping for good service..im sure the negative comments are from those exact people doing the tip fishing, they will have to find out the hard way that the consumner opinions matters more to the overall vegas economy than their thug tipping shakedown mentality can understand, im proud of you and fellow reporters for having the vision of pleasing not offending the people, both local and tourist that make their (in most cities mininum wage) jobs possible.


    Mr Steep wrote on March 19, 2008 11:44 AM: Norm go back to practicing journalism. Steve Wynn did away with maitre d' tipping because he wanted all that money for himself.It happened when Sigfrid and Roy opened at the Mirage.Like sheep to the slaughter,all the other hotels followed suit.


    David wrote on March 19, 2008 11:41 AM: Sorry, Norm. Gratuities are what make the world go round in Las Vegas. Always have, always will....

    Yeah, just ask Douglas. Do take care of your dealers. They have to tip their bosses. So says Wynn Las Vegas.


    Michael wrote on March 19, 2008 11:41 AM: "with my pal Doug Elfman capably filling the space on Tuesdays".

    Norm, Bubbles the Chimp could capably fill in for you on Tuesdays.


    Wyatt wrote on March 19, 2008 11:18 AM: Sorry, Norm. Gratuities are what make the world go round in Las Vegas. Always have, always will....


    Tom, Burbank wrote on March 19, 2008 09:24 AM: Why is Heather Mills involved with the Miss USA pageant? She's a Brit. Her self-disgracing performance in her divorce trial was embarrassing and she'll cast a shadow of shame over an event that really doesn't need any more bad company. Dump her!


    Jonathan Holmes wrote on March 19, 2008 08:53 AM: This is still common, not just in night clubs, but the Valet's at casinos are getting in on the act. I've been shaken down for tips at the Rio, Planet Hollywood, and the MGM.

    They all made it very clear that valet was full, and it could take hours to wait, unless I was a "VIP". Hell, at PH, I handed the guy a $10, and said that was my VIP card. He looked at the ten and said "you're only half a VIP, you need to be a full VIP to park"

    I gave it to him, we were late, we needed to park. But that $20 was another $20 I didnt spend while inside the casino.


    Read All Comments