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NORM: So, that's why it's titled 'Mindfreak'



Illusionist Criss Angel, the star of the "Mindfreak" reality show, freaked out Friday after his girlfriend, Miss Nevada USA Veronica Grabowski, didn't make the finals of the Miss USA pageant.

Shortly after Grabowski was eliminated, Angel was seen flashing a middle finger during a NBC telecast when a roving cameraman attempted a celebrity-in-the-crowd shot at Planet Hollywood Resort's main theater.

Angel was still fuming after the pageant when he threatened this columnist in an F-bomb-laced tirade that ended with Angel, after being restrained, saying, "Don't ever write another word about me, or you'll need an eyepatch over your other eye."

Although he didn't specifically mention it during the loud altercation outside the pageant's VIP party on the hotel's mezzanine, Angel was still angry about my reporting in Friday's column.


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  • In an interview Thursday with Vegas Confidential, Sandy Mecca, a preliminary judge and wife of Planet Hollywood Resort CEO Mike Mecca, mentioned that Angel had brought up his girlfriend in reference to the pageant on Tuesday. Angel told Mecca, "I hope you're going to give my girl high marks."

    Mecca's two-day judging duties had ended on Sunday, but the comment made her uncomfortable and she and her husband separated from Angel before entering the hotel.

    Angel's publicist, Steve Flynn, said Friday that Angel was "absolutely joking around."

    Donald Trump, who owns Miss Universe, the umbrella group for Miss USA, told me Friday that he was disturbed by Angel's encounter with a judge and added, "We're going to have to look at that."

    Angel's blowup happened shortly after the pageant ended. Angel, his two brothers and a bodyguard ran down a corridor to catch up to this writer near the entrance of a VIP post-pageant party.

    "You're a (bleeping) idiot," screamed Angel, who kept repeating it. He added that he wanted nothing to do with me or this column in the future.

    Angel, who starts rehearsals this week on Cirque du Soleil's $100 million magic production at Luxor, has a 10-year contract.

    When he repeated his no-contact edict at nose-to-nose range, my response was, "I will try to get over it."

    Flynn stepped between us and led Angel away, as he delivered his parting shot: the eyepatch threat.

    "Good one, Criss," I told him. "Never heard that one before."

    "It was an emotional night for everyone," Flynn said Saturday.

    SIGHTINGS

    At the Miss USA 2008 after-party Friday at Privé nightclub (Planet Hollywood Resort): Paul McCartney's ex, Heather Mills, Penthouse magazine owner Marc Bell, publicist Elliot Mintz, actress Kelly Carlson, "Project Runway" season four winner Christian Siriano, "Dancing with the Stars" alum Joey Fatone, celebrity hair stylist Ken Paves, former Miss USA Shanna Moakler, model Caroline D'Amore, Joe Jackson (father of pop music icon Michael Jackson), "Project Runway" season two alum Nick Verreos, joined by his sister, Rita Verreos ("Survivor: Fiji"). ... At The Bank nightclub (Bellagio) on Friday: actor/comedian Eddie Murphy, celebrating his 47th birthday with a big cake; celebrity chef Bobby Flay, San Diego Chargers standout/Miss USA judge Shawne Merriman and actor/comedian Arsenio Hall. ... Actor Wilmer Valderrama, having lunch with friends Saturday at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab (Forum Shops at Caesars).

    THE PUNCH LINE

    "This week in San Diego, a group of openly gay Republicans are holding their national convention. The gay convention is just like the regular convention, except instead of superdelegates, they have super-fabulous-delegates." -- Conan O'Brien

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



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    Kimberly wrote on June 06, 2008 04:37 PM: Hey, Norm. I'm saying this for both you and Criss, but mostly for your saftey, why don't you just not write about Criss anymore and leave it at that? It's one thing if someone makes a threat, yeah, but its another when the Threatened doesn't heed that threat. Honestly. Some people have limits and they WILL take action if their limits are invaded.


    Calls it like it is! wrote on May 24, 2008 08:29 PM: Criss Angel has no class. I witnessed too much to even give him the benefit of doubt. Veronica was smart to dump him. His "reason" for breaking up with her was because he was too busy with rehearsals to date, yet days later is out chasing his current, Giselle Diaz. He is full of lies, is deceitful to all who know him and is now proving to the world just how messed up he really is.
    Criss, be a man, give Veronica back her things and move on...oh wait, you already have moved on. So why not return Veronica's belongings? Giselle, you might want to take note. His history is a little shady.
    Grow up or continue to lose fans, potential audience members and the backing of Cirque.


    Never a Loyal wrote on May 17, 2008 11:12 PM: WOW.. wanna hear the latest, criss is now holding Veronica's personal property hostage until she gives him back the gifts he bestowed upon her....... now there is real class


    EX-Loyal wrote on May 13, 2008 07:48 PM: Sounds like the chicks are dropping Criss like a hot potato or a cold cucumber. None of them can take his action for any length of time. If I want to have something meaningful in this life it won't be that way. I'm quitting the fan club. I won't be loyal to this thug anymore!


    vicki wrote on May 11, 2008 10:15 AM: Uhh, yeah. Angel makes a spectacle of himself all over town. I've seen him drunk (etc.), disorderly, shrieking like an upset housewife with eye makeup running down his face more times that I have cared to. If you are going to defend him, stick to the giant elephant of his mascara-wearing, ultra-drama persona rather than "something, something happened one day, not another, so there" defense. The only performer more dramatic and shrill than Angel is Nathan Lane in "The Birdcage"...The true miracle is that women fall for it at all (mayhaps this is why they get younger and younger...)


    Toula wrote on April 28, 2008 03:21 PM: Witness interesting. It appears you not only know Fizzi but for someone who doesn't seem to be a fan of Criss, it surprises me you would be following him around. You say you were at Miss USA and Lax. You witnessed Criss's terrible behaviour at Miss USA. Yet I have a friend who was their and Criss was not upset. Her story is completely different from yours. So who am I to beleive, someone who has an axe to grind or someone who has no reason to lie.
    Another friend was at lax, she did not witness inappropriate behaviour or a drunk Veronica.
    Also Norm, contrary to your story, my friend did not see Criss trying to have a contestant change positions with Veronica so that Veronica could be more visible. With an auditorium full of people at Miss USA as well as many people attending the planet hollywood after party, why are you the only source of these stories. Why is it that if Sandy Mecca was so uncomfortable on Tuesday April 8th with Criss's comment that you state she and her husband will part ways with Criss, that there is a picture of Sandy Mecca, her husband, Criss and Veronica taken on April 11th at Planet Hollywood after party. It doesn't appear Sandy is too distraught over Criss's comment. If Criss did make that comment, firstly Sandy had already completed her judging on Sunday. The comment was taken out of context and made bigger by you then it was. Norm your story has many loop holes. I am not blindly defending Criss but common sense tells me you have a great imagination and like to make up tales.


    Seth wrote on April 22, 2008 04:34 AM: I HAVE TO LAUGH AT CRISS ANGEL AND HIS NEW ROMANCE. SOON HE WILL BE DATING 12 YEAR OLDS. HE LOOKS SO BAD IN EVERYBODY EYES SINCE HE HOOKED UP WITH A 23 YEAR OLD BEAUTY QUEEN. IT MUST BE GREAT SEX BECAUSE WHAT ELSE CAN HE HAVE IN COMMON WITH THIS KID - HE NEEDS TO WAKE UP AND DATE WOMEN HIS AGE AND LEAVE HER TO THE COLLEGE BOYS!!!!!


    Geez wrote on April 21, 2008 08:37 AM: Something wrong with that 'FREAK', who ever pays to see him is just contributing to his adolescent nonsense! Only real thing about him is his name FREAK!


    Sellshell wrote on April 21, 2008 06:00 AM: MICH - give it a rest already. Yes, Criss isn't perfect, BUT it doesn't give him the green light to act like a male whore either. His behavior the last year has been disgusting. When Criss first started MindFreak, you never heard about any drama with him. Things were good, calm - he was married to Joann, although she was portrayed on his show as "Criss' girl". Now, Criss WANTS to be in the limelight - so he can get more ratings and grow in popularity which translates into more $$$. There is more to life than money and screwing every pretty girl in Vegas.


    Michael J. wrote on April 20, 2008 08:16 PM: Too bad Angel didn't pop Norm's other eye in front of everyone, then Norm could have gotten him by the short ones. Angel has gotten to big for his britches. What a twit for making threats that his gal wasn't selected. Tells you alot about his maturity when things aren't scripted his way...


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