There's buzz surrounding the IRS raid almost six months ago at Pure Nightclub at Caesars Palace and Pure Management Group's headquarters on Industrial Road.
One of the questions that will be answered is whether there's any substance to the story that more than $5 million in cash was found in a storage shed of a top executive.
We hear rumblings that a cable show has interest in doing a documentary on Pure's IRS battle and the damage it could do to the PMG empire.
Meantime, the fact that the celebrity investors are staying the course likely means two things: They've received assurances that the "problems" have been fixed, and that the payoff on their investment will be even more lucrative.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
The rumor that won't die has Jay-Z's 40-40 Club on the sales block, with the latest chatter involving interest by Emeril Lagasse in the Palazzo space. ...
Sheldon Adelson celebrated his 75th birthday in style last weekend in Macau. He flew about 300 friends to the Asian gaming hot spot and treated them to a three-day extravaganza that included Team USA's 120-84 victory over Lithuania, Cirque du Soleil's new show at The Venetian Macau, stunning Chinese acts and Israel's Three Tenors. The punctuation mark on the latter event saw the tenors backed by a 60-man Red Army chorus. "It couldn't have been more spectacular," said boxing promoter Bob Arum. ...
Venetian headliner Wayne Brady took time near the end of his one-year anniversary show to mention his former agent, Bernie Brillstein. The legendary Hollywood talent agent, manager, producer and studio head died Thursday, about the time Brady was starting his show. Brady told me Friday that Brillstein was "my guardian angel ... and like family." Brillstein sought out Brady about eight years ago, and they worked together for five years. "He saw a guy who was a throwback," Brady said. He was an old-school show business cat, a gentleman who did business with a handshake. No double deals. That age is gone; it's now officially over."
SIGHTINGS
Prince was a man on a mission Friday: He turned up at Privé (Planet Hollywood Resort) with a walking wall of security and The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel, where he watched Latin singer and songwriter Julieta Venegas perform. Instead of his usual hideaway in a Pure VIP room, he sat in front of the crowd on the VIP stage, not far from Jason Lewis of "Sex and The City." During the Purple One's stop at Christian Audigier The Nightclub at Treasure Island, he watched a fashion show hosted by "America's Next Top Model" Season 8 winner Jaslene Gonzalez. Prince ended up checking into a Hard Rock suite. ... Actor Ryan Phillippe and Abbie Cornish, celebrating her birthday Friday at Charlie Trotter's restaurant Charlie at The Palazzo. ... Bon Jovi guitarist Ritchie Sambora and his girlfriend, Jennifer Mallini, at Wasted Space lounge (Hard Rock Hotel) on Friday after dinner at N9NE Steakhouse (Palms) and taking in the Steely Dan show at The Pearl (Palms). ... At Stripsteak at Mandalay Bay on Friday: entertainer Bobby Brown with a female companion; Andre Agassi and Steffi Graff with family, and comedian Joel McHale from E's "The Soup."... Steve Schirripa, Jon Lovitz and Richard Belzer, checking out Wasted Space lounge and AGO with friends on Friday after dinner at Rao's (Caesars Palace) with Bobby Slayton, KVBC-TV, Channel 3 entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs and comedy magician Nathan Burton. ... Actor/comedian Cedric Yarbrough of the hit Comedy Central show, "Reno 911!," at Tryst (Wynn) on Friday. ... British hip-hop star Estelle, performing Friday night at The Bank (Bellagio). ... At Tao Asian Bistro (Venetian) on Friday: "Pineapple Express" actress Amber Heard, hosting the evening. Also dining: Jaslene Gonzalez with Jeff Beacher. ... At Poetry (Forum Shops at Caesars) on Friday: retired baseball star Rickey Henderson. ... "Prison Break" stars Amaury Nolasco and Robert Knepper, relaxing in a cabana at the Planet Hollywood Resort before they start shooting scenes Monday for an episode of the Fox hit. ... Country star Travis Tritt, drinking Coronas at ghostbar (Palms) before moving on to the Playboy Club and Moon nightclub. ... St. Louis Rams All-Pro running back Steven Jackson, who is being fined $15,000 a day for his contract holdout, dining Friday with a galpal at Dos Caminos (Palazzo). He's in the final year of a four-year deal after three 1,000-yard seasons. ... Jewel and rodeo legend Ty Murray, at Aura, Pure Management Group's hot spot in the Bahamas, where they eloped Thursday.
THE PUNCH LINE
"The Chinese threw a big state dinner for President Bush. In his honor, they served Peking lame duck." - David Letterman
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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