In a statement, Manilow said, "I had made a request that I be interviewed by co-hosts Joy (Behar), Barbara (Walters) or Whoopi (Goldberg), but not Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Unfortunately, the show was not willing to accommodate this simple request, so I bowed out."

Manilow, who returns to the Hilton on Sept. 25, was scheduled to promote his new cover album, "The Greatest Songs of the Seventies."

Rosie O'Donnell, Manilow's pal, quit "The View" in May after heated political exchanges with Hasselbeck.

SCENE AND HEARD

O.J. Simpson's posse for the alleged armed robbery included two strangers who offered their muscle during a chance meeting at a Palms bar, according to The National Enquirer. While Simpson loudly raged about getting even with someone, he was approached by two men who introduced themselves as "Goldie and Spence" at what is believed to be the center bar in the Palms casino. Two hours later, Simpson conducted what he told police was a "sting" operation to retrieve memorabilia from a room at Palace Station. ...

OPM nightclub's four-year run at the Forum Shops at Caesars ends Sept. 24 for a $5 million remodeling and name change to Love & Money. The new design by Chemical Spaces will feature ceiling to floor black curtains, black chandeliers and oil paintings depicting Dante's Inferno-like scenes. Cocktail waitresses will be dressed as French maids. It reopens Oct. 5. ...

Speaking of nightclubs, we hear Miami Ink, the Miami Beach tattoo shop featured in a reality show on The Learning Channel, is going into the Tangerine nightclub space at Treasure Island. ...

Sylvester Stallone will be on the red carpet for the premiere of "Resident Evil: Extinction" at Planet Hollywood Resort. He's among the commitments. ...

Local Neil Diamond impersonator Jay White was in Hollywood last week for singing and speaking parts during scenes being shot for the Ron Howard-directed "Frost/Nixon" film. The screenplay is based on a series of televised interviews that British TV personality David Frost had with former President Nixon in 1977. ...

Competition kicks off at 7 p.m. tonight for the Third Annual image Model Search on the second floor mezzanine level at Planet Hollywood Resort. Illusionist Hans Klok, the headliner of "The Beauty of Magic," will be making a special appearance.

SIGHTINGS

Mayor Oscar Goodman, telling a luncheon group Tuesday he didn't know who was "most disliked in this town, O.J. (Simpson) or Erin Kenny," the disgraced former Clark County commissioner. Goodman addressed the Administrators of Records Management Association (ARMA) at the Springs Preserve. ... Singer-songwriter Ne-Yo and the crew of "Little Legends: Little People, Big Show," including Mini Britney, Mini Kid Rock and Mini Tommy Lee, partied at Jet Nightclub (Mirage) on Monday. ... Author Jackie Collins, with a group of contest winners at lunch at Spago (Forum Shops at Caesars). They were celebrating her 25th book, "Drop Dead Beautiful."

THE PUNCH LINE

"They say that O.J. was involved in a robbery at a Las Vegas casino. There are a lot of different versions of what happened. Luckily, Patriots coach Bill Belichick was there and videotaped the whole thing." -- Jay Leno

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