Las Vegas Weekly

June 1, 2009 · 10:44 PM

Vegas transmissions from Onyx Theatre, Caesars Palace and beyond

By John Katsilometes

Heather Graham.

Photo: TVT

With a little help from my friends, I spent the weekend relocating, and at the moment my Cox Communications digital setup is being put into place. Thanks to a couple of real Vegas rat-packers -- my friend for life Dante and cousin for life Athanosios -- for helping me with this task.

Time to catch up on notes, then:

The mistress of the hour at the Vegas magazine sixth anniversary party Saturday at Pure in Caesars Palace was Heather Graham, currently starring in “The Hangover” but forever Rollergirl to lots of us “Boogie Nights” fans. But I was mostly interested in catching up with new Vegas Executive Editor Kate Bennett. I’ve known Kate for a terrifically long time, since we worked together at the Sun, and she’s one of the sharpest people I know. We’re lucky to have her back in the Greenspun family’s collection of publications after her stint at The Venetian, where she reported directly to Venetian President Rob Goldstein. Looking back, I wish we’d recorded a reality show of our time at the Sun. We had some fun then. … Moving on from What’s On is another longtime friend, Martin Stein, who just announced this afternoon he’s no longer editor of the tourist publication as of last Friday. He’s going to focus on freelance writing, and he’s a gifted one. … Elvis impressionist Trent Carlini has joined vocalist Martin Nievera and ventriloquist Ronn Lucas as acts who couldn’t sustain any buzz at the Steve Wyrick Theatre. Carlini lasted less than a month at a theater that has been a poor fit for anyone not named Steve Wyrick. … One place to appreciate for all its tawdry appeal: Onyx Theatre in the Commercial Center. Friday I caught the second-to-last show of “The Facts of Life: The Lost Episodes,” starring Brooks Braselman, Darren Gibson, Gavyn Michaels, Jamie Morris and Joey Pate in cross-dressing roles from the curiously popular ’80s sitcom (Kenney and Michaels swapped turns as Blair during the show’s 12-performance run). If you mixed the original show with the sensibility of Frank Marino’s show and unloaded a dozen props from AVN onstage, that’s what was happening at Onyx. Up next is Naked Boys Singing, June 11-27. I think I’m outside that particular demographic. … Harrah’s exec Don Marrandino, president of Flamingo, Harrah’s, O’Shea’s and Imperial Palace, was tailed by the ever-present Alizma triplets at the Vegas magazine party. Predictably, he is raving about the recently opened “Human Nature” production at Imperial Palace. These guys can really sing, something to appreciate by a man who brought Toni Braxton (who sang some but not all of the songs in her Flamingo show) to town. … Strange moment: One of the Alizma triplets told me she likes my glasses and to never take them off. Like, ever? … I’m always amazed at how small celebs are when I see them in person. Graham is so tiny, but she wasn’t wearing skates, either. … Usher will be the next Vegas magazine cover model, ending the goal of myself and Dane Miller to be the first men ever to appear on the glossy’s cover. We had no actual idea of how we’d accomplish that, other than appealing to GMG Group Publisher Alison Chittum Miller, Dane’s wife. … Are four trips to Caesars Palace in a single week a little excessive? That was my week, last week, thanks to Heather Graham and President Obama, among others. … The sports book is in need of some TLC, BTW. … Tiffany Cleaners sighting of the month (May Division): Michael Severino of Southern Wine & Spirits. It wouldn’t be the first time we aired our dirty laundry. … Great visage: The mirrored disco boot at Badlands Saloon, and a thanks to ex-Crazy Girl and current Charlie Palmer PR rep Shellee Renee for a quickie tour of that haunt, during the “Facts” intermission. … Another note about Badlands: They seem to favor Tammy Wynette in that place. Sad songs they say, so much, as someone far wiser than I once said. Moving through the Vegas party, not recognized by many Pure staffers was Caesars Palace President Gary Selesner. I think he sort of likes it that way. Side note: Not many hotel execs have hosted both the leader of the free world and Rollergirl in the same week, but Selesner is one. Is this city great or what?

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