Las Vegas Weekly

December 3, 2009 · 3:03 PM

Strip Scribbles: Tiger Woods tales prompt tabloid, TV show invasion

By Robin Leach

Tiger Woods.

Photo: Courtesy

With Tiger Woods’ “confession of transgressions,” Tigergate has become a major news story and not just the property of trashy tabloids and greedy gossips. It’s sparked an invasion of Sin City by TV show field producers and mainstream media investigating the VIP hostess business at our Strip nightclubs.

To date, former Tao hostess and Turnberry Place condo owner Rachel Uchitel, now being repped by pit bull lawyer Gloria Allred (they were on CNN this morning, no less!), The Light Group VIP hostess Kalika Moaquin of The Bank and Bare Pool Lounge and Las Vegas cocktail server and former Tool Academy stunner Janine Grubbs have all been linked to the world’s top golfer and billion-dollar man Tiger Woods.

It’s no secret in this town that Tiger enjoys his nightlife when here, with or without best pal Jerry Yang of Yahoo! fame. There have been torrid tales of Tiger over the past three years. We never reported them because he was married, and there never was a reliable eyewitness account of infidelity. There were rumors and reports from glamour girls, models, hostesses, cocktail waitresses and aspiring actresses wanting Hollywood fame that they’d been invited to party in private suites. Janine confesses to more than 20 sexual encounters with Tiger in her explosive US Weekly revelations. But the girls don’t say actual sex was involved. My reliable sources say Tiger or his confidantes promised generous gifts -- such as jewelry, travel tickets and cosmetic surgery -- but never cash, and it was always to party and play rather than for actual sex.

Kalika Moquin, marketing director for The Bank nightclub, has recently been rumored as a mistress of Tiger Woods.

The women reveal that Tiger was obsessed with texting and calling them. Rachel and the others have now fessed up that they lied for him when confronted with the accusations. Rachel is even said to have been given a ticket from Tiger’s business folks for her trip to Melbourne that was exposed by the National Enquirer, yet denied by her that she was seen going to his 35th floor hotel suite there during the Australian Open.

I can confirm that there are more women than these three named to date. Doubtless as the army of journalists dig into the Las Vegas nightlife angle, more stories will come to light. I was asked five times yesterday to go on air for interviews but turned them all down. Our nightclubs don’t behave the way they will be painted. This is a one-off superstar experience. It’s not the norm, and it could’ve happened in New York, London or Hollywood. Tiger’s crash and altercation with his wife took place in Florida. I don’t think Las Vegas or the media should be blamed for any of this.

We will continue to follow developments of Tigergate, and you also will find updates on our Twitter pages.

Photo: Jacob Dallegos/XS

Clockwise from front left, American Idol's Ryan Seacrest, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell with Victor Drai in Victor's VIP booth at XS in the Encore on April 27, 2009.

*American Idol judge Simon Cowell is planning to bring his British TV show X Factor to Las Vegas in a new partnership with British Pop Shops clothing tycoon Sir Philip Green, and you can take it to the bank that it will be headquartered on the Strip at Planet Hollywood. The tycoon is best friends with Planet Hollywood founder Robert Earl. When the show is broadcast from the Strip -- hopefully twice weekly -- there also will be a retail store for merchandise and games with an online component. The plan is that all 12 finalists would sing in Las Vegas. Once the format has been launched here, Simon and Sir Philip plan to franchise it in other countries and still keep Las Vegas as the main prize stardom venue.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

NASCAR champions and brothers Kyle and Kurt Busch.

*A gentle reminder that it’s still not too late to enter Opportunity Village’s Great Santa Run on Saturday morning at Town Square. NASCAR champion Kurt Busch told me that no matter how late the NASCAR Awards after-parties last, he will be there on time at 9 a.m. for the entertainment, speeches and the 10 a.m. start. He promised me he’ll don his five-piece Santa suit and take part in the run. His PT’s and Sierra Gold taverns are fielding strong employee participation and providing beer stations along the route! I’ll be there with our Merry Mayor of Mirth Oscar Goodman to cheer on the walkers and runners, while Zowie Bowie, Yellow Brick Road, Dr. Zhivegas and Phat Strad provide the musical entertainment. Full details are at OpportunityVillage.org as we try to wrest back the Guinness World Record from Ireland.

*A Las Vegas artist has used his own blood to paint a series of five portraits. The Blood Portraits of Brandon Blackwell goes on display downtown at The Gypsy Den tonight. Brandon, currently painting in Cleveland, said: “I wanted to create some very personal portraits, and I couldn’t imagine anything more personal than painting in my own blood.” The portraits will be showcased as part of The Gypsy Den’s First Friday event this Friday and will be on display this month.

Photo: Kirvin Doak Communications

Larry King and his wife, Shawn Southwick King.

Star surveillance

CNN talk show host Larry King visited Bodies: the Exhibit at the Luxor with his wife, Shawn, and two sons, Chance and Cannon. The family of sports enthusiasts was in Las Vegas to see Chance play in the Cranberry Little League Baseball Tournament. After the tour, Larry posed for pictures with his family and signed the guest book with a single word: “Great!” … NASCAR racecar drivers including Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch checked out the gallery of amazing sports vehicles at Celebrity Cars near Lagasse’s in the Palazzo. Celebrity Cars has become the private auto showroom for the well heeled, and I’m told that high rollers and sports celebs shop there in privacy at midnight or beyond.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

Action from the National Finals Rodeo.

Tonight’s tips

*It’s the first of 10-point performances by the competing cowboys in the National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center. And for the third year, the award winning National Finals Tonight gets underway with eight-time world champion Don Gay, TV personality Dan Miller and champion tie-down roper Joe Beaver as hosts of the post-show wrap-up program. It will broadcast nightly from the Gold Coast showroom through Dec. 12 and is free and open to the public

*All the original members of The Cranberries are reunited for the first time in seven years for their concert at The Pearl in the Palms, with Griffin House as the opening act. … Rodney Carrington brings his humor and song to MGM’s Hollywood Theater for the next 10 nights of National Finals Rodeo. … Funnyman Bill Engvall headlines for two nights at Phil Ruffin’s Treasure Island showroom for the NFR fans, and he’ll return the same time next week. …. Downtown is Cowboy Town as Lonestar performs at the Golden Nugget. … Country sensation Steve Holly and guest Star de Azlan entertain at the Tropicana through Monday night… Billy Childers headlines with free concerts at South Point for the next three nights.

Photo: Kirvin Doak Communications

Tomorrow’s teases

The CityCenter premiere week festivities continue with a morning ribbon-cutting ceremony and an evening black-tie gala to celebrate the opening of the luxurious Mandarin Oriental, with superstar chef Pierre Gagnaire simultaneously opening his 43rd floor restaurant Twist, where the jade dinner plates are $1,000 each. …. Sammy Hagar is ready to open his new Strip Cabo Wabo and gives me the private advance peek mid-afternoon. We’ll also preview the Great Santa Run, the Las Vegas Rock and Roll Marathon and comedy king Robin Williams.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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