Las Vegas Weekly

May 6, 2009 · 1:01 PM

Strip Scribbles Photo Galleries: Wheel of Fortune tryout is a big draw

By Robin Leach

Wheel of Fortune's Wheelmobile.

Photo: The Venetian

More than 3,000 Wheel of Fortune fans turned up at The Venetian to try out for television’ top game show, which will tape four weeks of shows at the resort casino in July. The episodes will be broadcast for two weeks in September to kick off the 29th year of Wheel of Fortune and again during two of the crucial February sweeps ratings weeks near Valentine’s Day.

Photo: The Venetian

Heidi Jackson and Marty Lubin host the Wheel of Fortune tryouts.

Hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White didn’t travel in for the auditions, but Heidi Jackson and Marty Lubin of the show’s staff stood in for them welcoming locals and tourists to the Wheelmobile. Hopeful contestants completed applications, which were then randomly selected from a drum.

They had to solve a puzzle as staff looked for good puzzle-solving skills and energy and enthusiasm for the game. “The contestants were some of the best we’ve seen all year,” Suzy Rosenberg, promotions director, told us. “They were all interesting and knowledgeable about our show.”

Photo: The Venetian

Contestants try out for Wheel of Fortune.

Since the Wheelmobile set out originally in 1999, it has logged more than 200,000 miles to over 150 cities, attracting some 600,000 fans for auditions. The finalists selected for the Las Vegas tapings with Pat and Vanna will be notified shortly.

Click HERE for our earlier Vanna White photo gallery and interview.

Photo: Men of X

From left, Men of X hunks and Miss USA 2008 contestants DeAngelo, Paul, Miss Vermont USA Kim Tantlinger, Richard, Miss Indiana USA Brittany Mason, Marcus, Miss Alaska USA Courtney Carroll, J. Boogie and Jalles. The ladies attended the show at Hooters Casino Hotel to celebrate Kim's birthday.

Photo: PR Plus

The girls of X Burlesque walk the red carpet together in celebration of their show's second anniversary.

*Court documents show that former dancer Marla Gomes has won a $1.3 million judgment against X producers Angela and Matt Stabile. Marla claims she was defrauded out of her original investment, and after a two-year court battle, a judge ruled in her favor. She is to collect attorney fees of $74,596, costs of $5,659 and an actual monetary award of $1,258,363 for a total of $1,338,618. Angela and Matt own X Burlesque at the Flamingo and The Men of X at the Hooters casino hotel. I sent an email request to the producers for comment, and Angela responded: “We knew nothing about this nor were we given any court date. We have been making payments monthly on her $150,000 investment, and we were awaiting notice of depositions. We have immediately appealed and confidently look forward to the outcome.”

*The Oscars of the advertising industry, known as the Clio Awards, will be handed out next week at the Hard Rock Hotel, and Hilton headliner Barry Manilow will be in attendance for recognition for all of the famous jingles and advertising campaigns he was involved with over the years. Regular Las Vegas visitor Mark Cuban, who owns the Dallas Mavericks, will jet in to be honored during the May 12-14 festival. Matthew Weiner, creator and executive producer of A&E’s Mad Men, will be honored at the event celebrating 50 years of advertising.

*DC Motocross team athletes joined with more than 300 fans to celebrate the grand opening of its newest store inside Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile. The festivities included an autograph signing with Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, Nate Adams, Adam Jones, Dustin Miller and Davi Millsaps, who will be competing in the Supercross finals. Also on hand was Robbie Maddison, the daredevil who completed the New Year’s Eve jump on and off the Paris’ Arc de Triomphe entrance gate! The new DC store features men’s and women’s apparel, footwear, accessories and DC’s Skateboarding and Life collections from America’s top motocross athletes.

*I’ve discovered a super-secret shopping site. If you live in Nevada, the MGM Mirage Web site has a special section with extraordinary bargains just for locals. It’s constantly updated with new and great deals on rooms, shows, spas and restaurants. Go to www.mgmmirage.com/locals, and you’ll find hard-to-get Terry Fator and Carrot Top tickets with a 25 percent locals discount. There’s also 2 for 1 tickets to Lance Burton, Fantasy Girls, Louie Anderson and the Tournament of Kings. Stay-cations at Mandalay Bay and New York-New York start at just $65 and include comps to nightclubs and 50 percent off tickets to such attractions as Shark Reef. Foodies are included in the bargains at Diego, Nobhill Tavern, Pearl, Seablue, Craftsteak, Fiamma, Shibuya and Joel Robuchon’s Atelier, where you pay for just one entrée and get the second free. It pays to play and live in the Silver State!

Star surveillance

Howie Mandel, dressed casually in jeans and a sweater, became the first celebrity sighting at the new Serendipity 3 at Caesars Palace, and all 10 people in his family and crew entourage ordered the famous Frrrrrozen Hot Chocolate and gigantic sundaes! … Rehab at the Hard Rock Hotel drew Penthouse magazine owner Marc Bell, Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis and rapper Mu Dill. DJ Clinton Sparks and DJ Vice alternated on the turntables, and during his breaks, Vice used a special weapon to shoot T-shirts and money into the crowd. … Feisty and Lil’ Hood, two of rapper Ray J’s sexy entourage of female suitors on his VH1 reality show For the Love of Ray J, hosted a party at Jet in The Mirage and thrilled the crowd by dancing together on the stripper pole. Watching the shenanigans were Chris Henry of the Tennessee Titans and Brandon Jacobs of the New York Giants. … Rapper Pittsburgh Slim performed on the balcony at Bank in the Bellagio. Slim sang his hit “When Girls Kiss Girls” while his pal Ray Emery, former NHL goalie, showered the club by making it rain 1,000 $1 bills onto the dance floor below. … The Apprentice winner Bill Rancic was at Lavo in the Palazzo enjoying a fine Brunello Vitanza red wine with his Maine lobster cocktail and grilled tuna with roasted artichokes.

Tonight’s tips

The San Gennaro Feast, complete with 80 amusement park rides, celebrates its 30th year in Las Vegas with the Italian food and music festival running for five nights. Mayor Oscar Goodman kicks off the opening night, and a host of Strip stars have promised to drop by each afternoon and evening for the fun. The festival in New York City’s Little Italy is 82 years old! … It’s also the opening night of the Hard Rock Hotel’s new DJ-staffed Rare 120 steakhouse. … Hip-hop star Warren G will perform live at Rok Vegas in New York-New York.

Photo: Nathan's Famous

Joey Chestnut, hot dog eating champion.

Tomorrow’s teases

Foodies run rampant as the 3rd Annual Vegas Uncork’d gourmet wonderland gets underway with superstar chefs at our dazzling restaurants welcoming the Bon Appetit experts and food critics. On the other end of the food chain, the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Contest is all set, and we go up close with the beautiful operatic actress Emily Rossum to find out she’s about to buy a condo here from her Realtor relatives!

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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