Las Vegas Weekly

August 9, 2010 · 4:04 PM

Wicked whispers & racy rumors: Garth Brooks, Lance Burton, Spago

By Robin Leach

Garth Brooks and Steve Wynn.

Photo: Scott Harrison/Retna/www.harrisonphotos.com

Steve Wynn and Garth Brooks kicked up quite a fuss trying to stop ticket scalping and effectively shut down ticket-broker sales of the country superstar’s shows, but now I’m hearing that the brokers might go “legal” with official licenses from the city and county that will give them the right to sell Garth’s tickets. Expect a hearing between the brokers and the politicians this month. … Master magician Lance Burton has set Sept. 4 of Labor Day weekend for the final show of his 14-year-run at Monte Carlo, but keep an ear to the ground for what’s coming next. Lance films The History Channel’s Restorations this week with Rick Dale installing Lance’s damaged ornamental lampposts wrecked in an April windstorm here. Meantime, Lance and sidekick juggler Michael Goudeau appear during the three Las Vegas episodes of The Discovery Channel’s Emmy-winning Cash Cab tonight.

It’s an “all-star reality TV show cast” that will fill Louie Anderson’s vacant spot at Excalibur. Expect to see a celebrity comic host and then stars from American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance and Last Comic Standing appearing in the variety lineup. Official announcement about the show and the Thunder From Down Under Theater is coming in the next few weeks, but you read it here first. … Nobody at Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in Caesars Palace is saying anything, but branches of the eatery will open in London and Singapore soon, with our Las Vegas managers and staff handling the openings. … What major Strip resident star might call it quits by the end of this year? The whispers about falling interest are growing stronger. … Under no circumstances confuse that blind item with the big surprise news that Caesars Palace singer Matt Goss has up his sleeves to spring on us in two weeks.

Incredible story behind the visit of comedian Carl LaBove to the Sin City Comedy shows this week and next at V Theater in Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile. Producer Jon Padon tells me that Carl was Sam Kinison’s best friend, and he died in his arms on the highway to Laughlin. Turns out Carl’s daughter, 20, just had a DNA test and discovered that she’s really Sam’s lovechild! Carl says he loves her greatly and still loves Sam -- they were best friends when they started out, with Sam sleeping in the front seat and Carl in the back of the car they shared. Carl was the opening act for Sam and is one of the funniest stand-ups around. He’s at V for the next two weeks.

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.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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