June 8, 2009 · 1:10 AM

Pete Wentz spits it out…in a photographer’s face

By Melissa Arseniuk

C'mon, Pete. Use your words.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna / ErikKabikphoto.com

Pete Wentz may be 30-years-old, but that doesn’t mean the Fall Out Boy has to act like it.

The bassist was in Las Vegas last night to celebrate his 30th birthday and used the opportunity to spit in a photographer’s face.

The incident happened during Wentz’s highly-controlled birthday party in the VIP section at the Bank nightclub.

Wentz and a group of friends were ushered to one of the nightclub’s largest VIP tables just before midnight last night, following a late birthday dinner across the Bellagio casino floor, at Yellowtail.

The rocker’s wife, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, 24, joined him for both dinner and the party, but his blonde sister-in-law, Jessica Simpson, did not attend.

Once seated, the group relaxed and had few beverages – Wentz had a few beers and Simpson-Wentz drank Champagne – while both fans and paparazzi looked on and snapped photos of the famous couple.

It wasn’t immediately clear what set the birthday boy off, but something about one of the photographers attending the party did not sit well with Wentz. He confronted the cameraman, then spat in his face.

Club security promptly removed the apparent offender from the area. Wentz also left the scene, leaving the visibly upset Simpson-Wentz at the table. He did not seem to think much of the confrontation, however, and apparently soon hit the dance floor without wife.

“I am the embodiment of Las Vegas right now,” he “tweeted” shortly after the run-in. “I have ‘reported’ to the dance floor. Thanks Bellagio. I need that 80 grand in chips,” he said in the Twitter dispatch.

The “80 grand” Wentz referred to in the message likely had more to do with the recently-released comedy The Hangover than any royalties he stands to collect, or may have already collected, from the nightclub.

In the movie, the characters lose, then need to account for, over $80,000 in poker chips.

(Wentz referenced several of the movie’s twists and turns earlier in the day: “Doing Vegas: 1. Kidnap a small Asian dude 2. Steal Tysons (sic) tiger 3. Get a cop car. Step 1 accomplished. Hangover. Sin City here we come.”)

Though it is unknown how much the Light Group paid Wentz to party at their venue, it probably was not as lucrative as Wentz’ Twitter update might seem to suggest.

It is common practice for nightclubs to pay celebrities to “host” their birthday parties and other theme nights at a particular venue. The fees are said to run around $20,000 and up for bonafide stars, though a celebrity’s “bonafide star” status is debatable and financial details are rarely released.

Wentz’s apparent trip to the dance floor was a short one. He soon returned to his table and the night picked up where it left off prior to the confrontation with the photographer.

Before the group left the club, the staff presented Wentz with a baby blue birthday cake shaped like the number 30.

Wentz, who marked the big three-oh on Friday, refused to speak to reporters last night. Simpson-Wentz also declined to answer any questions, and chose not to pose for photographers on the red carpet the club erected for the event, as well.

The couple marked their first full year of marriage last month, on May 17, and welcomed their first child, son Bronx Mowgli, in November of last year.

Fall Out Boy will hit the road next month, but so far has not announced any plans to stop in Las Vegas as part of the upcoming tour.

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