Recent Stories (view all stories)

Elaine Wynn, embracing change

Barack’s wife, Michele, was the key to the First Lady of Las Vegas’ conversion

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008

What was the secret weapon that won over Elaine Wynn? Michelle. The wife. Elaine Wynn was so impressed that she found herself bucking her entire industry and her irate husband and actively working on behalf of a Democratic presidential candidate after a lifetime of voting only for Republicans.

Bad Beat

Try as it might, the poker world just can’t make its sport respectable

Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008

Peter Eastgate’s cheering section broke out into jubilant Danish song—it sounded a bit like the Oompa-Loompa song in a different melody—when he laid out an ace of diamonds for a straight that beat opponent Ivan Demidov’s two pair.

What happens with Wanda ...

Notes on a complete stranger who loves Criss Angel

Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008

This column was supposed to be about Criss Angel’s new theater. In short, the theater is terrible. So instead, this column is about Wanda.

No ado about something

Bellagio’s 10th birthday passes with a whimper

Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008

As momentous occasions go, this one should have been a big deal. And yet, until a friend who works there mentioned it last week, I had completely forgotten it was the Bellagio's 10th birthday.

Still the defiant one

The incurable angst of Tony Curtis

Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008

You know the formula: A star hits it big, looms large in our collective consciousness, struggles with his fill-in-the-blank inner demons, hits rock bottom, comes to terms with his problems, triumphs and enjoys either a resurgence or at least a peaceful dotage.

Jerry-rigged Vegas

A Springer residency here could be a huge boost

Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008

It’s not being billed as such, but there’s a concert this weekend that could very well redefine Vegas entertainment (and bring The Jerry Springer Show to town in the process).

Don't "Believe" the hate

Las Vegas has a history of shows that debuted poorly but went on to become hits

Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008

The week before Mystère opened at Treasure Island, an enraged Steve Wynn tore into the creator, Franco Dragone. “This is shit,” a red-faced Wynn shouted. “It’s a fucking German opera.”

Flower Tower

Vegas could be ready for a gay hotel-casino

Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008

Andrew Fonfa doesn’t want me to write this. He knows I have to, he knows I want to, but he also wants us to know that everything in this column is entirely speculative.

He Dunne it

How a famous writer taught me to savor my O.J.

Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008

As recently as 10 days ago, I was just like most of you out there. I had absolutely, positively, 100 percent no interest in whatever tawdry affair would unfold in a criminal trial that was news solely because it involved one Orenthal James Simpson.

Star Blight

Despite Dion’s run, Vegas is still basically where passé stars come to roost

Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008

I was pushing my editor at a major newspaper hard last week to let me do a piece on Donny and Marie Osmond’s surprising resurgence as a resident act on the Las Vegas Strip. She wasn’t buying it.