New show ‘Kats With the Dish’ takes shape with Holly Madison

By John Katsilometes

Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011 | 9:14 p.m.

The idea started maybe a year ago, and it was not mine. It was Tricia McCrone’s, who referred to a radio show I was hosting on KUNV 91.5-FM titled “Our Metropolis” and announced, “I should be your co-host.”

That overture was rejected, and not only because (as I learned months later) Tricia likely never heard an entire episode of “Our Metropolis” and often referred to the show as “My Metropolis.” For many other reasons, it seemed an ill-fitting concept.

Tricia is a great scenester and the longtime publicist and sister-in-law of Wayne Newton. She’s also a former TV producer who worked on such programs as Tyra Banks’ “The Tyra Show,” “Jenny Jones” and “The Entertainer." But she is not quite the person you’d invite to co-host an issues-and-affairs program.

“When I hear issues and affairs,” she says, “I think, ‘She’s got issues, and he’s had affairs.’ ”

The idea never quite died, though, and as the concept grew during informal conversations, we did find the right sort of forum for us to record a weekly radio show. The new hourlong program, inspired by our nicknames, is called “Kats With the Dish” and debuts at 6 p.m. Friday on KUNV. Our first “announced” guest is the great Holly Madison, and there is an “unannounced” segment at the start that anyone interested in Vegas entertainment will find pretty entertaining. At least, we did.

The show will feature guests who make news in Las Vegas, local and national celebrities who continue to make it the world’s entertainment Mecca. Madison, star of “Peepshow” at Planet Hollywood and “Holly’s World” on E! Entertainment, spoke of her rocky relationship with Hugh Hefner, her long-term plans in Vegas, her effort to get back into shape after gaining 15 pounds since debuting “Peepshow” and her current relationship. Some of her comments that will air Friday:

On her indoctrination into the show in the spring of 2009, when many fans thought she’d share top billing with Mel B.: “I knew (I would be the star), but the director didn’t know. I have very strong powers of manifestation.”

On improving her stage presence: “I’m working on taking dance lessons, and singing lessons so I can sing in the show. But I’m not going to sing until I am ready!”

On BASE Entertainment officials directing her to lose an unspecified amount of weight and get in better shape for “Peepshow”: “It was crazy. I’ve gained weight since I started the show, because when I started, I was coming off ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ and I was doing 6 hours a day of cardio. So I did gain weight, I was living in (Planet Hollywood), ordering room service all of the time, and I was doing research on Vegas restaurants for my book.

“So I did gain about 15 pounds, and they told me to lose weight, which sucks because there is no easy way to tell someone that. My manager got that assignment. … I was told right before a show in the beginning of October, after pigging out at Disney World, and I knew I had gained some weight, but not so much that anyone would notice. And when I was told, the last thing I wanted to do was go onstage. I felt so stupid and self-conscious for a long time. … I freaked out at first, but I have agreed to get into shape, and I have been doing that.”

On surrendering her private life for her reality show: “I’m just so used to the cameras, and I’m not much of a private person, so I don’t really care. But it’s hard to find a guy who is OK with it.”

On the idea that her 22-year-old boyfriend, guitarist Jack Barakat of the pop-punk band All Time Low, might one day be father material and fulfill her long-term goal of starting a family: “I don’t know. Right now, where my career is at, I can’t see myself settling down in the next year. I’m not concerned about that right now.”

On her recent Twitter dustup with Hugh Hefner’s fiancé, Crystal Harris: “What happened is that I’d made a comment that I don’t like copycats, which I don’t. It’s my pet peeve. Everybody is inspired by other people, but you give credit where credit is due, and you come up with your own (identity).

“So I made the comment about copycats, and his girlfriend -- or his fiancé -- thought it was about her, I guess. She assumed it was about her. I’m not sure, because I don’t follow her on Twitter. I’m hearing this all second-hand, mind you, but I guess she went back to him and whined about it and said she sent me an e-mail that I never got. We’ve never communicated with each other. We don’t have each other’s contact info, and now he’s mad.”

That, and much more, is offered in Madison’s segment. As always, she does not disappoint.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Follow the show Kats With the Dish at twitter.com/KatsWithTheDish and co-host Tricia McCrone at twitter.com/triciamccrone.