Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2003 | 9:06 a.m.
Here's an idea for a new reality show: Pit nightclubs in Las Vegas casinos against each another to see which can draw the highest number of famous celebrity guests.
They could have filmed the first episode this past weekend, when the Palms' ghostbar and Bellagio's Light competed to host a birthday party for Hilton Hotels heiress and socialite Paris Hilton.
Both clubs paid big bucks to fly in guests, feed them and put them up in suites. According to Henry Penzi, VIP coordinator at the Palms, a party was all set up at ghostbar -- balloons and a huge sheet cake all ready to go.
"I love George Maloof and the Palms, but I called them to cancel," Hilton told a VegasBeat spy during her party at Light.
"My loyalty is to Bellagio and the people here at Light," she said. But when asked why, she just smiled, took another gulp of her Grey Goose and cranberry juice drink, and ran to the DJ's booth, where she picked up a microphone and thanked everyone for attending.
Then she slipped back into a booth with her 19-year-old sister, Nicky Hilton, and Nicky's fiance, former MTV jock Brian McFayden.
Paris Hilton -- who turned 22 Monday -- did not get a rendition of "Happy Birthday." But later, at Crazy Horse Too, she ran into her friend Jon Orlando, who sang her a few verses of his father's oldie, "Tie a Yellow Ribbon." Ken Wahl ("Wiseguy") was also in the club, and came over to join Orlando in a horribly off-key warbling of the song.
Finally, the Palms' Penzi said that while the celebrity birthday party battle might have been lost, the war was not over.
"Mark Wahlberg is having his birthday with us -- June 5 for the opening of our new club, Skin."
Birthday bash
It was a happy 70th birthday party for Las Vegas artist and writer Norm Johnson Saturday night.
Hosted by Realtor Cathy Bittinger and held at the home of Jackie Brett and Mel Carter, it drew a nice mix of Las Vegans: Vera and Robert Goulet, Bill and Jeanine Acosta, Denny Denman, Vince and Annette Falcone, Jeff Motley, Mike Merrick, Brenda Hughes and Monti Rock III.
"It was very nice of everyone to come," Johnson told VegasBeat before he left for a vacation in Mexico on Monday. "But I have to say, for such a talented group, they sang the worst version of 'Happy Birthday' that I've ever heard."
After the song State Controller Kathy Augustine read a proclamation honoring Johnson from Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt and Goulet read a personal letter of well wishes from Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Mood-y
We're not to sure what to expect when the new club Tabu opens at MGM Grand next weekend.
It is touting something called a "Reactive Imaging System" -- which is described as an "enthralling, full-body environment with intriguing images that react to human motion in real time, creating a captivating unique experience that is different for everyone who enters the display."
So, I guess the club is sort of like a big Mood Ring. Does anyone else remember those?
But seriously
We'll write this item straight. You can come up with your own jokes after reading.
On Feb. 28 at the Four Seasons Ballroom, the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas is having a "Celebrity Panel on Jewish Humor."
Among the panelists are Marty Allen; Gary Kott, the former writer and producer of "The Cosby Show"; Russ Merlin, who stars in The Venetian's variety show "V"; and club comic Carol Siskind.
Tickets are $36 and are available at jewishlasvegas.com.
Diamond love
The crowd was as sparkling as the product at the "Diamonds and the Power of Love" opening at the new Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas on Friday night.
Among the notables who jetted in for the event were Tony Curtis, Conan O'Brien's former sidekick Andy Richter, Melissa Joan Hart, Jessica Simpson and newlyweds David Boreanz and Jaime Bergman.
The national media was also well represented. Scribes from Elle, Vogue, Modern Bride, Harper's Bazaar, US Weekly, People and the New York Post were all taking careful notes, reports the Las Vegas Sun's Liz Benston.
The unique show is open to the public through Sunday, when it leaves for Japan and Paris.
VegasBits
Julia Roberts briefly stopped in at Light over the weekend. She was there Friday night, the club reports. Earlier that Valentine's evening, as we reported Monday, she was eating at Prime with husband Danny Moder; later that night the couple were at Green Valley Ranch Station Casino ...
Kevin James checked out Rain in the Desert at Palms on Saturday after his gig at The Mirage ...
The jam band Phish had a private party that lasted well past dawn at Chameleon Studios on Hinson Street after its Saturday night performance at the Thomas & Mack Center ...
Michigan Rep. John Conyers will be in Las Vegas today. The influential Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee will join Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., this afternoon at the Kermit Booker Elementary School for a media event. He also has a meeting with Uri Clinton, the Harrah's attorney and past and future state Senate candidate ...
VegasBeat got an e-mail from Australia on Monday. It was a farewell note from Robin Leach, and a reminder for fellow Las Vegans (and everyone else) to vote for him when his survivor-reality series "I'm a Celebrity -- Get Me Out of Here!" debuts Wednesday night at 10 on ABC (KTNV Channel 13). Calling (866) 411-4086 is also a vote for the Lou Ruvo Alzheimer's facility, which gets a $250,000 donation from ABC if Leach survives the 15-day adventure. "Love me or hate me, but vote for me to stay in the game and we'll all be winners," he wrote. "Crocodile Wishes and Rainforest Dreams! G'day!"
From Sun wires
Jailed actor Robert Blake finally got the television interview he wanted when he sat down for more than two hours with Barbara Walters.
The jailhouse interview Monday will air on ABC's "20/20" later this month, an ABC spokeswoman said.
Blake, 69, has pleaded innocent to charges he murdered his wife, 44-year-old Bonny Lee Bakley, two years ago.
The interview came after two of Blake's attorneys quit his case as they disagreed with their client over whether he should grant any interviews.
One ... million ... dollars: "Joe Millionaire" concluded with Evan Marriott asking Zora, not Sarah, to go steady. She said yes, and they toasted their future with a glass of champagne.
Then they scored a million dollars from the show -- the "shocking twist" viewers had been promised for days.
Along with co-finalist Sarah, Zora also heard the dicey truth: that Marriott wasn't the stinking-rich heir he had pretended to be.
The somewhat anticlimactic outcome played out at the French estate that has served as the series' home base through its seven-week run. Next week Fox plans to air a special follow-up on Evan and Zora.
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