Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000 | 2:12 a.m.
Kate Maddox's column appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach her at [email protected].
Rita Rudner might be closing up shop at the MGM Grand after her performance there tonight, but she'll be back. Come March Rudner will return to the hotel's Cabaret Theatre to greet the Vegas crowds once again. There was some speculation as to whether she would stick around if and when the rumored "Crazy Horse" revue arrived from Paris. The answer appears to be yes.
After a spiffy renovation, the Cabaret is scheduled to reopen with Rudner in a 7 p.m. time slot, followed by the topless "Crazy Horse" show.
Following tonight's New Year's show (complete with balloons and champagne), Rudner hits the road for some dates around the country. In March the comedian intends to return to Vegas to tape more installments of her "Ask Rita" advicefest. Rudner says the show is being shopped to syndicators and has a good chance of going national. Starting this spring "Ask Rita" will air five days a week on KVBC Channel 3.
OK, here's a weird sighting: Thousands of Googoosh fans weeping openly, stampeding and fainting at the sight of the popular Iranian singer over Christmas weekend. Googoosh agreed to a brief autograph signing that apparently took a turn for the surreal, as dozens of women began stripping off their expensive jewelry and handing it over to their idol.
After 20 years of forced retirement in Iran, Googoosh was finally allowed to tour again, and her dedicated fan base packed the MGM Grand Garden Arena for shows on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. One fan, mesmerized by the sight of the crushing mob of autograph seekers, put it simply: "To Persians, Googoosh is Madonna, Cher and Barbra Streisand all rolled into one."
Some of you might remember this story. I don't, but here goes. Back in 1989 on the mean streets of Manhattan, some crook made off with a U-Haul parked near Radio City Music Hall. The poor guy soon realized that his loot included two very unhappy white tigers. The tigers belonged, of course, to our local faves Siegfried & Roy, who were performing at Radio City. To make a long story short, the NYPD soon recovered the truck and the tigers and all was well in Siegfried & Roy Land.
Next week, in the sappy holiday tradition of mushy reunions, the two tigers, who still work with S&R, will meet again with Jesse Peterman, the now-retired New York City cop who rescued the cats from one dumb criminal more than 10 years ago. By coming to Las Vegas, Peterman's not only avoiding the nor'easter heading straight for the Big Apple, but he's also going to get Siegfried & Roy's signature VIP treatment.
Having bid a heartfelt goodbye to the Desert Inn this summer, Don Rickles found himself without a permanent home on the Strip. Seems that's suddenly not the case anymore.
Rickles has reportedly signed a deal at the Stardust to perform in the hotel's Wayne Newton Theater when The Wayner is taking time off. The insult king plans to christen his Stardust stay with a two-night run starting Feb. 2. Rickles is scheduled to return for at least four more engagements throughout 2001.
Smart move for the Stardust. Rickles is a consistent crowd pleaser with the old-school Vegas set, and Newton's fans should be pleased with the sometime substitute.
An even better move would have been for Paris Las Vegas to pick up Rickles for a longer deal, following the success of his three-night gig in Le Theatre des Arts this weekend.
It could be a big year for Rickles. The part-time actor is also rumored to be up for a part in the highly anticipated remake of "Ocean's 11."
Be safe. Be happy. Have a fabulous New Year.
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