Columnist Kate Maddox: Local author braced for backlash

Kate Maddox's column appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays, only in the Las Vegas Sun. Reach her at [email protected].

Sally Denton, an award-winning investigative journalist and author, wrote a tell-all book in 1989 entitled "The Bluegrass Conspiracy," about corruption at the highest levels of law enforcement and state government in Kentucky. The book got the Boulder City native banned from the state. Her next literary expose is about Las Vegas, and from what the author hints, it just might get the same response.

"Falls the Shadow: The Rise and Reign of Las Vegas" is due out by the end of the year and Denton promises that it will be "the first book about the city to take a serious look at the money and power players (who) have gotten Vegas where it is today." She promises some "major scoops" and lots of insider stories -- "the kind that people always whispered about but that no one was willing to put on the record." Until now.

Denton, along with her husband and co-author, Roger Morris, who is an award-winning presidential biographer, spent months researching and interviewing most of Vegas' power elite for the book, which will be published by Alfred Knopf. They are confident that this book will be greeted with some excitement, but they hope that readers take it for the honest account of the changes that have taken place here over the past 50 years.

Denton's credentials for scooping are extensive. She won first-place awards for excellence in investigative reporting for breaking stories on organized crime, military espionage and contract murders. The former UNLV student has worked on stories ranging from Las Vegas casino money laundering to the salacious details of the Gary Hart/Donna Rice affair. She also got to the bottom of smuggling ventures, gangland murders, drug trafficking and even Frank Sinatra and Howard Hughes' organized crime connections.

Although she expects some share of negative response from "Falls the Shadow," Denton isn't worried. This newspaper once reported that she "could hold a conference all her own (on) how to take heat and still survive in a hostile climate."

With all the game show buzz sweeping the nation, it was only a matter of time until a valley resident became a big winner. Meet Dan McCue. The 22-year-old Henderson resident walked away with $25,000 from the NBC quiz-fest "Twenty-One."

McCue, who is involved with CLASS! Publications (a monthly written by, for and about Clark County high school students), answered questions in categories that included: brand names, occupations, historical documents and -- the real mind-bender -- snack foods. But before he could say "I'll take Chee-tos for $1,000, Maury," McCue's 15 minutes were up. He only made it through the first round of play.

Still, 25 grand isn't bad for a day's work and, although McCue has yet to receive his (after-taxes) check, he already knows where a slice of the winnings will go. Five percent is headed for his best friend -- who helped him answer a question -- another 5 percent is going to his college alma mater back in Michigan, and 10 percent will be donated by McCue to his church.

The closing of the Gold Coast Twin theaters on April 13 will bring an end to one of the oldest and most accommodating movie theaters in town. Employees have been reminiscing about their favorite Gold Coast celebrity memories.

Cher, who once rented out the entire place for a viewing of the Kevin Costner epic "Dances with Wolves," used to be a frequent customer back when she was doing regular shows in town. Comic Sam Kinison used to try to smuggle bottles of booze into the theater in his signature floor-length coat. Managers once had to turn away Kinison and his entourage, which included rocker Billy Idol, because the group was just too plastered. Mike Tyson, Siegfried & Roy, Jerry Lewis, Paul Anka, Andre Agassi and Elaine and Steve Wynn are just a few of the customers who regularly took in shows and will be sad to see the theaters close.

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