Wednesday, May 21, 2003 | 10:27 a.m.
Yo, George Foreman. Rocky is appropriating your story.
Sylvester Stallone has finished the script for "Rocky VI."
He said the tale is loosely based on Foreman's amazing comeback. He lost his heavyweight championship to Muhammad Ali in 1974 -- and regained it 20 years later when, at 45, he defeated Michael Moorer.
Foreman retired from the ring for good in 1997 at 48. He is often in Las Vegas in his role as television boxing commentator.
Stallone said he is ready for the new Rocky role.
"Once I hit 50 I stopped counting how old I was," Stallone said to Robin Leach's Fox's KVVU Channel 5 camera at the Michael Douglas & Friends Celebrity Golf event at Park Place's exclusive Cascata course in Boulder City.
"But Rocky is about the same age as Foreman was when he was making his comebacks. I would have to get myself pretty fit to do the part again, but I am ready to take it on."
In real life, Stallone, who is 56, is three years older than Foreman.
If the project doesn't get green-lighted in Hollywood, Stallone said it is easily adaptable for the Broadway stage -- as a musical.
"Springtime for Balboa," perhaps?
The original "Rocky" movie, an inspirational story of an unknown boxer from the streets of Philadelphia, was nominated for 10 Academy Awards in 1976, winning the Oscar for Best Picture. It spawned four sequels charting Rocky's rocky professional and personal life.
Marky Mark
Another one of those celebrity-clogged screenings is coming to the Palms next week. This time, however, for a price (and it all goes to a charity), you can also attend.
Mark Wahlberg is hosting a private viewing of his new movie, "The Italian Job," next Wednesday night at Brenden Theatres. The film is a remake of the classic 1969 Noel Coward and Michael Caine caper film of the same name.
The new version also stars Charlize Theron, Ed Norton, Seth Green and Donald Sutherland.
The evening starts off with Wahlberg (and perhaps some of the other stars?) hosting a reception in the hotel's "Real World" suite, then the film, then an after-party at Little Buddha.
There is also a raffle of a Mini Cooper, which is featured prominently in some of the movie's chase scenes.
Ticket packages range from $75 to $500; all proceeds go to the Andre Agassi Boys and Girls Club of Las Vegas and the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation. They are on sale at the Stuff store at the Palms or at Ticketmaster.com. "The Italian Job" opens May 30.
Meat serving
Staying with the celebrity charity theme, two major events are coming which benefit the Lili Claire Foundation and the Lili Claire Life Skills Center at UNLV.
Meat Loaf's Rockin' Weekend takes place from May 29 to June 1. Highlights include a celebrity softball game, the Two out of Three Ain't Bad Celebrity Golf Classic at Silverstone Golf Club, and a concert at Skin at the Palms, the outdoor poolside venue.
Mr. Loaf tells VegasBeat he expects a diverse list of notables to attend one or more of the events, reeling off such names as Tommy Lee, Nikki Sixx, Lea Thompson, Scott Hamilton, Willie Gault, Corbin Bernsen, Ed "Too Tall " Jones, Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson and Vegas resident and soap opera goddess Kimberlin Brown.
Separately, on June 7, there is a dinner at the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas. So far, there are placards on the tables for Cameron Crowe, Leah Remini, Danny Bonaduce, Michael Chiklis, Ryan Seacrest and Shari Belafonte.
The Lili Claire Life Skills Center helps to provide life skills and job preparation training for young adults with Williams Syndrome and other neurological disabilities.
Ticket info for all the events is available by calling the Lili Claire Foundation at (702) 791-5454.
Points made
Light partner Andrew Sasson called to clarify our Monday item about him being turned away from the MGM Grand club Tabu.
He said the woman he was with did not have proper ID and was denied admittance. "And if she couldn't get in, I wasn't going in either," Sasson told VegasBeat.
We knew that chivalry was not yet totally dead.
Also, Keith Barish called about our Tuesday item reporting that he and son Chris Barish were leaving Light so he could re-team with his old Planet Hollywood partner, Robert Earl, in an Aladdin takeover bid.
While the Light negotiations are, as we reported, going on, Barish maintains he is not getting back together with Earl.
"The only person I would go into the casino business with is Kirk Kerkorian -- and he hasn't called me yet," Barish said.
VegasBits
Close call: Tommy Smothers and Steve Rossi had front-row seats for "The Scintas" at The Rio on Tuesday night. But it was too close, so they asked to sit farther back so they could see the whole stage better ...
Happy: Mac and Frances MacDonald tossed a party Sunday night at their fabulous Turnberry penthouse to mark his 82nd birthday. Revelers included entertainers Tony Curtis, Sonny King, Buddy Greco and Freddy Bell and producers Joey Battig and Jonathan Scott ...
And crazy: The E! Entertainment Television show, "Wild on!" is filming at Studio 54's Dollhouse party Thursday night and then at Tabu on Friday ...
Smooth: Lou Rawls is the latest celebrity expected at the opening of new Forum Shops at Caesars nightclub OPM on Thursday night ...
Soul food: The latest in the "Chicken Soup" series, "Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul," just came out. It is filled with inspirational tales from Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon, Dale Jarrett and stocked with drawings by Las Vegas Sun editorial cartoonist Mike Smith. Many of the drawings come from his new book, "Stockcar Toons II" ...
Call me: VegasBeat is back for its weekly radio call-in bit with "Las Vegas Today" host Andy Vierra on KNUU 970-AM (K-NEWS) today at 5 p.m. Call the studio line at (702) 735-6397 and we'll dish.
From Sun wires
"The Practice" has closed its case on seven cast members, including star Dylan McDermott, raising questions about the already struggling legal drama's chance at acquitting itself next season.
McDermott, along with Lara Flynn Boyle, Kelli Williams, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Marla Sokoloff, Chyler Leigh and Bill Smitrovich were fired late Monday in the wake of ABC's last-minute renewal of the show for an eighth season at half its former price tag.
Only Camryn Manheim, Steve Harris, Michael Badalucco and Jessica Capshaw will remain with new actors yet to be named. McDermott has agreed to appear in four episodes next fall.
While it's not unusual to see cast members for long-running dramas come and go, losing most in one fell swoop is nearly unheard of, says TV historian Tim Brooks. "Viewers bond with characters, and it's very hard to replace characters they've grown to love."
Just eat it: Reclusive star Michael Jackson, wearing a red-and-blue Spider-Man mask, popped into a congressman's field office about two weeks ago seeking an answer to a critical issue.
"How come Solvang (Calif.) doesn't have any fast food restaurants?" the costumed Jackson asked Steve Lavagnino, deputy director in the office of Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Santa Barbara.
After being told the only chain restaurant was a Subway sandwich shop, he said, "I love Taco Bell."
Jackson then pulled his webbed- crusader disguise off his face and apologized for disturbing Lavagnino.
After a few more pleasantries, Jackson rode off in a black Bentley. He later was seen at a Taco Bell/Pizza Hut drive-through window in Buellton.
After ordering two cheese pizzas, breadsticks, water and three chicken soft tacos, Jackson -- face exposed -- talked to employees, said Ana Torres, restaurant assistant manager.
"He was great," Torres said. "We all got his autograph."
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