Columnist Kate Maddox: Berkley gets the cold shoulder from Gibbons

Kate Maddox

Sunday, Dec. 5, 1999 | 9:40 a.m.

Kate Maddox's column appears Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, only in the Las Vegas Sun. Reach her at kmaddox@vegas.com.

Washington, D.C., can be a chilly place for newcomers. Merely deciphering the catacombs of Capitol Hill can leave one lost, turned around and without a friend in sight. Just ask Rep. Shelley Berkley.

Months back when the Democratic congresswoman was trying to learn the ins and outs of Washington, she found herself between meetings in the Cannon House Office Building with a need to "powder her nose" and just a few minutes to spare before her next meeting.

Berkley made a noble attempt at finding a ladies' room in the cavernous building on her own, but instead she found herself in front of the office of her fellow Nevada representative, Republican Congressman James Gibbons. What luck, she thought.

Walking into Gibbons' office, Berkley introduced herself to a staff person and explained her predicament and asked to use the congressman's restroom. The staffer walked off to seek permission for Berkley's request. Relief seemed just around the corner. That's what friends and fellow politicians are for, right?

Wrong. The staffer returned and informed Berkley that she was out of luck and that there was a "public" ladies' room just down the hall. So much for Capitol Hill camaraderie.

The crew of KLUC 98.5-FM's "Morning Zoo" has been selected as one of the winners of the "Jenny Jones Show" most popular radio deejays contest.

The crew -- Amy Sweet, Danger Boy, Chet Buchanan and producer Zenja Dunn -- was one of four winners chosen by more than 33,000 "Jenny Jones" viewers out of a field of more than 400 contenders from across the country.

The gang leaves for Chicago on Tuesday to tape a special episode of "Jenny Jones." That show, which is scheduled to air sometime early next year, will celebrate the victorious deejays.

New Orleans' favorite son is coming to Vegas for a millennium concert, but not one that is open to the public. Harry Connick Jr. will be performing at Bellagio's invitation-only New Year's Eve soiree.

The singer/songwriter and sometime actor is scheduled to be onstage from 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. It's somewhat surprising that Connick, a devoted New Orleanian, would bypass ringing in the New Year in the Big Easy, but my sources tell me the folks at Bellagio offered him a sweet deal.

An added bonus for his efforts will be some live air time on the ABC millennium special. Rumor has it that "20/20" will send a camera to the concert to cover a song or two. They also plan to cut in on the Lionel Richie performance at the Mirage -- also an invitation-only deal.

"Wheel of Fortune" is coming to Las Vegas. For $17.50 you can see the new show live on stage starting Dec. 20 at the MGM Grand. That price also gets you the chance to be a contestant and win some serious cash.

"Wheel of Fortune" has just signed on for a six-month run at the former Catch a Rising Star Theater. Producers are now searching for six "hostesses" to perform some show duties. The perfect candidate should be able to read prize copy, move with style and grace AND look fabulous in evening gowns.

Open casting for this new live game show venture is at 10 a.m. Friday. Call 869-1100 for more information.

Steve Wynn will be the recipient of the L.A. Friar's Club Lifetime Achievement Award at a roast in his honor Thursday. Wynn will be seranaded by '80s singing icon Lionel Richie, and the celebrity list of attendees reads like a Who's Who of Hollywood (of a certain era):

Hugh Hefner, Dennis Hopper, Ed Asner, Angie Dickinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Connie Stevens and Don Rickles are just some of the stars scheduled to be there to honor the Mirage Resorts chairman. Emceeing the event will be Larry King.

When the Maxim closed down a couple of weeks ago it looked like comedian/magician Mac King would be out of luck. Just two months into his one-year contract with the casino, King found himself without a venue for his act.

But King's show won't be homeless for long. He's just signed a deal with Harrah's to do two shows a day starting Jan. 11 after the Washington All-Star Follies departs the theater on Dec. 16.