Columnist Joe Delaney: Countdown to the new millennium

Joe Delaney

Monday, Jan. 3, 2000 | 10:02 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column regularly appears Thursdays and Fridays in the Accent section. Reach him at joe@vegas.com or 259-4066.

Wednesday evening's highlight was the annual "Kennedy Center Honors" telecast saluting Sean Connery, Victor Borge, Joyce Jamison, Jason Robards and Stevie Wonder. ... Smokey Robinson's song, eloquently understated, followed by Diane Schuur's bravura turn dedicated to Wonder was the program high spot. ... Connery's brief highland fling dancing to the bagpipe band came in a close second.

Thursday evening, Roberta, daughter Kathleen and I had dinner at the Ruth's Chris West restaurant, great filets. ... Missed the jazz session; we were due at the Tropicana.

Comedian Shecky Greene was making one of his too-rare LV appearances that night in the Tropicana's Tiffany Theatre. ... The showroom was packed and the audience included Shecky's good friend, MGM Grand's Kirk Kerkorian with a party, Rod Steiger and Branscombe Richmond.

Anent Shecky

Greene gave the capacity crowd an hour and 40 minutes of vintage Shecky. ... We saw so many people that we knew, there to pay tribute to one of the funniest men to ever perform in Las Vegas; a comedian who "carried" the Tropicana during that hotel's difficult period and made any hotel the place to be whenever he played there.

Working with just piano accompaniment, free form, even answering requests, his act included "Caca on the Moon" and "Madame Butterfly. ... He plays the Tropicana again Jan. 13. ... We'll be there.

The big day

Our New Year's Eve morning started at 7, shifting between the TV network stations and MSNBC ... As of 10 p.m., our time, I thought ABC network did the best job, then it went local and became ordinary at best. ... At 1:30 p.m., we drove up Industrial Road to Caesars Palace and had no trouble parking near the elevators on the third level. ... We wandered through the casino and into the Forum Shops.

All the Megabucks machines were in action with others standing in line for a chance at the $27 million-plus payout. ... Spago had nearly 100 people trying to make a reservation at 2 p.m. ... The Palm Restaurant was three deep at the bar, every table taken, and people waiting.

Parking was equally easy at both the Mirage and Treasure Island. ... Both hotels were crowded. ... Women outnumbered men 3-1, playing slot machines.

The demographics

Most of the people at all three hotels seemed to be in the 21-40 age group. ... The parking lot at the Frontier was not crowded, but the Stardust facilities had no open spaces. ... We ended the afternoon run at the Palace Station to pick up our entry cards for the last week of the pro football regular season. ... The crowd here was mostly in the 40-60 age range. ... My $21, seven shots at the Megabucks jackpot, went zero for seven.

Elton John and Tina Turner were not sold out Thursday at the Thomas & Mack, roughly 80 percent of capacity. ... There were some empty seats at all of the New Year's Eve shows, and reservations were easy to come by for all of the Sunday performances.

It should still prove to be our most successful New Year's Eve weekend ever. ... Enjoy the new millennium. ... See you Thursday.