Columnist Kate Maddox: Hayes won’t cop out at Mandalay

Kate Maddox

Tuesday, July 18, 2000 | 9:34 a.m.

Kate Maddox's column appears Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at kmaddox@lasvegassun.com.

The Mandalay Bay Theatre, with no permanent production show in sight, seems content to host big-name acts for a night or two, then sit back and watch the ticket sales rise. That's not a bad way to conduct entertainment deals at a major hotel-casino, at least for now.

One not-so-big-name act will be Isaac Hayes. On Monday Mandalay Bay confirmed that Hayes, best known for the steamy theme song from "Shaft," will perform at the theater Aug. 25-26. Tickets go on sale Friday.

OK, so diehard "Shaft" and "South Park" fans might shell out $45 to see Hayes in action. It'll be more than we saw of him at the Grammys. Remember? Hayes was the one overcome by an overzealous smoke machine.

And speaking of performers touring to get the bad ink (or smoke, or whatever) out of the public's mind, rumored-to-be-dead singer Luther Vandross, with co-headliners Boyz II Men, will try to fill the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Sept. 22.

Vandross, recently the victim of Internet gossip claiming he had died from drastic weight-loss tactics, had to set the record straight at a concert a few weeks ago. After introducing one of his songs, a slimmed-down Vandross -- who shed 124 pounds -- added, "I sound real good for somebody's who's dead."

So the very-alive singer will team up with a group nestled comfortably in the music world's peripheral vision. Talk about dead -- Boyz II Men have about two seconds to catch the boy-band craze and get on track to Comebackville.

It's been about a week since Diana Ross & Co. were dropped from the Return to Love Tour. But the Supremes and concert promoter SFX have yet to give the official word to some venues as to whether the whole thing has been cut altogether, or merely trimmed.

The MGM Grand was scheduled to showcase Ross and the replacement "Supremes," but hotel officials haven't been able to comment -- and they're not being coy. They just haven't heard. The Supremes were, or are, scheduled to perform at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Aug. 5.

I know I'm harping on the whole Darva Conger auction thing, but maybe I just want to see this story carefully escorted to its grave so I know it won't rear its bunny-eared head again.

In the meantime, whilst she and her 15 minutes are still kicking around, Conger's Isuzu Trooper is up for sale on buybidwin.com. Her $35,000 wedding ring went for $34,000 on Sunday. The Trooper has yet to reach the $20,000 mark. The auction closes Monday.

And Dan Ryan, who owns Ilene's Bridal, the local shop that donated dresses to Conger and all contestants in the "Who Wants to Marry a Multimillionaire?" fiasco, still wants his piece of the pie. Ryan, who has the original Conger bridal dress under wraps in his office, is holding out for high bidders of his own -- but his are of the tabloid type. So far, the Star has offered him $40,000 for the white silk number, but he heard a rumor that rival trash-mag National Enquirer was about to up it to $50,000.

If he doesn't receive a counter offer and no one else wants to pay for the thing, Ryan says he'll go with the Star by the end of the week.

Brooke Shields might beat ex-hubby Andre Agassi to the altar. Over the weekend Shields got engaged to beau Chris Henchy.

Henchy, a writer for ABC's "Spin City," reportedly popped the question during a quiet, romantic getaway. The actress, who has been dating Henchy for more than a year, accepted the proposal and a 4.5-carat diamond ring.

Here's hoping this love match works better than the last one.