Columnist Kate Maddox: ‘The Rat Pack is Back’ is back

Kate Maddox

Friday, July 28, 2000 | 8:46 a.m.

The folks at the Sahara entertainment department may have pledged their loyalties to yet-to-appear magician Steve Wyrick, but they've saved some room to allow "The Rat Pack is Back" back into the family.

The David Cassidy/Don Reo-produced tribute show has regained its red-headed stepchild status and will close on Oct. 29 instead of Aug. 13, which was the done-date proposed a couple of weeks ago. Some Strip watchers were surprised to learn about the extension, citing the not-so-kind remarks made by Cassidy, directed at the Sahara, after his show was initially dumped.

Although the "Rat Pack" producers knew that the show would get its walking papers once Wyrick (finally) got his production together, Cassidy still managed to sock the Sahara with a punch or two after the "Rat Pack" dismissal. He publicly complained that the Sahara entertainment execs were directionless in their decision-making and talked about the hotel's "less sophisticated" clientele.

Most of those remarks, however, were littered between praise for the success of the show and the amicable separation from the Sahara. Whatever, that's all bygones now, at least through October. And whether Cassidy pleaded for an extension, as some are speculating, or brought the show back after the hotel got an earful from the public, he's now at least got some time to get his ducks in a row. There are three venues vying for "The Rat Pack is Back" and negotiations are ongoing -- with a little more breathing room this time.

One of the rudest wake-up calls on the Strip was delivered this week to the beleaguered "Notre Dame de Paris" musical at the Paris hotel-casino. The show will close for good Saturday, just four days after hearing the news -- most shows get at least two weeks to shutter, politely. Not the case here.

Rumor has it that the show was losing around $50,000 a week. That was too much dough down the tubes to keep things going through October, which was when producers had planned to close. By the by, I also hear there are still some bills to be paid to the Paris, which by now has a "strained" relationship with cast and crew, to put it nicely. One source even went so far as to say the hotel already has its sights on a newer, more jovial production for its Theatre des Arts, and it wants "Notre Dame" and all things connected to the "sleeper francaise" out, ASAP.

That which we don't learn from may only make us (and our ratings) stronger. That seems to be the new motto for the Fox network, whose memories of Rick and Darva appear to have faded as quickly as their marriage. So -- here come those sexy bachelors!

The MGM Grand will welcome Fox's newest flesh parade when it hosts "The Sexiest Bachelor in America" on Sept. 12 -- the show is scheduled to air a few weeks later on Oct. 2.

For those of you interested in trying out -- and you know who you are, as do I, since you bombarded my e-mail after the first time I wrote about this thing -- Fox has set up the prerequisite website: www.sexiestbachelor.com. Fox also issues a warning for potential prospects, and take this one to heart -- it is, after all, national TV: There will be a swimsuit competition.

A special goodbye and good luck to our departing features editor, Steve Bornfeld. Thank you for whatever it was that made you want to take a chance on one of the greenest rookies to ever walk the column-writing plank -- it won't soon be forgotten.