Columnist Kate Maddox: Gaming auditor dials up Reege

Kate Maddox

Sunday, July 30, 2000 | 9:36 a.m.

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

Even auditors for the Gaming Control Board get to have a little fun sometimes, and win money to boot. Twenty-eight-year-old Paul Cornbleth recently taped an episode of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" in New York, and although he can't reveal the amount of money he scored, from his cheerful demeanor it's a safe assumption that he didn't walk away empty-handed.

After diligently calling the "Millionaire" hot line six times (whether that makes him a determined young man, or a determined doofus, well, you decide), Cornbleth was finally selected by the show computer, which kicked him up to Round 2 of the tryouts. He breezed through those final questions and it was off to New York for a little one-on-one with Regis Philbin.

And yes, Cornbleth is one of those people -- a repeat player and game- show junkie. The Las Vegas native once scored patio furniture and a barbecue after a second-place finish on "Jeopardy" a few years back and was itching to get to "Twenty One," but the Maury Povich quizzler was canceled just as Cornbleth was headed to the competitors' circle. Darn the luck.

Am I bitter about the game-show take? Yeah, I guess, but it's more Cornbleth's quality time with Reege that I envy. We all get to find out how Cornbleth did on the show when it airs Aug. 8 on ABC. Six days after that he gets his winnings check, and -- to use Richard Dawson's famous line from "Family Feud" -- Survey Says! He probably won't be sticking around the Gaming Control Board.

Look for Mayor Oscar Goodman on NBC tonight. Goodman joins Geraldo Rivera for a look at our city and the significant changes it's undergone in the past few years. Goodman taped the special with Rivera weeks ago, while the newsman was in town touring hot spots and interviewing locals.

"Las Vegas: The American Fantasy," is scheduled to air on KVBC Channel 3 at 8 p.m., in place of "Dateline."

Whether the entertainment brass at the Flamingo Las Vegas wants to officially announce it or not, from the looks of things it appears that the "musical-comedy revue" headed for the showroom will indeed be "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus," based on the sappy self-help book of a few years back.

Although hotel spokespeople are tight-lipped, the producers are already casting. The current edition of the entertainment industry mag Call Back (formerly the Dirt Alert) has an ad announcing auditions for a production going into "the main showroom of the Flamingo Las Vegas." Hmmmm, subtle.

The show is looking for a cast of 10, all principals, no chorus: male and female singers with "strong comedic ability who move well," ranging in age from 20-50, ballroom and adagio dance a plus, as are gymnastics talents, all according to the ad.

There were some tense moments during a rehearsal for Melinda The First Lady of Magic's show at the Showroom at the Venetian last week. Executive producer (also Melinda's younger brother) David Saxe confirmed that a male dancer/assistant was indeed injured during a run-through of a sword trick -- the guy was supposed to be levitating on three swords, sharp-side up.

An assistant, who received a thorough reprimand following the incident, apparently didn't secure the middle sword, which was meant to support the "floater's" uh, waist area. The sword went right through his, oh, how to say this ... family jewels?? A frightened call to 9-1-1 ensued, as did a stay at UMC. The unnamed performer is scheduled to return, luckily with no permanent injury, in about two weeks.