Columnist Kate Maddox: Stars rekindle friendship in LV

Kate Maddox

Sunday, May 7, 2000 | 8:17 a.m.

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

Two stars of a popular '70s and '80s sitcom recently met up again at the Bellagio Salon. Unbeknownst to Valerie Bertinelli, who played the "good daughter" to Mackenzie Phillips' wild-child on "One Day at a Time," her former co-star was just a couple of chairs away getting a manicure at the tony salon last weekend. Phillips, who left the show and dropped out of the scene when her rampant drug use consumed her in the '80s, was in town and apparently had no idea that her old friend is a frequent guest at the Bellagio. Bertinelli, husband Eddie Van Halen and family are often spotted enjoying some of the hotel's finer restaurants and amenities.

Anyway, it was a happy, almost tearful reunion at the salon's check-out counter when the two went to pay their separate bills. After a brief, stunned silence, the actresses hugged and laughed and went on their ways, catching up on old times. It seems Phillips hadn't heard all that much from Bertinelli after the former's, ahem, departure from "One Day at a Time." (Phillips was unceremoniously fired, twice, after repeated problems on the set.) Mrs. Van Halen had apparently kept her distance all these years and it was merely the chance meeting at the salon that brought the two back together.

In the "it's just too good to pass up" category, Monti Rock III, the outlandish one-hit-wonder entertainer from the '60s, is passing out fliers/ invitations to his annual 60th birthday party, to be held later this month. And if you can't think of a gift for the slightly off-kilter Vegas character -- Monti is known for his stylistically-challenged outfits as well as his "Pussy," the stuffed cat he is often carrying -- he has supplied some ideas. Monti is asking for everything from old jewelry to stamps, phone cards, used cars/trucks and -- just in case you got him a car last year, damn the luck -- this year he's also accepting first-class tickets to "Florida, New York or Europe." Phew!

Rock once again promises that his bash will be the "party of the century" and, also once again, he's looking for someone to play host.

Carole Montgomery was recently elected as a vice president of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) at her 8-year-old son's Spring Valley school. Seems like a natural step for a mom who has always been active in school duties, class trips and bake sales, but Montgomery counters her Mrs. Cleaver existence with a less cookie-cutter night job: She's the comedian at the "Crazy Girls" topless revue at the Riviera.

How does this play with her cronies on the PTA? "Some of the parents have been in to see the show," Montgomery says. "I can assure you that they think it's great. ... After all, this is Las Vegas. When it comes to being a mom by day I'm as normal as you can get." Well, as normal as anyone whose raunchy humor has led her to be categorized as the female Sam Kinison. Montgomery helps to pack in the crowds at "Crazy Girls" and plans on sticking around -- and being the best PTA VP possible.