Columnist Kate Maddox: Heavyweight celebs go Gardening

Kate Maddox

Friday, April 6, 2001 | 7:35 a.m.

Kate Maddox's column appears Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 259-2309 or kmaddox@lasvegassun.com.

On Thursday night extras filed into the MGM Grand Garden Arena and feigned excitement for the staged "Ocean's 11" heavyweight bout. Big bruiser Lennox Lewis tussled with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko -- an eleventh-hour fill-in for Mike Tyson.

Tyson was originally scheduled to fake-box with Lewis for the scene, but handlers from both camps, along with "Ocean's" producers, nixed the idea after reconsidering the boxers' somewhat testy relationship.

Siegfried & Roy were just two of the local celebrities making cameos in the phony fight scene. The illusionists will appear on camera entering the arena and taking seats right next to Julia Roberts and Andy Garcia, with whom they exchange polite ringside hellos. Wayne Newton will also be spotted in the crowd, along with Danny Gans.

Concerned casting directors lost a little sleep when they couldn't wrangle the 10,000 or so extras needed to make the fight look like the real deal, but that won't be a problem now. Thanks to some Hollywood magic, whatever filler needed in the audience participation department will come from the Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Prince Naseem Hamed bout scheduled for Saturday night. Camera operators will shoot that crowd and the editing room will take care of rest.

The Lennox-Klitschko scene is crucial to the "Ocean's 11" story. It's during the heavyweight fight that the thieving crew, led by George Clooney, attempts a Strip-wide casino heist.

Steve Martin hosts a private soiree tonight at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art. Martin's extensive and impressive personal collection goes on display Saturday. (I hear some of the mostly modern paintings are pretty risque -- nothing like the flowery Impressionist images of the Steve Wynn era.)

Martin is bringing some of his La-La-Land cronies along with him to celebrate. Shacking up in his Bellagio villa this week are Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Martin Short. Expect a few more celebs to liven up the red-carpet arrivals at tonight's party.

Those "Sopranos" Sunday night get-togethers at Olio! appear to be going smoothly. For this week's dinner, owner John Tunney managed to snag a cast member. Steve Schirripa, who plays Bobby Bacala on the HBO mob hit, is planning to attend and greet partygoers in between bites of a five-course Italian dinner. (You can eat, too. It's $100 for a reservation in the private screening room. "Soprano's" viewing is included.)

Locals know Schirripa from his day job as entertainment director for the Riviera. But America is getting to know him as Bobby, Uncle Junior's thankless bodyguard on "The Sopranos."

"The Rat Pack is Back" will have to make some room for a new afternoon show at the Sahara. "The Michael Holly Off-The-Wall Comedy Hour" will call the "Pack's" Congo Room home beginning April 17.

Holly's a juggler, see. He throws just about anything he can get his hands on, and walks a tightrope to boot. His new show will include these stunts, plus a little audience participation, plus a little improv comedy.

Wolfgang Puck's newest fine-dining establishment opened this week. Cili at Bali Hai Golf Course is the celeb chef's fifth Las Vegas venture. The menu is American and Asian, but the restaurant is straight out of the South Pacific -- island-y and paradise-y. A VIP grand opening party is scheduled for April 18; both Puck and Bali Hai honcho Billy Walters will be in attendance.