Columnist Kate Maddox: Yet another ‘Storm’ warning

Kate Maddox

Tuesday, April 10, 2001 | 8:24 a.m.

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

You can let out that gigantic sigh of relief. "Storm" is set to reopen. On April 18 the delayed premiere of the Latin-inspired celebration of all things weather will finally take place at Mandalay Bay's Storm Theatre. (The Mandalay Bay Theatre has been renamed for the show.)

And once again the opening date was set around the availability of Ricky Martin. Martin is slated to be at the official premiere -- Part II. Gloria Estefan is also scheduled to attend.

Gordon Absher, director of public relations for the hotel, said that "everyone from the director to the producer to the cast and crew are all glad they had the extra weeks. Everyone feels ('Storm') has really come together."

"Ocean's 11" will shut down the Crazy Horse Too this week, and the producers paid a hefty price for the opportunity. The contract to have the strip club closed to the public reportedly cost the movie company around $100,000 -- about one day's worth of revenue for the business. But the trade-off is limitless in the exposure department. What I mean is, "Ocean's 11" will no doubt be a box-office heavy when it's finally released.

The scene centers on Brad Pitt, whose character has been given a club VIP card.

Alexis Bodkin is back in the news. It was her face and bikini'd body that was the focus of attention in a story about swimming-pool maintenance in the morning paper on Monday. But it wasn't the first time Bodkin had made the papers -- a year ago she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit reckless driving and conspiring to leave the scene of an accident following a deadly crash on Interstate 15 in 1999.

Bodkin is currently serving three years' probation for the "road rage" incident and also must complete 800 hours of community service. She was accused of slamming on her brakes in front of two slow-moving tractor-trailers on a stretch of I-15 north of Jean. A motorcyclist traveling behind the rigs was killed as a result of the action.

Bodkin was retained as a model for Monday's story. As it turns out both daily papers were working on pool stories at the same time, and for the Sun's take (without the use of controversial models) see below.

One of the local journalists who applied for the recently filled position of media liaison for the Clark County court system was pretty steamed the job went to an outsider.

"I thought I was a shoo-in," said this respected newsman. "I really think it's an unfortunate thing to bring in someone who isn't from the area. It's just making more work for (the county)."

The anonymous source isn't the only one upset with the county's choice of Michael Sommermeyer -- a former PR man from Texas. In fact, most of the potential candidates learned Sommermeyer got the job (and that they didn't) when they read about it in this column on Sunday. The phone has been ringing and these people aren't happy.

A frenetic-looking Oliver Stone had a late dinner at Wolfgang Puck's Trattoria del Lupo on Friday night. Arriving at around 11 p.m. with a woman and a young girl, the famous director first sat at one table, summoned the chef, ordered a drink, sent back the drink, paced the bar, sat down again, switched tables, re-summoned the chef, went over precisely what he wanted to eat, sent the chef to the kitchen and switched tables again. Whew.

A kindler, gentler Stone was spotted the next night, relaxed and chilling in the Studio 54 VIP area.