Columnist Kate Maddox: Rat Pack makes Bon Jovi late

Kate Maddox

Tuesday, April 24, 2001 | 8:26 a.m.

Aspecial love of the Rat Pack might have been why Jon Bon Jovi didn't get to the church on time.

The 75 couples who waited anxiously for Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora to show at the Graceland Wedding Chapel on Saturday night had to hang on until almost one o'clock in the morning before tying the knot, so the singer could get a Rat Pack fix.

Immediately following the Bon Jovi concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the band, along with an intimate group of VIPs, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Shriver and Heather Locklear, were greeted by Las Vegas' current version of Frank Sinatra and Co., the cast of "The Rat Pack Is Back."

As Bon Jovi pumped his fists in the air and jumped excitedly around the room, Rick Michel, Steve Lippia and Doug Starks performed four songs for the group in a private MGM Grand hospitality suite. Bon Jovi is such a fan of the Rat Pack that he reportedly bought the rights to the famous photo of the gang posing in front of the old Sands hotel, which is why a version of the pic was featured on Bon Jovi t-shirts and VIP passes.

After the mini "Rat Pack Is Back" concert, it was time for Bon Jovi and Sambora to head over to the chapel and serenade the couples/contest winners, who were originally scheduled to get hitched at an 11:30 p.m. ceremony in the tented parking lot. The duo made up for being tardy by performing acoustic versions of "Thank You for Loving Me" and "Can't Help Falling in Love."

And speaking of "The Rat Pack Is Back," the show is currently performing under a verbal contract extension with the Sahara.

The David Cassidy/Don Reo-produced tribute show was supposed to re-up for another year at the beginning of April, but as of now, everyone is still waiting for signatures. Sources at the hotel insist Cassidy will commit to the extension in writing any day now.

Danny Gans will perform a special show Saturday night to help raise money for the Lili Claire-UNLV Life Skills Center. Gans and oodles of celebrity pals will mingle at the Mirage for the charity event, which includes an auction hosted by "Survivor" star Jeff Probst, as well as a post-show party emceed by Kathy Griffin with performances by Coolio, the Young Dubliners and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. In addition, Gans' show will feature cameos by some of the stars in attendance. Matt LeBlanc, Kathy Najimy, Portia de Rossi, Angie Dickinson, Jane Kaczmarek, Kevin Sorbo, Alan Thicke and Holly Robinson Peete have all RSVP'd, and the list is growing.

For more information about the Lili Claire Foundation or to purchase tickets for the benefit show and VIP parties, call (800) 300-8410.

The season finale of HBO's next big original series was filmed last week at Paris Las Vegas. The hotel served as a backdrop for "Six Feet Under," a dark comedy about a fictional family of highly dysfunctional morticians.

The series is written, directed and exec-produced by Alan Ball, who won an Oscar for penning the screenplay for "American Beauty."

The finale episode, which opens with a gory death scene, features the screwball clan on a Las Vegas vacation to -- you guessed it -- an undertaker's convention.

What? It could happen.

"Six Feet Under," with the Paris Las Vegas cameo, is scheduled to air in June, following new episodes of HBO's "Sex and the City."