Columnist Kate Maddox: Woods caught in date jam

Kate Maddox

Friday, April 27, 2001 | 8:56 a.m.

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

Since Miss Universe is unavailable, Tiger Woods is stuck looking for a last-minute escort to take to Saturday night's "Tiger Jam IV" at Mandalay Bay Events Center. (Hmm, a date with a multi-multimillionaire golf wunderkind to a celebrity concert event ... any takers?)

Woods had personally telephoned Lara Dutta, the brunette beauty queen who has been fancied by many a sports star -- including Derek Jeter -- but Dutta turned him down. The New York Daily News on Thursday made it appear that Jeter might have a problem with Woods moving in on his turf, but Dutta's press agent says that just isn't so.

"Lara's a good, good friend of Derek's," her New York mouthpiece, Matthew Rich, said. "And she also knows Tiger, but the Daily News blew it out of proportion. She honestly has to work this weekend." Dutta, who attended last year's Vegas "Tiger Jam" as a guest of Woods, is in Puerto Rico taping promos for the May 11 Miss Universe pageant.

Oh well. Bummer for Woods, who reportedly broke up with his longtime steady in January.

But if Tiger does get bored at "Tiger Jam IV," which I sincerely doubt, he can always focus on the hijinks of another celebrity couple who have just signed on to attend.

"VIP" vixen Pamela Anderson and greasy screecher Kid Rock have RSVP'd to the event, together. Anderson and Rock hooked up a couple of weeks ago at VH1's tribute to Aretha Franklin in New York. The duo made gossip tongues wag when they smooched at the post-party, excused themselves for a bit, and then returned to the bash, mussed and smeared, she in a different outfit.

Once you meet Mama Scinta, you really can't say a bad word about her children.

She's sweet, she's tiny, she's a sparkplug. I wanted her to adopt me.

The family matriarch was among those celebrating "The Scintas" at Tuesday night's grand opening and she couldn't be more proud of her brood. "I really can't explain where they get (their talent). They learned everything by ear," said Mama.

Also in attendance at the Rio party was brother Tony Scinta, who years ago nixed the showbiz route to become a homicide detective in the family's hometown of Buffalo, N.Y.

"The Scintas," Joe, Chrissi and Frank, plus drummer Peter O'Donnell, got a standing ovation from the invite-only crowd, which included Tony Curtis, his wife Jill, Penn Jillette, comedian Carol Siskind, Earl Turner and Robin Leach.

If you're still looking for something to do tonight, head over to Club Utopia. A handful of New York's nightlife glitterati will turn it up to celebrate the birthday of Vegas social butterfly Michael Shulman.

In attendance will be transsexual phenomenon Amanda Lepore (he/she with brand new double-D breast implants and enough collagen to keep the Titanic afloat) and Sophia Lamar (ditto Lepore, but with a smaller bosom). Lapore and Lamar (who together are enough to induce a spit-take, trust me) will perform their famous magic/balloon act. Downtown diva Jimmy James, aka the "Danny Gans of Drag," is also on the bill, as is singer Sasha Lazard.

Look fierce, pay your $20 cover charge and dance the night away at what will certainly be one of the best (and bizarre) club extravaganzas Vegas has seen in quite some time.