Columnist Kate Maddox: Taping of Leno doesn’t stick

Kate Maddox

Friday, Dec. 7, 2001 | 9:20 a.m.

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

Comedians, especially those who earn six figures per gig, are notoriously protective of their material. Most, such as "The Tonight Show's" Jay Leno, don't allow their performances to be filmed, recorded or photographed.

Unfortunately last weekend one oblivious conventioneer took it upon himself to test Leno's limits -- and the posted rules -- and videotape the comedian's private show. (Leno, similar to a number of big-name stars, often supplements his salary by picking up lucrative gigs in Las Vegas.) And the audience member wasn't exactly subtle about the filming, either. Johnny Convention actually stood up, video camera in hand, and began taping Leno's act from one of the front rows.

But Leno's a pro, right? Not the type to storm offstage and refuse to return until the camera-bearing scoundrel is removed from the premises. (No, no. Let's save those scenes for Babs, Britney, J. Lo and the like.) Instead Leno simply walked from the stage, through the crowd and right up to the amateur cameraman who, apparently still completely clueless, continued to film. Leno calmly took the camera, ejected the tape, handed the guy $20 and said, "We'll call it even."

The Las Vegas Art Museum has been playing a lively game of executive shuffleboard ever since it was announced in late September that popular Curator James Mann had been let go. Mann, who was instrumental in opening the LVAM, was scheduled to finish the year and leave officially on Jan. 1. However, rumors are circulating that he was unceremoniously escorted from museum property last week.

One insider says Mann's pending departure was causing a rift in the organization, with LVAM docents and board members on one side, and Executive Director Marianne Lorenz and museum President David Carver on the other. Carver and Lorenz reportedly took care of the problem by removing Mann a month ahead of schedule.

Britney Spears can't catch a break in Vegas. Her customized concert costumes get stolen from MGM Grand's backstage area before her HBO debut. Her party style gets cramped when she tries to get into 21-and-over clubs. (One local nightspot still rues the day it allowed Spears to enter for the $10,000 fine that followed.) Her poor tipping habits and burly bodyguards make her celebrity non grata in restaurants.

And now her limo gets towed by Metro during a video shoot. In an awesome demonstration of ignoring the law, Spears apparently insisted her personal limosine (stretch, natch) wait in a no-parking zone at Bellagio. Spears was at the hotel filming her Billboard Awards performance on the dancing fountains.

But, oops, even Metro couldn't overlook the violation and it promptly towed Spears' wheels.

Tyra Banks was reportedly thrilled that her new beau set up a birthday-getaway trip to the Palms. The Victoria's Secret model, who turned 28 on Tuesday, is said to be dating Chris Webber of the Sacramento Kings, so all Webber had to do was talk to his bosses. The Kings are owned by the Maloof family, which also owns the Palms. Nice to know that the injured Webber is enjoying his time off.

Screenings of "Ocean's Eleven" began at 12:01 this morning at Brenden Theatres. The film will then be shown every half-hour starting today at 9:30 a.m. and continue through 2:30 a.m. This schedule repeats on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.