Columnist Kate Maddox: ‘Rush Hour II’ up for Oscar

Kate Maddox

Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2001 | 8:44 a.m.

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

Mayor Oscar Goodman is the latest local personality to get in front of the "Rush Hour II" cameras.

Goodman, along with right-hand man William Cassidy, was originally slated to be an extra. But after meeting with the movie's director, Brett Ratner, he and Cassidy nailed speaking parts.

Cassidy said the decision was all about the duds.

"(Ratner) said he liked our suits and that was it," Cassidy said. "They wrote us in."

Goodman and Cassidy played themselves in scenes shot Monday at the Desert Inn.

In a shocker of an announcement on Monday, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman announced they are separating after more than 10 years of marriage. Citing the demands of high-profile movie careers and too much time spent apart, a spokeswoman for the pair said the split was amicable.

The "amicable" claim makes sense, especially to those who saw the cozy couple during a three-day stay in Vegas over the New Year's holiday. Cruise and Kidman reportedly checked into a luxury villa at the Bellagio and were spotted eating at some of the hotel's fine-dining establishments. They even saw a couple of shows.

But perhaps the best sighting of the lovebirds was at the Stratosphere, where they screamed while riding the Big Shot at least three times.

That the duo can't find time to spend together might be what sets off the tabs and gossips. See, this was one of those Hollywood pairs who made it known that family came first. When filming Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut," the couple took their two kids and moved to London. When Cruise shot "Mission: Impossible 2," he did so in Australia, again, with brood in tow.

Following that, Cruise took some time out so that he could be with Kidman while she filmed "Moulin Rouge."

Look for those tongues to start wagging all over Hollywood as stars and star-watchers try to find the "real" reason behind the Cruise/Kidman split.

Despite all the buzz that Rita Rudner would return to the MGM Grand when she gets back to the Vegas stage in March, now I hear she's about to sign with the Las Vegas Hilton.

Rudner has apparently given up on the idea of sharing space with the incoming Crazy Horse revue and is paying attention to the Hilton's offer of the 320-seat NightClub currently occupied by the Scintas.

The Scintas are reportedly headed for the Rio.

You know those people over at Fox: If it ain't broke ... add Part Two! Apparently "Surprise Wedding" did so well back in October that there's gonna be a sequel, reportedly once again at the Aladdin.

"Surprise Wedding II" is slated for an April taping. So if you've got a guy, have been nagging him to get married and he won't budge (and you happen to be a fan of the crueler side of the practical joke), call (800) 574-7634 and be prepared to get married or get dumped on national television.

And those people who brought us "Who Wants to Marry a Multimillionaire?" are also at it again, on Fox, natch. This time they've taken it down a notch and it's just, "Who Wants to Date a Prince?"

Won't work, you say? Well, look at how far Darva Conger went, after all. (If you asked yourself "Who?" then take a look at darvashouse.com for a refresher.)