Columnist Kate Maddox: ESPN shines at Garden party

Kate Maddox

Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2001 | 9 a.m.

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

Monday's ESPY Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena strived to be as Oscar-like as possible. For instance, bleachers were set up for fans to watch arriving celebs and sports stars. An announcer called out the names of said celebs and sports stars, and the funniest lines went to the host and not the presenters, who suffered from the worst writing of the night.

Sounds like Academy Award material to me.

Samuel L. Jackson, who got the most laughs in taped skits, hosted ESPN's ninth-annual ESPYs, which brought out such bold-facers as Tiger Woods, Pete Sampras with actress wife Bridgette Wilson-Sampras; Derek Jeter, Steven Segal, Farrah Fawcett, Kevin Sorbo, Sylvester Stallone, Martin Sheen, Lara Flynn Boyle, James Woods, Chris O'Donnell, Jackie Chan, Andy Garcia, Tara Reid, Carson Daly, Super Bowl MVP Ray Lewis, Olympic sprint champ Marion Jones , Lifetime Achievement Award winner Jack Nicklaus and countless others.

Whew.

Among the hot stars attending the awards was Don Cheadle, who was anxiously awaiting word on this morning's Oscar nominations. His turn as a DEA agent in "Traffic" earned him the best critical raves of his career. Cheadle returns to Las Vegas in about a month to bust his acting chops in "Ocean's 11." He'll play a munitions expert trying to pull off a casino heist with fellow "criminals" George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Ralph Fiennes.

Again, the cast and crew of the upcoming film "America's Sweethearts" are having such a blast while taking advantage of the Hyatt Regency at Lake Las Vegas that they've planned yet another private bash.

On Wednesday, keeping with the "Sweethearts" theme, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Douglas, John Cusack and Julia Roberts will be part of a special Valentine's Day dinner at one of the resort's restaurants. Cusack will only make it if he can tear himself away from the tables. Insiders at the hotel say the actor has spent each night gambling (often with Douglas) until the sun comes up.

Add Kevin Garnett to the list of celebrity clothing designers. On Wednesday night the Minnesota Timberwolves' star unveils his new line of menswear at a special invite-only party at the Harley-Davidson Cafe.

His entire team is expected to join him, as is Lewis. Dream, an up-and-coming pop group discovered by Puff Daddy, will provide the entertainment.

In the tradition of February sweeps, even such shows as "Inside Edition" have to pull out all the stops. This time around they've plucked a lucky showgirl from Las Vegas and turned her into a librarian for three days.

Janu Tornell, one of the dancers in the Tropicana's "Folies Bergere," traded lives with Seattle librarian Jennifer Lucas. I think Lucas, as a temporary Vegas showgirl, gets the sweeter end of the switcheroo deal. In true librarian mode, Lucas looked at her "Folies" costume and announced: "I can't believe that's what I have to wear. I think I'll throw up now." Cameras rolling?

Tornell, unaccustomed to life away from the stage, asked if the library came complete with a spotlight. "That would be nice," she mused.

Watch what happens when two worlds collide on "Inside Edition." The first of two parts (two parts?!) airs on KLAS Channel 8 at 7:30 p.m. today. The finale is Wednesday night, also at 7:30.