Columnist Kate Maddox: Vegas ready for Jovial show

Kate Maddox

Friday, Feb. 23, 2001 | 9:44 a.m.

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

To clear up any confusion, Bon Jovi will indeed be in Las Vegas for an April 21 concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The '80s hair band isn't concerned that dry desert air will damage the voice of lead singer Jon Bon Jovi, which is the reason U2 begged off a Vegas appearance on its latest tour.

In fact, Bon Jovi will perform double duty while in town. On the date of the concert the band is reportedly planning on serenading 60 couples tying the knot at a local wedding chapel.

The lucky lovebirds will have the chance to hear the boys from Bon Jovi perform such romantic hits as "You Give Love a Bad Name," "Dead or Alive," "Living in Sin" and "(Your Love is Like) Bad Medicine." Hmmm, which one to use for the first dance, hon?

The 180 radio contest winners from New York will flock to Graceland Wedding Chapel for the big event.

Graceland was where Bon Jovi tied the knot with high school sweetheart Dorothea Hurley back in 1989. Kathy Carlson, manager of Graceland Chapel, was tight-lipped about the publicity stunt.

"I don't really know what (the band's) plan is here," Carlson said. "It was organized by the fan club and the radio station." She didn't want to comment further.

Tickets for Bon Jovi's concert date go on sale Saturday.

Not only will Hugh Hefner be in town on March 1 to celebrate the Rock 'n' Roll April issue of Playboy magazine at the Hard Rock hotel, he'll stick around for a pre-birthday celebration at Studio 54 the following night.

Hef, with his seven girlfriends in tow (one recently left the herd but was quickly replaced), is scheduled to host the festivities at the Joint. Hard Rock honcho Peter Morton, Oscar Goodman and the magazine's Girls of the Hard Rock will be on hand.

On March 2 the Viagra-infused Playboy visionary will par-tay with celebs, including April covergirl Kylie Bax, at a VIP-only bash on the upper level of Studio 54. (The lower level of the club will open to the public during Playboy party hours, so come by for good gawking.)

Planners have amassed hundreds of balloons bearing Hef's profile, as well as a gigantic, bunny-shaped ice sculpture, so decor is strictly Playmate.

The birthday party starts at 10 p.m. Hefner turns 75 on April 9.

Carl Reiner has replaced Alan Arkin in "Ocean's 11." Arkin backed out due to "personal reasons." The Steven Soderbergh-directed casino-heist flick has already begun shooting on location in Chicago, Florida and Atlantic City. Look for the cast to hit the Strip in the next two weeks.

John Tunney got lucky when he opened Olio!, the first truly "hip" eatery in the MGM Grand. Now stars frequenting the property have someplace worthy of hangout status.

Take Tom Jones, for example. Jones made Olio! his post-show clubhouse three nights this week. He and Tunney kept the place open until the early-morning hours, smoking cigars and drinking Dom Perignon.

On Monday Jones chatted with Tunney about his love of American rebel Jerry Lee Lewis. On Tuesday Tunney popped "Great Balls of Fire" into Olio!'s private screening room DVD player and, joined by the Righteous Brothers, the partying posse watched the flick and spent the rest of the evening belting out Lewis' hits.