Columnist Kate Maddox: Resilient Reynolds still rolling

Kate Maddox

Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2001 | 8:40 a.m.

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

Just two days after her doctors told her to take it easy, Debbie Reynolds was onstage in Las Vegas -- albeit in a motorized cart. Reynolds performed four nights last week at the Orleans from a mobile, well ... chair-thingy adorned with streamers and balloons.

Reynolds was suffering from a hairline fracture in her leg along with a broken ankle, but she was tough to keep down. In 52 years of showbiz, Reynolds claims she's only had to cancel one show.

It's that type of stamina that earned her Woman of the Year honors at the Nevada Ballet Theatre's Black and White Ball on Saturday night. Finishing her 7 p.m. show at the Orleans, Reynolds limo'd over to Caesars to greet her pals and supporters just after 9 p.m. (leaving the little moto-cart behind). Reynolds performed one song, as did her friend and party chairwoman Phyllis McGuire. Both tunes were parodies -- McGuire's to the tune of "My Way," with special "Debbie" lyrics penned by Paul Anka.

Reynolds was toasted by her daughter, author/actress Carrie Fisher, but son Todd Fisher was a no-show. Reynolds laughed off his absenteeism, saying that he was off "somewhere," and probably had a headache. (Actually, it was a migraine that apparently kept Todd stuck in Los Angeles.)

Elizabeth Taylor also didn't make the festivities, and if you watched her goof during the Golden Globes, I think it's safe to say she probably should've used the headache excuse, too.

Add Andy Garcia to the growing list of stars lined up for Steven Soderbergh's "Ocean's 11." Garcia will play a casino-owning "Donald Trump-like" rival of George Clooney's character, according to E! Online.

A fast friendship has formed between two publicly jilted actresses. Laura Dern (who was dumped by fiance Billy Bob Thornton when he married brother-lovin' Angelina Jolie) and Meg Ryan (who quit Dennis Quaid to hook up with Russell Crowe, only to be spurned by the Aussie actor months later) have recently been spotted going on pricey New York shopping sprees and dining out together in L.A. On Saturday the two blonde girlfriends went to the Floyd Mayweather Jr./Diego Corrales fight at the MGM Grand.

But the fight was less for female bonding and more for female study.

Ryan was reportedly doing research on a new role. She's slated to play Jackie Kallen, the doyenne of female boxing managers. Kallen was ringside on Saturday to oversee one of her charges, Jose Celaya, in an undercard bout.

Wayne Newton covered the D.C. inaugural scene this weekend, playing and performing at at least two of the eight formal balls. On Friday night, just after finishing up a "Larry King" guest appearance, Mr. Las Vegas went to the Black Tie and Boots soiree and partied with the 14,000 or so other revelers.

The only fallout from that affair were the fans who kept mistaking Newton's wife, Kathleen, for look-alike bombshell Bo Derek, a GOP supporter who spent time with the singer on the George W. Bush campaign trail.

On Saturday the Wayner performed at the opening ceremonies in a freezing downpour. That evening he hosted yet another ball, the final one attended by the president and the first lady, and was goaded into singing "Danke Schoen" before disappearing into the snowy Washington night and was back in time for his Monday night show at the Stardust.