Columnist Kate Maddox: Spears has the need for Speed

Kate Maddox

Friday, Sept. 7, 2001 | 9:04 a.m.

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

I mean, she's skinny, but she's not invisible. So just how did little miss Britney Spears sneak onto Speed, the super-cruising roller coaster at Sahara, and go unnoticed?

Employees of the hotel, coaster monitors, even NASCAR Cafe owner Mark Dyer were shocked to see a lengthy commercial for the ride, featuring a screaming Spears, on MTV starting last weekend. Last month the clothing-challenged teen singer hopped aboard Speed while on a weekend trip to Vegas and rode it at least three times, according to one source. A camera crew accompanied her for a segment on the MTV series "Diary." (That annoying insiders docu-whinery where stars mope about the strain of being multimillionaire icons before reaching age 25.)

Turns out Spears was originally scheduled to ride the Stratosphere's Big Shot that day, as part of her "unscripted" jaunt through Vegas, but high winds forced the group to abandon Shot and high-tail it to Speed. Once there, the staff didn't think twice about a girl and a crew -- didn't even ask what the cameras were for, in fact. Suffice to say Dyer and company were thrilled with the plug, even more so when Spears added it was the "best roller coaster ride" she'd ever had.

One roller coaster Spears won't be riding, however, is the star-packed, mayhem-inducing Michael Jackson tribute concert tonight at Madison Square Garden. The event, which honors Wacko Jacko's musical career, will feature such varied performers as Whitney Houston, 'N Sync, Dionne Warwick, Liza Minnelli, Usher, Luther Vandross, Shaggy and Destiny's Child.

But Spears, who was slated to sing Jackson's 1987 hit "The Way You Make Me Feel," is being forced to forsake Manhattan for Las Vegas. In the deal she signed with HBO, Spears is not allowed to appear on any other musical broadcast within 30 days of her own Nov. 18 special to be taped live at MGM Grand. Jackson's tribute concert is scheduled to air in late October on CBS. Oops, Spears forgot to read the small print, again.

Let's not mourn the temporary closing of Spago. Let's just think of it as an opportunity to see-and-be-seen at another of Wolfgang Puck's eateries: Chinois. That's where Spago will be for the next few weeks while the old space gets a much-needed facelift. Spago's full menu is available, for those die-hards who can't live without a salmon/caviar pizza, on the second floor of Chinois.

And who else but Siegfried & Roy would be worthy enough to be the old Spago's last customers? The duo dined out over the weekend, kept the kitchen open late and promised to return as the first customers when the remodel is complete.

I hear that more than 11,000 locals have entered to win the opportunity to purchase discounted tickets to Danny Gans' locals' appreciation night. The impressionist will cater to, um, us during the Sept. 30 show, but what's he going to do with the thousands of locals who don't make the cut? Another show, perhaps ...

Some might think it would be career suicide for an overweight comic, whose last CD was titled "Show Me the Buffet," to lose 187 pounds, but familiar Vegas player John Pinette took that chance and has ditched the "fat guy" material.

Pinette was featured on "Extra!" this week for his remarkable weight loss. And many kudos for the slimming. On the downside, Pinette is one of those traveling comics whose name might not be familiar, but whose gargantuan physique was definitely a heck of a calling card.

See the new-and-improved Pinette tonight and Saturday at Monte Carlo, where he's performing with Dom Irrera in the Lance Burton Theatre.