VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: For a rewarding trip, visit Orlando

Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2002 | 9:15 a.m.

Swiss. Gouda. Roquefort. Cheddar. Tony Orlando.

I once thought those were all types of cheeses. Seems I was mistaken about that last one. There's a lot more meat to Orlando that one might think.

Orlando, the immortal 1970s figure -- best known for his television variety series and musical collaboration with Dawn on such hits as "Candida," "Knock Three Times" and "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" -- opened a Christmas-themed show at The Orleans on Monday.

Being an occasionally mean-spirited, cynical, suspicious New Yorker who celebrated Hanukkah as a child, the thought of an upbeat musical stage show that centers on Santa Claus and a Nativity scene should have been anathema to me.

So you can imagine my surprise, then, when my eyes started to tear at the end.

From the kids in the audience coming down to sit on Santa's lap, to the way Orlando seamlessly works in an Elvis impersonator and also includes his two children in the performance (including the adorable Jenny Rose Orlando, 10, as an elf), the show works on virtually every level.

And yes, he does sing "Yellow Ribbon" in the show -- a hip-hop version.

"People want to hear it, but I can't keep doing it the same way as I have for all these years," Orlando told VegasBeat in the green room after the show.

"So I asked a friend of mine, Young MC (best known for the 1989 rap classic, "Bust a Move") if he'd consider doing a more up-to-date version."

Onstage, Orlando goes back and forth with a recording of the Young MC mix, while Dana and Jered Brandon -- dressed as elves -- do a little break dancing.

Plus, the show is peppered with sly Las Vegas references to keep the adult members of the audience on their toes. It continues through Sunday.

Pink panther

Rita Rudner has thrown down the gauntlet.

The Las Vegas comic showed up Tuesday in a pink hard hat and pink tool belt at a Habitat for Humanity homesite in Henderson. She also brought a check for $5,000.

It was part of a fund-raising effort; she made the appearance as a representative of the MGM MIRAGE employee-funded Voice Foundation to help build a new home for a single mother (to be selected) and her children.

The Voice Foundation kicked in another $20,000 and issued a challenge to area business and residents to match the total.

She's crafty

Writing for such papers as the Los Angeles Times apparently doesn't keep Las Vegas writer Bobbie Katz busy enough.

She is also a talented jewelry designer.

If you are looking for an affordable and unique holiday gift, check out her healing flower necklaces -- made with one-of-a-kind crystals and stones.

Katz says each stone has specific healing properties and powers and have been used since time immortal to promote physical and mental well-being.

She also has a line of Angel Wish Boxes. "They are decorated with the stones that communicate with the angel who watches over those born in a particular month," Katz said.

Both items are available at a few spots around town.

Photos finished

Wondering why there were no pictures in any Las Vegas publications of the Prince concerts this week?

The Artist Only Occasionally Photographed is somewhat controlling when it comes to his own image.

Before he allows photographers into a concert venue to shoot his performances, he insists they sign a multipage, single-spaced contract granting the Artist all rights to his image, in this galaxy and others beyond, in this dimension and all parallel dimensions, in any known or unknown universes.

Not literally, perhaps, but pretty darn close.

"Performers are known for their weird demands, like insisting on a particular type of background music in their dressing room, or a special type of bottled water or color of M&M's on the buffet table," Bill Bastone, who runs thesmokinggun.com website, told VegasBeat.

Bastone's site has hundreds of pages of bizarre contract rider demands from entertainers.

"But Prince and his photo quirks are now almost legendary," Bastone said.

Movin' up

Former Beach Boys keyboard player and occasional Las Vegas band leader Billy Hinsche just sold his Los Angeles digs and is house shopping in the Las Vegas Valley.

He's making the move partly on the recent advice of the best man at his wedding -- David Letterman's band leader, Paul Shaffer.

"Billy and I go back to Live Aid," Shaffer told VegasBeat via e-mail this week. "I pump him now for all my Left Coast information because he has seen it all. He and Las Vegas will be perfect for each other."

Alive still

The Ted Binion case just won't go away.

This week Court TV is running highlights of the famous Las Vegas murder case, which it broadcast live from a Las Vegas court as it unfolded two years ago.

Among the highlights today are a fresh interview with Sun columnist Jeff German, who reported extensively on the murder for the paper and wrote the book "Murder in Sin City" about the case.

And, yes, that was District Judge Joseph Bonaventure -- who presided over the Binion trial -- holding court in a private skybox at the opening of the topless club Sapphire on Friday night.

VegasBits

The talk of the "X" holiday party in a private room at Simon Kitchen and Bar on Monday night was how a weekend patron at the Aladdin revue had to be removed -- and his seat reupholstered -- after he was caught gratifying himself during a performance ...

KSTJ 102.7-FM morning man Mike O'Brian is now wearing another hat. At the station's Christmas bash, station General Manager Harry Williams announced that O'Brian would also be assuming program director duties ...

Comic Ray Romano ("Everybody Loves Raymond") will be performing at the Danny Gans Theatre at The Mirage Jan. 17 to 19 and on March 14 and 15. Tickets went on sale Tuesday ...

CART racer Paul Tracy celebrated his 34th birthday Tuesday at rumjungle in Mandalay Bay with baseball players Jason and Jeremy Giambi and Jermaine Dye ...

The Hard Rock Hotel will host stars from the HBO hits "The Sopranos" and "Oz" for book signings on Thursday. Steve Schirripa (Bobby "Bacala" Baccilieri on "The Sopranos") and Chuck Zito (Chucky Pancamo on "Oz") will be in the Las Vegas Lounge to respectively sign copies of "The Goomba's Guide to Life" and "Street Justice." The tough guys will be there starting at 7 p.m.

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