Friday, Dec. 27, 2002 | 9:20 a.m.
Choosing the top 10 entertainment stories that took place in the Entertainment Capital of the World during the past 12 months was a challenge.
Journalists may agree on what stories are newsworthy, but not necessarily which story is more significant in relation to another story.
Which was more important, three Paul McCartney concerts at MGM Grand Garden Arena or the multimillion-dollar deal signed by Celine Dion? The construction of the state-of-the-art Henderson Pavilion at Liberty Pointe or the revival of an old warhorse, the Huntridge Theatre?
The Las Vegas Sun's Accent staff submitted individual recommendations of top 10 stories, and from there a final list of 10 was compiled.
One event that is not included on the list is the passing of Joe Delaney, entertainment columnist at the Sun for 35 years. His sudden death could have been at the top, or at least near the top, of the entertainment stories of 2002. But the 80-year-old legend was not a publicity seeker.
Delaney would not have considered his own death newsworthy he preferred to write about the news, not be part of it. In deference to his desire to shun the limelight, we did not include him on our list of the top 10 Las Vegas entertainment stories of the year.
The following is the Sun's list of top 10 stories of 2002:
No. 1: The death of Who guitarist John Entwistle
Considered by many to be one of the top rock bassists ever, Entwistle died at age 57 of a heart attack (cocaine was also found in his system) in his hotel room at the Hard Rock Hotel on June 26. Entwistle was to have performed with The Who two days later at The Joint to kick off the band's U.S. tour.
The news stunned rock 'n' roll musicians and fans around the world.
"He just was the most humble rock star I have ever met, besides having the best hands of any bass player in the history of rock and roll," rocker Sammy Hagar said.
The Who was founded in London in the early 1960s, was part of the British rock invasion that included The Beatles, Rolling Stones and others. The band retired in 1982 but reunited and toured frequently, and quickly resumed a successful U.S. tour -- including a stop in Las Vegas -- following the death of Entwistle.
No. 2: Celine Dion announces new show.
Will one of the world's most popular vocalists be able to fill 4,000 seats nightly at a $95-million showroom being built especially for her at Caesars Palace?
The show won't debut until March, but tickets went on sale in May.
At a press conference, Dion and the show's director Franco Dragone (a veteran of Cirque du Soleil productions) were vague about specifics of what can be expected. The diva said: "I really think we will make people cry and laugh." The director said: "And, of course, we will make a party."
No. 3: Classic rockers rock Vegas.
Making stops in Las Vegas (all in a period of five months) were five legendary acts in the annals of rock 'n' roll -- Bruce Springsteen, The Who, Bob Dylan, former Beatle Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones.
Leading the parade of performers was Springsteen, who appeared at the Thomas & Mack Center in August. It was the second visit in two years for the rocker, who avoided Vegas like the plague in his earlier days.
Close on the heels of Springsteen were The Who, who performed in September at The Joint three months after the untimely death of their bassist John Entwistle. Replacing Entwistle was session player Pino Palladino.
McCartney didn't appear once but three times at MGM Grand Garden Arena during 2002, first for two shows in in April then another in October. Dylan performed at The Joint and the Stones also performed at the intimate venue (with less-than-ideal results) before performing at MGM Grand.
No. 4: "Real World" invades Las Vegas.
More free national publicity for Las Vegas came with the taping of MTV's popular reality series, "The Real World" at the Palms.
The series, which airs at 10 p.m. Tuesdays on Cox cable channel 19, debuted in 1992 and has been a pop-culture favorite for young adults ever since.
The premise is always the same: Take several young adults from different races, places, and social and economic backgrounds, and stick them in a house (or a reasonable facsimile) together for a few months.
The group from Las Vegas spent their time in a suite at the Palms. Not a bad gig -- and a great weekly advertisement for the Vegas nightlife.
No. 5: Cirque du Soleil expands.
MGM MIRAGE Chairman J. Terry Lanni and Cirque du Soleil founder and President Guy Laliberte announced the organizations have entered apartnership.
That partnership will result in two new shows on the Strip, one at New York-New York beginning in 2003 and another at MGM Grand in 2004.
Cirque du Soleil created two of the most successful production shows in Las Vegas, "O" at Bellagio, and "Mystere" at Treasure Island.
No. 6: CMA show moving to Vegas.
And yet another publicity shot in the arm is given to Las Vegas, this one by The Academy of Country Music Awards, which will televise its 38th annual awards show May 21 on CBS from the 12,000-seat Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Bob Romeo, chairman of the ACMA board, thinks the move will "enhance the flavor of the show for this year and in future years." And Las Vegas will be the focal point for millions of country music fans across the country.
No. 7: Venetian turmoil.
The Showroom at the Venetian continued to experience difficulties in 2002.
The venue has been playing a game of musical chairs since it opened in 1999, with production after production being left standing in the cold after deals fell through with the Showroom management.
"Beats of Passion" opened on July 29 and closed Sept. 10, taking the cast by surprise.
"Sourire" likewise opened and closed in the blink of an eye.
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered" had hopes of a long engagement, but folded quickly.
"Melinda, First Lady of Magic" called it quits after two years.
But there may be hope at The Venetian. David Saxe's "V" appears to have found its niche at the Showroom, and the popular "Lord of the Dance" debuted in November.
No. 8: Huntridge Theatre resurrected.
Las Vegas gets a bad rap for lacking a sense of history.
Maybe the remodeling and reopening of the 58-year-old Huntridge Theatre will staunch that nefarious rumor.
The venue was opened as a movie theater in 1944 by actresses Loretta Young and Irene Dunn. In 1992 became a concert hall operated by the nonprofit organization, Friends of the Huntridge Theatre Inc.
Eli Mizrachi's family purchased the 58-year-old Las Vegas landmark in January. Under his supervision, the Huntridge is once more up and running for live shows.
No. 9: the opening of the Henderson Pavilion at Liberty Pointe.
Who says we live in a cultural desert?
The $12-million Henderson Pavilion, which opened in September, will be a venue for a rich diversity of entertainment, including everything from Shakespearean productions to music festivals.
With 2,492 fixed seats, and space for an additional 5,000 people on the lawn, the Pavilion will accommodate almost any size event.
Performing at the Sept. 27 opening were the Nevada Ballet Theatre, Las Vegas Philharmonic and Opera Las Vegas.
No. 10: "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."
This Las Vegas-based CBS television series (seen locally Thursdays at 9 p.m. on KLAS Channel 8) began the year by being nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Series (it lost to HBO's "Six Feet Under").
The gritty drama ended the year by being ranked No. 1 by Nielsen Media Research, beating out "ER" and "Friends," both on NBC.
Similar to the '70s action series, "Vega$," "CSI" keeps the city relevant on network prime-time television. Every week 17.2 million homes tune in to watch a story that takes place in Las Vegas. Even if some of the facts are off-target (Las Vegas County?), the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority couldn't afford to buy that kind of publicity.
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