Columnist Kate Maddox: MGM MIRAGE unloads gallery

Kate Maddox

Friday, Jan. 18, 2002 | 4:33 a.m.

The gallery, which had been operated by the hotel, is now in the hands of PaperBall. PaperBall is a division of PaceWildenstein, the world-renowned mothership gallery of modern and contemporary art based in New York.

MGM MIRAGE and PaperBall agreed to the operating terms in December. The gallery and its retail division are overseen by Paperball, and the staff has been increased to 20 employees. Calls to MGM MIRAGE concerning the changes were referred to Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art Marketing Director Matthew Hileman.

On Friday "Alexander Calder: The Art of Invention," a show originally slated to open in October, premieres in the newly renovated gallery space. Calder will be the gallery's inaugural exhibit. It will stay for six months and close on July 24, Hileman said Friday afternoon.

Ticket prices for gallery admission remain the same, but PaperBall is offering a special membership deal: Just $45 buys art lovers admission for two throughout the year and 10 percent off merchandise at the gallery store.

Not satisfied with last year's live broadcast -- complete with semi-celebs, media humiliation (thank you very much) and one $100,000 hand of blackjack -- Howard Stern will return to the Hard Rock Hotel for at least three days in early February. And he's got some, ahem, interesting events planned.

Stern will oversee the "Who Wants to Marry a Porn Star?" nuptials between one lucky listener and one, well, porn star. Also in the works is the first-ever Miss Howard Stern Beauty Pageant. The five finalists, who must display "personality" and "a unique talent," according to the entry rules, will be flown to Vegas and put up at the Hard Rock.

The winner of the prestigious title -- and $10,000 -- will be announced on-air following the sure to be high-brow competition.

There's a serious documentary in the works focusing on Las Vegas homeless. Betsy Rathe and John Marino, two well-known docu directors out of New York, will be filming a "politically relevant, heartfelt" film, according to Rathe.

Rathe says Mayor Oscar Goodman, who was recently criticized for his sentiments about the homeless during his state of the city speech, will be edited into the documentary. "(Goodmanstaff members) will view the video on Tuesday ... and plan to be involved in the project."

Rathe and Marino plan to sell the final product for distribution when they feel the "truth of the (homeless) situation" has been fully exposed.

By the by, in addition to being a crusader for the homeless, filmmaker Rathe is also apparently the gal-pal of Jack Gordon. Gordon, as some may recall, is the ex-hubby of LaToya Jackson.

A quick where-are-they-now poke-around revealed that Gordon claims to be the new manager of Melinda, First Lady of Magic. Talk about six degrees of separation.

Straw hats and overalls off to Tom Buchanan. The 46-year-old "Survivor: Africa" contestant started off on Thursday with a friendly promo call to KMXB 94.1-FM morning jocks Mark & Mercedes, and ended up with an all-expenses paid weekend to Sin City.

Buchanan apparently expressed his desire to visit Las Vegas, but said he wasn't clear how he would pay for the trip. Faster than you can say "goat farmer," listeners were calling in donating everything from airline tickets, hotel rooms, free meals, a helicopter tour of the Strip -- Frank Scinta even called in with free tickets to his show at the Rio.

A grateful Buchanan is scheduled to arrive on Saturday to take advantage of that whole "Survivor" popularity puzzle and, of course, Vegas hospitality. No word on whether he'll be sporting the overalls.