Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2002 | 9:18 a.m.
Today's lesson, class, is in product placement.
The product will be Las Vegas.
Tuesday night, we joined Palms owner George Maloof and four of the seven cast members -- Steve, Frank, Arissa and Trishelle -- of MTV's "Real World Las Vegas" to watch the show's season premiere at the Palapa Lounge.
The show was taped at the hotel earlier this year.
Onscreen it is abundantly clear that the individuals who did not hook up (in the current vernacular) after the first week are likely to do so by season's end.
Before the second commercial break all seven were naked in a hot tub and Trishelle and Steve (maybe it was Frank -- they all look alike to me) ended up swapping spit on the dance floor and later on in bed.
The show was filled with inane dialogue from an extremely attractive cast.
But the real point of the show seems to be to attract a younger demographic to Las Vegas.
On that front, it will royally succeed. The nationally broadcast images of these gorgeous young people having oodles of alcohol-driven fun is sure to make Las Vegas a new spring-break destination, at the least.
And the Palms will be the first port of call. Hey, Maloof isn't rich by accident.
The series will be broadcast at the Palapa on Tuesdays, with some cast members likely to be in attendance.
Arissa told us she still lives in the Las Vegas area. Trishelle said she just moved to Los Angeles, but will be back to Las Vegas on a regular basis.
Pat Say-what?
Opening the big Gaming Show at Las Vegas Convention Center on Tuesday was Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and "Wheel of Fortune" host Pat Sajak with Vanna White.
At one point, someone called out to ask Sajak why the show doesn't have a more high-tech means of turning the puzzle's letters.
He glanced over at the voluptuous Vanna and cracked, "Why work with hardware when you have software like that?"
Mouths off
If you've been wondering why some typically mouthy local radio jocks have steered clear of the Opie & Anthony controversy, there's a reason.
"They passed out a gag-order memo," said a staffer at a popular morning show owned by Infinity Broadcasting -- the same media conglomerate that oversees the controversial radio team.
Then the employee showed us the memo. It includes a New York phone number and an e-mail address to share with listeners who want to talk about the outlaw duo.
Syndicated hosts Greg "Opie" Hughes and Anthony Cumia were kicked off the air after they broadcast a live play-by-play of a couple allegedly having sex inside St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.
He couldn't refuse
Moments after VegasBeat suggested you see Gianni Russo's show at The Venetian, Russo pulled the plug.
But it wasn't due to a lack of response to "The Godfather Wedding."
Russo was just signed to co-star in the big-screen version of the Laura Hillenbrand best seller "Seabiscuit." So he closed the show to prep for filming (i.e., learn his lines), which starts Oct. 14.
Tobey "Spider-Man" Maguire stars as a jockey in the $100 million Universal film. Russo told us he'll play Albert Giannini, one of the famous racehorse's financial backers.
In 1938 Seabiscuit was such a cultural icon that the horse garnered more newsprint than any other public figure.
Action City
Whoever told me I'd be bored in Vegas was nuts.
Beyond the hundreds of regularly scheduled events, there are several openings and special events happening at the exact same time tonight.
First, there's the "American Idol" concert taping at MGM Grand Garden Arena. There are also the openings of the musical "Fosse" at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts and the tribute show "Rock This Town" at Riviera's Le Bistro Theatre.
There's also the first Meatball Awards honoring lounge entertainers over at Greek Isles. And Debbie Reynolds is opening at The Orleans.
Plus, my favorite TV show -- "The West Wing" -- is on.
Tailor made
Since this column appeared a scant two weeks ago, the item that has generated the most response was a personal lament for a local Brooks Brothers.
Apparently, I was not alone in my feelings: Real men do shop.
A local alternative that was brought to my attention was Mort Wallin's men's store at Bally's. It has been there since 1973 and is now manned by the founder's son Brad Wallin.
It is on my "to go" list.
And thanks to the many, many other people who have called and e-mailed their (generally) kind and (often) encouraging words.
In response: Yes, I agree, I did "ace 'em" when I was on the radio the other morning, and a warm thanks to the nice woman who didn't leave her name but wanted to make sure I knew that KNUU 970-AM's (K-NEWS) Andy Vierra was the station's program director, not merely the newsman, as I described him.
And to the anonymous woman who shared her thoughts about Michael Jackson and pedophilia: No, I am not hypersensitive to criticism. I encourage it. From time to time, I deserve it. So call back sometime and we'll discuss.
As I said in the debut column, if VegasBeat is going to continue to succeed, it will be because of reader input.
Thanks, Robin
Whether you like this column or really like it (as if there are any other choices), you can indirectly thank Las Vegas resident Robin Leach.
The former "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" frontman and newest "Extra!" correspondent offered me a hearty welcome to town when I ran into him at one of the myriad events Bellagio held for its impressive Faberge exhibition.
Leach is indirectly responsible for my start in "personality news."
In 1990 when I was an award-winning (and ever so humble) cityside reporter at the New York Post, Leach hired the paper's Page Six gossip columnist, Richard Johnson, to help create and produce a syndicated television show, "Preview: Best of the New."
Ergo, the Post needed a new gossip columnist.
Editor Jerry Nachman (he now double-dips at the MSNBC cable network as editor-in-chief and talk show host) asked some of his team what to do. Pete Hamill, who had previously worked with my father at the Village Voice and was then writing a column at the Post, told Nachman that, "McDarrah knows a lot of people." Yes, celebrities such as Robin Leach, for example.
That, plus I knew how to use the computers over on the Features side of the room, sealed it.
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