VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Celebrity sons share pack mentality

Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2002 | 9:20 a.m.

We'll take "Offspring of Legendary Rat Packers" for $1,000, Alex.

Dean's son Ricci Martin might do a gig with Frank Sinatra Jr. in Las Vegas next week. Martin is now doing a moving tribute show to his father at Le Bistro Theatre at the Riviera.

To the tight accompaniment of a world-class band led by musical director Billy Hinsche, Martin croons some of Dad's favorites.

Then, as Martin family photos flash on a big screen, he tells some surprisingly intimate and fabulously engrossing family stories about life in the Martin household, including how his father and longtime partner Jerry Lewis reunited after years of acrimony.

The limited engagement is slated to end Oct. 4 -- the same day that the Junior Chairman of the Board comes to town for a weeklong engagement at MGM Grand's Hollywood Theatre.

He, too, does a tribute to his father, called "Sinatra Sings Sinatra."

Junior first did the show in Las Vegas in May; it features the songs that Frank Sinatra sang in more than 40 years of regular performances on the Strip.

"We're talking about doing something together," Martin told VegasBeat after his show the other night.

"I think it is something that a lot of fans would like to see. I hope we can get it together."

Messages left for Sinatra Jr. were not immediately returned.

Meanwhile, tentative plans for Lewis to see his late best friend's son onstage had to be scuttled because of his failing health. Lewis, 76, is suffering from pulmonary fibrosis and diabetes and collapsed in London two weeks ago while backstage at a charity event.

However, friends of Lewis told VegasBeat that if Sinatra and Martin decide to get together, Lewis hopes to be strong enough to make a clandestine appearance -- although his celebrity makes him hard to miss.

A possible venue and other logistics are still being discussed.

Heart of darkness

The lights emanating from Luxor -- including the beam at the tip of the pyramid, which supposedly is visible from the moon -- haven't been shining throughout the night lately.

Multiple eyes report that in the darkened early morning hours, the blazing skyward beam has not been on.

Are they battling Nevada Power over an extreme electric bill? Did someone pull a plug by mistake? Did the same troll who turned out the lights at Sam Boyd Stadium near the end of the UNLV-Wisconsin game make it to Luxor?

VegasBeat made repeated calls to the hotel to inquire, but no one has been able to offer a straight answer, and its marketing department did not return several phone messages.

Drink up?

Local club king Michael Morton, who operates the Palms' ghostbar and Rain nightclubs, among other venues, is not looking to reopen a party space on Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane, where his former club Drink and Eat Too was located.

Rumors have been flying that the club, which was closed in May 2000, was slated to reopen.

At one point, neighbors had issues with the noise and traffic the club generated, but Morton addressed them by covering the open-air courtyard.

Now, reports are circulating that Morton has submitted an application to Clark County officials to reopen.

Morton, however, told VegasBeat that simply wasn't true.

"I am trying to lease out the building. I have no interest in opening anything on that spot, especially something that would compete directly with my other clubs."

Barbara Ginoulias of the Clark County Planning Commission did not return phone calls.

Morton's brother is Hard Rock impressario Peter Morton.

Ink stained

William Dean Singleton, the chief executive of MediaNews Group and publisher of the Denver Post, has made waves as a ruthless cost-cutter.

"Billy Dean" -- who has a business relationship with the Stephens Media Group, owner of another Las Vegas daily -- has been reviled by many in the newspaper industry for cutting staff, consolidating operations and shutting down papers.

Lately, however, Singleton has garnered some positive press as an industry spokesman and as chairman of the Newspaper Association of America.

But reputations die hard.

Last weekend Singleton addressed the Nevada Press Association's annual convention, which was held at Saddle West in Pahrump. After his talk to the ink-stained crowd (and hats off to the Sun's Benjamin Grove for winning a share of the state's top reporting prize) he was given a white cowboy hat by NPA Executive Director Kent Lauer.

Singleton, a native Texan who owns a ranch in Colorado, proudly put the hat on and said:

"This is the first time in my life I've ever had a white hat on."

Dilemma City

When Paul McCartney heard that Luciano Pavarotti was going to be in town at the same time the ex-Beatle was performing -- Paul is at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Oct. 26 -- he made inquiries about seeing the legendary's tenor's concert at Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Problem is, they are both performing at the same time.

Pavarotti also takes the stage at 8 p.m. Oct. 26.

Ex-Eagle Don Henley also takes the stage the night of Oct. 26, at the Aladdin Theatre for Performing Arts.

R-E-L-I-E-F

Wonderful talk with south side Las Vegas resident and Baseball Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers this week.

Thirty years ago this month, the relief pitcher with the famous handlebar moustache helped the Oakland A's to the first of three consecutive World Series championships.

The A's are again in first place and headed to the playoffs.

"Sure, I still follow them," Fingers told VegasBeat. "They are my pick to go to the World Series -- they have some pretty good starters, enough defense and hitting, and what every great team needs: a quality bullpen."

(That bullpen blew a five-run lead Tuesday at Seattle, incidentally.)

Fingers, who had just returned from Michael Jordan's celebrity golf tournament in the Bahamas, said he was enjoying life and would have a hard time getting back into baseball.

"First, I do not want to live out of a suitcase anymore," he said.

Fingers also said that teams seem to shy away from hiring Hall of Famers as managers.

"They don't want to pay beyond what they can give to some minor-leaguer who got promoted.

"Regardless of that, when you are a young player making as much as these guys make, it is hard to get them to listen to anyone. Maybe they'd have a little more respect for someone who has the credentials and has been through it.

"But I wouldn't last more than two days -- I'd tell them what to do, they'd tell me where to go and that would be it. I'd have to take karate lessons before I'd take a major league coaching job these days!"