Columnist Timothy McDarrah: Bout features big underdog

Timothy McDarrah

Friday, April 11, 2003 | 4:29 a.m.

Why is it always a superstar? Why can't a girl from Goose Creek, S.C., who wants to have a dream come true sing the national anthem before a big Las Vegas fight?"

Cathy Mason asked, and she has received.

The 34-year-old amateur singer wrote a letter to Mandalay Resort Group veep Tony Alamo over the winter, saying that she'd like to be considered to sing the anthem before a fight, preferably one involving her favorite pugilist, Oscar De La Hoya.

Long story short, after she and Alamo exchanged a series of phone calls, and she sent a tape, Alamo and promoter Bob Arum gave Mason the thumbs-up to perform before the May 3 De La Hoya-Yory Boy Campos bout at Mandalay Bay.

"I was in tears when Alamo called and said it was going to happen," Mason told VegasBeat over the phone from her home Friday. "I have sung at my church and some weddings, but nothing professional."

Top Rank spokesman Lee Samuels confirmed that Mason is coming to Las Vegas.

"It is a great story, actually," Samuels said. "It just goes to show what can happen if you take a little initiative sometimes. Both Tony and Bob loved her letter and her attitude, so it will happen. She is going to sing before the fight and it will be televised around the world on the pay-per-view show."

Mandalay Bay is bringing Mason to Las Vegas April 30 with her husband, Don Mason. The couple both work at National Intelligence Bureau Inc., an insurance fraud investigations business he owns outside Charleston.

"I am hoping they'll like me enough to invite me back to the Oscar- Shane Mosley fight in September," Mason said.

Television bachelor and real-life tire heir Andrew Firestone had a reservation for 10 p.m. at the N9NE steakhouse at Palms Saturday night, party of 10.

VegasBeat recently stopped in to again see the show, "Andy Warhol: The Celebrity Portraits," at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art.

We also ran into the gallery's Brian Cantor and asked him what was coming up after the Warhol show closes in the fall.

One potential show in the mix, he said, was a selection of works from the collection of Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, grandson of the legendary artist.

"The Complex," the new rock CD by Blue Man Group, has contributions from Dave Matthews, Tracy Bonham and Bush vocalist Gavin Rossdale -- and they all may show up at the disc's release party at the House of Blues Foundation Room April 22.

Also, some players in the "Blue" show at Luxor will be in Los Angeles that day to appear on the "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno."

Checking out the competition?

Mr. Lord of the Dance himself, Michael Flatley, took in Celine's "A New Day..." show at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace Thursday night.

In stores now: "StockcarToons II" -- the second collection of NASCAR Winston Cup Racing cartoons by Mike Smith, the award-winning editorial cartoonist for the Las Vegas Sun.

It offers Smith's unique and usually hilarious take on the personalities, controversies and major news events from the past year in Winston Cup racing. The foreword was written by Fox Sports analyst Mike Joy.

Don't wait until Christmas. Put down your morning coffee and go get a copy today. It is available at Borders, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com.