VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Woods bogeys on weekend fund-raiser

Monday, April 21, 2003 | 10:40 a.m.

Bigger isn't always better.

That is the moral of the story of the two big charity events that took place in Las Vegas Saturday night.

"Exclusion" was the feeling at the fund-raiser hosted by Tiger Woods at Mandalay Bay Events Center -- right down to the red carpet that was literally staged in a basement service hallway used by kitchen workers, out of sight of the public's prying eyes.

Every few yards approaching the ballroom where the dinner and silent auction was held, security officers checked the badges each guest had to wear.

Since Woods refused to talk to local media -- except for two prepared questions from Fox's Robin Leach -- Las Vegas television stations devoted about zero airtime to the event.

The Goo Goo Dolls and Bon Jovi put on a good show -- and there were at least a handful of famous faces in the crowd, including Lauren Holly, Marcus Allen, Kevin James, Ray Romano and Marc Anthony, but there wasn't much to distinguish it from a regular rock concert.

VegasBeat is not severely knocking "Tiger Jam VI" -- no matter what goes on, an event that raises a million bucks for kids' charities is a good thing. However, the entire evening felt like a micromanaged corporate event, which it basically was.

At the after-party at House of Blues, folks let loose a little bit, as Hammer busted some old-school moves for a crowd that included Woods' girlfriend, Elin Nordegren.

Across town, the Equestrian AIDS Foundation event at the Hard Rock Hotel perfectly utilized The Joint.

Melissa Etheridge, who was supposed to perform just three songs, ended up doing more than an hour of material. She happily kibbutzed with the crowd, signed a guitar for a fan, held up a Hard Rock chip with her likeness on it, and really seemed to enjoy the room's intimate setting.

The room was full, but not sardine-like, as is often the case with name acts that perform there.

Etheridge introduced one new song by saying it was the first time she had ever sung it in public. "The only other times I have performed this is for (fiancee) Tammy (Lynn Michaels) when we were both in our pajamas."

She reeled off such hits as "Come To My Window" and "I'm the Only One," and thanked "Kate and Steven" for asking her to perform.

Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, were sitting near Michaels, Kelly Klein and Olympic dressage medalist Robert Dover during the show.

Afterward Spielberg did not want to talk about much beyond the charity and Etheridge, but he and Capshaw were happy to shoot the breeze for a while.

While Etheridge herself may not be in the same pop culture stratosphere as Woods, Spielberg certainly is.

And he is not nearly as self-important.

Changing channels

There has been some activity on the local television landscape.

KLAS Channel 8 reporter Carol Wilkinson told VegasBeat that she is moving to Las Vegas ONE, the growing local cable news channel. KVBC Channel 3 reporter and weather forecaster Rachel Boesing is off to KNBC Channel 4 in Los Angeles.

And popular KVBC anchor Kendell Tenney tells us the rumors that have him moving to New York to be a reporter for NBC News simply aren't true.

"My three kids were born and raised here and Las Vegas is such a terrific place to work. My family and I are very happy here," Tenney told VegasBeat.

Another tiger tale

Howard Stern told his radio listeners on Friday he'd be attending Siegfried & Roy's show at The Mirage tonight.

Also planning to attend: sidekick Robin Quivers, producer Gary Dell'Abate and the new tag team of pals "Stuttering" John Melendez and the ubiquitous Robin Leach.

Also, Leach and David Spade will be the first pair of celebrities playing $100,000 blackjack with their own money on Thursday's "Hard Drinking" show.

Stern starts three days of broadcasts from the Hard Rock Hotel on Tuesday.

Rocky road

Weirdest new extreme fad to hit Vegas: canyon climbing at Red Rock.

Since it is a protected area, the climbers do not use any gloves, chains, spikes, pulleys or ropes -- they just slither up the cliff face, literally holding on by their fingertips.

Techno musician Moby is apparently a devotee, and has written music while perched on a Red Rock ledge.

Invest the $5 it costs to drive the Red Rock loop on a Saturday morning and see for yourself. The helpful folks at the Visitors Center can tell you exactly where to look.

Focus

"Zumanity," the new Cirque du Soleil show at New York-New York that introduces its cast and crew Tuesday at the hotel, bills itself as "a provocative exhibition of human sensuality, arousal and eroticism."

Cracked Gaming Today columnist and Vegas spectacle Monti Rock III: "Wow. That sounds like one of my home movies."

"Zumanity" is scheduled to open in late July, and then work out the kinks over a summer of preview performances before its official Sept. 20 premiere.

VegasBits

Even celebrities have to eat: At Simon Kitchen and Bar at the Hard Rock Hotel, Virgin founder Richard Branson and 25 of his top executives on Friday night, sitting near twin football stars Ronde and Tiki Barber; Vince Neil enjoying the new brunch menu Sunday afternoon at Simon; at N9NE at Palms, Jasmine Guy (after a Saturday afternoon spent getting even prettier at the Amp Salon); at Prime (Bellagio) the other day, Los Angeles police chief Bill Bratton and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman ...

Seeing double: About two dozen Elvis impersonators were enjoying the entertainment at Spearmint Rhino Friday night ...

Lovey dovey: Keyshawn Johnson and Serena Williams giggling and exchanging knowing glances as they looked at stuff at Stuff inside Palms Saturday afternoon ...

Home game: the Sacramento Kings, owned by the family of Palms owner George Maloof, have scheduled a preseason game against Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers Oct. 24 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

From Sun wires

Ray Romano is hinting next season, the ninth, may be the last for "Everybody Loves Raymond."

Answering a question on how he keeps the TV series fresh and original, Romano joked: "You stop after one more year."

Romano, attending "Tiger Jam VI," indicated he wanted the popular CBS show to end on a high note.

"It's hard work," Romano said. "You start repeating yourself."

But Romano credited his writers for always drawing on their own lives and bringing new material to the show.

"The trick is to get out when you're still wanted," Romano, 45, said. "Not too soon, but not too late."