VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: At Riv, Seinfeld is master of his domain

Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2003 | 10:36 a.m.

Surprise!

Patrons at the Riviera Comedy Club got the entertainment shock of their lives the other night when Jerry Seinfeld showed up and performed.

Seinfeld was in town for a corporate gig related to a World Shoe Association gathering.

Barry Marder, an old friend of Seinfeld who was a writer for "Seinfeld" and for his HBO gigs and touring stand-up act, was on the Riviera bill with Heather Woodhall and headliner Johnny Dark last week.

Without telling his friend, Seinfeld bought a ticket to the 10:30 p.m. show Wednesday and settled into a table in the back of the room. He was dressed in jeans, a polo shirt, running shoes and a baseball cap pulled down over his face.

After Marder finished his bit, Seinfeld went onstage to congratulate his surprised pal.

Then he stunned the room by taking the microphone and doing an impromptu 15-minute bit, peppered with Vegas jokes.

Afterward, Seinfeld signed some autographs, posed for some pictures with some speechless fans, yada, yada, yada.

Knockout

Based on the sheer number of Las Vegas-area businesses Mike Tyson owes money to, it is hard to believe he is only a part-time resident.

As reported over the weekend, the former heavyweight champ, convicted rapist and famous ear-biter declared bankruptcy in federal court in New York on Friday.

According to the 42-page filing, Tyson owes close to $50 million to nearly 200 creditors, mainly in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The largest single claim -- $13 million and change -- comes from the Internal Revenue Service, according to the filing.

Tyson's largest Vegas claimants include Jewelers Inc. on Western Avenue ($173,706.05), attorneys Jimmerson Hansen on South Sixth Street ($130,528.77) and E&R Electronic Inc. ($54,408.83).

Other area claimants, alphabetically (since dollar amounts are not provided for every entity): Acurid Las Vegas Commercial, ADT Security, Al Phillips the Cleaner Inc., American Leak Protection, Bobbi's Helping Hand, Chip-Dales, Clark County recorder's office, the Clark County treasurer, Desert Valley Pediatrics, DLC General Contracting, Green Valley Plumbing and James Hiett Designs.

The list continues with: Las Vegas Valley Groundwater, McCarran International Airport, MGM Grand Hotel and the MGM Grand Theme Park, Nevada Power, Rebel Pool Cleaning Services, Southwest Gas, St. Rose Dominican Hospital, Sunwood Tree Experts and Towbin Jeep Eagle on West Sahara.

The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles is also on the long list.

Tyson claims he would be unable to pay any amount ruled against him from pending lawsuits filed by Don King, Lennox Lewis and from class-action suits filed in New York and Nevada by "disgruntled viewers" of his fight with Evander Holyfield at the MGM Grand in June 1997 -- the night of the infamous ear-biting incident.

He said, she said

"Crazy Girls" creator Norbert Aleman says he is going to take legal action against Angela Sampras.

Sampras, who was once a dancer in his show, left to create and co-produce "X," which is playing to packed houses at the Aladdin. In the current Nevada Woman magazine, Sampras recounts her work helping to market "Crazy Girls," and for contributing to the show's famous "No ifs, ands or ..." ad campaign. The controversial yet successful campaign featuring a backside view of the dancers was featured everywhere from billboards to taxis, and culminated in a statue of the naughty pose being placed in front of the Riviera, the show's longtime home.

In a statement e-mailed Monday morning, Aleman said Sampras' "only contribution to that advertising campaign was putting her ... on the lineup for the photograph."

Aleman told VegasBeat on Monday he was planning to sue Sampras, then referred questions to his attorney, Steve Cohen, who did not return phone calls.

"I always assisted in the marketing at 'Crazy Girls.' This is all pretty silly, really," Sampras said Monday. "It is unfortunate that Norbert is so jealous of my success with 'X.' He should be proud of me -- I learned a lot from being in his show for 10 years.

"I wish him continued success, and as for the lawsuit? Bring it on."

Jackpot

Sports handicapper Wayne Allyn Root has just resettled in Las Vegas.

One of the few Ivy League (Columbia University, class of 1983) professional handicappers, he will be hosting a national Fox Sports Network show out of a Vegas studio starting Sept. 4 -- opening day for the NFL.

Continuing through the Super Bowl, "Wayne Allyn Root's Winning EDGE" will air on the Fox Sports Net at 8:30 a.m. Saturdays.

Root is also starting gigs on ESPN sports radio KBAD 920-AM, and on KOMP 92.3-FM.

"For what I do, there is no better place on earth," Root told VegasBeat. "Actually, the longer I live here, there is almost no better place on earth no matter what."

VegasBits

After party: Eddie Griffin ("Undercover Brother") and the hip-hop group C-Lo & The Roots partied away Sunday night at Venus (The Venetian) after the Roots' show at House of Blues ...

New girl: Henderson resident and "Fame" television show finalist Serena Henry was pulled onstage when she went to see Clint Holmes on Friday.

Sitting: Ralphie May, a finalist on the NBC show "Last Comic Standing" -- which tapes its season finale at Paris Las Vegas this afternoon -- had dinner Sunday night at Spago (Forum Shops at Caesars) ...

Hole player: Steve Kerr of the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs had dinner Friday night at Gustav Mauler's Spiedini restaurant at the J.W. Marriott in Summerlin. Kerr was one of many pro athletes in town over the weekend for ABC Sports commentator Tom Tolbert's golf event at the Paiute Golf Resort -- but Kerr was the only one who carded an impressive 77.

From Sun wires

Photographs of Cameron Diaz taken at a private modeling session about a decade ago, before she was a star, were ordered sealed by a judge in Santa Monica, Calif.

Judge Alan Haber ordered the photos and a videotape sealed Monday, saying Diaz has a right to privacy of her own body. He set a Sept. 12 hearing on her request for an injunction.

'Vain' secret: Carly Simon will finally reveal who's so vain to a man with major connections in the media world -- should he ever decide to break his vow of secrecy.

But Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC sports and NBC Olympics, said he'll never tell once Simon divulges to him the subject of her 1972 song "You're So Vain" after a private performance in about two weeks. Ebersol won the information with a $50,000 bid in a charity auction

Chief suspects include Warren Beatty, whom Simon dated; Mick Jagger, who sang backup on the song; and her ex-husband, James Taylor.