Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Roy tragedy now involves Pink, elephant

Relentless, those animal rights folks.

First Pamela Anderson, now Pink.

Days after Roy Horn was bitten onstage, Anderson posted a note on her website urging Horn and partner Siegfried Fischbacher to retire all their animals and build them a sanctuary.

Then she and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) organized a rally in front of The Mirage.

Now pop star Pink has fired off a letter to the illusionist duo, asking them to free Gildah, the elephant from their shuttered show who has been penned up since the show closed Oct. 4.

Pink asks that the 55-year-old pachyderm be released to a sanctuary.

"Peace on earth seems out of reach for much of the world this year, but won't you please grant it to one pathetic, old, lonely, elephant on the Vegas strip?," Pink says without offering any words of condolences for Roy as he battles to recover from his injuries.

Reps for the pair have generally not directly addressed PETA-sponsored activity. The Pink letter was no exception, as spokesman Dave Kirvin referred questions about the PETA letter to show producer Feld Entertainment's Mark Ridell, who did not return messages left for him Monday.

Feld handles all questions about PETA for Siegfried & Roy, according to Kirvin.

All the animals at the Secret Garden are owned personally by Siegfried & Roy, who ultimately control their fate, according to the office of MGM MIRAGE veep Alan Feldman.

Calls to the duo's longtime manager Bernie Yuman were not returned this morning.

Tall ball

Except for the blinking lights, throbbing music and underdressed women, it could have passed for the NBA Hall of Fame.

But it was Tabu, the MGM Grand lounge, which hosted a reception Sunday night for the league's Retired Players Association.

Among those on hand: Manute Bol, Moses Malone, Oscar Robertson, Bill Walton, Rick Barry, Lenny Wilkins, Dan Issel, Mark Eaton, Elgin Baylor, Maurice Lucas, Slick Watts, Rory Sparrow and Connie Hawkins.

Taste treats

The first "Vodka & Latke" party -- an "upscale, adult Chanukah soiree" -- takes place Wednesday at OPM, the Forum Shops at Caesars nightclub.

"We're trying to make Jewish events cool," said organizer Judy Odierna of VEGAS Magazine, who is tossing the bash with Jodi Fonfa and Dale Wynn.

There will be prizes furnished by Saks 5th Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Canyon Ranch Spa, Sephora, Roberto Cavalli and other local stores. The event starts at 7 p.m.

Latke, for those who don't know, is a Jewish culinary favorite: basically a fried, shredded seasoned potato patty. We'll assume that most readers are fairly well-versed in vodka.

VegasBits

Can't refuse: Vegas entertainer and "Godfather" actor Gianni Russo will host the New Year's Eve party at the Rampart Casino at The Resort at Summerlin. He'll be joined by Elvis Presley's former conductor, Jimmy Mullidore ...

Sing it: Rio headliners The Scintas have released a new holiday-themed CD. It is called "Scintas Merry Christmas" and features renditions of classics such as "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Little Drummer Boy" and "Let It Snow" ...

Perform: One of the only family members not to talk publicly about Michael Jackson has been his sister Janet Jackson. It is unlikely that will change when she performs at the Super Bowl halftime show in Houston on Feb. 1. The official announcement could come as soon as this week ...

Rebound: If you miss Metallica on New Year's Eve at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel -- or don't want to pay $500 to see them there -- the band is returning to Vegas in March. They'll play with Godspeed at the Thomas & Mack Center on March 13. Tickets are $55 and $75 and go on sale Saturday.

From Sun wires

Ryder steals praise: Winona Ryder was commended by a judge Monday for abiding by the rules of her probation in a shoplifting case in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Ryder's lawyer, Shepard Kopp, said outside court the judge plans to review the case later and consider reducing her felony convictions to misdemeanors.

"I want to compliment you on your behavior on probation," Superior Court Judge Elden Fox told the 32-year-old actress, who didn't speak during the hearing.

Ryder was convicted last year of stealing several thousand dollars worth of merchandise from Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills in 2001.

Osbourne better: Ozzy Osbourne is joking with nurses -- asking two to marry him -- but will probably take six months to fully recover from his quad bike crash injuries, his wife Sharon said today.

The former Black Sabbath lead singer is making progress in the intensive care unit of Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, near London, where he has been since the Dec. 8 accident.

Sharon said it would be "probably about six months" before her husband is back to his old self.

The singer, 55, was taken off a ventilator assisting him to breathe on Monday. He fractured his left collarbone, eight ribs and a neck vertebra in the accident at his estate in Buckinghamshire, southern England, and had emergency surgery shortly after admission to restore the flow to a damaged blood vessel.

Warner marries: A kilt-clad Sen. John W. Warner marched down the aisle for the third time Monday.

The 76-year-old Virginia Republican married real estate agent Jeanne Vander Myde at the National Cathedral in Washington.

Connally donates notes: Former Texas first lady Nellie Connally donated to the LBJ Library and Museum in Austin, Texas, on Monday her handwritten notes of President Kennedy's assassination and the suit she wore the day he was killed in Dallas.

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