VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Siegfried’s career perspective is 20/20

Monday, Dec. 29, 2003 | 10:53 a.m.

VegasBeat appears Sunday through Friday in the Las Vegas Sun. Timothy McDarrah can be reached at tim@lasvegassun.com or at (702) 259-4096.

Roy Horn is home, and Siegfried Fischbacher has accepted that nothing will ever be the same for the legendary duo.

In a "20/20" interview with Barbara Walters on Friday night, Siegfried for the first time said that the historic professional partnership is finally over.

When Walters asked an emotional Siegfried if the Siegfried & Roy show has played for the last time, he looked down and said, "Yes."

In several interviews and published reports, Siegfried had previously vowed that their act would return.

Walters then asked Siegfried if he'd ever do a similar show with another partner.

"No. I would not want to go through everything I went through with Roy with another person," he said, smiling. "I realize how important he was in my life."

Siegfried fielded a few specific medical questions that Walters posed.

When she asked how Roy was doing, Siegfried replied that Roy was "moving" and "writing," and he told a story of Roy reminding him to wear a specific blue Versace jacket for the interview.

When she asked if he was walking, Siegfried said Roy was "standing up."

When she asked if they were lovers, Siegfried said he loved Roy "like a brother."

Then, in closing the segment, Walters said, "Doctors say he (Roy) may never function normally again. But while they may never perform together again, they are still magic."

Listen up

Here's the NATPE panel we're looking forward to attending: "Loose Cannons: They Say What They Say."

CNN star Larry King will moderate -- or try his best to moderate -- panelists Jerry Springer, Jesse Ventura, Mark Cuban and Roger King, whose King World distributes shows such as "Inside Edition," "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!"

The National Association of Television Program Executives meeting hits The Venetian and the adjoining Sands Expo & Convention Center on Jan. 18.

TV party

Get the TiVo ready.

It's Vegas night on television. At 8 p.m. on ABC (KTNV Channel 13), Las Vegas resident Robin Leach's "Life of Luxury" airs. It is a modern-day bling-bling version of his old hit, "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous."

Among those he profiles are Donald Trump, Sharon Osbourne and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

Leach told us he has no plans to make "Life of Luxury" a weekly broadcast, but if the ratings support the show he will consider doing it occasionally.

Also, three Vegas shows air tonight on NBC (KVBC Channel 3). At 8 p.m. there is an episode of "Fear Factor" that was filmed in Las Vegas. At 9 p.m. Danny and Ed (Josh Duhamel and James Caan) hunt for a sexual predator targeting hotel guests on "Las Vegas." At 10 p.m. the NBC affiliate broadcasts a segment of "Celebrity Poker Showdown," the Bravo series taped at the Palms in October.

Cast members of "The West Wing" -- including Martin Sheen, Allison Janney and Josh Malina -- will compete on behalf of their favorite charities.

VegasBits

Royalty: "Chicago" actress and hip-hop star Queen Latifah (real name: Dana Owens) took her divorced-yet-friendly parents (Rita and Lance Owens) to the Christmas Eve performance of "Zumanity." Latifah said a special hello to cast member Corrine Zarzour -- who performed the Catherine Zeta-Jones part for the French version of "Chicago." The next night Latifah was flying solo, partying and dancing with fellow patrons at Caramel (Bellagio) until nearly 5 a.m. ...

Good looker: Former Calvin Klein model and actor Antonio Sabato Jr. showed off his dance moves at Rain in the Desert (Palms) on Friday night ...

Blue man: Comedian and film star Jamie Kennedy ("Malibu's Most Wanted") was at the 7 p.m. "Blue Man Group" show on Christmas Eve. He was in town over the weekend to film an Aquafina water commercial at Luxor ...

Guest: Entertainment legend Connie Stevens takes fan and listener questions Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. on Ira David Sternberg's "Las Vegas Notebook" radio show on KDWN 720-AM ...

Boss: Four Seasons founder and Chief Executive Isadore Sharpe and his wife, Rosalie, had a Christmas Eve dinner at Charlie Palmer Steak (Four Seasons).

From Sun wires

Golden Globe nominee Helen Mirren said embarrassment drives her to tears, and she almost broke down recently at Buckingham Palace when she was given the title of dame.

"I felt myself going just as I was walking up," Mirren, 58, said. "Prince Charles was waiting there. The throne is behind him and the band is playing. Everyone's families are sitting in the ballroom.

"It's amazing and I thought, 'Oh, my God, this is so embarrassing. Stop (crying) right now. Do not go there. Control it.' I managed to stop myself."

Mirren, who lives in Los Angeles with her husband, director Taylor Hackford, has been in London for the past few months appearing in Eugene O'Neill's "Mourning Becomes Elektra."

Her stint in London kept her from the Los Angeles premiere of her latest film, "Calendar Girls," which opened nationally Dec. 19.

Pet project: Thanks to Arnold Schwarzenegger, there could be hope yet for ferrets, banned as pets in California for 70 years on fears they might weasel their way into the wild and ravage populations of ground-dwelling birds.

Some ferret owners believe the new governor, who worked with a ferret in "Kindergarten Cop," will sign legislation legalizing the animals.

"We have an inequity here and this man is sensitive to that kind of thing," said Jeanne Carley, founder of Californians for Ferret Legalization. "The state wildlife agency doesn't regulate cats and dogs, so why should it regulate ferrets?"

State Sen. Dede Alper told the Los Angeles Times she hoped to move a legalization measure through the Assembly next year.

Schwarzenegger has been busy with other priorities, especially the state's multibillion-dollar fiscal mess. A spokeswoman refused to comment Saturday on what his stand might be on the ferret issue.