VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: News flash: Authenticity invades Strip

Wednesday, July 9, 2003 | 10:48 a.m.

VegasBeat always applauds the opening of a new watering hole.

As our old high school English teacher, Frank McCourt ("Angela's Ashes") used to say, "nothing like a bit of the drink" -- Guinness in particular -- to cure what ails you.

But isn't a $14 million investment, and a painstaking, piece-by-piece, trans-Atlantic crossing of an authentic Irish pub -- making it perhaps the only "real" attraction on the Strip -- a bit much? And will the beer-guzzling patrons notice or care?

Said pub, Nine Fine Irishmen, officially opened Tuesday night at New York-New York.

"If someone understands Ireland and its pubs and the pub culture, then they'll get this," said Irish Pub Director of Marketing and Nine Fine co-proprietor Paul Nolan. His Las Vegas co-proprietor is John Cooke.

Everything in the place except the toilets -- made in Wisconsin -- was made in Ireland and then shipped here and assembled.

"Our company has opened Irish pubs in some pretty strange places -- like Siberia and Uzbekistan -- and they have been a success. We have opened nearly 500 of them worldwide, and we expect Las Vegas to have the best figures of all," Nolan said.

Raising a glass with Nolan at the opening in the impressive space overlooking the Strip: former "Charlie's Angel" Tanya Roberts ("I haven't seen the new movie yet, but I loved the first one"); Rita Rudner in a dazzling Moschino original; artist Lori Benson (her new exhibit opens at Caramel at Bellagio on Thursday); MGM Grand Resorts prez John Redmond and Brian McMullen, who has his own joint on West Tropicana Avenue.

Cool 'dust

The party the Stardust threw to mark its 45th anniversary Tuesday night was decidedly cool. Vegas cool.

It really doesn't get much better than hearing an exquisitely agitated Don Rickles croaking out a few bars of "Danke Schoen" to an audience that included Wayne Newton, one-time Stardust performers Valerie Perrine and Sharon Cusamano (wife of Black Book member and friend-of-Oscar Goodman Joey Cusamano), Carrot Top, Tim Conway, Robert Goulet. Lorraine Hunt, Sonny King, Phyllis Diller, Breck Wall and Sue Kim of the classic Stardust act, The Kim Sisters.

Perhaps the most fascinating component of the evening was a photo display that will be on public display starting today. It includes images from Stardust history, including a 1974 picture of all-time major league home run king Hank Aaron with Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder and then-Gov. Mike O'Callaghan, vintage shots of Lionel Hampton, Mario Andretti, Sammy Davis Jr., Bobby Berosini's Orangutans and a 1960 Palm Room menu -- where a chopped chicken liver appetizer cost 50 cents.

Good deal

Poker book author Jim McManus has sold the film rights to his best-selling "Positively Fifth Street," VegasBeat has learned.

Plans are for Robert Downey Jr. to play McManus, the poet and magazine writer who came to Las Vegas to cover Binion's World Series of Poker -- and ended up a champion competitive poker player in his own right.

ICM agent Sloan Harris, who brokered the fat deal -- one source said it was in the "mid-six-figures" -- didn't return calls to his New York office Tuesday.

Steak stars

Busy holiday weekend for celebrity watchers at Charlie Palmer Steak (Four Seasons): Tiger Woods dined with a few Mandalay Bay executives Monday night. They were reportedly making plans for next year's "Tiger Jam" charity event and were mulling over which bands to ask to perform.

On Sunday night actor Dennis Quaid had a romantic dinner there with what a fellow diner described as a "beautiful, beautiful blonde."

Filmmaker Blake Edwards (the "Pink Panther" movies, "10" and "Victor/Victoria," among others) had dinner by himself Thursday night and was back for just dessert on Saturday.

Also Thursday, Phil Ruffin Jr., whose dad is Donald Trump's Las Vegas partner in their pending redevelopment of the New Frontier site, had dinner with a party of five that included Tre Cool, the drummer for the band Green Day.

Biting

One of Elvis Presley's teeth is available on eBay, the online auction site. The Web page claims that the tooth (no word on whether it is a molar, bicuspid or incisor) was in the possession of Linda Thompson, the King's one-time fiancee.

Also included in the package is a lock of Presley's hair, reputedly from his famous GI induction haircut and later presented to talk show host Joe Franklin.

Finally, there is also a gold record of "Love Me Tender."

An unnamed "Florida entrepreneur" is the seller; the latest bid we saw on Tuesday was $479,100.00 for the whole lot. Bidding closes Tuesday.

VegasBits

No beef: Craftsteak restaurant (MGM) hostess Shaya Bryant was not at work Tuesday. She was said to be in Los Angeles with her brother, NBA star Kobe Bryant, currently at the center of sexual assault allegations in Colorado ...

Facial: Washington Post gossip Lloyd Grove reported Tuesday that Celine Dion flew celebrity D.C. aesthetician Jacqueline Boucher to Vegas to give her a two-hour treatment ...

Key: Las Vegas Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald hosts a reception tonight at Gaylord India Restaurant (Rio) to honor Shri Theegala Krishna Reddy, mayor of Hyderabad, India. McDonald will present her visitor with a key to the city. The two met during McDonald's trip to India in June ...

Lordy: Vera and Robert Goulet enjoyed a late night dinner at House of Lords (Sahara) Tuesday night after they attended the Stardust party ...

Score: NBA commentator and former all-star Charles Barkley spent most of the holiday weekend at the high-roller poker tables at Mandalay Bay. He also joined pal Woods for a few drinks at Light (Bellagio) Sunday night after Woods jetted into town following his victory in the Western Open ...

Countdown: Three days until 7-11-03 -- the day the convenience store chain 7-Eleven celebrates its birthday. Practically every one of the continent's 25,000 stores -- including those in Southern Nevada -- is marking the company's 76th birthday on Friday by giving out 1,000 Slurpees per store.

From Sun wires

Actor Jeffrey Jones, who played the high school principal in the 1980s comedy "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," pleaded no contest Tuesday to a felony charge of employing a 14-year-old boy to pose for sexually explicit photos. Jones, 56, was sentenced to five years' probation, ordered to register as a sex offender and undergo counseling.

Kutcher stays in '70s: Ashton Kutcher will be stuck in the '70s for at least another two years. The co-star of Fox's "That '70s Show" has signed a deal to remain with the comedy through the 2004-05 season.