Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Name change reveals the naked truth

VegasBeat appears Sunday through Friday in the Las Vegas Sun. Timothy McDarrah can be reached at [email protected] or at (702) 259-4096.

Gaming behemoth Park Place Entertainment pulled out all the stops for its announcement this week that it was changing its corporate name to Caesars Entertainment, to better capitalize on the Caesars Palace name.

However, others are also capitalizing on the recognizable Caesars name. It turns out that the Internet name CaesarsEntertainment.com is currently taken. It is a pornographic website run out of Bangkok, Thailand.

"This is a minor issue," Park Place spokesman Robert Stewart told VegasBeat. "We know about that site, and a few others. But we have at least six months until we formally make the change and steps are now being taken. We are supremely confident that we will get these issues resolved."

Stewart said the new company's primary Web address will be Caesars.com.

"It is a testament to the Caesars brand that so many have chosen to infringe on the trademark," Stewart said.

Indeed, the typeface of the word "Caesars" on the pornographic website matches the casino logo.

Hot hand

Rapper Nelly was a full two hours late for his Rain in the Desert concert at the Palms the weekend before last.

Word has now filtered down as to why: Two sources say he couldn't draw himself away from the craps table -- and then he took his winnings and went shopping in the casino store Stuff.

When queried, Palms Public Relations Manager Vanessa Thill did not deny the account, saying only that she and the company "don't wish to discuss" the matter.

Jackpot!

The first "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" slot machines have arrived at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas.

"I am actually inside the machine with audio and video talking to the players," the show's host and creator, Robin Leach, told VegasBeat. "The extraordinary, amazingly lifelike new technology on the machines is truly remarkable."

He said that all the IGT "Lifestyles" machines in Nevada will eventually be networked so that players can win up to a $5 million grand prize, "which will pretty well make them rich and famous!" Leach said.

Hot car

Who says public officials don't care?

Sun reporter Launce Rake's car overheated Tuesday afternoon in the 115-degree heat and broke down on a ramp off Interstate 15, after he had spent a long day covering drought and water hearings at the Clark County Government Center.

Among those who stopped to help him: Southern Nevada Water Authority General Manager Pat Mulroy, Deputy General Manager Dick Wimmer, Clark County Commissioner Rory Reid and Curtis Myles of the Regional Transportation Commission.

Hot party

Big private party at Light (Bellagio) on Saturday night.

John Leguizamo and HBO are taking over the place to celebrate the July 26 debut of "Undefeated." In it, Leguizamo makes his directorial debut and stars in a dramatic tale of a boxer who must navigate a path between the seductive trappings of newfound fame and his Puerto Rican roots and family values.

Rosario Dawson and Jennifer Esposito are also expected to attend the party.

VegasBits

Aroma: Andre Agassi was in New York on Wednesday to help launch a new men's fragarance, Aramis Life. He was joined by Estee Lauder execs Evelyn Lauder, Ambassador Leonard Lauder and Aramis President John Karp; Aramis is a big benefactor of Agassi's charter school on West Lake Mead Boulevard ...

Strut: Former Stray Cats leader Brian Setzer had a quiet dinner Tuesday at Charlie Palmer Steak ...

Break: Kansas City Royals outfielder Michael Tucker enjoyed an All-Star break lunch Tuesday at Spago (Forum Shops at Caesars). Chicago White Sox slugger Frank Thomas had dinner that night at 3950 (Mandalay Bay) ...

List: Among the names on the guest list for the Duran Duran after party at the Hard Rock Hotel Saturday night: Jimmy Fallon, Tom Green, Drea DeMatteo, Daryl Hannah, Ione Skye and Rachel Hunter ...

Congrats: Politico Uri Clinton and Marquis & Aurbach attorney Sabrena Clinton had a son July 11: Zander Uri Clinton. The baby weighed in at 6 pounds, 6 ounces. The whole family is doing fine ...

Change: Because she wants to attend the funeral services for salsa star Celia Cruz, Gloria Estefan is postponing her public appearance at the Caesars Palace fountains until July 28. It had been scheduled for July 21. ...

Celebrate: Gonzo "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" author Hunter S. Thompson turns 66 today ...

Talk, talk: VegasBeat does the talk-show thing this afternoon at 4 p.m. on KNUU 970-AM (K-NEWS) with "Las Vegas Today" host Andy Vierra. The show is available on the Internet -- log on to Knews970.com and there we are. Also, call the studio line at (702) 735-6397 to dish.

From Sun wires

Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer admits lots of folks asked him to say something to the boss about his mangled pronunciation of "nuclear." In an appearance on CBS's "The Late Show with David Letterman" Thursday, Fleischer, who left the White House staff this week, was asked about President Bush's much-noted pronunciation of "nuclear." The pronouncer in chief says NU-cu-lar rather than NU-cle-ar when talking about weapons of mass destruction.

"That might be why we haven't found them yet," Fleischer quipped.

Mandela marks 85th: A group of disabled children and the South African military marching band serenaded former President Nelson Mandela on Friday as he -- and the entire nation -- celebrated his 85th birthday in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to deliver the first Nelson Mandela lecture Saturday in his honor.

Later that evening, an expected 1,600 guests will pay tribute to Mandela at a gala banquet. The guest list has been kept secret, but local media report that it includes Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson and pop singer Beyonce Knowles.

New boasts trigger outrage: Princess Diana's former lover, despised in Britain for revealing intimate details of their affair, has stirred up more revulsion -- and fascination -- by boasting the princess was good in bed and allowing excerpts from her private letters to be read on a television documentary.

Tabloid newspapers mingled denunciations of James Hewitt with generous excerpts of his boasting.

Scenes edited: At Jackson Browne's demand, two TV programs have edited out scenes referring to allegations that the singer beat up actress Hannah during their romance.

Fox's production of "America's Prince: The John F. Kennedy Jr. Story," which aired on TNT in January, will be modified to delete references to Browne in two scenes.

Viacom-owned VH1 also agreed to delete a scene with similar references that aired in a program called "When Cameras Cross The Line."

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