VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: In raising money, Woods is a real tiger

Thursday, March 6, 2003 | 9:13 a.m.

If you have an extra $15,000 or so, going to eBay and buying one of the cool "Tiger Jam VI" hospitality packages is a good way to spend it.

Tiger Woods' annual Las Vegas charity blowout is happening April 19.

Regular tickets for the event, including the Bon Jovi and Goo Goo Dolls concert at Mandalay Bay Events Center that evening, start at $45.

But who wants regular?

As part of the Tiger Woods Foundation's efforts to raise big bucks for several youth-related charities in Las Vegas and in Los Angeles, it is making available packages that include: a day on the links at the Rio Secco Golf Club with a foursome in the star-studded Tiger Jam Golf Outing, 10 passes to the pre-concert dinner and silent auction and 10 floor seats to the concert.

That's not all -- the packages also include 10 passes to the private after-concert party at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay and 10 gift baskets.

Among the celebrities who participated in last year's bash were Dennis Miller, Kevin James, Carson Daly, Gabrielle Reece, Don Henley, Quincy Jones and "Practice" star Dylan McDermott.

Two of the same packages are available. Bidding on the first one runs through Thursday, the second one through March 13. Go to eBay.com /tiger to start bidding.

Cue Carol

KLAS Channel 8 reporter Carol Wilkinson is branching out.

She is one of the performers appearing in a pair of charity performances of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues" on March 14 and March 15 at UNLV's Judy Bayley Theatre.

Tickets are $10 and all proceeds go to the Rape Crisis Center of Southern Nevada and an American Indian women's charity.

Goulet's 'Friend'

It seemed almost cartoonish, but it could not have been more real.

Before the ShoWest screening Tuesday of "Finding Nemo" -- the latest offering from Disney's Pixar Animation Studio -- Las Vegas' own Robert Goulet and a chorus line of Disney Dancers emerged from behind a curtain and belted out "You've Got a Friend in Me" from "Toy Story 2."

Goulet then introduced Walt Disney Studios Chairman Dick Cook, who essentially said that Pixar had saved Mickey's ears, financially, having generated $1.5 billion worldwide.

Then Apple and Pixar Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs addressed the industry gathering, followed by Pixar veep John Lasseter and "Nemo" director Andrew Stanton.

The buzz on the movie was upped considerably after the rough cut was actually screened.

"Nemo" stars Albert Brooks as a clown fish who sets out to find his lost son. It is scheduled for a May 30 nationwide release.

No static

If the radio industry awarded Pulitzers, Oscars or Emmys, this would be one.

Alan Stock, the issues-oriented KXNT 840-AM morning man, was just named by the radio industry bible Talkers magazine as one of the 100 most influential radio hosts in the nation. He was the only Las Vegas personality to be so honored.

Others on the list include such microphone mavens as Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Dr. Laura Schlessinger and Bill O'Reilly.

Bow Wow!

Anyone attending the opening Wednesday of the American Cat and Dog Hotel on East Patrick Lane would know precisely why Americans and our decadent lifestyle are often scorned around the world -- the pets that stay at the new facility live better than many humans.

Private suites at the pet hotel cost as much as $159 per night. For comparison's sake, a suite at The Rio -- an all-suite hotel -- can be had for $59 on a weeknight.

Each suite at the pet hotel even has an individual color TV.

There is room service. Choice of Alpo, Ken-L-Ration or Iams, I guess.

A stretch limo ferries the animals to and from their owner's hotel.

That said, the hotel is a terrific idea and should be a boon to the local economy, as many pet owners resist traveling if their pets can't be accommodated.

There is 24-hour human supervision for guests.

VEGAS.com, which shares the same parent company (Greenspun Media Group) as this newspaper, is the exclusive booking agent for the hotel.

Eire up

Begorrah! Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, a new Irish-themed pub is opening at New York-New York.

The property is having a "ceili" (that's Gaelic for "party") at the foot of its faux Brooklyn Bridge on the Strip on March 13 to introduce and announce the name of the tavern.

A couple of bagpipers and an Irish storyteller will also be on hand.

At Coyote Ugly, across the New York-New York gaming floor, the Los Angeles Scots Pipe Band entertains at a St. Patrick's Day party on March 17.

The band plays traditional Irish tunes, more "Danny Boy" than U2, I imagine.

The club is also offering free clover shots (a homemade green punch) all night long.

VegasBits

Longtime "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" sidekick Ed McMahon checked into The Orleans on Wednesday. He's having meetings in Las Vegas about a new television game show pilot he might host. There's also a private 80th birthday party for him at the casino today ...

Also today, at Caesars Palace, Michael Douglas will announce details of his nationally televised celebrity golf tourney. It will be held May 16 to May 18 at one of the most breathtaking courses in the nation, Cascata -- a private course for Park Place property guests near Boulder City ...

Another jewel in Wayne Newton's crown: He was awarded the 2003 American Legion National Commander's Public Relations Award this week at a ceremony in Washington. He was recognized for his well-received USO tours ...

Bob Garfield's influential AdReview column in the March 3 Advertising Age is quite critical of the new nationwide Las Vegas television ad campaign ...

Muhammad Ali heads an impressive list of celebrities coming to Wolfgang Puck's Postrio for a May 7 benefit for the Lou Ruvo Alzheimer's Center. Robin Leach leads an auction for a varied list of expected guests from Dr. Ruth Westheimer to famed winemaker Robert Mondavi.

From Sun wires

A man employed by CBS News to speak the words of Saddam Hussein during his interview with Dan Rather last week reportedly adopted a fake Arabic accent.

CBS News hired Steve Winfield, a Screen Actors Guild member with no such accent in real life. Winfield is advertised on the Web as a specialist in foreign accents, the Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday.

Winfield spoke Hussein's words after they had been translated by three independent Arabic translators, CBS said.

The translation was fully accurate and "in complete compliance with CBS News standards," spokeswoman Sandra Genelius said.

Big wig: Cher's production company has reported the theft of a wig valued at $8,000 to $10,000, apparently stolen from the singer's collection of tresses during a sold-out concert stop Feb. 25 in Richmond, Va.

"The wig is described as half-black and half-teal, and it was braided," police spokeswoman Christie Collins said.

Cher took off the wig after singing "All or Nothing" and put it back in a room where her other wigs were stored, Collins said.