VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Bill Bennett gambling like it’s 1999

Tuesday, May 6, 2003 | 11:08 a.m.

Exactly why is everyone so surprised about the "news" that moral crusader Bill Bennett has a gambling fetish?

It was reported in a gossip column in a newspaper -- this one -- nearly four years ago by my predecessor, Kate Maddox. After Newsweek and Washington Monthly online reports Friday, it was front-page news around the nation that Bennett, the former U.S. Secretary of Education and author of the best-seller, "The Book of Virtues," is a Vegas regular -- a high-roller who has lost more than $8 million over the past decade.

But on Oct. 3, 1999, Maddox wrote in the Sun that Bennett had been in Vegas "to catch the (Oscar) De La Hoya-(Felix) Trinidad fight at Mandalay Bay. Surprisingly, the right-wing moralist ... is a frequent visitor to Las Vegas and enjoys partaking in a little gambling.

"Not only was Mr. Bennett comped in a high-roller, $5,000-a-night villa at the Bellagio, but he and his lawyer-brother, Bob Bennett, were ringside guests of Mirage Resorts at the event."

Maddox interviewed Bennett, and his comments were similar to those he gave this weekend when the media frenzy hit. Bennett told Maddox as long as one doesn't gamble away "the milk money," he has no problem with any aspect of the moral behavior associated with gambling.

Maddox, now the UPN 10 p.m. news anchor and a KLAS Channel 8 entertainment reporter, is the daughter of D.C. power player James K. Glassman, through whom she knew Bennett.

Bennett now runs the conservative think tank Empower America, and is a sought-after speaker on the lecture circuit.

He released a statement Monday: "It is true that I have gambled large sums of money. I have also complied with all laws on reporting wins and losses.

"Nevertheless I have done too much gambling, and this is not an example I wish to set. Therefore, my gambling days are over."

Tip sheet

Best e-mail that showed up in the VegasBeat Inbox on Monday: "Any truth to the latest Celine rumor?

"Supposedly, she's moved her kid's pediatrician from Los Angeles to Vegas. She pays him top dollar to only see her son (Rene-Charles, 2). Also, she bought him a house out here.

"What's the scoop?"

Since the source was a man who has steered us in the right direction in the past, we forwarded the e-mail to our friends at Team Celine, who didn't have a comment.

Art event

Despite a recent stroke, pop artist and former Andy Warhol assistant Steve Kaufman is back on his feet and returning to Vegas.

He is hosting an exhibit at the Centaur Gallery in Fashion Show mall. Kaufman told organizers he has made a lot of progress and will be able to make the trip from his Los Angeles home to appear at the May 23 opening reception.

Old friend

L. Mimosa Jones is traveling in some rarified circles these days.

The founder of the Entertainment Development Corporation of Las Vegas and former CEO of the CineVegas International Film Festival just signed a two-year contract with Endeavor, a top Hollywood talent agency.

Among its other clients are Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Conan O'Brien, David E. Kelley, Larry David and Aaron Sorkin.

Jones left the EDC last winter to pursue writing and film projects.

Bet on it

Without the pomp and circumstance generally associated with a new casino opening, a new casino is opening this week.

The VIP Grand Opening Celebration of Casino Monte Lago at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson is taking place Thursday night.

At the same time, the Lake Las Vegas Resort is hosting Exclusive Reflections, an invitation-only fine art and craft show, featuring many of Henderson ArtFest 2003's featured artisans.

Face time

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman appeared on Maria Bartiromo's CNBC talk show Monday night, talking about the budget crisis now being faced by American cities.

Also appearing was Boston Mayor Thomas Merino, Baltimore's Martin O'Malley, former Vermont governor and current Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean and ... Heidi Fleiss, the former Hollywood Madame.

I guess that the tough economy cuts into all kinds of businesses.

Love story

The Britney Spears dating rumors were fired up again over the weekend.

A Chicago Sun-Times writer who claims to have spoken to a "Spears insider" wrote that the 21-year-old pop tart's alleged romance with 36-year-old Phil Maloof "could develop into something serious."

The item said when they go out in public, they often bring along George Maloof as a beard.

"Trust me, they are definitely dating," the secret source told the Windy City paper.

George Maloof has publicly denied that anyone in his family, which owns the Palms casino and the Sacramento Kings, among other holdings, is dating the newly minted brunette.

More face time

Ever wonder what some radio personalities look like?

Well, popular KJUL 104.3-FM host Duke Morgan now has a television gig. He's hosting the new weekly WB show, "Living Additions," about home design and improvement.

It airs locally four times per week on KVWB Channel 12. The first show, which aired last week, was filmed in a $10 million Christopher Collection model home in the luxury development at Southern Highlands.

VegasBits

Good deed: Variety -- The Children's Charity of Southern Nevada, hosted a benefit screening at the Palms Monday night of the new movie, "Daddy Day Care," which stars Eddie Murphy, Lacey Chabert and Angelica Huston ...

Club fun: The hot alternative band, Linkin Park, spent Saturday night partying at the club Venus (Venetian) ...

Good question: "How come developers never want to put a natural canyon in the middle of a housing development?" -- Ira David Sternberg, communications director for Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, on Jim Rhodes and the ongoing Red Rock development controversy ...

Dark side: Vince Neil is preparing to open Wild Side, a tanning salon, inside the Palms.

From Sun wires

"Friends" star Matt LeBlanc has said "How you doin'?" to marriage.

The 35-year-old actor, whose dimwitted character on the popular NBC sitcom purrs that catch phrase to woo women, married fiancee Melissa McKnight on the Hawaiian island of Kauai on Saturday.

"Friends" co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow and Courteney Cox attended the event, but Matthew Perry was in London and David Schwimmer was in Chicago, LeBlanc's Los Angeles-based publicist, Joe Libonati, said.

The couple had been engaged since 1998.