Thursday, May 29, 2003 | 10:49 a.m.
Is J. Lo preggers?
VegasBeat has learned Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck hit Vegas over the Memorial Day weekend -- and they bought baby clothes.
"I don't know if it was for her, but I didn't ask," a store manager at the Burberry's store inside the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian told VegasBeat on Wednesday.
"They were in here on Monday morning, looking at all the kids' stuff. They bought a couple of things, all children's stuff -- nothing for themselves," said the manager, who asked that her name not be used.
She said the couple bought "a couple hundred dollars worth" of items.
The venerable brand, best known for its trench coats (famously worn by Humphrey Bogart in "Casablanca"), now features all kinds of kiddie items in its distinctive novacheck plaid pattern.
The items include diaper bags ($395), onesies ($90), overalls ($106), hooded towels ($75) and teddy bears ($245).
The Burberry manager refused to say exactly what the couple purchased.
If the items were for someone else, who could it be?
Last we heard, Ben's younger brother, actor Casey Affleck, was going out with actress Summer Phoenix, and there are no recent reports of her being pregnant.
J. Lo's younger sister, Lynda Lopez, is a morning radio personality in New York City and romantically involved with her co-host, Chris Booker. She isn't publicly pregnant.
Her older sister, Leslie Lopez, sings opera. A quick Internet search didn't turn up much about her personal life.
A spokesman for Endeavor, Affleck's Los Angeles-based management group, confirmed only that the couple were in Vegas. Lopez's spokesman did not immediately return a call late Wednesday asking if his client was with child.
As usual, Affleck hit the big spender blackjack tables during his Venetian visit. A casino source said Affleck's loss was "nothing significant."
Of course, what is "nothing significant" for Affleck may be "mighty significant" to the rest of us.
Lights, camera
All these actors, all they want to do is direct.
Former "NYPD Blue" and child star Rick Schroder is at The Orleans this week filming scenes for "Black Cloud," a movie he wrote and is producing and directing.
The film is about a young American Indian boxer who ascends from a reservation to the Olympics.
The real-life Golden Gloves are taking place at the hotel this week, and they are also filming the boxing for the movie.
A six-tribe partnership invested nearly $1 million in the project. Schroder hopes to release the film at next year's Sundance Film Festival.
700 Women
At an event where 700 of Las Vegas' most sophisticated and delectable women will attend, it is a natural that Robin Leach will be in the house.
He'll be joined by the entire cast of Chippendale's for the 3rd Annual Ladies Night Out on Friday evening, hosted by the M.J. Christensen Diamond Centers at its new Boca Park location in Summerlin.
High-end jewelry designers such as Jose Hess, Arthur D'Annunzio, Toros Kejejian, Louise Damiano, Paul Tacorian and Judith Conway will be there to showcase their newest lines.
The event is open to the public, and is free, as is the champagne; proceeds from raffle ticket sales (most of the designers have donated pieces for the raffle) go to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
This weekend the designers move over to the International Gem & Jewelry Show at the Cashman Center.
We are planning to hit the booth featuring "M*A*S*H" star Loretta Swit, who is now a jewelry designer. She calls her company Switheart.
The jewelry show is also open to the public.
Back in Black
The New York fashion and lifestyle bible Black Book publishes a separate travel guide in each issue, directing the smart set where to eat, drink, sleep and party when in other fabulous locales.
Recently it has featured Tokyo, London, Rome, Paris and Sydney. Next up in the fall issue: Las Vegas.
Black Book boss Evan Schindler has tapped our favorite scenester, Michael Shulman, to write pithy commentary on more than 100 Las Vegas restaurants, hotels, bars and nightspots.
VegasBits
Camera man: "60 Minutes" correspondent Steve Kroft was at City Hall Tuesday, interviewing Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman about his opposition to Yucca Mountain. The piece airs in the fall ...
In the House: New York Rep. Charlie Rangel, the deputy majority whip and one of the nation's most influential black lawmakers, was at the Stirling Club on Wednesday night ...
Fab tab: As we have previously reported, the New York Post is coming to Las Vegas. This week the Big Apple tabloid -- known for such screaming headlines as, "Headless Body in Topless Bar" -- began same-day distribution at more than 100 valley area outlets ...
Speed racer: Sen. John Ensign was at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Wednesday, taking part in the Richard Petty Driving Experience ...
Big top: Guy Laliberte, the former fire-eater who founded Cirque du Soleil, seems to have a new girlfriend. The 43-year-old creative genius bunked with supermodel Naomi Campbell on her yacht, "Lady in Blue," last weekend in Saint Tropez after her 33rd birthday party, according to European press reports ...
Crap out: Network execs aren't the only ones less than thrilled that the NBA and NHL finals feature teams from New Jersey. Some Vegas oddsmakers also report that business is way off ...
Winner: Lisa Marie Presley was playing blackjack and then craps at The Mirage late at night last Thursday after her "Divas" performance. Are Scientologists allowed to gamble? ...
Outdoors: Interior Secretary Gale Norton is expected to attend the Bureau of Land Management auction in Las Vegas next Thursday. At 10 a.m. at the Clark County Commission chambers, 1,030 acres of land, which has been appraised at $132.8 million, is on the block ...
Call me: VegasBeat is back for its weekly radio call-in bit with "Las Vegas Today" host Andy Vierra on KNUU 970-AM (K-NEWS) at 4 p.m. today. Call the studio line at (702) 735-6397 and we'll dish.
From Sun wires
The marriage of Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton is officially over.
The "Tomb Raider" actress filed for divorce from the "Sling Blade" star last July, after only two years of marriage. Jolie cited irreconcilable differences for the breakup.
The union between the 28-year-old actress and 47-year-old actor was dissolved Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Their separation came four months after they adopted an 11-month-old boy, Maddox, from Cambodia.
The pair's wild love life became media fodder after they married in May 2000. They bragged about their sex lives in interviews, and, at one time, wore vials of each other's blood around their necks.
It was Thornton's fifth marriage and her second.
"The best we can say is it was amicable and they're glad it was completed expeditiously," Jolie's attorney, Laura Wasser, said. Thornton's representatives declined to comment.
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