Friday, Nov. 7, 2003 | 10:36 a.m.
Here comes the Hard Rock Hotel.
Never exactly a slouch in the celebrity department, the Paradise Road property dipped a bit on the buzz meter after it lost Don Marrandino early this year. But now it is truly ramping up its game.
The first big event is a Nov. 20 red-carpet screening of "The Big Empty," which is being held as a fund-raiser for the Lili Claire Foundation.
A screening of the Artisan release will be held inside The Joint, and a special VIP reception will be held with stars Daryl Hannah, Jon Favreau, Joey Lauren Adams and Rachel Leigh Cook in the hotel's new Penthouse Bachelor Suite, which includes a bowling alley.
The hotel's main competition for the hep crowd, the Palms, has held several movie and television premiere screenings over the last year, with stars such as John Corbett, Benicio Del Toro, Taye Diggs and Jeff Goldblum in attendance.
Also, we hear that the Hard Rock is talking to Oscar-winning producer Brian Grazer ("A Beautiful Mind") about filming scenes there for a new version of the 1957 sci-fi classic, "The Incredible Shrinking Man."
Celeb journalist Baird Jones tells us that the new version will star Eddie Murphy as a Las Vegas magician. When he shrinks onstage, the audience thinks it is part of his act, but it isn't.
Fireworks
The new reality show "The Ex-Factor" is shooting in Las Vegas. The show reunites divorced or separated couples -- married or otherwise, straight or gay -- and lets the audience watch as they update one another on what has happened since the split.
"Curious to find out what happened to your former lovers?," show staffer Susan McGrathsays. "We want to hear from you."
For information, go to the website, ptvproductions.ca.
Extra extra
The syndicated entertainment show "Extra!" is airing yet another Vegas special this weekend.
Among other segments, reporter Michael Corbett will re-create Jennifer Lopez's recent Forum Shops at Caesars shopping spree -- which was exclusively reported in this column Oct. 21.
The show is scheduled to air Saturday at 5 p.m. on KXNT Channel 13.
Robin flying
He is at least temporarily off the local airwaves, but Robin Leach is still in demand.
Thursday night he hosted the Public Relations Society of America-Las Vegas Valley Chapter's 2003 Tri-State Pinnacle Awards ceremony.
Tonight he hosts the fourth annual Odyssey Lifestyle's Masterpiece Dinner at the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, featuring a "Martinis With the Mayor" party with Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman (the Odyssey Lifestyle is a food, wine and arts event taking place through Sunday at the Ritz-Carlton. Wine tastings, cooking demos and luncheons are among the events planned.)
Then, on Nov. 22, Leach emcees Congregation Ner Tamid's "Mensch of the Year" dinner honoring Bernie Yuman.
Leach and the local Fox affiliate KVVU Channel 5 are negotiating his possible return to the station.
VegasBits
Art man: Actor and photographer Dennis Hopper joined Guggenheim director Thomas Krens at the museum's Venetian outpost Thursday for the media opening of "A Century of Painting: From Renoir to Rothko, " which has its public debut today ...
TV party: The regular Wednesday night entertainer at Bootlegger Bistro, Joey Gian, will be there tonight. He's hosting a viewing party for this evening's episode of the ABC sitcom "Life With Bonnie" -- because he is a guest star on the show ...
Big win: Gavin, Joe and George Maloof were a little tired during their appearance Thursday morning on Howard Stern's radio show. They all stayed up late the night before in a private Sky Box at the Times Square ESPNZone, watching their Sacramento Kings win an overtime thriller over the Minnesota Timberwolves, 125-121. They were joined by Palms regular and New York Giants star Jeremy Shockey ...
Sitting: Talk about two peas from a very different pod -- former NFL star Franco Harris and flamboyant entertainer Monti Rock III attended (but not together) the new David Saxe show, "Ovation," at Desert Passage at Aladdin on Wednesday night. See Jerry Fink's preview of the show on page 1E of today's Sun ...
Lite Brite: The folks at Ethel M Chocolates have started installing the first of the 250,000 lights that will be part of their 10th annual holiday display. The popular seasonal Cactus Garden destination opens Nov. 19 with an appearance by Santa Claus ...
Bid: "CSI" creator Anthony Zuiker will be at the Las Vegas History Museum on Saturday night for the Dinosaur Ball. He'll auction off a walk-on role on his show as part of the fund-raising evening ...
Show time: Sandra Bullock and her manager, Kevin Huvane, attended the 7:30 p.m. performance of "Zumanity" at New York-New York on Thursday ...
Honor: Vegas residents and periodic headliners Karon Kate Blackwell and comic companion Marty Allen are just back from Atlanta, where they did a Habitat for Humanity benefit at the personal request of former President Jimmy Carter. The couple begin a four-night gig Monday at the Atlantic City Hilton ...
Looks sharp: The formerly all-newsprint Las Vegas Weekly introduces a glossy cover with this week's issue, which is on stands now. The Weekly and this newspaper are both owned by the Greenspun family.
From Sun wires
Paris Hilton is steaming mad over a steamy sex video that may soon go public, her spokeswoman said.
The homemade video reportedly features the socialite, reality show star and heiress to the Hilton Hotels fortune having sex with Rick Solomon, who went on to marry former "Charmed" actress Shannen Doherty in 2002.
Although Hilton knew the video was being made, her representatives said, leaking the video was "horrendous."
Music awards: U.S. artists dominated Thursday at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Edinburgh, Scotland,, with Justin Timberlake, Beyonce Knowles and host Christina Aguilera winning prizes.
Timberlake won best male, best pop act and best album for "Justified." Aguilera beat Knowles and others to win the Best Female award. Knowles won best song with "Crazy in Love," and best R&B act.
Reprising role: Ted Danson will put all those years of work behind the fake "Cheers" bar to use behind a real bar this weekend in Flagstaff, Ariz.
Danson will be behind the bar and mingle with donors at the Museum of Northern Arizona on Saturday at an event to celebrate the museum's 75th anniversary. Danson's father became director of the museum in 1959.
archive
