Thursday, April 15, 2004 | 10:37 a.m.
War is in the horizon -- a TV news war.
Bill Applegate Jr. has joined KTNV Channel 13 as executive producer of its evening "Action News" broadcasts.
"I am a lot like my father. I play to win, and to put out a superior newscast," Applegate told us. "All I can say is that the other stations in town better watch out."
Applegate's father is well-known in the media industry for his long career of transforming news operations from ratings also-rans to market champs.
Over the last three decades Applegate Sr. has had a dramatic effect on the New York, Los Angeles and Chicago markets as competitors scrambled to imitate his flashy newscasts.
However, while father Applegate's skills as a ratings wizard are undeniable, his taste for tabloid news and flashy promotion has drawn its share of criticism.
Applegate the son, 31, comes to Las Vegas from the CBS affiliate in Hartford, Conn.
"It wasn't a good fit for me there. It was too conservative a market. One of the draws of Las Vegas is how that is not the case here," Applegate told us.
"I am definitely going to try and push the envelope here in Las Vegas."
KTNV News Director Craig Hume said he hired Applegate because he "understands how to put on a newscast with a top-10 market quality." Hume also cited Applegate's "highly competitive spirit."
The new hire, coupled with new morning show producer Steve Weakley and news producer Lisa Dillon, finally give Hume the guns, he said, to be successful.
"We are very excited around here," Hume said.
Five hundred
Tonight "Mamma Mia!" celebrates its 500th performance at Mandalay Bay Theatre.
"I can't believe that we have already completed 500 shows and are heading into our second year," Tina Walsh, who stars in the show, told us.
"Cheers to 500 more!"
Gulp
We're not sure if it is a good sign or a bad sign when a place invites us to take their "new liquor license out for a spin."
But since we are proponents of participatory journalism, we said "yes" when Burger Bar (Mandalay Place) boss Hubert Keller and Sin City brewmaster Richard Johnson asked us to join them for their first pour on Tuesday night.
The gourmet hamburger restaurant has been open for a few weeks, but its liquor license just came through.
Besides Keller, Johnson and his beer business partners Bill Doak and Dave Kirvin, perhaps the happiest person at the intimate gathering was Johnson's wife, Jenn Michaels.
Michaels, vice president of public relations for MGM MIRAGE, was taking her first break in three days after dealing with an unceasing flow of worldwide media inquiries regarding the Bellagio's mysterious power failure.
The beer, by the way, is fabulous. It is all brewed locally by Johnson, the former director of brewing operations for Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants. He has been brewing beer professionally for 15 years, practically from the beginning of the microbrew revolution.
It is available at a growing number of local outlets, including Roadrunner Saloons, Margaritaville, the Harley Davidson Cafe, Treasure Island and the Zumanity Theatre inside New York-New York.
'Tonight' coming
As we first reported a few months ago, "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" will be coming out in May to tape a week of shows at Paris Las Vegas.
But the show's camera crews will be sneaking around town this weekend to tape Steve Schirripa, Ross the Intern and newly hired announcer "Stuttering" John Melendez at various locations.
Also, Howie Mandel might reprise his earlier visit, with Leno's cameras, to The Rio Carnival World Buffet.
Tax meal
If you're still in the mood to eat after filing your last-minute taxes today, there are two special culinary options.
The Whole Foods Market in Summerlin is having a Tax Day Barbecue. Customers can stop by the patio area all day for free barbecued chicken and Orange Blossom Beer.
And a somewhat more elaborate event, the Epicurean Affair, takes place at the five-acre Caesars Palace Garden of the Gods swimming pool complex.
The benefit for the Nevada Restaurant Association Scholarship Fund starts at 7 p.m., and will feature food stations representing dozens of Las Vegas' top eateries.
There will also be mermaids in the pools and Eve entangled with a live snake. Some tickets to the feast remain. They are $125 and will be available at the door.
VegasBits
News: CNN's program "Crossfire" will broadcast live from the parking lot of the Las Vegas Convention Center on Monday afternoon as part of the National Association of Broadcasters convention. Hosts Paul Begala and the bow-tied Tucker Carlson will interviewLas Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, Arizona Rep. J.D. Hayworth and Wayne Newton ...
Star: William Shatner and his wife, Elizabeth, had dinner at Postrio (Venetian) on Monday ...
Fore: Former NFL wide receiver and five-time Pro Bowler Sterling Sharpe golfed at Bali Hai Golf Club Tuesday morning ...
Trick: Jorge Blass -- one of Europe's leading illusionists -- was at Boomers on Sirius Avenue on Monday night producing a segment for Spain's Disney Channel. One of his card trick victims was close-up magic aficionado Robin Leach ...
Cover girl: Caesars Palace headliner Celine Dion is featured on the cover of the May edition of Redbook magazine as part of a story about celebrity mothers ...
More divas: Just added to the list of those expected to appear on Sunday night's "VH1 Divas" telecast from MGM Grand: Omarosa Manigault-Stall- worth, Amy Henry and Heidi Bressler of "The Apprentice," Carly Simon, Jamie-Lynn Discala, Jessica Alba, Marg Helgenberger, Vanessa Williams, Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, Gloria Estefan, Tyra Banks, Nia Vardalos and Paula Abdul. Performers include Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight , Jessica Simpson, Debbie Harry, Cyndi Lauper, Joss Stone, Ashanti, Eve, Shiela E. and Tom Jones.
From Sun wires
Beckham sex allegations rock Britain: The British love to gossip about their royalty, and nothing is more fun than professing to be shocked that these people have ordinary human foibles.
David Beckham, 28, the world's most famous soccer player, and his wife Victoria, formerly Posh Spice of the Spice Girls singing group, may not belong to the house of Windsor. But since their 1999 marriage, they might as well have, for all the scrutiny they have received.
For most of April, the British papers have been full of allegations of infidelity by Beckham with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and also a Malaysian-born model, Sarah Marbeck.
Clark has diabetes: Dick Clark, "America's oldest teenager," has diabetes. The producer and TV star, 74, has had type 2 diabetes -- what used to be called adult-onset diabetes -- since 1994 but kept it a secret from everyone except close friends and family.
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