VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: During trek, Shatner shoots

Friday, April 16, 2004 | 4:06 a.m.

VegasBeat appears Sunday through Friday in the Las Vegas Sun. Timothy McDarrah can be reached at tim@lasvegassun.com or at (702) 259-4096.

WEEKEND EDITION

April 17 - 18, 2004

Talk about boldly going.

Former "Star Trek" star William Shatner is staying at The Venetian this week as he films scenes in Las Vegas for Sandra Bullock's "Miss Congeniality 2."

But just before Shatner came to town, he was a guest photographer for Playboy.com.

"I have been fascinated with photography most of my life," Shatner says on the Web site.

His subject was Miss May 1998, Deanna Brooks. The Web site reports: "Shatner proceeded to pose a nude Deanna on a mod white leather couch, draping her this way and that and then coming in to take extreme close-ups. Quiet, calm, determined and focused, Shatner kneeled before Deanna and orchestrated the studio crew to shift the dozen or so lights around the room to get the exact bodyscape he wanted.

"Shatner snapped away for about 90 minutes before he felt as if he had captured his artistic vision."

What did Shatner think of the experience?

"It was great fun to poke this lens along Deanna's beautiful body," he told the Web site.

Dennis Miller on his CNBC show this week: "The Bellagio was hit by a massive power outage on Sunday, forcing millions of tourists to have to lose money manually."

Another positive sign regarding Roy Horn's recovery has surfaced -- the old Siegfried & Roy sense of humor is returning.

A group of fans recently sent a massive floral display, and the duo sent back a thank-you note that included a photo of Horn with the flowers.

The note, dated April 7, begins: "Over these past months, your notes and poems have been a great source of strength and inspiration to us. Roy says that when he needs that extra incentive to complete his workout, your thoughts and words make it possible."

The closing salutation reads, "From the Cats With Nine Lives, Siegfried & Roy."

"Wayne Allyn Root's Winning Edge," the half-hour sports information and handicapping show hosted by Henderson resident Wayne Allyn Root, is moving this fall from Fox Sports Net to Spike TV.

Spike TV reaches an estimated 87 million viewers, more than double that of Fox Sports Net.

Also, the show will move to a 10 a.m. Saturday time slot, positioning it just before the start of the weekend of college and professional football games.

Starring along with Root will be Emmy-award winning sports talk-host Chet Coppock, former Colts and Patriots coach Ron Meyer and Super Bowl XII MVP Randy White.

Joe Bonaventure Jr. was campaigning among the canapes at the Epicurean Affair at Caesars Palace on Thursday night.

Joe Jr., the son of the judge who presided over the Ted Binion murder case, is running for justice of the peace. By Joe Jr.'s side as he patrolled the poolside party was his father's former law clerk, Al Lasso.

Joe Jr. got some face time with local personalities such as Kevin Stessi (Wynn Resorts), David Alenik (Pasta Shop), Brad Brennen (Commander's Palace) Gary Canter (Canter's Deli at Treasure Island), Hubert Keller (the new Fleur de Lys at Mandalay Place), VEGAS magazine prez Michael Carr, novelties mogul Michael Levine, Art Institute prez Steven Brooks and, of course, Robin Leach.

Several states, including Nevada, have officially made today National Columnists Day. Gov. Kenny Guinn signed the state proclamation on March 5.

"Columnists are a vital part of every newspaper who make significant contributions to their communities and to the journalism profession in general," Guinn declared.

The National Society of Newspaper Columnists originally suggested today's date because it is the day in 1945 when syndicated columnist Ernie Pyle was killed by Japanese gunfire on the Pacific island of Ie Shima while serving as a war correspondent with the 77th Infantry Division.

We're no Ernie Pyle, but we're proud to be part of his tradition.