VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Lebowski fans to wind up in the gutter

Friday, Feb. 27, 2004 | 10:33 a.m.

Las Vegas is home to some pretty big-deal conventions, such as Comdex, MAGIC, CES, ShoWest and NATPE.

But we're pretty excited about this weekend's Lebowski Fest West.

Hundreds of devotees of the 1998 Joel and Ethan Coen movie "The Big Lebowski" are converging at the Imperial Palace starting today to celebrate all things Lebowski.

The film has quickly developed a cult-classic following similar to the "Rocky Horror Picture Show," where fans regularly turn out in costume and mouth dialogue at screenings.

"The Big Lebowski" follows the strange events that happen to Jeffrey Lebowski (Jeff Bridges). Lebowski's apartment is broken into early in the movie, and a thug urinates on his rug. Turns out the intruder was looking for a different man with the same name -- a millionaire.

So Lebowski and his friend and bowling partner, Walter (John Goodman), set out on a meandering journey to get the rug replaced, encountering a porn king, an eccentric painter and a group of nihilists, among others. On tap this weekend, in addition to a showing of the film, is an appearance by James Hoosier, who plays bowler Liam O'Brien in the film. Also scheduled are giveaways of signed items from Bridges, a best-dressed contest based on characters in the movie, a trivia contest and, of course, a bowling tourney.

Scaramouche!

First auditions for the Queen musical "We Will Rock You" take place Wednesday to Friday at Backstage II Studios in Las Vegas, according to Call Back, the Las Vegas entertainment trade tab.

Rehearsals for the Paris Las Vegas headline show start June 21. The musical, being co-presented by Robert De Niro's production company, is slated for a mid-September opening.

Stern show

Howard Stern said on the air Thursday that the dates for his Las Vegas visit have been moved from late April to May 11-13. That is, assuming he still has a radio show by then.

Stern said the move was because of a scheduling conflict -- a convention had already booked the Hard Rock Hotel space his show planned to occupy.

The self-proclaimed King of All Media has been at the center of a media firestorm this week after the Federal Communications Commission announced it would levy massive fines on shock jocks who use obscene language on the air.

Stern is known for pushing the envelope with his daily parade of porn star guests and outrageous comments. He has been fined several times by the FCC.

On Wednesday his nationally syndicated morning show was yanked from at least six Clear Channel Communications Inc. radio stations after an incident on his show the day before. Stern was the second casualty of Clear Channel's zero-tolerance policy on indecency.

"It was vulgar, offensive and insulting, not just to women and African-Americans but to anyone with a sense of common decency," Clear Channel Radio Chief Executive John Hogan said in a statement.

Most of the stations that carry Stern's program are Infinity affiliates.

Stern said on the air that he feared he was going to be the "sacrificial lamb" of the Religious Right and other conservatives in an attempt to "strike back" in the wake of the Janet Jackson breast-baring incident at the Super Bowl.

Marty Basch, who runs Stern's local outlet, KXTE 107.5-FM, referred any questions about Stern and the FCC crackdown to Infinity spokeswoman Karen Mateo in New York. She did not return phone calls Thursday.

VegasBits

Grand show: On Thursday, we exclusively reported that Madonna will play a Vegas date on May 30. Now we can reveal the locale: the MGM Grand Garden Arena. An official announcement is expected sometime next week ...

Planning: Imminent Las Vegas casino mogul, Planet Hollywood's Robert Earl, had dinner Thursday night with Robin Leach at Piero's. Leach is slated to have somewhat more than an advisory role in the new ownership team ...

Ink: Hard Rock Hotel comedy headliner Jeff Beacher showed up at the opening party Wednesday night of the Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co. at the Palms. He wanted to get a Hard Rock logo painted on his derriere -- but he was told they didn't have the time, or the stencil, to accommodate him ...

Multitalented: Rapper/actress/designer Eve hosted a fashion show at V Bar (Venetian) Wednesday night to promote her Fetish clothing line. Also on hand: rap star Fabolous and V Bar owner David Rabin, who also has the New York City hot spot Lotus ...

Helper: KVVU Channel 5 morning news anchor Cher Calvin will join Leach as the emcee at the officially sanctioned Oscar party, benefiting the Arthritis Foundation, on Sunday night at Caesars Palace ...

Win: Las Vegas has landed the "2004 World Music Awards." Monte Carlo (which has hosted the awards for the last decade) and Los Angeles were also vying for it. The show takes place Sept. 12 at a location that is expected to be announced next week ...

Star: Dan O'Brien, the male lead singer in "Folies Bergere" (Tropicana), is being filmed this weekend for an E! Entertainment Television show called "The Look for Less." The show is described as a "Queer Eye" on a budget, and will air this spring ...

Strut: A total of 20 local models wearing the latest spring fashions will walk the catwalk at 1 p.m. Saturday during Galleria at Sunset's eight-year anniversary fashion show ...

Celebrate: Tabu, the much-hyped MGM Grand nightspot, celebrates its first year with a party Thursday night that will include "anyone who craves style and distinction," according to the party announcement ...

Star: Rip Taylor's "It Ain't All Confetti," a Nevada Conservatory Theater special event, begins a six-performance run on March 12 in the Judy Bayley Theatre at UNLV ...

Zoom: The Sam's Town 300 Official After-Race Party kicks off inside Sam's Town Live! following the March 6 race. Superstar drivers Kenny Wallace, Scott Wimmer and David Green are some of the NASCAR personalities slated to attend the party and revel with fans about the day's events.

Rock bottom: On St. Patrick's Day the topless club Pleasures is presenting an evening of "professional midget wrestling." "One night only," the ads tout. Well, we're thankful for that.

From Sun wires

Fact and fiction: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Rep. John McHugh are picking a fight with the fictional "West Wing" over a scene aired Wednesday night in which an aide discussed closing a real-life New York military base.

Clinton, D-N.Y., and McHugh, R-N.Y., fired off a letter Thursday to Deputy White House Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman, the TV character played by Bradley Whitford.

On the episode, a general meeting with Lyman suggested Fort Drum in northern New York, site of deep-snow combat training, may be shuttered.

The letter shows just how seriously some lawmakers take the actual threat of base closings. Clinton and McHugh are trying to protect Fort Drum and other military facilities in New York during an upcoming round of closures.