VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Flesh fan Francis hears call of the wild

Friday, July 2, 2004 | 10:39 a.m.

"Girls Gone Wild" creator Joe Francis has heard the calls. Now he has answered.

The debut of the "Guys Gone Wild" DVD goes on sale July 13.

"Since the birth of 'Girls Gone Wild' seven years ago, people have been asking, 'Why isn't there a "Guys Gone Wild"?' " Francis said.

"While I've always realized there is a market for 'Guys Gone Wild,' I just couldn't bring myself to sit and edit footage of naked guys," Francis said.

"Luckily, over the past year I've hired a team that I trust to produce, market and distribute this product from beginning to end."

Most of the actual filming was done by Misty Nicole, a 24-year-old Texan. The former waitress set out for South Padre Island, Texas, and Cancun, Mexico, during spring break this year, and set up "Guys Gone Wild" banners outside nightclubs.

Francis also has a bit part in the "Comedy Madhouse" show at the Hard Rock Hotel Saturday night.

Show producer Jeffrey Beacher and Francis had been at odds after Francis was inadvertently held by security after a stunt where Beacher -- clad only in a Speedo -- jumped into a fishtank at the Rainforest Cafe at MGM Grand to promote his show.

Despite their on-again friendship, Francis said that the corpulent comic Beacher would not be featured in "Guys Gone Wild!"

"We're trying to excite the female viewers, not sicken them," Francis joked.

New recruits

Donald Trump is going on a 16-city tour to scout potential contestants for next season's "The Apprentice."

The first stop is July 9 in Los Angeles. Other stops include Miami, Boston, Honolulu, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle.

And, of course, Las Vegas.

The Vegas casting call locale has yet to be announced; it is expected to take place during the first week of August.

Producer Mark Burnett said in a statement that "Prospective applicants should be able to take risks, bounce back after failing, succeed in a cutthroat environment, go against the tide, remain focused, think creatively and be a leader."

We'll keep you posted on details as they become available.

Stars

"La Cage" (Riviera) performers Frank Marino and Brent Allen just returned from Hollywood, where they were filming scenes in Sandra Bullock's "Miss Congeniality II."

Marino plays himself. "I run the Oasis Drag Club as Frank Marino. What a hoot! I'd tell you more, but we all signed confidentiality contracts. I'll just say this movie is hilarious. It's supposed to open next March. I'd like to see a local premiere happen in Las Vegas."

Good idea.

High bid

Poker, schmoker.

Trouble is brewing in the world of competitive bridge.

The buzz at the U.S. Senior Bridge Championships, which took place in Las Vegas last week, was that its governing body was upping the minimum age limit to play in senior events from 55 to 60.

This hardly affects us personally, as we have more than a few years to go and don't play much bridge. Any, actually.

But for thousands of others, this is big news. It apparently had a "major impact" on the Vegas event last week, the New York Times reported, as the top-seeded team had to be reshuffled to meet the new requirements. But the new configuration of Rose Meltzer, Peter Weichsel, Alan Sontag, Lew Stansby and Roger Bates won anyway.

Orange crush

A room bearing the name of MGM Grand rotating headliner Carrot Top (real name Scott Thompson) will be dedicated Tuesday at the Ronald McDonald House on Potosi Street.

Mr. Top is a longtime supporter of the children's charity and recently made a $55,000 cash donation.

His support stems from a personal friend who stayed there, said Jennifer Beck, director of operations for Carrot Top Inc. (Yes, the comic really does have his own eponymous company.)

The prop comic and long-distance pitchman plays MGM Grand's Hollywood Theatre through Tuesday.

VegasBits

Interview: NBC newswoman and California's first lady Maria Shriver was at the Green Valley offices of Siegfried & Roy manager Bernie Yuman on Thursday. She was interviewing him for her fall special on the illusionist duo, to coincide with the debut of the "Father of the Pride" animated prime-time series ...

Back to Henderson: Rap pioneer LL Cool J plays Whiskey Beach at the Green Valley Ranch Station Casino on July 31. Tickets go on sale Saturday ...

Curtsy: Bally's head tennis pro David Pate and his doubles partner, Scott Davis, won their second 35-plus Wimbledon match Wednesday, defeating the team of American Gary Qayne Donnell and Slobodan Zivojinovic of the former Yugoslavia, 6-2, 6-4 on the grass ...

Good deed: Frankie Scinta, of the headliner Scintas show at The Rio, was the guest speaker at the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) graduation Wednesday at the Lucille Rogers Elementary School on South Riley Street. The family are longtime activists in the fight against drug abuse.

From Sun wires

Nelson to sing only: Country star Willie Nelson said Thursday he'll sing but won't be able to play guitar at his annual Fourth of July picnic because of a slow recovery from carpal tunnel surgery.

Nelson, 71, said he has unusual soreness and swelling in his left hand six weeks after the wrist surgery aimed at relieving the painful nerve condition.

Nelson said he'll still appear at a Saturday event in Roswell, N.M., for friend Merle Haggard and at the picnic in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sunday, but won't make any other appearances in July.

Nelson had the surgery after apparently suffering so much pain that he couldn't finish a May 8 show in Las Vegas.

Estefan's last tour: It's a wrap for Gloria Estefan's days on the road.

"Although I will continue writing and recording and doing everything else that comes with this incredible way of life, this next tour will be my last," the 46-year-old singer says in a posting on her Web site.

While Estefan will no longer take to the stage, she assured fans that creating songs in the studio "never ceases to be a magical process for me."

Estefan performed at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace from Oct. 10 to Oct. 19.

Williams pushes medical marijuana bill: Fresh off the set of the upcoming reality series "American Candidate," TV host Montel Williams was pushing a more personal cause Thursday at the U.S. Capitol: medical marijuana.

The erstwhile host of the "Montel Williams Show" beseeched young congressional staffers and interns to pester their bosses to make marijuana more widely available to chronic pain sufferers.

"Go back and start looking it up yourself and understand why it is your bosses are voting against something that will do nothing but help people," pleaded Williams, who has taken marijuana to ease pain since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999.

Rapper arrested: Rapper Ja Rule was charged in New York on Thursday with misdemeanor possession of marijuana and driving with a suspended license, but the drug charge was apparently dropped the same day.

Ja Rule, whose real name is Jeffrey Atkins, was pulled over early Thursday morning in his Mercedes-Benz in Manhattan after police spotted him changing lanes without signaling, a police spokesman said. The officers found a small amount of marijuana in his possession, police said.

Ja Rule, 28, of Saddle River, N.J., pleaded guilty to driving with a suspended license and paid $550 in fines and court fees.