VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Reports of ‘Yellow Submarine’ torpedoed

Thursday, July 29, 2004 | 10:44 a.m.

The Mirage has tentatively scheduled an Aug. 26 announcement for the show that will replace Siegfried & Roy.

Few things are certain, but sources confirm that Cirque du Soleil will produce the show, and that despite a Reuters report that was picked up worldwide, the new show will not be a Cirque interpretation of "Yellow Submarine," the psychedelic-era Beatles movie.

"I can't tell you what it will be, but I can tell you what it won't be," the Mirage source said. "The hotel was pitched anything and everything, as you can imagine."

No target opening date for the mystery show has been announced either, but it is known that the hotel wants to get a show in the Siegfried & Roy Theatre as soon as reasonably possible.

Save for an occasional Jay Leno or Wayne Brady gig, the 1,500-seat showroom has been empty.

In better times, it was full of $100-per-ticket Siegfried & Roy fans, two shows per night, five nights per week, 44 weeks per year, which generated millions for the hotel.

Jenn Michaels, a spokeswoman for MGM MIRAGE, said that plans for an announcement have not been finalized.

"Obviously, we are anxious and excited about introducing a new entertainment program to The Mirage. And when we are ready to announce something, we will," Michaels said.

"We have nothing to say at this point," Cirque spokeswoman Ann Paladie told us. "Nothing has been released but we will tell you when we are ready."

Smelly problem

Big problems at the Sands Convention Center at The Venetian this week.

Both the cigar show and the FTD (the flower people) show are having conventions side by side.

Seems that the flower people are complaining to everyone -- including a gossip columnist -- that the cigar people stink. Well, at least that their cigars do.

So, they say, no one can smell the flowers.

Whoever

Funny misprint in the local papers Tuesday.

It was in a full-page ad for the 99 Cents Only stores.

They offered "99 Congratulations" to Neil Armstrong for "winning your 9th Tour de France."

For fans who only follow sports where a stick or a ball is involved, it was Lance Armstrong who won his sixth, not ninth, Tour de France this month.

Neil Armstrong won a different race -- the space race. He was, of course, the first man to set foot on the moon, 35 years ago this month.

Stardust Libre

The opening of "Havana Nights," the Cuban revue, has been pushed back two days, but otherwise the show will go on.

Producer and creator Nicole Durr says that the 53-member cast is taking a charter out of Havana on Friday -- the day the show was supposed to open.

So instead the show will open at the Stardust on Sunday night.

Night flight?

The wheels might be in motion for the second Planet Hollywood pilfer.

The first was the hiring of general manager Mike Mecca from the Green Valley Ranch Station Casino to be the new resort's president and CEO.

Now we hear the Planet Hollywood folks have their eyes on ghostbar VIP host Marko Greisen, who celebrated his 30th birthday party at the Palms' Skin Pool Lounge on Tuesday night with more than 1,000 well-wishers.

The revelers included actor Jamie Foxx, jock Jalen Rose, rapper Too Short, Chef Kerry Simon, Sean Christy and Marklen Kennedy from the Light group, Robin Leach, Dennis Haskins ("Saved by the Bell"), and DJ Curious George, also known as wealthy hotel owner George Maloof.

The good-natured Greisen, the ultimate diplomat, has played an important role in making ghostbar one of the hippest evening destinations in Las Vegas.

Planet Hollywood is expected to assume ownership of the bankrupt Aladdin Hotel this fall. Planet Hollywood boss Robert Earl will be making what he hopes to be his final appearances before the state gaming regulators in Carson City starting Aug. 8.

Assuming that all goes well there, look for some announcements regarding entertainment at Planet Hollywood shortly thereafter.

Sneak peek

The long-running Treasure Island Cirque du Soleil show "Mystere" is offering a special behind-the-scenes look to anyone who buys a ticket for the Sunday matinee performances on Aug. 1, 8 or 15.

It will include some interactive artistic demonstrations, performers' rehearsal, show preparations and question-and-answer opportunities, according to show spokesman John McCoy.

The tour is from 2 to 3:30 p.m. followed by the show at 4:30 p.m. Tickets start at $60 and include a "Mystere" gift.

VegasBits

Cheese: Tobey Maguire was having lunch Wednesday at California Pizza Kitchen at The Mirage. He's in town for a poker tourney ...

Radio: Close-up magician extraordinaire Steve Dacro, Marlon Brando's divorce attorney Don Woldman, actor Richard Tyson ("Black Hawk Down"), Ryan Stiles ("Drew Carey Show") and Jimmy Dixon -- Ray Charles' drummer -- were all at the Riviera Wednesday for appearances on a remote broadcast of Magic Matt Allen's national radio show ...

Listen up: Former CIA Director George Tenet is set to deliver the keynote address at the U.S. Telecom Association's Telecom '04 conference in Las Vegas on Oct 12. In what is likely to be one of his first public appearances since resigning his post, Tenet is expected to discuss "the importance of maintaining secure networks and the critical role telecom providers play in ensuring the nation's safety," according to the group's Web site.

From Sun wires

Cosby defends remarks: Bill Cosby defended his controversial comments on blacks, adding that the music industry is "glorifying the wrong things" as he spoke about parenting and children at a college conference in Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Cosby, 67, made headlines in May when he criticized some blacks for their grammar and accused them of squandering opportunities the civil rights movement gave them. Then earlier this month, Cosby said blacks should not blame whites for their problems and urged them to re-examine their own lives.

"I'm going to keep on saying what I've been saying," he said Wednesday, speaking to a group representing 118 historically black colleges and universities nationwide, the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education.

Jackson at mall: Michael Jackson signed autographs for surprised shoppers as he bought toys and stuffed animals at a Houston mall.

Jackson was in Houston "on business, and just decided to drop by the mall," a spokeswoman said.