Thursday, June 17, 2004 | 10:48 a.m.
What better reward for active military men just back from Afghanistan than a weekend in Las Vegas?
This weekend five soldiers currently being debriefed at Fort Drum in New York arrive at the Palms for five days of fun, gratis.
"In January, I got a letter from Spc. Andrew Seibert, who was stationed overseas and had been reading the Playboy 50th anniversary issue," hotel community services director Reggie Turner said. The issue included coverage of the Playboy anniversary parties held at the Palms.
"He asked for anything from the Palms as a morale booster, so I sent playing cards, dice, T-shirts, all kinds of things," Turner told us. "And I said that if Seibert and his colleagues were ever in Vegas that we'd love to host them."
Well, turns out that Turner got a call last week saying that the men were back stateside, temporarily.
"So the group was immediately invited out," Turner said. Seibert, Spc. Bruce Cofton, Pfc. T.J. Hammons, Pfc. Bo Hagen and Staff Sgt. Matt O'Neil arrive Sunday for the five-day visit.
Their stay will include a private lunch with hotel owner George Maloof next week.
"We plan to show them a very, very good time," Turner said.
The soldiers are expected to return to Afghanistan in July.
Grand opening
There were big crowds around the TV screens Tuesday night at the big opening party of the new Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at MGM Grand. The Puck party started at 6 p.m., as did what turned out to be the last game of the NBA Finals.
Most animated was Plush nightclub special events and marketing boss Jackie Wright, a Motown native, as she told everyone she had wagered big on her team to take the series -- and she had the ticket to prove it.
"Good for you, but I hate basketball." Penn Jillette politely told her when she shared the news with The Rio headliner. "Sports just are not my thing."
Anyway, Puck and his Las Vegas team -- including Tom Kaplan, Joe Essa, John Le Grone, Mark Ferguson, David Robins, Adam Zrocini and Mark Djozjlia all made the party scene, as did scores of local foodies.
Most interesting to us was Puck's reaction, or lack of one, at a CineVegas party at Tabu (MGM Grand) when Puck, his new girlfriend, Gelila Assefa, and Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada boss Larry Ruvo walked right by Puck's estranged wife, Barbara Lazaroff.
She is the key designer of all the Puck restaurants worldwide and remains a business partner.
Nice, soft
Touch is the working name of the new Caesars nightclub, we hear.
The two-story club will be located near the hotel's race and sports book and will have an open patio area on the Strip.
Robert Frey, one of the Coyote Ugly (New York-New York) partners, is the key name behind the Caesars project.
Show move
"Ba Da Bing" is moving again.
The popular interactive dinner theater show, which left The Orleans for the Desert Passage at the Aladdin earlier this year, has now been lured to the Stardust, according to producer Ben Morgan.
The show will play in the space formerly occupied by the Mexican eatery Tres Lobos once an overhaul of the room is completed, possibly by the July 4 weekend.
Film series
Two friends of this column have films in the Nevada Filmmakers Program at CineVegas tonight.
Local infomercial producer Ben Kalb tells us that he has waited six years to get his short, "Love Match," into a film festival. And if his beloved Lakers were still playing tonight (Kalb has season tickets) he'd have missed his big-screen debut.
The film is about a guy and a girl on a date in a martial arts studio. It stars Tava Smiley, who went on to a regular role in "General Hospital," and Todd Babcock, who had a recurring role one season on "Frasier."
Also tonight, Henderson resident, UCLA film school grad and musician Billy Hinsche premieres a short he recently completed with original music and never-before-seen footage of his brother-in-law Carl Wilson during a '70s-era Beach Boys tour. Hinsche was the longtime keyboard player in the famous Southern California band.
VegasBits
Action: The singular director David Lynch ("Blue Velvet," "Mulholland Drive," "Twin Peaks," "Eraserhead"), in town for a CineVegas Film Festival appearance, had an early dinner at Postrio (Venetian) Wednesday night (see Kirk Baird's story on Lynch on page 1E of today's Sun) ...
Eats: Jaime Pressly and Dennis Hopper (separately) had dinner at N9NE (Palms) Tuesday night ...
Film fans: Susan Anton and Brenda and Clint Holmes were in the crowd at the Monday afternoon CineVegas screening of "De-lovely," the Cole Porter biopic, at the Palms ...
Star: Maria Shriver had dinner Tuesday at the Palm (Forum Shops at Caesars). She was in town to interview Siegfried & Roy; the segment airs this fall when the animated TV series "Father of the Pride" debuts ...
War: Iran-Contra figure and Fox News host Oliver North is coming to Las Vegas for a public appearance at the Tropicana on Aug. 28. Tickets, which are on sale today, are $150 per person and include a dinner buffet, drinks, and an autographed copy of his new book, "War Stories: Operation Iraqi Freedom." Tickets can be purchased at the Tiffany Theatre Box office or by calling (702) 739-2411 ...
New act: ABBA Gold, a tribute band, has joined the "Legends in Concert" lineup at the Imperial Palace ...
Day: We don't want to ruin anyone's surprise, but we saw a local TV anchor and (later, separately) a noted Strip performer getting Father's Day gifts at the Artful Potter on South Eastern Avenue the other day. The store's creator and owner, Lori Aguirre, was named to the list of 40 business stars under 40 published by In Business Las Vegas earlier this year.
From Sun wires
Actor in flying school: Actor Treat Williams is going to school this week in Reno -- flying school.
Williams is among 46 pilots signed up for the Reno National Championship Air Races rookie school Thursday through Sunday. The 53-year-old has been a professional pilot and is a certified flight instructor.
Williams -- and anybody else who wants to qualify for the Sept. 16-19 air races at the Reno-Stead Airport -- first must attend this week's Pylon Racing Seminar.
Combs expected back: Sean Combs was expected to return today to the hit Broadway revival of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" five days after he was stricken with a severe stomach ailment.
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