Thursday, March 4, 2004 | 10:33 a.m.
The Sahara is becoming an oasis in the entertainment desert.
At a marvelously entertaining event Tuesday afternoon, the venerable Strip institution introduced several new acts that will be appearing regularly at the hotel -- including Lena Prima, the daughter of celebrated jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, composer and sometime film star Louis Prima.
After hotel marketing exec Ron Garrett introduced each new act, they sat with him at a long table in the Casbar Theatre Lounge and signed their new Sahara contracts for the assembled media.
"I am so excited and so emotional right now," Prima told us. Her father made his Las Vegas debut, with Keely Smith, shortly after the hotel opened in 1952.
Her show, which opened Tuesday night, is a collection of her father's songs, video clips, old family photos and stories from her childhood.
Her father, who died in 1978, was a star in the post-World War II period. His songs have been covered by David Lee Roth ("Just a Gigolo") and featured in Gap commercials ("Jump, Jive and Wail").
"This is a brand-new day for the Sahara," Garrett told us. "This is not a collection of lounge acts. This is a group of superior acts who are playing in what we are calling a Super Lounge."
Also, Garrett announced that on April 1 the adult revue "X" will open at the hotel's 550-seat Conga Room. "X" left the Aladdin last year.
Among the other acts in the new lineup are Sixtiesmania, singer Harry Barlo, Kathleen Dunbar's "Divas of Comedy" -- an all-female stand-up show -- Spanish singer Michaelina Bellamy, jazz sax player David Van Such and Bertie Higgins, who calls himself "Mr. Key Largo."
Garrett also introduced the hotel's spokesmodel, Dusty Shelton, who will soon be appearing on billboards and commercials for the hotel.
Out again
Apparently, you really can't go home again.
Just six weeks after returning to the Golden Nugget, comic magician Amazing Johnathan is out, his spokeswoman, Gina Yager, confirmed this morning. His last performance at the Golden Nugget is scheduled for tonight.
Johnathan, a one-time street performer, became a millionaire during his first Golden Nugget engagement, which ended when he moved to the Flamingo Las Vegas in February 2003. He had an acrimonious parting from the Strip hotel at the end of last year.
Then, after what Golden Nugget exec Daniel Shumny told us were "challenging, very challenging" negotiations with Johnathan, the entertainer returned to the Nugget stage in mid-January.
Neither side was talking this morning about specifics of the sudden departure.
TV time
If you film it they will come.
Strip denizens Ronn Lucas, Clint Holmes, Sheena Easton and Frank Marino joined new Golden Nugget owners Tim Poster and Tom Breitling at the hotel's restaurant Stefano's for a late dinner Monday night.
Cameras from the Fox reality show "The Casino," tentatively scheduled for a June debut, were there to capture the entertaining banter.
Beach party
Spring is apparently about to be sprung. Next Wednesday marks the first outdoor party of the season.
The invitation-only event to celebrate the March issue of VEGAS Magazine takes place at Moorea Beach Club, the European-style (read: topless) pool area at Mandalay Bay.
The cover girl this month is Czech supermodel Veronica Varekova. She also appears in the recent Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition and is a Victoria's Secret catalog regular.
Also, the new issue features some celebrity news items -- including direct quotes -- that originally appeared in this column. We were not credited, but thanks for reading us anyway, fellas.
VegasBits
Seen: Movie favorite Robert Redford had dinner Tuesday night at Aureole (Mandalay Bay) with five others, including IBM Chairman and Chief Executive Sam Palmisano ...
Wizard: Baseball Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith was spotted dining at a bar seat Monday night at the P.F. Chang's restaurant at the Aladdin ...
Arbiter: Caesars Palace headliner Elton John is in negotiations to become a celebrity judge next month on "American Idol," his reps tell us ...
Speed: NASCAR drivers Tim Fedewa, Casey Atwood and two-time Busch Series champion Randy LaJoie -- all of the FitzBradshaw Racing Team -- have an autograph signing scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Stratosphere's Race & Sports Book. Also, crews from the SPEED Channel's new reality series "NBS 24/7" will be filming at the hotel this weekend, including a segment on FitzBradshaw co-owner and NFL broadcaster Terry Bradshaw ...
Hangin' around: Actor Vince Vaughn was seen at the Foundation Room atop Mandalay Bay on Monday night. A fellow patron tells us he was surrounded by women, and "buying them drinks left and right" ...
Supernatural: Andy Vargas -- the lead singer for Carlos Santana's band -- will start as a regular at the Fontana Lounge on March 16. His schedule has not yet been announced ...
Movin' out: Longtime and highly regarded Caesars Palace executive George Markantonis has left the building -- and the country. He's off to Dubai to open a hotel there ...
Parrotheads: Boston Red Sox officials have applied to that city for entertainment licenses to stage concerts at Fenway Park on Sept. 10 and 12 by Flamingo Las Vegas restaurateur Jimmy Buffett (Margaritaville) ...
One: Tabu, the much-hyped MGM Grand "ultra lounge," celebrates its first year in business this evening with a special party, which is open to the public. Doors open at 10 p.m. ...
Buff: "Chippendales" marks its second year at The Rio with its March 13 performance ...
Models: World Wrestling Entertainment figures Sable and Torrie Wilson, who appear on the cover and in a 12-page pictorial in Playboy's March issue, will be signing autographs at 3 p.m. Saturday at the MGM Grand Company Store ...
Two: The 12th annual Liberace "Play-A-Like" piano contest takes place May 15 -- which would have been his 85th birthday -- at the Liberace Museum on East Tropicana Avenue. The celebrity judges for the competition have not yet been announced. For entry info, call the museum at 798-5595.
From Sun wires
Dispute resolved: Alec Baldwin and ex-wife Kim Basinger have resolved their custody battle over their 8-year-old daughter, Ireland, Baldwin's attorney said.
Baldwin, who lives in New York, was seeking an "equal share" of parenting with Basinger, who lives in California. A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled in favor of Baldwin, the television program "Celebrity Justice" reported.
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