A year later, Horn’s recovery is no mirage

Monday, Oct. 4, 2004 | 8:20 a.m.

Magic is an illusion. Courage is real.

Roy Horn demonstrated the difference between the two at his 60th birthday party Sunday night -- one year to the day after he was critically injured by a tiger during a performance at the Mirage, the same hotel where 1,000 friends gathered to celebrate not only his birthday over the weekend but the fact that he survived the mauling and has made remarkable progress in his recovery.

With Siegfried at his side, Horn sat in a battery-powered wheelchair and spoke at length on a ballroom stage as the party began. And at the close of the festivities, he walked -- with some assistance.

Though he did neither with perfection, the crowd of well-wishers were overjoyed with Horn's courageous effort to conquer the physical problems created by the attack and by a subsequent stroke, which left him partially paralyzed on his left side and affected his speech.

"Take your seats," Horn said after his fans rose in unison and applauded as he came onstage. "You are too kind to me."

The duo's longtime manager, Bernie Yuman, introduced the Vegas legends, who performed magic together for more than 40 years.

"We welcome you to the celebration of Roy's life on his 60th birthday," Yuman said. "For the first time in literally one year, Siegfried & Roy are together again onstage at the Mirage."

Siegfried never left his friend's side during the three-hour event, which included a dinner and entertainment arranged by their close friend, Clint Holmes, headliner at Harrah's.

"In the past 12 months our hearts grew closer together," Siegfried said.

Horn proudly announced that he received a call that morning from Maria Shriver and her husband, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Shriver recently interviewed Horn during the hourlong NBC special "Siegfried & Roy: The Miracle."

"Arnold sang happy birthday to me," Horn said.

Horn told his friends that he had disappeared for a year, "But now, the magic is back."

Friends and fellow-magicians Penn & Teller, headliners at the Rio, spoke to the crowd before the party began because they had to leave for a performance.

"We wish our best to Roy," Penn said. "We asked him only one favor -- please let us know the second he is well enough so that we can make fun of him again."

But there were no roasts of Horn at the party, only admiration.

A number of celebrities turned out for the affair, among them Mary Tyler Moore, Paul Anka and Robert Goulet.

Breck Wall, of "Bottoms Up" fame, impressionist Bill Acosta ("The Man of 1,001 Voices"), comic magician Mac King, puppeteer Ronn Lucas, Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt and vocalist and radio talk-show host Dennis Bono were among the celebrants.

Gambing figure Bob Stupak and Las Vegas Councilwoman Janet Moncrief, who was recently indicted by a grand jury on allegations of campaign violations, also were seen in the crowd.

Holmes opened the entertainment portion of the evening, backed by his band and an ad hoc choir of singers who sometimes perform at the Bootlegger Bistro.

His first featured performer was magician/vocalist Darren Romeo, a protege of Siegfried & Roy's. The duo produced an afternoon show for Romeo at the Mirage, which failed to ignite a following. Currently, Romeo is on tour around the world.

Others who performed for Horn were vocalists Denise Clemente and an amazingly talented 8-year-old girl, Jamiah Simone Nash.

Also on hand were magician Lance Burton and the cast of "Havana Night Club," a production produced by Siegfried & Roy that was recently at the Stardust for a limited engagement. Talks are under way to bring the group of Cubans back to the venue for another engagement, possibly this month.

The entertainment ended with Holmes, Clemente and the choir singing a deeply emotional presentation of "I Believe I Can Fly."

With Horn's incredible determination, who knows. Perhaps one day he will.

-- Jerry Fink

Gibson gets order

Mel Gibson obtained a temporary restraining order against a man who allegedly showed up at his estate in Malibu, Calif., and the chapel he attends, demanding they pray together.

Zack Sinclair, 34, was arrested Sept. 20 for investigation of disorderly conduct and loitering and remained jailed Friday on $5,000 bail pending an Oct. 6 court hearing.

The restraining order was issued a day after his arrest, and bars him from coming within 150 yards of Gibson, his wife or their seven children. He also cannot contact the actor.

Novak breaks hip

Political columnist Robert Novak broke his hip while in the Miami area for the first presidential debate and was recovering from surgery in a hospital, a newspaper reported Saturday.

The 73-year-old conservative pundit fell early Friday in a hotel bathroom and underwent partial hip replacement surgery that afternoon, The Washington Post reported.

Sharpton celebrates

The Rev. Al Sharpton celebrated his 50th birthday with speeches, musical acts and a rendition of "Happy Birthday" with James Brown and Sean "P. Diddy" Combs on stage at Harlem's Apollo Theater in New York.

Brown performed at the Sunday afternoon program, which also featured gospel singers and the rappers Doug E. Fresh and Foxy Brown, who paid tribute to the preacher, former Democratic presidential candidate and political fixture.

Sharpton paid tribute to his mother and said he remembered going to see James Brown at the legendary theater as a child with his father.

Watts wins battle

Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts has won a battle with throat cancer, lead singer Mick Jagger said.

Watts, 63, was diagnosed with cancer four months ago and recently finished a successful six-week chemotherapy treatment at a London hospital.

The chemotherapy left Watts weak, and he will spend time recovering with his wife, Shirley, before going back to work, a London newspaper reported.

LaBelle helps arts center

Soul diva Patti LaBelle ushered in a "new day" for a reopened performing arts center in Bergen County, N.J.

LaBelle started her show Saturday night with the gospel song "It's a New Day" for the first official concert at bergenPAC.

The formerly named John Harms Center for the Performing Arts, in downtown Englewood, N.J., closed in April 2003 after it could not repay $2.3 million borrowed for renovations. Jazz guitarist and Englewood resident George Benson was among members of the Bergen arts community who pleaded with the county to help save the center.

New time thrills O'Brien

Conan O'Brien said he was looking forward to "being on at a time when people can see me" when he replaces Jay Leno as host of the "The Tonight Show" in five years.

NBC announced last week that O'Brien, whose show airs at 12:35 a.m. Eastern, will move up an hour earlier when he takes over for Leno in 2009.

"My parents have no idea what I do for a living," O'Brien joked Saturday night about his late, late gig. "They think I'm still in law school."