Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

John Katsilometes joins Fonzie and Co. at the ‘Champions of Freedom’ gala

Saturday night's United Jewish Community/Jewish Federation of Las Vegas "Champions of Freedom" dinner gala at the Bellagio was billed as the "Million Dollar Night on Broadway," and the program did not lack for variety.

Fonzie was the emcee and one of the night's honored guests was a Nevada Supreme Court justice.

A spot-on Henry Winkler kept the night moving and Justice Michael Cherry received the David L. Simon Bridge Builder for Peace Award, in honor of the late David L. Simon's commitment to global peace and to the growth of the Las Vegas Jewish community.

Cherry, a St. Louis native who moved to Las Vegas in 1970, assumed his post as chief justice in January and now serves in Carson City. Upon receiving his award, he deadpanned, "You are now looking at the entire Jewish population of Carson City right now."

Cherry has a long history of philanthropy in his adopted hometown, including a three-decade affiliation with the UJC/Jewish Federation. He has also supported the American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Olive Crest for Abused and Neglected Children, the Adoption Exchange, Jewish Family Service Agency, Hillel, the Anti-defamation League, B'Nai B'rith and Congregation Ner Tamid.

Joining Cherry as honorees were members of the organization's Prime Minister Council, which recognizes those who have donated at least $100,000 to the UJC/Jewish Federation. The honorees were Nancy and Bruce Deifik, Sheryl and Robert Goldstein, the Greenspun family (which owns the Las Vegas Sun), Pat and Sam Lionel, the Marshall family, the Sabes Family Foundation, Sonja and Mike Saltman, the Seligman family, the Thomas Spiegel Family Foundation, and Faye and Dr. Leon Steinberg. UJC/Jewish Federation Chairman of the Board Danny Greenspun estimated 760 guests turned out, and money raised from the event was expected to top $1 million. Chairwomen for this year's gala were Jodi Fonfa, Robin Greenspun, Cari Marshall, Lynn Weidner and Dale Wynn.

Winkler said he was thrilled to serve as the event host and came in with plenty of material. He told the audience he remembered receiving 15,000 pieces of fan mail a week when he played Fonzie on "Happy Days." "I would get jewelry in the mail. Two girls took off crucifixes and sent them in the mail. Here's what I learned from my fan mail: Jewish girls do not send their jewelry through the mail." And, "In life, we are all the same. OK, so my jacket is in the Smithsonian, but we're still all the same ..."

NoteMart

The 35-year-old Coachman's Inn restaurant, on Eastern Avenue and Desert Inn Road, has been revitalized under new ownership. Running the show today is local businessman Chip Lightman (you might also know him as Danny Gans' former manager), who took over about three weeks ago. Lightman's business partner, magnanimous Las Vegas attorney Bucky Buchanan, will join the operation as soon as he receives his gaming license. Lightman, who also owns the Courthouse in downtown Las Vegas, says he's "moving 250 lobsters a week," which evidently is a lot of lobsters. ...

Beasley abuzz: The fallout of Mike O'Brian's departure from KSTJ 107.2-FM to the KKLZ 96.3-FM morning show (where he joins Dennis Mitchell and Jim Tofte) is that O'Brian's former KSTJ co-host, Beth Lano, is flying solo in the mornings on 102.7. ...

I thought Lee Majors was the fall guy: In published reports, David Hasselhoff says that in his role as Roger De Bris in "The Producers," he can't wear heels higher than 2 inches for fear of toppling over.

Plate on a black Ford F-150 (one of the more popular vanity-plate vehicles), UTK2MCH. And, in the back window, a campaign sticker from a guy who does not talk too much, Rep. Jon Porter.

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