By John Katsilometes
One night in January at Wynn Las Vegas, I wanted to nail Paula Abdul’s feet to the floor.
Not that I would act on that urge – no tools. But it was the night of Nevada Ballet Theatre’s “Black and White Ball” and Abdul was being honored as the company’s Woman of the Year. During the event Abdul floated about the hotel and like a vapor let loose from a test tube, wafting from Point A to pointless while dopily referring to NBT as “Nevada City Ballet” and flubbing an interview with an “Entertainment Tonight” crew so badly that it needed to be completely recast.
Abdul’s “American Idol” co-judges, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson, did show up to enhance the celebrity experience, as did a platoon of “Idol” contestants (who treated the ballet supporters to something of an “Idol” greatest-hits performance) but this night belonged to Abdul, who has never actually seen an NBT performance but no matter.
My take on the NBT/Abdul gala is not new. I wrote about it in my old column at the Las Vegas Sun. But Abdul has (again) made news, or at least entertainment news, over the past couple of weeks for tripping over her Chihuahua and injuring her nose. She also reportedly explained away her frequently dingy disposition by attributing it to sleep deprivation, which is caused by a chronically sore back, which was caused by her former career as an Emmy-winning choreographer and, before that, a Laker Girl. And just today she was emotionally injured when a conference call recording her wailing angst about how she has been treated by one of her publicists wound up in the hands of celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, who posted it on YouTube.
The woman needs help. That’s just an opinion of someone who observes human behavior. And every time Abdul hits the headlines by toppling over a tiny canine or mumbling her way though even the most celebrity-friendly interview, I wonder if the crew at NBT thinks giving her the company’s highest honor was worth the headache.
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Now for a bit on an entertainer I can wholly endorse. Clint Holmes’ autobiographical musical “Just Another Man” opens for previews tonight at UNLV’s Judy Bayley Theatre. Aside from putting on one of the city’s best stage shows for nearly a decade (first at the Golden Nugget and later at Harrah’s), Holmes gives more of his time to worthy causes than anyone I know in Las Vegas. I do hope his ambitious Vegas-to-Broadway plan for this show works out. I don’t mind rooting for him.
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There might be a Chihuahua in YOUR future: Saturday is the fifth annual “Best In Show” canine adoption show at the Orleans Arena. Tickets are $12.50, and even if you’re not looking for a dog (and be careful if you are wavering on that point, because upon entering this event you will want to take one home) this is one of the really quirky/fun events happening this weekend. Frankie Scinta, who ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog, is the emcee. The ruff stuff starts at 1 p.m.
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On our menus: The Talladega Tenders, which are all-white chicken meat pieces lightly breaded and cooked golden brown (or, sometimes, just brown) go for $7.95 at NASCAR Café at the Sahara. They come with a side of Pennzoil 30-weight dipping sauce (and I do joke of course).
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Transmission from the Arts District: Even though the tenants who formerly occupied the cottages across from the Funk House on the corner of Casino Center Boulevard and Colorado Street have been shooed away and the residences shuttered, there is still quite a bit of entrepreneurial activity going on at that location. Not sure what version of the American Dream is playing out down there.
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Release me: An e-mail notice from iVillage.com, which claims to be the largest community of women online, interviewed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday. From the release, “I’m not a great planner. If I had followed my plan, I would be a concert musician some place and probably playing piano bar because I probably wasn’t good enough to play Carnegie Hall.” Not a great planner, she says. I believe that.
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A plate in my head: A plate on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, CNBLVN.
Fabulous Las Vegas appears daily (well, almost) at this Web site. John Katsilometes can be reached at 990-7720, 812-9812 or at [email protected]