Pamela Anderson...reporter at Review-Journal takes unwarranted swipe at VIP star!

On Saturday, Pamela Anderson delighted fans when she turned up at Planet Hollywood for a much-publicized celebrity auction.

To rev up a bit of excitement in the crowd, the former VIP star tossed off her top, then sidled up to the auctioneer to participate in the proceeding with a lot of sensual vim and vigor!

By the time the hammer smacked down and the auctioneer barked out sold, Ms. Anderson helped raise $65,000.00 for her favorite charity, PETA.

Instead of applauding the sexy siren for her compassionate act, a reporter at the Review-Journal (who was penning a blase piece on celluloid artists at the CineVegas Film Festival) chose to take a swipe at the pop icon instead.

Mr. Elfman (who looks like an elf, by the way) used the occasion to help build a foundation for some piffle he was penning for the daily.

On the premise that her "excited flutter of a pep talk" and willingness to "roll around on the car" to pump up sales (her 2000 Viper was being offered at auction) lacked class, he proceeded to compare her to the filmmakers who attended the CineVegas Film Festival this year.

In sum, he quipped that the art house film fest enriched by virtue of the alleged intellectual tastes of the fimmmakers who - "unlike certain people named Pamela Anderson" - were actually talented.



What a load of hogwash!

For starters, Ms. Anderson was not part of a CineVegas event.


Notwithstanding, the boisterous antics she engaged in were all part of her "act".

I worked with Ms. Anderson several years ago on the first season of the popular TV Sitcom "Home Improvement". During the kick off episodes, I had a bit part as a producer in the show within-a-show ("Tool Time") and Pamela played the bodacious "Tool Time" girl.

In private, Pamela is actually quite shy, intelligent, and every bit a class act.

Not unlike Marilyn Monroe (or Mae West before her) the persona one encounters in the public eye is one she cleverly crafted. Over the past couple of decades, the Pamela Anderson "brand" has not only withstood the fickle finger of fate in Tinsel town, but turned the voluptuous actress into a bona fide "star".

Contrary to Elf's empty opinion, Pamela is a smart cookie, too!

In fact, Elfman went way out on a limb with his pap, because - in essence - he was trying to compare oranges with apples. No can do!

The low-brow writer was under the mistaken impression that he was writing an in-depth insightful essay of importance. What the feature amounted to was a lot of misguided tabloid fodder.

Surely, the Review-Journal is not so strapped when it comes to worthwhile news, that they're forced to print Elfman's crap?

In another section of the article, the columnist matter-of-fact states that artist Takashi Murakami (who appeared at CineVegas Festivities at an elitist affair last week which caused quite a scandal in some quarters) is an important twentieth century figure in art circles.

Why, pray tell?

According to Elf, Murakami is being compared to Andy Warhol for "having fused fine art with pop art."

What nonsense!

I was an Art Major and I began my career as an abstract-expressionist painter.

For starters, Mr. Murakami's out-of-whack smiley faces amount to nothing more than silly doodles, worthless "junk".

Whenever his name pops up in a serious art discussion at a gallery opening, qualified experts roll their eyes. Then, an old expression flashes to mind.

"I don't know much about art, but I know what I like."

People who "like" Murakami have taste up the wazoo.

I didn't conjure up the nick-name - "tacky" - for no good reason. In fact, I wouldn't even line the kitty litter box with one of his prints. After all, I wouldn't want to insult my cat.

In conclusion, the whole article on CineVegas reeked of behind-the-scenes maneuvering to me.

The way Elf gushed about this 'n that, for example, inferred to me - at least - that he's either on someone's payroll over there at CineVegas or too fond of the free passes (and perks that go with 'em) to dare cross the powers-that-be.

I prefer to read articles that are written by ethical journalists who endeavour to log in a balanced account of the events.

At a small-town newspaper like the Review-Journal, I guess management can't take the risk of offending potential advertisers with clout, by reporting the truth.

Until they do, their credibility is a big fat zero.


Review-Journal is the best? By whose standard?

Las Vegas..."Band She" rocks at Paris; Midnight with Pamela Anderson, and Lounge Lizards at Planet Hollywood!

Well, on Christmas Eve, the all girl group - "BAND SHE" - really rocked Paris (not the socialite celeb, guys) - at the Hotel of the same name in Las Vegas. The pretty, talented ladies were all gussied up in black and pink - and made quite an impression on the holiday revelers who were out in good cheer!

Meanwhile, down the road at "Planet Hollywood", the management was featuring Karaoke on Tuesday night...gee, was this how Elvis got discovered? Judging by the enthusiastic crowds who jumped up and belted out songs non-stop with gusto - the weekly event should be a mainstay for awhile.

There was a lot of excitement elsewhere on the strip, too.

At midnight, the "Mirage" featured a spectacular light and water show outside the Hotel which peaked with a stunning display of fireworks - flames that roared about 500 feet in the air - which wowed the thronging masses snapping away with their digital cams on Las Vegas Boulevard beyond the guard rail.

When I stopped in to the MGM Grand, a large capacity crowd was also marveling at the "Lion Habitat"; gee, brave tourists can actually walk under a glass walkway as a pride of Lions stride above in all their spectacular, powerful beauty.

Down on the old strip, I stumbled across a great little restaurant in the Four Queens (!) Hotel, which offers up an incredible breakfast special for $4.95. If you've got a big appetite, then the large platter with eggs, ham (replete with bone in the middle, which you can pack away and take home for the dog), hash browns (with a crusty, tasty skin toasted to perfection) toast, and piping hot coffee will start the day off right.

Around the cocktail hour, tourists in the "know", were slipping into the "Golden Gate" down the street for scrumptious shrimp cocktail - at 99 cents a crack. Ah, just like the old days in Vegas...a deal can be had!

At the Casinos I scored quite well with my gambling...granted, it struck me a little odd that folks actually bet on one-arm bandits with names like - "Cops & Doughnuts", "Tabasco, "Wild Pepper", and the like...but, whatever gets you off, eh?
Believe it or not, on a "Wild Wolf " slot machine, I hit a jackpot which paid all my expenses for the day. To date, I'm ahead of the game; but, I don't go hog wild, if you know what I mean.

A handful of Asian tourists asked for my assistance in figuring out the wagering scheme on the betting line; frankly, I was staggered by the sums the joyful lot wanted to gamble each pull of the arm.

Not like some, my strategy is to move on when I win - play a new round with my winnings (for good luck) at another machine - and try for the big pay-outs just waiting to strike. Oftentimes, they do, and have.

I laughed when I noticed a number of hard-core gamblers stroking the front panels of the slot machine - as if with a magic wand - to beckon a stroke of luck. Well, whatever works for ya!

Some old-timers are so stubborn, though! In spite of rising losses, many are inclined to hang on to one lone game - plugging in coins of the realm hourly - waiting for the pay-off, which - sadly - often never does.

The town was purring with quite a few sleek limos last night with brides and grooms in tow; yup, the chapel doors are wide open 'til the wee hours of dawn, in the event some hopeless romantics are hankering for a quickie wedding in Nevada.

What really surprised me was the smoking everywhere! We're so spoiled in California, with our restrictions, and all.

In the Casinos, there are nasty butts in ashtrays everywhere, and folks just smokin' up a storm. Fortunately, the habit - which many deem nasty - doesn't bother me in the least. However, I noticed a handful of visitors - who have smoke regulations in the city's they journeyed from - were obviously taken aback by the puffers in prominence everywhere!

In the next week, there's plenty of entertainment to take in, if you're pining for a quick get-a-way.

Right now, there is an excellent exhibition of photographs from the "Titanic", for instance. In this well-archived show, there are over 300 authentic artifacts on display, which were rescued from the Titantic's final resting place 2 1/2 miles beneath the North Atlantic.

And, there's another more intriguing display which is aptly entitled, "Bodies...The Exhibition". The show - housed at the "Tropicana" - features about twenty-one whole-body specimens, in addition to more than 260 organs and partial body specimens, for your inspection up-close and personal. Critics are calling the unique experience, "...both transfixing and educational".

I'm been informed that the insightful foray explores a handful of realistic problems which occur due to over-eating and smoking; so, definitely - Bodies - is not for the squeamish! If you are fascinated by the skeletal, muscular, respiratory, and circulatory systems - this one's for you.

The truly macabre-minded will undoubtedly take it in on a double-bill with a screening of "Sweeney Todd".

Then, there's the big "Fight" on December 29th...with the two top contenders - St. Pierre vs. Hughes - at "Mandalay Bay". Heavyweights in both show business and the sports arena will be in attendance, with a lot of lookie-loos on the sidelines, catching the blow by blow action.

"Earth Wind & Fire" will be in concert at the "Venetian" on December 31st.

And, Pam Anderson will be at "Pure" (the Baywatch beauty, tool-time girl I worked with on "Home Improvement") at Caesar's Palace.

The Beatles show - "LOVE" - is a big draw right now (Cirque Du Soleil) at the "Mirage", which was directed by Dominic Champagne, with musical bravado by Sir George Martin & Giles Martin respectively.

For die-hard "Back Street Boys" fans, the night will be edgy and wild at the "Hard Rock", when the guys get dirty for a countdown at midnight on December 31st.

For those with off-beat tastes: "Carrot Top" - remember him? - is at the "Atrium Showroom", while the "Chippendales" dancers are still going strong at the Rio.

Well, something to appeal to every taste.

Although I spent the holiday in "sin" city, I managed to get back to my Hotel before the witching hour and caught the Pope's midnight mass on NBC...ah, managed to save my soul by the stroke of twelve.

Happy Holidays!

Backstreet Boys