Celebrities' 'Sinsational' Vegas Tales Exposed

Q: Aside from going out on the town, how do you get your material?

A: It comes in from everyone: publicists, valets, doormen, taxi drivers, even some bodyguards.

Q: Tell me about more memorable VIP antics.

A: There's so much. I don't really protect celebrities, and some don't like how they are portrayed. I was slapped by Pete Rose because he was upset that I had written about him as one of the worst tippers. … And Kid Rock, who was jealous about Pamela Anderson supposedly getting together with ex-husband Tommy Lee, once went looking for Tommy at the Hard Rock (Hotel), and the occupant said bodyguards tried to kick in the door of a suite. But it was the wrong suite, and the guy inside was terrified.

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Q: Which celebrities do people love?

A: Floyd Mayweather Jr., the boxer, is known for coming into clubs wearing more diamonds than Lucy in the Sky, throwing maybe $20,000 in hundred-dollar bills into the crowd — "making it rain," as they call it. Dennis Rodman sort of started that. He did it so often and once mistakenly left a sack (of cash) in a parking lot. One of the more beloved tippers is Drew Carey, known for $5,000 tips. Strippers see him coming and dream of new cars.

Q: How is Vegas doing in the recession?

A: To say that it is not grim here would not be accurate. There's a lot of concern how deep this will go. There is talk that several casino resorts are in serious trouble. It also has brought (construction) to a grinding halt. Many projects are stalled; some (hotel) towers are being closed because there's not enough occupancy. I quoted (casino kingpin) Steve Wynn as saying 2009 will separate the men from the boys.

Q: And what about Vegas and celebs?

A: To bring in Paris Hilton I think a year ago, we heard she was paid close to $250,000 (on top of comped suite and expenses). The Britneys and Parises are going to get (offered money to come to a Vegas event), but others won't. Casinos and clubs are not paying crazy appearance money to B- and C-listers anymore. We've had a sort of Rat Pack decade here … It was really cranking. Now we may be at the end of one of the more definitive decades of Vegas … a gilded age. And we don't know where things are going to go.