Criss Angel’s secret revealed in trip to Australia
Luxor headliner Criss Angel is in Australia tending his 20-month-old son who has been diagnosed with leukemia.
Until Friday, Angel had not disclosed that he had a child or addressed rumors that this year he married the child's Australian mother.
The news was accompanied by an announcement that the illusionist and TV star was canceling several shows. The show resumes Nov. 4.
Later, Angel posted a photo on Twitter showing him holding his son, Johnny Crisstopher Sarantakos. Angel tweeted, "Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. Criss."
A news release said: "It has been a passion of Criss' for many years to champion and raise money for various children's charities, but he never thought it would hit this close to home." Angel has not canceled any of his 3,000 performances during seven years at Luxor.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation previously has honored Angel for his support of the charity.
Soaring success
UNLV's basketball program scored again Thursday, this time with an over-the-top Rebel Madness downtown event that received primetime exposure on ESPNU.
A well-coordinated plan that featured drones, camera crews, a half-dozen GoPros and 200-foot fireworks paid off with national exposure for the program, one of its high-flying stars and the city's newest outdoor venue.
ESPNU, in its annual showcase of how colleges celebrate Midnight Madness, aired drone video of fireworks going off high above the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center and an epic dunk by freshman Derrick Jones.
One of the ESPNU hosts, college basketball analyst Seth Greenberg, raved about the event and Jones' soaring dunk over 7-footer Stephen Zimmerman, Ben Carter and guard Austin Starr.
"It was a big effort between the D, Wendoh Media, Oogoog Productions, the event center and the university," said Chuck Akin, president of Oogoog.
The company also wanted to document the event to use it a marketing tool, Akin said.
Mission accomplished, thanks to National League home run co-champion Bryce Harper lending his star power as a dunk judge.
The scene and heard
High-stakes pro sports gambler Dave Oancea of Las Vegas moved closer to a $2.5 million payoff on a 30-1 futures ticket Friday when the Kansas City Royals reached the World Series with a 4-3 win over Toronto. Oancea made the $100,000 bet to win $2.5 million during the season's opening week. He posted on Instagram Friday that he celebrated the Royals' win by buying 100 bottles of champagne at a Kansas City nightclub. The video appeared to show a fire breaking out at the club when costumed girls holding sparklers ignited a fire on the ceiling. ...
Las Vegas food critic John Curtas proposed to longtime girlfriend Alexandra Goranson in France last week, and you knew food and fine wine would be involved. After announcing it on social media, Curtas filled me in on the details via email: "The Food Gal said 'yes' at L'Auberge (a Michelin 3 star restaurant in Alsace) and we celebrated at the Traube Tonbach (another 3 star restaurant/resort in the Black Forest). It was the trip of a lifetime: The Rhine, German wine country, Alsace and then the Black Forest."
On this day
Oct. 25, 1990: In a third-round knockout at The Mirage, Evander Holyfield defeats Buster Douglas to become the undisputed heavyweight champion. It was Douglas' first and only title defense after his stunning victory over Mike Tyson. Holyfield would hold various titles off and on for the next decade.
Sightings
Actress Ashley Judd, with friends at Lavo Casino Club (Palazzo) on Friday. ... Ashley Gold of "Hardcore Pawn," with her husband and friends at Andiamo Italian Steakhouse at the D on Friday. ... At Tao (Venetian) on Friday: NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice. ... NFL Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown, speaking at Marty Hennessey Inspiring Children Foundation at Lorenzi Park on Wednesday. ... German tennis star Dustin Brown, partying at Surrender nightclub (Encore at Wynn) on Friday with a group that included Leroy Garrett from MTV's "The Real World/The Challenge." Brown, then ranked 102nd in the world, upset Spain's Rafael Nadal in a second-round match at Wimbledon in July.
The punch line
"At the White House the other day, President Obama sang to Usher. And because the president was singing, Usher went to the Situation Room and approved a drone strike in Syria." — Conan O'Brien
— Norm Clarke's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow him: @Norm_Clarke
