Longoria honored, ready for busy ’12

She’ll be “spending a lot of time” campaigning for President Barack Obama, she said, as well as visiting Israel and making some films.

During a red carpet interview Saturday before being honored as “Woman of the Year” at Nevada Ballet Theatre’s Black and White Ball at Aria, Longoria said she was initially reluctant to accept the invitation.

“I don’t like to be awarded for my philanthropic work that I actually enjoy and I get more back from it. So I finally said yes and everybody started saying what a big deal this was and I didn’t know the award was ‘Woman of the Year’ which sounds like a lot of pressure.”

NBT, she said, “does a lot of great programs and outreach programs in the communities and I was honored to be able to help them raise awareness funds for their endeavors this year.

“I was also a dancer my entire life and I was just saying dance programs really promote abstract thinking and if it wasn’t for dancing I wouldn’t have been good at math … and all the stuff that really helped me with not only like schooling but confidence, and performing and I think dancing was really at the root of my performance bug.”

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Food Channel star Guy Fieri, who last week filmed segments at UNLV, his alma mater, and Lola’s: A Louisiana Kitchen, for his TV show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” also shot at Forte Tapas Bar & Bistro, 4180 S. Rainbow Blvd., and Naked City Pizza, 3240 S. Arville St. (Inside Moon Doggies). …

Sunday’s column attributed casino host Steve Cyr’s radio comment about Tim Tebow to a local radio station but inadvertently omitted the hosts Paul Howard and Seat Williams of “Afternoon Gridlock” on ESPN affiliate KWWN (1100 AM/98.9 FM).

SIGHTINGS

NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, at the Sunday brunch at Simon Restaurant & Lounge (Palms Place). Saturday he dined at N9ne Steakhouse (Palms) with World Series of Poker champ Phil Hellmuth. Also at N9ne: Toby Gerhart of the Minnesota Vikings. … Also on the “Woman of the Year” red carpet: “Peepshow” star Holly Madison, Dominick Allen, former lead singer of Foreigner, with his wife, Broadway singer and actress Leigh Zimmerman. They are working on a new show titled “A Love Affair: From A to Z.” Also on the carpet: presenters Susan Anton and Chet Buchanan of KLUC radio and former “Jersey Boy” Rick Faugno and his wife, Broadway performer Joyce Chittick; UFC personality Frank Mir and his wife, Jennifer. … Kid Rock, hosting an after-concert party at Tao (The Venetian) Saturday following his show at Mandalay Bay. His group included Uncle Kracker and restaurateur Rande Gerber. The rocker was presented with a cake topped with an oversized “Badass” beer, the brand he launched in 2009.

THE PUNCH LINE

“Our show is 9 years old. If it lived in China, it would be making iPhones already. Nine years is like 40 Kim Kardashian marriages.” — Jimmy Kimmel

Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.