Stepfanie Kramer latest star to make Las Vegas move
Add Stepfanie Kramer, best known as detective Dee Dee McCall in the hit TV show "Hunter," to the list of Hollywood stars lured to Las Vegas.
In the past year, Oscar winner Nicolas Cage and Pia Zadora took up residence here. Actor Tony Curtis retired here more than a decade ago.
Kramer, who started her career in musical theater, hopes to build a fire under her one-woman cabaret show.
"I miss being on the boards," said Kramer, who at age 14 was classically trained in opera and starred as Maria in "West Side Story" at 18.
She had planned to continue that road, but opportunities in TV and film came knocking.
Kramer was unpacking boxes at her new residence when I caught up to her by telephone Sunday.
"I decided to buy (a second home) here and split time between here and Los Angeles," she said.
Kramer, who made a number of "most beautiful" lists during her TV years, starred opposite former NFL great Fred Dryer (Sgt. Rick Hunter) for six seasons on "Hunter" before she left in 1990 to pursue her musical career. We go back to the early '90s when we ran in the same social circles during our Denver years, when she got married and had a daughter.
Las Vegas offers "so many venues," said Kramer, and she's already fallen in love with the Cabaret Jazz room at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
The band Green Day announced Sunday that frontman Billie Joe Armstrong was seeking treatment for substance abuse after a profane tirade near the end of its set during the iHeart Radio Festival at the MGM Grand. ...
The front office at The Smith Center is anticipating an early Christmas present today. It's hearing rumblings the ratings for the PBS special "Dust to Dreams: Opening Night at The Smith Center" are going to be something to celebrate. ...
The roles keep coming for UNLV theater professor Nate Bynum. He plays an ex-baseball player in NBC's "Parenthood," and his two-day shoot last week included a scene at Dodger Stadium at 6 a.m. The show stars Ray Romano, Craig T. Nelson and Lauren Graham.
SIGHTINGS
International dance sensation Psy, performing his YouTube hit "Gangnam Style" at Tao (The Venetian) on Saturday. The Korean superstar danced onstage with dancers dressed as giant pandas and did sake bombs with Redfoo of LMFAO. Psy was such a huge hit he did an encore in front of the wild crowd. Also at Tao: Jonas Brothers, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and singer Ray J. ... At XS Nightclub (Encore) on Saturday: Enrique Iglesias, Kat Von D, David Bryan of Bon Jovi and Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance. Way provided the vocals on the new Deadmau5 track "Professional Griefers." ... Country star Miranda Lambert, serving as a bridesmaid at the Chapel of the Flowers on Saturday. ... Cage, with his wife and son, at Lombardi's Romagna Mia (Miracle Mile inside Planet Hollywood Resort). ... New "X Factor" judge Demi Lovato, with girlfriends at Chippendales (Rio) on Saturday. ... Matt Barnes of the Los Angeles Clippers, marrying Gloria Mendoza-Govan on Sunday at the Little Church of the West, with teammate DeAndre Jordan serving as best man. ... UNLV head basketball coach Dave Rice and his wife, Mindy, talking basketball with country star Luke Bryan in his tour bus before Bryan's performance at Red Rock Resort on Friday. ... Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, enjoying a stogie at Havana Cigar Co., on Paradise Road on Thursday. ... At the fifth anniversary party of chef Akira Back's Yellowtail (Bellagio) on Thursday: Light Group co-owners Andrew Sasson and Andy Masi and Casey Brennan, LG's new vice president of public relations for Las Vegas.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Here's what I know about the new iPhone 5. It's thinner and lighter, and that makes it easier to lose in a cab." - David Letterman
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.
