With a trip to L.A., no escape from LV
Erich Bergen of the “Jersey Boys” film wasn’t the only Las Vegas connection in the headlines in Los Angeles last week.
The Los Angeles Times featured the Killers’ Brandon Flowers, his latest solo album, “The Desired Effect,” and his solo tour.
The article touched on Flowers’ new direction, moving out of his inner circle to hire producer Ariel Rechtshaid. Rechtshaid is known for his inventive work with the rock band Vampire Weekend and the L.A. sister trio Haim.
The result: “It’s not as grandiose as some of the stuff I’ve gone for before,” Flowers said.
The album includes collaborations with drummer Kenny Aronoff, who worked with John Mellencamp on the latter’s early ’80s hits, and pianist Bruce Hornsby.
Flowers began his 36-concert, May-to-October tour in the United Kingdom this week. His stops include the Life Is Beautiful festival here Sept. 25.
Bergen, who packed the Catalina Bar &Grill on Sunset Boulevard last weekend, opened up to the Times about his departure from the Las Vegas “Jersey Boys” cast in 2010.
In interviews, he offered few details about the split and hinted he was blindsided by his dismissal.
He told the Times the producers weren’t wrong for giving him his walking papers.
“I think I lost sight of the work and got excited about the potential for work. I started to take meetings and started to audition for things in L.A. I missed shows.”
When he was cast as Bob Gaudio of the Four Seasons for the “Jersey Boys” movie, “it was like, you are letting me back in the kingdom,” he said.
The movie might have flopped, he said, but “nothing will ever change the experience of getting a phone call saying Clint Eastwood wants you to star in his new movie.”
REMEMBERING CHAGRA
Former Mayor Oscar Goodman revisits his mob attorney days and one of his favorite clients, marijuana kingpin Jimmy Chagra, Thursday at the Mob Museum.
Goodman and local journalist Jack Sheehan are the featured speakers on the latest “Courtroom Conversation.” It starts at 7 p.m., with the Mob Museum’s Geoff Schumacher moderating.
Goodman represented Chagra, who was implicated in the 1979 slaying of Texas federal Judge John Wood Jr. Hitman Charles Harrelson, the father of actor Woody Harrelson, was convicted.
Sheehan worked with Chagra on a screenplay based on his life of crime before his death in 2008.
In 2007, after dinner at the Palm Restaurant at Caesars Palace, Sheehan said he decided to stop at the blackjack tables to see if any dealers remembered Chagra, one of biggest Las Vegas players — and tippers — of his or any era.
Sheehan found a $5 table with one of the older dealers and asked how long he had been at Caesars.
“I opened this hotel 40 years ago,” the dealer said.
Sheehan took Chagra, who was unaware of what Sheehan had in mind, over to the table.
Sheehan asked the dealer how the tips were going. “Not too bad,” the dealer said, “but not like the good old days.”
Sheehan asked him about it.
“Back in the ’70s, when the Chagra brothers were running hard, we had nights where we all made four figures in tips.”
Chagra sat there with a little smile, Sheehan said.
“So what happened to those guys?” he said.
“Oh, Lee was killed, and I think Jimmy died in prison,” said the dealer.
Sheehan said, “I’m pretty sure he’s alive and sitting right next to me.”
The surprised dealer called over the pit boss and told him who was at the table, and the tables were briefly shut down for a little reunion.
“It was like the pope had just walked into the casino,” Sheehan said.
A WHIRLWIND WEEKEND
What a weekend we had in Los Angeles.
It began Thursday at the Omni Hotel when Cara and I attended the roast of Linda Deutsch, who was honored by the Greater Los Angeles Society of Professional Journalists. Linda, whom I worked with at the L.A. Associated Press bureau, recently retired after 48 years with the AP, most of them as the best-known trial reporter of her era.
The next day we went to the Skirball Cultural Center to see the exhibit of Bill Graham, the iconic music promoter. It’s one of the best rock ’n’ roll exhibits ever put together.
That night, our party, which included Edith Lederer, the AP’s longtime U.N. correspondent and AP’s first female war correspondent assigned to the Vietnam War, attended Bergen’s show.
Saturday included dinner at Deutsch’s and an amazing tour of a home that could pass for a journalism museum.
After dinner, we were off to see Neil Diamond at the Hollywood Bowl, our first trip to the legendary 18,000-seat venue. On the way to the parking lot, I chatted with King Errisson, a percussionist with Diamond’s touring band since 1976.
I told Errisson I recalled a strong rumor several years ago that a major casino was seriously courting Diamond, now 74, as a resident headliner.
Errisson smiled and said, “We’re too young to do Vegas. We’ll do that when we’re 80.”
Deutsch said we were invited to a Sunday lunch in Little Saigon in Westminster. It turned out to be a who’s who of reporters and photographers who covered the Vietnam War. The host was Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Nick Ut of the AP.
Deutsch confirmed she is working on a book that highlights the many high-profile trials she has covered, including Sirhan Sirhan, Charles Manson, O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson.
Asked when the book might be finished, Deutsch said, “Soon, I hope, but my social life keeps getting in the way.”
SIGHTINGS
Shania Twain, with her husband, Frederic Thiebaud, at Mariah Carey’s final show of her first run at the Colosseum (Caesars Palace) on Sunday. ... Rapper 50 Cent, behind the bar at Crush (MGM Grand) on Saturday getting a lesson on how to make a lemon drop martini from bartender John O’Donnell.
THE PUNCH LINE
“Bruce Springsteen is selling his house in Beverly Hills for around $70 million. And for that much money, the house actually comes WITH Bruce Springsteen.” — Jimmy Fallon
Norm Clarke’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 702-383-0244 or email him at norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter: @Norm_Clarke
