No hard feelings after split with wife, Vegas magician says

The magic went missing in a flash from the marriage of magician Murray Sawchuck and his British wife and stage assistant Chloe Crawford.

"For me, it came out of the blue," Sawchuck said Tuesday. "It happened overnight. It was like an avalanche."

The split, after a three-year-plus marriage, came last week when they jointly filed for divorce in Las Vegas. Crawford is 27, Sawchuck 42.

Crawford, who has appeared in his Tropicana show and as a topless dancer in "Fantasy" at the Luxor, flew to New Jersey this week, he said.

"I know she definitely wanted to push her career forward," he added.

She got a huge career break in June when she became the first female magician to reach the semifinals of "Britain's Got Talent."

"I hope this is the start of me being a magician in my own right," she told the London Mirror. "I love the dancing, but there's only so long I can carry that on for."

Her disappearing motorcycle act was a hit, and her appearance generated a lot of headlines in her homeland.

"The taste of fame can be a bit like a drug," Sawchuck said.

"I do know that over the last week or two she's been hanging out in another magician's camp," he said, without naming the magician.

"Right now she's in New Jersey where they opened 'The Supernaturalist' show." Crawford had auditioned for the show, which is produced by Luxor headliner Criss Angel.

"I wish her nothing but the best,' Sawchuck said. "I will always love her."

Todora: 'No regrets'

Sarah Todora contacted me recently after I couldn't reach her for the story I ran about her arrival in Las Vegas 10 years ago with her father, Phil, on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

She's doing fine, she said. "No regrets," she said.

She wanted the rest of her story told after walking away from a promising career as a rhythm-and-blues singer.

The community embraced her after hearing the 17-year-old perform at Bootlegger Bistro. She even landed a headliner's gig at the Sahara hotel-casino before going AWOL.

She's a software developer for event sites now — valedictorian in her trade school class — and got married in June.

"The biggest thing," she said, "was dad always handled the politics, the business."

She's 27 now and passionate about her new profession, but that hasn't stopped her from singing the blues.

She occasionally shows up at the downtown hot spot Don't Tell Mama, where patrons and staff take turns belting out favorites. You might find Todora performing "Summertime."

"That's definitely my fix," she said. I asked her what songs she sings during those trips downtown.

"'Summertime' always," she said. "What I really miss is the soul of music."

The scene and heard

Planet Hollywood headliner Britney Spears has 'em buzzing after having dinner last Friday with Los Angeles restaurateur Harry Morton, the son of former Hard Rock Hotel owner Peter Morton. TMZ.com reported the dinner at a sushi joint in Studio City as a first date. Spears' eight-month relationship with TV producer Charlie Ebersol ended in June. Ebersol was spotted with Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn at the U.S. Open over several days. ... Tao nightclub at The Venetian is celebrating its 10th anniversary on Saturday with a bash featuring a special performance by Sean Combs and his family. Other red carpet guests include: rapper Lil' Kim, Nick Cannon, rapper Mase, reality show star Brandi Glanville and actor-singer Darren Criss.

This week in history

Sept. 16, 1981: In a brutal, classic fight at the outdoor arena at Caesars Palace, Sugar Ray Leonard defeats Thomas Hearns by a 14th round TKO to become the undisputed welterweight champion. In a rematch eight years later at the same site, they fight to a controversial draw that many thought Hearns should have won.

Sept. 17, 1998: Ted Binion, controversial son of Las Vegas gaming legend Benny Binion, is found dead at his home of an apparent drug overdose. His girlfriend, Sandy Murphy, and her boyfriend, Rick Tabish, are convicted of killing him to steal millions from a buried vault but are later acquitted of murder.

Sightings

Actor Chris Evans, who has played Marvel superheroes Captain America and Human Torch, checked out the High Roller observatory wheel at The Linq with friends Friday. ... San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, dining at N9ne Steakhouse (Palms) on Sunday.

The punch line

"Mark Cuban, star of 'Shark Tank,' is now thinking about running for president. Still no word from the Cake Boss." — 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 normclarke.com. Follow him: @Norm_Clarke.