Leach back in Vegas recovering from stroke
THE man I’ve often referred to as “URL” is back in Las Vegas. Robin Leach has returned to town as he continues his recovery from a stroke suffered while he was on vacation in Cabo San Lucas in November.
The famed celebrity journalist and broadcast personality I’ve often called “Ubiquitous Robin Leach” (URL) returned to Las Vegas about five weeks ago. In the past several months he received care at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and at a nearby rehabilitation facility. He will continue rehab at a Las Vegas health care center.
“My father is in good spirits and looks great,” Leach’s son Steve Leach said in a news release. “He has lost a lot of weight, his eyes are animated, and he winks and smiles when family and friends visit him. His road to recovery is a long and difficult one, but I believe that he will get there with the continued support of his family, many friends and the medical community.”
Since the stroke, Leach has been working on regaining his speech and the full use of his right side, which was compromised in the incident.
Leach moved to Las Vegas in 1999 and has made the city his home ever since. The host of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” from 1984-1998, Leach has written celebrity news columns for his own site (Vegasdeluxe.com) and wrote for Greenspun Media Group before signing on with the Review-journal in 2016.
Last year Leach launched “Food Quest” on Food Network — a channel he helped launch in 1993 — with co-host Kim Alexis. Mario Lopez has since signed on as co-host for the show’s second
J. Keith Moyer • Chase Rankin •
season.
Wilk at 50
D Las Vegas casino director Richard Wilk, the man who knows ALL the secrets, turned 50 in fine fashion Saturday night. His party at the 12thfloor Detroit Ballroom was dubbed “An Evening With A Couple of Sopranos.” Yes, a reference to the real guys from “The Sopranos.”
The fete was hosted by a pair of former cast members on the famed HBO series: Steve Schirripa, who played Bobby “Bacala” Baccalieri, and Vincent Pastore, who played Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero. Pastore introduced himself with,
“That’s P-AS-T-O-R-E
…”
Around the room were “Pawn Stars” co-star Corey Harrison (in full party flourish); UFC legend and actor Randy Couture; Couture’s girlfriend, actress Mindy Robinson; “Tanked” co-star and Donut Mania founder Brett Raymer; actor, Hells Angels overlord, bodyguard and noted tough guy Chuck Zito; and, of course, D Las Vegas co-owner Derek Stevens and his wife, Nicole. And Drew Anthony of “The Rat Pack is Back” at the Tuscany Suites performed his popular Dean Martin routine for those assembled.
What else … ah, posing for pics was George Bell, better known as America’s tallest man at 7 feet, 8 inches.
During Q&A from guests, Schirripa was asked about the infamous final episode of “The Sopranos,” titled “Made in America.” The legendary episode aired almost 11 years to the day of the party, on
June 10, 2007. The final scene abruptly cuts to black after a closeup of Tony Soprano (the late
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James Gandolfini), as Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” plays in the background.
“I read the script, even though I wasn’t in it, and I knew what was going to happen,” said Schirripa, who lived in Vegas for 25 years (including the early years of the series) and was entertainment director at the Riviera. “When it happened, I was still surprised. Some guys liked it, some didn’t, but there were all these conspiracy theories about six different endings.”
Not true. There was one ending, and as Schirripa said, “What I think happened is, nothing happened. Tony is back with his family and nothing happened.”
Of the enduring popularity of “The Sopranos,” Schirripa said, “If you go back and watch that show, again and again, it was a great show. It was 11 years ago, and I get asked about it every day.”
Know it about the poet
Lee Mallory, aka “The
Love Poet,” and singer Philena Carter co-host “Love When Poetry Fails” at 8 p.m. Wednesday at The Truth Spot, 1830 N. Martin Luther King Blvd., Suite 108. Cover charge is $5, or the cost of a fizzywater at most non-strip bars.
Format-wise, Mallory is to relate his pieces, connected by Carter’s music, all of it themed around love and relationships. As Mallory says, “It’s not a lecture. It’s a lovely and wild gig. That’s a promise!” He also says, “Safety goggles are encouraged.” Read into that whatever you like.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@ reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @ Johnnykats1 on Instagram.
Life, entertainment
As of 9 p.m. Monday:
1. Boy found dead in Henderson house was Las Vegas teen
The juvenile whose body was found Friday in an abandoned Henderson house has been identified as a 17-year-old Las Vegas boy.
2. Man shot hiding in woman’s bathroom in southwest Las Vegas
A man was hospitalized early Monday morning after he was shot at a home in the southwest valley.
3. Project Enchilada is master plan for downtown Las Vegas
Las Vegas city officials see a new downtown revitalization effort as so all-encompassing, they’ve dubbed it Project Enchilada. 4. LVCVA executive bought travel gift cards in secret
A former Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority executive hid the purchase of $90,000 in Southwest Airlines gift cards in records at the agency, an audit report shows.
5. Wires marring Las
Vegas sign photos need to go
It’s possibly the most photographed sign in the world.