The Movable Buffet: Dispatches from Las Vegas by Richard Abowitz

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Criss Angel freaks on one-eyed journalist after Miss USA pageant

12:03 PM PT, Apr 14 2008
Crissmissnevada I've written before about the peculiar and insider nature of covering Vegas. For example, only a few of us are paid to cover Vegas production shows as part of our everyday job.

And unlike most other cities where a headliner does a show and goes on to the next city, Las Vegas famously keeps the headliners (and critics) and imports new audiences.

So when Vegas headliners leave the neon Strip, they return home to their gated communities about town and often read what the local media are writing about them.

This has resulted in some epic feuds. And some silly ones. But certainly one of the ugliest -- with threats of violence -- happened on Friday night after the Miss USA contest between Criss Angel and the Review-Journal's Norm Clarke.

Angel's girlfriend, Veronica Grabowski, the reigning Miss Nevada, did not win the Miss USA contest (making her one of 50 other contestants who weren't Miss Texas -- the final winner this year).

As silly as it seems to take a beauty pageant owned by Donald Trump and hosted by Donny and Marie Osmond, with Paul McCartney's ex-wife as a judge, at all seriously, this apparently makes for pretty high emotional stakes in the world of Criss Angel. According to Clarke, Angel flashed an obscene gesture on the NBC telecast after his girlfriend was out of the competition.

But that was just the beginning of Angel's tantrum. His real eruption apparently happened after the pageant. Angel presumably was upset by coverage Clarke wrote earlier about how Angel had urged a judge to give "my girl" high marks. Clarke also reported that Trump was disturbed by Angel's talk with the judge. All of this was moot, as it turned out the judge in question had already turned in her vote.

Anyway, Clarke reports that after the pageant, Angel, along with his brothers and a bodyguard, charged over to him, with Angel yelling obscenities. Clarke has battled serious medical issues and wears an eye patch because his eye was removed. Angel, according to Clarke, didn't shy away from tasteless threatening: "Don't ever write another word about me, or you'll need an eyepatch over your other eye." Real clever.

After this unbelievable behavior, Angel headed off to party at LAX with "his girl." According to a press release:

"Angel was joined by his girlfriend Miss Nevada Veronica Grabowski and a slew of friends as he reveled at a lavish table on the main VIP stage. The group enjoyed some Montecristo Rum and Belvedere Vodka cocktails and danced to the sounds of DJ Hollywood well into the early morning hours."
 
I have reached out to everyone involved for comment and will report more information if I talk to the principals.

Meanwhile, Angel is to start rehearsals this week on Cirque's new $100-million show that is to feature him at the Luxor. Certainly, this was not the way Cirque intended to launch the start of the rehearsals. But this is also not the first incident showing Angel's sensitivity to perceived slights and ability to hold a grudge.

At Cirque's welcoming press conference to announce the Angel show at Luxor, the Mindfreak magician surprised all by offering an extended rap against all of the people in his life who he felt never believed in him sufficiently, and during this speech he also offered a little obscenity to keep the suits nervous.
 
Angel is certainly proving a unique presence on the Strip.

Update: A representative from Cirque got back to me to say that Cirque sees this confrontation as an issue between illusionist Criss Angel and reporter Norm Clarke. Cirque hopes they work this out, but does not see this incident as connected to Angel's Cirque show in any way.


(Angel and Veronica Grabowski party at LAX, courtesy photo)
 
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Ok, here's the thing...I was AT the Miss USA pageant and at the end we waited for Criss in the isle of the seats so we could say hi. We saw him coming up the stairs after coming DIRECTLY from his seat and he walked past us and said hi to us...cuz he knows who my friend and I are. We had to go to the same Valet so we walked pretty much behind him and there were NO PROBLEM AFTER THE PAGEANT!!!!! If there was before hand, i wouldnt know cuz we got there late...but nothing happened afterwards.

I think all of this is very true considering his violent behaviour at NBC's show with Mr. Jim Callahan. "I'll put him in the hospital." he told Alicia Jacobs of Las Vegas' entertainment reporting.

I don't think he's off to a good start. Why on earth did Roy get injured by that tiger? We need a decent magic act in Las Vegas. He will never compare to the class act, Siegfried and Roy or David Copperfield. Sorry.

Sorry, I missed it: who is Kriss Angel? A singer? poet? Former dancer for Britney Spears? Someone help me out here. He has some kind of talent?

Hi Khrystal, Thanks for reading. Norm Clarke says the incident took place near the entrance of the VIP afterparty. Also, though I have written Angel's publicist twice (starting Sunday) for comment as well as written Cirque for comment, neither has yet responded in a way that challenges any of the facts Clarke reported of the incident. Yrs., Richard

Okay I'm at a confusion here. I do think Criss could yell at someone yes but, him exploding at someone is something I'm having a hard time believing. I've read Clarke's column and others reguarding this but, I'm at a dead end on all of them.

Believe me, he's capable of this. I think Mr. Clarke is reputable and I enjoy his column. Funny how these so called "loyals" are brainwashed by this freakazoid.

Unfortunately for Cirque du Soleil, whatever Criss Angel does is going to reflect upon them. Judging by the numerous negative incidents that I've read when it comes to Angel, I will certainly think twice about spending my hard-earned money on anything that will enrich him. That says a lot coming from me, considering I've seen every Cirque show in Vegas multiple times.

I was at the pageant with Khrystal, and also I was at LAX when Criss and Veronica were there... followed by several photographers.... I can say they danced and drank and she had to be carried out by Criss at 2 am... but everyone seemed to be in high spirits and there were no altercations.... However, if there was a VIP party other than the one at LAX that would explain it.. the pageant was over at about 8 or 9 and he didnt get to LAX until 12 so there was probably some other private party after the pageant where this could have occurred before they came to LAX.

It's amazing to me how many people like to bash Criss just because they don't enjoy his particular brand of entertainment. How many of you out there listen to drug-addicted rock stars, or watch movies with often-arrested actors? It's a shame that just because Criss is in the public spotlight that he's not allowed to be human. If there is someone out there that can prove to me that you have NEVER lost your temper, I would certainly like to meet you, because you are truly a saint.

to "marky mark": first of all, it's CRISS angel. not kriss.
second: no he's not a poet. he is a singer; he has a few CDs out.
third: he has an amazing talent; he's the greatest illusionist i've ever seen.

to "yenwooping": we're not "so called 'loyals' ". we are actually LOYALS. and we weren't/aren't brainwashed by criss. he's inspired so many of us, and now all of us are extremely upset with the way he's been acting. trust me. we're all overly pissed off with him.

WHATS WRONG WITH CRISS ANY MORE I WANT THE OLD CRISS BACK
I DONT WANT HIM TO BE A COCKY PERSON WHO DISRESPECTS HIS FANS

CRISS NEEEEDS TO TALK TO US

For the love of mike...when will people stop this b/s? I think Criss is only human, and this NORM character is nothing but a attention seeking idot. Yeah I said it, so what! It takes stupid people like NORM, to always come out with on going negative criticism about people they know nothing about. I have been a loyal for almost 3 years now and Criss has worked dam hard to get where he's at today. The man is tired of people like YOU constantly badgering him about every little thing he does and making a huge issue out of it.
I have seen many celebs react to the paparazzi in a similar manner or even worse and you just continue with your harassments. Do tell why it is that most of the media seem to lean towards the negative side of things about these people rather then the positive? Do you all find some kind of sick enjoyment out of watching these people suffer at your hands? How about all the pressure so many of you have placed on way too many of these celebs and you place them to the point where they just can't take no more! What the hell do you expect?
I am on the side of Criss Angel and many other fine celebs who have been squeezed through the wringer by you and others. I am only commenting here in the hopes that Criss will read this and know that as a loyal I support him no matter what. As for the rest of the LOYALS out there....you should be doing the same .
And as a Christian, I hope that the media realizes that what they say intentionally to hurt or belittle someone ; will come back on that person / or persons soul TWO-FOLD!

Love & Luck Criss, this Loyal will never be swayed !

I used to be a huge fan of his, But not anymore and it is not because of this incident I personally do not think that he has made a good choice with this 22 year old young girl he is 40 that is an 18 year difference not really my business but when you ending up reading about it all over the web it is just sickening He really should find someone a little more closer to his age instead of this little girl
He would be better off with pamela much better choice
Just sick of hearing about his partying life with a little bimbo

When i hear about all this wild and crazy criss bashing,i consider the source and i also consider what i know of criss.norm is a gossip columnist basicly.He's caused problems before and the luxor got involved and norm had his head handed to him and now cirque sees this as BS and wont get involved.I'm sure norm overstepped his boundries again and maybe criss did loose his temper...so what?who has'nt when they've been slandered enough times!another thing i always consider...photographs from the seen of the crime.With all the media photogs around there should be pictures...if not then i have to consider the incident(whatever it may be) a bold face lye or blown way out of proportion.And mr.abowitz,i have noticed that you are always most likely to take the position against criss.this probably does'nt have anything to do with the pageant at all but is an ongoing problem that criss has with norm.

This 23 year old girl is pure TRASH.

Or perhaps Cirque is avoiding the incident because they don't want anymore bad publicity, and perhaps have specifically talked to Criss and told him not to say or do anything because he is causing Cirque bad press.

The same thing applies to Clarke reporting on whatever he wanted to about Criss...so what? Criss lost his temper, but to that I do not say 'So What". Let's remind ourselves, Clarke is a GOSSIP COLUMNIST, and Criss should take it with a grain of salt. Instead he chose to lose it with a threat.

Whether Criss and Clarke have locked horns in the past, it gives him no right to set a precedent on any level that threats are the way to go. Looks reallly bad for him.

Veronica Grabowski should have NEVER been up for Miss USA. She is TRASH.

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