Interesting development in the Linda Ronstadt/free speech controversy. It seems as though one LV hotelier is willing to book her again :-)
Prospective Aladdin buyer would invite Ronstadt back
By Dan Kulin
<dan@lasvegassun.com>
LAS VEGAS SUN
If the prospective new owners of the Aladdin have their way, Linda Ronstadt will soon be back at the Strip resort -- with controversial filmmaker Michael Moore in tow.
Ronstadt was booted from the property after she dedicated a song to Moore and praised his movie "Fahrenheit 9/11" at her Saturday night concert at the Aladdin, prompting some audience members to walk out and ask for their money back.
On Wednesday, Planet Hollywood Chairman and Chief Executive Robert Earl, a partner in the group that won the right to buy the Aladdin in bankruptcy court, said that, if his group takes over the Aladdin, "we would like to offer the use of the Theatre of Performing Arts to Linda Ronstadt for a second concert and further to take Michael Moore up on his offer to join her on stage to introduce her and sing a song."
Earl's Planet Hollywood group is awaiting Nevada Gaming Commission approval for the purchase, which Earl said could come as early as Sept. 1. The sale would give the Aladdin a very different management philosophy regarding performances at the resort, he said.
"We respect artists' creativity and support their rights to express themselves," Earl said. "We were very sorry to hear about the unfortunate circumstances of this past Saturday night and want to make it clear that Planet Hollywood has never, in our 13-year history, restricted any artist's right to free speech and we will continue with that policy once we take ownership."
Peter Keps, senior vice president of Princeton Entertainment, producer for Ronstadt's shows, including the recent Aladdin gig, said this morning he "wasn't aware of anything" regarding Earl's offer and could not comment on it at this time. Keps said Ronstadt was on tour and could not immediately be reached.
Attempts this morning to reach Ronstadt's spokeswoman Kelly Bronowich at Susan Blond Inc. in New York were not successful.
Irving Azoff, legendary manager of groups including the Eagles and a friend of Ronstadt's, said that while he couldn't say for sure whether Ronstadt would accept Earl's offer, "it would not surprise me if Linda, Michael Moore and many of their friends got together for some sort of a benefit concert there."
Ken Sunshine, a spokesman for Moore, said Moore would be delighted to join Ronstadt on the Aladdin stage.
"I can tell you that Michael Moore would be thrilled to take Mr. Earl up on his offer. Michael will do anything he can to support Linda Ronstadt, a true American patriot," Sunshine said.
Moore criticized Aladdin President Bill Timmins in a letter posted on Moore's Web site Monday. Moore said throwing out Ronstadt was "simply stupid and un-American."
"Invite her back and I'll join her in singing 'America the Beautiful' on your stage," Moore wrote. "Then I will show 'Fahrenheit 9/11' free of charge to all your guests and anyone else in Las Vegas who wants to see it."
Ronstadt caused a stir when she dedicated her encore song, "Desperado," to Moore, whose film "Fahrenheit 9/11" has been criticized by conservatives and lauded by liberals. Ronstadt's dedication drew some boos and some of the audience walked out and marred posters for the concert as they left.
Timmins, who was among the almost 5,000 fans at the concert, had security guards escort Ronstadt to her tour bus and had her belongings brought down from her hotel room after the concert.
The hotel president also sent word that Ronstadt was no longer welcome at the hotel for future performances.
Timmins said he was concerned about customer satisfaction and safety.
"A situation like that can easily turn ugly and I didn't want anything more to come out of it," Timmins said the day after the event. "There were a lot of angry people there after she started talking.
"If she wants to talk about her views to a newspaper or in a magazine article, she is free to do so. But on a stage in front of four and a half thousand people is not the place for it."
Azoff said he was "appalled" by what happened to Ronstadt.
"So I called my other friend Robert Earl to say, 'Who is this guy, and I hope he doesn't work for you,' " Azoff said.
"This is a freedom-of-speech issue. This is an American issue," Azoff said, adding that he has never heard of anything similar happening to another singer.
Aladdin spokeswoman Tyri Squyres said the company had no comment on Earl's offer to Ronstadt and Moore.
Timmins and Ronstadt each have received support from different segments of the public. The oddest result of the controversy so far has been that the Raelians, a group whose religion revolves around beliefs about extraterrestrials and cloning, named Ronstadt an honorary priest or guide, a title that previously has been bestowed upon celebrities such as Moore, Madonna, Sinead O'Connor and George Michael.
The church says it awards the honorary title to "those who point out the lies of those claiming to 'protect us,' their hypocrisies and insane fascination with violence."
Sun reporter Ed Koch contributed to this story
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