Did we force their hand? Las Vegas Review-Journal goes with two Danny Gans items

Hours after we reported exclusively that The Las Vegas Review-Journal is holding back from publishing what its reporters and editors know about the mysterious death of Strip headliner Danny Gans, the paper has run items in two columns addressing at least some of the speculation:

Columnist Mike Weatherford writes that "Gans was 'down in the dumps' before his death";

and

Columnist Norm Clarke writes: "No one's willing to discuss it, but there's an insurance issue involving Danny Gans and his deal with Encore at Wynn Las Vegas that suggests Gans had concerns about his health."

At least one observer finds it intriguing that paper, which has done no reporting on the Gans story, would publish one column, and add a newsy item in another column, two weeks after Gans' death. The observer? Us.

Weatherford's column, which appears to have been sitting in some editor's "in" basket waiting to be plugged into an edition, takes direct aim at the speculation that Gans' death may have been connected in some way to his boss Steve Wynn's decision to book new acts into Gans' theatre only three months into a long term contract.

In fact, it seems to be trying to refute the notion-- in print for the first time-- that Gans committed suicide:

"...David Graham, a personal pastor and golf buddy to the late impressionist, said his friend was 'unusually low in spirits' when they golfed on the day he died.

"But Graham said 'heavens no' to the idea that it had anything to do with the coincidental on-sale announcement for Beyoncé doing four shows at Encore in late July.

"'Gans liked Steve (Wynn) a lot' and Wynn was 'very happy with him,' Graham said.

"Besides, Gans had plenty of time to get used to the notion of big names crowding in. The impressionist's move from The Mirage to Encore was announced on April 17 of last year, and the story in the next day's Review-Journal included this quote from the Wynn Resorts chairman:

"'I'm going to have another four shows at least in that theater,' Wynn said. 'It will take me a while to get up to speed booking them, but that's the goal.'

"Graham, a former golf pro who founded Christian City Church on Las Vegas Boulevard, said he 'doesn't have a clue' about why his friend was so 'down in the dumps.'

But he dismissed published reports of Gans having premonitions about his death, saying the two parted with the usual reminder of their next tee time and that Gans asked his friend to pray for guidance'"about what he wanted to do in the future' beyond the live show...

"'Hotel spokeswoman Jennifer Dunne said... Gans manager Chip Lightman might continue to be involved with the theater..."

Clarke, the main outlet for the Gans camp as it has spun and controlled the story since the the Las Vegas superstar was fond dead in his bed at the age of 52, slipped his item toward the end of this morning's column.


We reported exclusively yesterday that editors and reporters at the Review-Journal believe painkillers may have been involved in Gans' untimely passing, but have held back on reporting or investigating the story.

The autopsy was "inconclusive" and the Las Vegas news media has been content to wait patiently for the weeksit takes for the official toxicology report from the Clark County Coroner.

Until now.

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Norm Clarke with his girlfriend Cara Roberts, public relations director for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.

Finally, the Danny Gans mystery is on the national Radar

Hours after the local Las Vegas news media finally took its first baby steps toward investigating the events surrounding the unexplained death of local headliner Danny Gans at 52, the national news media has followed TabloidBaby.com's lead in trying to find answers to the mystery.

Radar Online, the Internet arm of The National Enquirer, weighs in this afternoon with an exclusive report that's bound to be the first of many:

EXCLUSIVE: Danny Gans Autopsy “Inconclusive”

"Danny Gans, the renowned Las Vegas showman, died suddenly in his sleep on May 1 and the cause of the 52-year old’s death was unknown though he reportedly had trouble breathing. A family member told RadarOnline.com exclusively that the mystery surrounding Gans’ death continues after the autopsy was deemed 'inconclusive.'

“'Danny had high blood pressure along with a history of heart disease in his family,' the source added. The coroner’s office declined to comment when contacted. The autopsy report is expected to be released in the coming week after the toxicology tests are completed..."

This afternoon, Tabloid Baby editor Burt Kearns supported the competition enthusiastically. "We're glad the Radar and Enquirer team is on the case," he said. "We knew our colleagues and mates would get on board this story once they saw what we were up against."

The Radar Online report follows a column by Hollywood columnist Ray Richmond, supporting Tabloid Baby's exclusive reportage on the case in the face of attacks and threats from members of the Las Vegas news media.

"It's ironic," Kearns added. "The same folks who've been trying to stop us from getting to the bottom of the Danny Gans case are bound to be the same ones who'll be selling their stories and information behind the scenes."

"Health rumors swirl": Las Vegas media play catch-up in Danny Gans death mystery

After ten days of conspicuous inaction, lack of curiosity and avoidance of pubic speculation, the Las Vegas news media has begun playing catch-up in story of the mysterious death of local superstar headliner Danny Gans.

KVVU-TV News, the local Fox affiliate, reports this morning:

Health Rumors Swirl;
No Official Word On Gans’ Death

"Toxicology reports that could reveal what killed Las Vegas entertainer Danny Gans may take several weeks, but rumors are swirling of health problems that plagued the Strip star..."

This is the first time that any local news organizations have acknowledged the talk and suspicions that have circulated around town since the legendary Gans passed away on May 1st. Speculation increased this weekend, after Gans' manager Chip Lightman and close friend, entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs suddenly reversed their weeklong stand that they could think of no ailments suffered by the apparently healthy Gans, by stating he was plagued by high blood pressure.

It should be noted that KVVU-TV is the competitor to Jacobs' station, KVBC.

The sudden interest in the story comes after a weekend of attacks on this site by certain Las Vegas media professionals (including efforts to shut down this site), as well as national mention and support of our investigative reportage by respected entertainment journalist Ray Richmond.

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CLICK HERE TO READ RAY RICHMOND'S COLUMN
ON TABLOIDBABY.COM'S COVERAGE OF THE
DANNY GANS DEATH MYSTERY

The Danny Gans daisy chain: Steve and Chip and Alicia and Norm and Miles and--

To quote Aretha: Who's zoomin' who? With those closest to the late Las Vegas headliner Danny Gans amending their stories of what they knew about the state of his health when he died in bed on May 1st at the age of 52, and with the relationships among the major media players-- the ones who are parceling out the "official" information, reporting it, and protecting it -- coming into a more clear focus, we're not sure what to to believe.

We've been called conspiracy theorists, and much worse, as we look for answers to what killed this supposedly healthy entertainer, but now, who knows? As the Las Vegas media waits patiently for the "official" report from the Clark County Coroner, did Gans manager Chip Lightman and Gans friend Alicia Jacobs toss up the "high blood pressure" story as a way to explain away drugs they know the toxicology report will list in Gans' system? Why is Norm Clarke of the Las Vegas Review-Journal transcribing whatever they say, only to retract it days later when they tell him something else? Are they and supposed freelancer Steve Friess hiding something more sinister? Are they hiding anything? Was Danny Gans just a good guy with a bad ticker?

We're not saying. We're still trying to keep track of the players, and their connections:


Steve Friess is the Las Vegas freelance reporter and writer (for publications including The New York Times and USA) who went ballistic and began posting obscene insults about us after we asked him why local reporters weren't investigating the events leading to, and speculation regarding the possible cause of Gans' death.


Chip Lightman was Danny Gans' manager for most all of 18 years. He phoned a local TV reporter with news of Gans' death in the early morning hours of May 1st. He's been working the media, while working with hotel-casino magnate Steve Wynn to book acts into Gans' showroom, ever since.


Alicia Jacobs is the woman who got the 4 a.m. phone call from Lightman. She's a beauty queen-turned-television entertainment reporter who boasted a close, 13-year friendship with Danny Gans. She broke the Gans death story on KVBC-TV News.


Norm Clarke is the Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist who often quotes Steve Friess and has run several stories about Alicia Jacobs and Chip Lightman since Gans' death, including their claims that they had no idea what caused the former athlete and "health nut" to pass away prematurely.

On Thursday, Norm Clarke wrote that his paper had entered into a deal with Chip Lightman to publish Gans' autobiography. Today, one day after we interviewed Alicia Jacobs about Danny Gans (and the day after Steve Friess increased his attacks on this news organization), Norm Clarke went online with the exclusive story that Chip Lightman and Alicia Jacobs both knew all along that Danny Gans was a ticking time bomb, with high blood pressure and a family history of "heart problems."

Miles Smith is the executive producer of KVBC-TV News. He is Alicia Jacobs' boss. And he brings us full circle to Steve Friess.

How?


Miles Smith, Alicia Jacobs' boss, is Steve Friess' "husband" (in quotes because Smith and Friess were wed by a rabbi at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas-- same sex marriage is not legal in Nevada).

(UPDATE: We originally ran a great punchline photo of Steve Friess and Miles Smith in bed together. But Steve Friess has claimed ownership of many photos we've run and demanded we remove them. Mr. Friess, a journalist, has also taken action to have TabloidBaby.com shut down... )

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PHOTO OF STEVE FRIESS LITERALLY IN BED-- UNDER THE COVERS-- WITH KVBC TV NEWS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER MILES SMITH.

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All of a sudden, friends say Danny Gans had high blood pressure and a history of heart problems in his family

For seven days after the unexplained death of Las Vegas strip headliner Danny Gans, his two closest friends, manager Chip Lightman and beauty queen turned TV entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs, claimed to have no idea what could have killed the 52-year-old former athlete.

A little more than twenty-four hours ago, Alicia Jacobs repeated the claim to us in an exclusive interview:

"I can’t imagine that he would have done anything that would be unhealthy because the Danny that I knew was a complete health fanatic... I can’t imagine how he would be taking pain killers or doing any drugs and function the way that he did. I can’t imagine that he would be able to do what he did. He really was an athlete when he was onstage.”

Today, Lightman and Jacobs say they knew all along that Gans had high blood pressure "for years," as well as a family history of heart problems.

Jacobs told us yesterday she had not heard the rumours that steroids or painkilling drugs were factors. And when we asked if she had any idea of what could have contributed to Gans' death, she did not mention high blood pressure or a family history of heart problems

Today, Norm Clarke of The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports:

"Lightman acknowledged he was heard 'all the rumors' but said he is not concerned about what might surface in the toxicology tests that could take several more weeks before the Clark County coroner’s office releases the results.

"I can swear on a Bible I never saw Danny involved with drugs,” said Lightman. “I can’t imagine that being a factor. In my 18 years he’s never done one thing in front of me. Ever. I’d be surprised.”

"...KVBC-TV, Channel 3 entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs, a close friend of Gans, said she was aware of Gans’ high blood pressure.

“'But he took very good care of himself because of it and he certainly had it under control as far as I knew,' said Jacobs...

"He was an athlete in a lot of ways," said Jacobs. "Who amongst us, that work out on regular basis, doesn’t have a constant ache or pain. I’m sure he took Motrin. I think that’s about as adventurous as he ever got.”

In our talk with Alicia Jacobs yesterday, we spoke about the speculation and talk among Las Vegas insiders, and how conspiracy theories were developing because of an information vacuum. Are these sudden revelations a result of our conversation and interview?

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