11.23.09

AGASSI INKS COPIES

AgassiBookSign
He should’ve got the hair out for signings. (Photo by Scott Harrison. Additional photos by Erik Kabik | Retna)

Andre Agassi was at the Costco on South Pavilion Drive yesterday afternoon to sign copies of his autobiography, Open. You know, it’s been all controversial and all since he admitted to using meth in the book, but can you think of any way you’d read a tennis biography if it didn’t contain admissions of hard drug use? Would you read a Pete Sampras biography? Or, God forbid, a Michael Chang biography? Admit it, you just fell asleep between “Michael” and “Chang” didn’t you? Now, “Michael Chang Does a Bunch of Blow: The True Life Story?” Different tune we’re singing there.

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By Jason Scavone

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11.10.09

AGASSI FACES SOFTBALLING WRITER

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Rick Reilly’s last column was, no joke, about how horse races are hard to call. (Photos by Erik Kabik | Retna)

Andre Agassi was at the Encore Theater to talk to ESPN columnist and professional schmaltz machine Rick Reilly about his autobiography Open yesterday. It’s the book in which Agassi admits that for a time, he did crystal meth.

Former No. 1 Marat Safin came out and said Agassi should give back all his titles after the fact, but Safin misses one very crucial point: When was the last time you saw anyone actually do something better on crystal meth? Other than lose their teeth and wrestle with the cops, we mean. If anything, they should give Agassi an extra title for heroically playing professional tennis while hamstrung by this terrible drug. Not a big one or anything. Not Wimbledon. But maybe an extra Australian Open. Would anyone notice? Like, what about Petr Korda’s 1998 title? Come on, you know he’s not using it for anything.

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By Jason Scavone

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09.23.09

AGASSI LINES UP YEARLY GALA AT WYNN

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Even if it’s just a wig, please Andre, bring back the headband and Tom Keifer-in-Cinderella hair.

Kudos to John Daly for having the stones to go head-to-head Saturday with Andre Agassi’s 14th Annual Grand Slam for Children by hosting his 3rd Annual Beer Ball for Surly Teens. You don’t win the Claret Jug through stars, concerts and charity. You do it the old-fashioned way: Drinking High Life out of a can while you smoke Parliaments and hit buckets of balls.

We’ll concede, however, that Agassi’s event is probably more noteworthy. The charity gala benefiting the Andre Agassi Foundation is bringing in Tim McGraw, Brian McKnight, Lionel Richie and Dane Cook for a concert, cocktail reception and live auction at Wynn Las Vegas, all at the low, low price of $17,500 for the cheapest remaining table (sets of two gold level seats are still available for $3,500.)

Presenters and talent will get to hit up a gifting suite from Distinctive Assets — the company that handles suites for the Grammys and others — that will include, among other things, Bluetooth earpieces, tequila, bottle service at Blush and “a complete set of SUDDfx hair styling products.” Now we know how they got Dane Cook here. (HEY! Does anyone remember when they’d get GIFT BAGS after a show and you’d be all like I don’t drink tequila, brah, but my deliberately mussed hair has gone droopy from the stage sweat.)

By Jason Scavone

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10.13.08

CAREY, CANNON AT AGASSI FUNDRAISER


We’re pretty sure they moved here and we didn’t hear about it. (Photos by Scott Harrison | Retna)

Andre Agassi held his 13th annual Grand Slam for Children charity event at Wynn Las Vegas on Saturday, bringing out Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon, who are not only insufferably happy, but are doing charity work too. So, once again we bitterly say: Screw those guys. Seriously. Also turning out for the benefit were David Spade, Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, Natasha Bedingfield, Emeril Lagasse, Rod Stewart, Lifehouse and The Killers.

By Jason Scavone

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