"I have to recognize someone special here in the house," said Angel, according to a showgoer. "Perez Hilton, please stand up.

"We have the world's biggest douchebag asshole in the house!" Angel said.

Perez Hilton smiled broadly and said, "Thanks for the free tickets."

There's buzz that Angel berated the blogger after his camp saw Perez Hilton's Twitter site, which carried real-time comments lambasting the show, including "unbelievably BAD!" and "I would rather be getting a root canal."

Perez Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, has one of the most popular celebrity sites (PerezHilton.com) on the Internet and more than 600,000 "followers" on his Twitter site, a social networking service.

Neither Cirque du Soleil, Angel's corporate and creative partner in "Believe," nor Angel's camp responded to e-mails by deadline.

Perez Hilton, reached by e-mail, said he was "flattered by the very special shout-out."

He said he wanted to see the show, because "until 'Believe,' Cirque has had an incredible track record of excellence. I have seen all of their Vegas shows and loved them all."

It's not the first time a Las Vegas headliner fired back at a critic in the audience.

In the late 1990s, Wayne Newton stopped his show at the MGM Grand and directed a diatribe at Michael Paskevich, then the entertainment critic at the Review-Journal.

Paskevich, reached in Hilton Head, S.C., where he operates a comedy club, recalled that he suddenly "had a spotlight in my face" and Newton proceeded to tell the crowd that he was upset at Paskevich for his criticism of fellow entertainer Tony Orlando.

When Newton finished, Paskevich said he joined "two people from the band and 11 in the audience in applauding."

THE SCENE AND HEARD

The drama quotient went up a couple of notches Saturday when Holly Madison of the "Girls Next Door" was a late addition to the Miss USA judging panel. That means the seating arrangement for the pageant today (KVBC-TV, Channel 3, 7 p.m.) should be interesting, with KVBC entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs also on the panel. They've been feuding. ...

Beyonce's "I AM ..." tour ends with a four-night residence at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas July 30-Aug. 2. ...

SIGHTINGS

Donald Trump, in town for the Miss USA pageant, attending "Tony 'N Tina's Wedding" (Planet Hollywood Resort) on Saturday before taking in the premiere of "Peepshow."... Chris Noth, "Mr. Big" of "Sex and the City" fame at "Peepshow.".... Perez Hilton, pulled on stage during "Peepshow." ... Brody Jenner and his girlfriend Jayde Nicole, at Palms Place. ... Former "American Idol" Mikalah Gordon of Las Vegas, singing the national anthem at the home opener of the Las Vegas 51s on Friday. ... Latin crooner Luis Miguel, having dinner Friday at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab (Forum Shops at Caesars).

THE PUNCH LINE

"Scientists have discovered a species of ants that's only female. They think it's the first species that's able to spontaneously reproduce since the octo-mom." -- Craig Ferguson

Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.