Since almost the start of the Buffet, I have been skeptically documenting Heidi Fleiss' claim that she's planning to open and run a male stud farm for female clients outside Vegas.

In November 2005, I wrote: "Let me tell Movable Buffet readers that this is a publicity stunt, and I am convinced it will never, never happen." In fact, despite numerous interviews in which she claimed to be just a short time away from turning in the application for the stud farm, she never even got that far.

Of course, she did get a lot of press for claiming to me that Mike Tyson had agreed to be her first stud. She also really did open a laundromat in Pahrump called Dirty Laundry. And, Fleiss has always been a fun interview on the stud farm topic over the years.

But all good things ...

Today, according to the Review-Journal, Fleiss admits that she has given up the stud farm effort altogether. Not that much effort was made. Instead, Fleiss claims -- I kid you not -- that she is moving into alternative energy because, as she tells the Review-Journal , "that's where the money is."

She's back. In fact, she never left. A few months ago it seemed Heidi Fleiss and her dream of a stud farm for ladies outside Vegas had vanished. But on a whim, this morning, I gave Fleiss a ring at her Pahrump home and she answered. The last time we spoke she had told me about her conversation with Mike Tyson coming to work for her at the stud farm. This claim was refuted, not by Tyson's camp, but by a man who emerged claiming to be the publicist for Fleiss. I still have never spoken to that man. That was our starting point. As always, Fleiss here is funny, optimistic and defiantly dancing to her own tune. 

Robin Leach is reporting that Heidi Fleiss has vanished from Pahrump leaving the fate of her announced stud brothel  there in grave doubt. This should not be a surprise to readers of the Buffet where since 2005 I have been steadfast in predicting that Heidi's Stud Farm would never open in Pahrump. There are just too many obstacles in the path including brothel regulations tailored for female prostitutes and Fleiss, as a convicted felon, being barred from ownership of a brothel. This has not stopped Fleiss from working the press for over a year hyping her stud farm. Leach reports that the telephone numbers for Fleiss are disconnected. But I tried the phone numbers I have for Fleiss this morning and one still works, well, sort-of worked: No one answered and there was no voice mail. I will keep trying the number, and if I reach Fleiss expect an update later today.

I just had a roller coaster of an interview with Heidi Fleiss. I called Fleiss to get an update on her plans for a stud farm (she says she should have the application submitted in the next 10 days) in rural Nevada. Our conversation ranged from exotic birds to her thoughts on the case against brothel owner Joe Richards. I will have the full transcript for tomorrow's Buffet. But for now here is a taste of what it is like interviewing Heidi Fleiss as well as her plans for stud number one: Mike Tyson

Q: So, is Mike Tyson going to come work at your brothel?
A: Yeah, he called me. How'd that get in the news?

Q: You talked about it in another interview.
A: Oh, I said it? Well, he was in the Hamptons with a friend of mine and he called me.

Q: How long ago was this?
A: It was in June. I said to him, 'You going to be my stud?' And he said, 'Heidi I don't care what any man says. It's every man's dream to please every woman no matter how old, how young, how fat, how pretty, how ugly, it's every man's dream to please every woman and especially get paid for it.' And, he goes, 'Hell yeah, I'll be your number one stud.'

Q: Do you think he was joking?
A: Half and half. Don't ever underestimate Mike Tyson. He is a genius and he can be very stupid like most people.

Q: Well, do you think he will do it?
A: I definitely think he would.

photo by KRISTINA M. BARKER/AP