Norm Clarke, the famous Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist best known for his iconic black eye pieces and Scoops Celebrity, died on Thursday after a long battle against cancer. He was 82 years old.
Clarke, who had fought prostate cancer in phase 4 for 16 years, suffered a hip injury earlier this month and entered Nathan Adeelson Hospice on March 12.
Throughout his illness, Clarke kept a spirit rooted in his early career as an Associated Press reporter.
“Remembering as a reporter was always my hope. I wouldn’t want to be known as columnist rumor,” Clarke Las Review-Journal told Clarke Las.
“With all the time I entered the Associated Press, wearing the AP reporter’s cloak meant everything to me. Very proud goes to work for AP.”
Clarke began his career preserved in Las Vegas in 1999, bringing with him extensive experience from Rocky Mountain News and preliminary roles in Montana, Cincinnati, San Diego and Los Angeles.
His memorable “Vegas Confidial” column quickly became an indispensable story, breaking stories such as Britney Spears 2004 marriage and Michael Jackson’s discreet relocation with Sin City in 2006.
“The Norm-Journal review column was so popular that it became a famous man in his right,” said executive editor Glenn Cook.
“He was a gentleman. Readers loved him. I constantly heard from the subscribers who said the norm was the first thing they read every day.”
Las Veteran’s publicist Las Vegas, Dave Kirvin credited Clarke by changing the reporting of entertainment in the city, saying, “He was not always popular, he was not always right, but he was right and he was never deaf.”
A native in Montana born in the small town of Terry, Clarke found his passion for journalism at a young age, selling the newspapers announcing the attack of President Eisenhower on the customers.
He began his journey to journalism with local publications, rapidly moving the ranks in prominent roles with AP.
Clarke faced personal difficulties along with his professional achievements.
Losing his right eye in childhood, he hugged the special black eye piece after years fighting with prosthetics.
His persistence was evident in both his career and in his cancer struggle, after Clarke himself noted: “I have beat the chances, to be honest. I was very lucky. I had the luckiest run in Las Vegas’s story.”
His wife, Cara Clarke, praised his ruthless pursuit of news, revealing his meticulous daily struggle to give attractive stories.
“His sight of giving birth to a column was so painful,” she recalled with love.
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Image Source : nypost.com
