Angel speaks out on feud with local journo

Criss Angel has finally commented publicly on the ugly spat between himself and Review-Journal's Norm Clarke that happened after the Miss USA pageant in April. During the incident, Angel threatened the eyesight of Clarke. He then ignored opportunities to deny or retract the threat. Yesterday, on the red carpet for the Academy of Country Music Awards, Steve Friess asked Angel about the incident. On his blog, Friess transcribes their brief exchange:

Friess: Are you planning to apologize for the threat you made against Norm Clarke of the Review-Journal?

Angel: The problem is, some people got their lines crossed. And if some people got the whole story, they would see that what he wrote is actually not what really happened. So there’s nothing to apologize for.

Friess: What really happened?

Angel: I’d need awhile to explain that to you and now is not the appropriate time.

The appropriate time, of course, would have been immediately after the incident. If Angel has a story to tell at any point, he can still offer it; then there will not be more of these awkward red carpet encounters. And there will be more. In fact, the questioner could have as easily been me, if I had been covering ACM's red carpet instead of the Helldorado Days Parade. I am sure I will run into Criss Angel soon and get my chance to ask. And I wonder what questions Norm Clarke might have for Angel on the next red carpet those two meet?

Angel has created a public relations nightmare for himself that with his Cirque show set to open in September, many in Vegas are still interested in his threat to Clarke and other ugly behavior attributed to him during the Miss USA contest back in April.