The granddaddy of Vegas resort pool parties kicks off its fourth season this weekend.

Rehab not only expects to break all of last year’s records but on Sunday fires up the excitement with one-time jailed rapper Akon who was once convicted of armed robbery and drug distribution charges.

“It’s the biggest and most anticipated pool party in Sin City,” said Hard Rock’s Matt Armstrong. “We call it the pinnacle of poolside entertainment.”

The four day weekend of rowdy raucous ribald revelry that began last night with the Sunset Strip’s comedy rock show, MetalSkool, continues tonight with Steven Tyler from Aerosmith introducing a Junker Designs Fashion Show, and Jet live under the stars, but the main Rehab rocks Sunday starting 12 noon thru 7pm and winds up with Akon’s birthday bash in the Body English nightclub.

Thousands of residents and tourists have packed the Hard Rock’s sandy adult beach-club for Rehab weekly in recent years to lose their inhibitions at the exotic, and often erotic, extravaganza. Television’s Travel Channel named the 4.7-acre pleasure palace with floating dance floor one of the world’s top 10 pools!

“Although Rehab started as a local’s favorite, it’s become such a buzzed-about event that it’s gaining a huge amount of attention from fans outside of Las Vegas, including A-list celebrities such as Howard Stern and Snoop Dogg,” said Jack Lafleur, director of promotions at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. “Rehab is no longer just a pool party at the Hard Rock, but it’s a destination in itself and it’s changing the landscape of nightlife everywhere.”

For the $40 admission fee Rehab features 40 Tahitian-style cabanas, complete with plasma TVs, telephone, refrigerator, personal misting system and a safe for storing valuables. The highly sought-after cabanas are set back from the popular beach area and are staggered on various levels throughout the pool to allow guests to seek out their own private spots and exclusive VIP service. Bountiful palm trees, a babbling brook, waterfalls and sandy beaches add to the secluded ambiance, providing guests a true hidden oasis feel. According to the advance weather forecast it should be a beautiful sunny day in the high 80’s- perfect for the new season’s start!

The codeword is “European Style”—and when you see that sign it indicates the girls will blow-off their bikini tops to go topless. The new Bare pool lounge at the Mirage started this week and it’s all the rage here in silicone-central. It’s shrouded by palm trees and the bottle service comes by the pitcher!

Britney Spears’ ex hubby, the Jack Daniels and Coke drinking Kevin Federline, was among the first to soak up the rays and catch the attention of some pretty blonde bathing beauties.

TAO’s new super-smart Beach Club at The Venetian officially opens next weekend with both Jay Z and Usher on separate back-to-back party nights. Luxe Life readers can click back here to Tuesday’s journal with the advance first peek at its delicious and delightful decadence!

Can you believe we are a little more than 30 days away from the June 1st start of this year’s World Series of Poker at the Rio?

Considered to be the ultimate achievement in any poker player’s career, it is the most awaited event of the poker year. The winner of each WSOP event through the series earns the Gold Bracelet, but the winner picks up over $12 million and the coveted World Champion title.

This year is the 38th for the prestigious poker tourney, and its 55 bracelet events will be televised exclusively on ESPN. Luxe Life has an exclusive interview with the poker-world’s top player, Daniel Negreau all set for next week as he talks candidly about the thrill of the game, his million dollar wins and losses and what to look for in this year’s record breaking World Series.

Meantime, the World Poker Tour kicked off at a Bellagio LIGHT nightclub-hosted appreciation party for all the platinum players including Jennifer Tilly and boyfriend Phil Laak, Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari, Todd Brunson, Layne Flack, Gavin Smith, Mike Sexton, Joe Hachem, Yosh Nakano, Men “The Master” Nguyen, James Van Alstyne, Charles “Chip” Jett, Clonie Gowen, Kevin O’Donnell, Amir Vahedi, Evelyn Ng, Dave “Devilfish” Ulliott, Hassan Habib, Roland de Wolfe and Olaf Thorson.

The final table and a $15 million prize are played today and will be taped by The Travel Channel for an August broadcast.

Two Vegas headliners were honored with invitations from the White House. After a 23 year gap, comedian Rich Little returned to provide the entertainment for the White House Correspondent’s Association dinner and did his impersonations of six US Presidents including a hilarious rendition of George Bush’s mangled sentences.

Harrrah’s magic headliner Mac King entertained with magic tricks on the Great Lawn of the White House as part of the East Egg roll festivities.

Mac told Luxe Life, “It was a great honor to perform at the White House. To be able to perform for families in our nation’s capital was a wonderful experience that I will always remember.”

It’s Lingerie Bowl draft weekend hosted by the Los Angeles Temptations, and kickoff is tonight at LIGHT nightclub in the Bellagio. Reps will be there to cast lingerie lovelies for the new Las Vegas Sin team to enter the Lingerie Super Bowl on Feb 3rd, 2008!

Tomorrow it’s the first All-Women Triathlon starting at 8am out at Lake Las Vegas. Female tri-athletes will swim 1,500 meters in the 320 acre lake, then bike 40 kilometers through Montelago Village and finish with a 10K run around the resort- all to raise funds for breast cancer research.

… Trying to reassure fans that she’s well and not in hiding, porn princess Jenna Jameson threw a girls night out party for her Club Jenna beauties at the JET nightclub in the Mirage.
Under careful watchdog eye of a burly bodyguard, Jenna sipped champagne and danced to Fergie’s song, “Glamorous.” The adult movie star had raised questions after failing to show up at some recent high-profile events where she was expected. She’s also told US magazine about her cancer struggles, weight issues and bitter divorce. One eyewitness said, “She was mellow, but looked vibrant and spent a lot of time on text-messages – presumably to boyfriend Tito Ortiz.”

… Actor James Woods is such a regular at FIX in Bellagio that he ordered the Humamoto oysters by name perfectly when he dined there.

… Hometown beauty Nikki Coxxx, who is featured in the May issue of Strip Las Vegas, used to be a hair and makeup stylist on adult movie sets before she turned x-rated actress herself. This month’s Strip Las Vegas Girl Search will be held at Crazy Horse Too gentleman’s club tonight. Guest judging duties fall to former Strip Las Vegas cover girls Cassidy (April ‘07), Melissa Jacobs (November ‘06), Kirsten Price (April ‘06).

MONDAY’S TEASE: Mr. Las Vegas himself, Wayne Newton re-opens at Harrah’s for a 10 week run, while comedienne Rita Rudner takes a break for her new TV series.
Plus the whirling wrap-up of the sassy sexy sensational opening weekend of pool parties. Later in the week Luxe Life goes face to face with Paul Anka as he celebrates an amazing 50 years in showbiz, plus a full-interview with the world’s top poker player, Daniel Negreau as the World Series ticks ever closer.

Fri April 27
*Following up on the glittering opening of the Pearl at the Palms top guns TOOL continue the headline rock for two nights with an after-party in MOON tomorrow night.
*Comic Jay Leno jokes it up at the Mirage for two nights.
* Beneath the mane are the strong sounds of Taylor Dane at The Suncoast thru Sunday.
* Country queen Patti Page kicks the hits out at Whisky Pete’s in Primm Valley.
* Fly high with JET – Hard Rock Hotel pool.
*Sir Mix-A-Lot is set for Polly Esther’s Grand Opening in the Stratosphere for the first Vegas performance in nine years.
* One-time Star Search winners Sawyer Brown pull in on time at Boulder Station.
* Rock favorites Berlin take down the wall at the Red Rock for two nights.
* Richard Marx brings his singing and songwriting prowess to the Orleans thru Sunday.

Sat April 28
* Rock giants Aerosmith raise funds for the Lili Claire Foundation at Mandalay Bay with Seinfeld star Jason Alexander hosting the pre-party and auction.
* The arresting sounds of Interpol performing at the Hard Rock.
* Stephen Marley performs early evening at the House of Blues, and late night when ghosts come alive it’s the Hip Hop Dead Tour with Nas inside Mandalay Bay.
*The Alan Parsons Project punches the right tickets at Boulder Station.
* With one of the sexiest voices ever, Isaac Hayes pours on the silky smooth sounds of satin at Texas Station.

Sun April 29

*Fired-up rap and R&B star Akon raps out a daytime concert for the start of the new Rehab at the Hard Rock.
*The Fall Out Boys are all in line with their MOON party at the Palms.

Sex symbol Pamela Anderson will magically step into Carmen Electra’s high-heeled shoes as the new guest star of European magician Hans Klok’s Beauty of Magic show now set to open early June at the new Planet Hollywood.

Pamela picked up a multi-million contract for the opening 13 week run—and possibly longer, after Carmen quit as co-star of the show earlier this week amidst backstage turmoil, tempers, tantrums and tears. I first learned that Pamela’s name was the probable replacement candidate at the same time as Carmen confirmed she was quitting at her 35th birthday party in Hollywood. But I couldn’t get anybody to confirm it officially.

She was smuggled into the resort through a preferred rear entrance and just minutes before the official press conference she could be heard rehearsing the introduction box-trick behind the black curtains.

Early this afternoon, as Planet Hollywood’s Chairman Robert Earl stood onstage, Hans Klok, the self-described “fastest magician in the world,” magically produced Pamela from a silver box set up in the new ‘Extra Lounge’ at the resort hotel-casino.

“There was drama on the Planet—and sometimes what happens in Vegas can’t stay in Vegas. Carmen is gone and we wish her much success with her many ventures. But I believe we have found bigger and better and this was always my first choice. Fate has now allowed it. We couldn’t be more thrilled and delighted,” Robert Earl told me. “She is a Vegas icon and she will do tremendous box office business. She has said she wants to be involved in very possible way to promote ther show. She’ll make the hotel her home and we’re even going to give her her own named gaming pit!”

Pamela commented: “I’m really up for this. I’m very excited about doing magic. My kids are going to love this. We wrapped this all up in a bit of a rush and concluded Monday night. I’m feeling like Ann-Margret in Vegas. I’m not afraid of heights so we will be doing the levitation and the aerial stuff.”

Backstage over Cristal champagne in an exclusive Luxe Life interview Pamela told me: “This is the best day of my life: I get to be in a magic show. I’m giddy! I’m going to be a magician’s assistant. I’ve done magical things before but never in public. Now I will be able to bring the kids on opening night and they’ll finally believe I have an honest job and they’ve got the coolest mom on the planet.

“I’ve been asked to do Vegas shows for a very long time. I’m in the Elton John show at Caesars every night but I didn’t really have to be here for that. I’m thrilled. I love Vegas. I love performing. I loved the shows here and now I’m in one. How great can this be? I can’t sing. I can’t dance but I get to be a magicians assistant. I will be doing all sorts of crazy stuff. I need a rush. I don’t want to sit around being bored. I need some excitement, so if I go flying to the ceiling I will. If they levitate me up high I’m going.”

Hans commented: “She’s thrilled to do this. She will be doing some dangerous stuff.”

One of the producers told me about the chaos with Carmen: “It was obvious when we introduced her just eight days ago at our name-changeover ceremonies from the Aladdin to the Planet that she was really uncomfortable and uncooperative. You could see it. You could sense it. And we knew it. She was unhappy about everything. The marriage was over before it began and had lasted less than the four weeks of rehearsals. We immediately started to take steps to get somebody else in place if it came to it.”

I had been told then that Carmen had been crying because of the amount of rehearsal time involved to practice both the levitation act she was performing with Klok and her solo magic tricks. One stunt called for Carmen to fly high in the ceiling of the new Theater for the Performing Arts showroom, and Hans himself even said ‘She’s very brave to do it. Its dangerous stuff.’ I was reliably told their conflict was simply ‘a case of a student not connecting properly with the teacher.

Luxe Life learned that Carmen herself even turned to former husband, Dave Navarro, for advice about how best to quit the show. Over the past two weeks she’d also asked her Los Angeles agent to take steps for her to leave the $50-million production. This week, Dutch-born Hans and Carmen were supposed to team for TV and other media appearances in both California and New York to promote their show. Instead she even refused to pose alone with him for photos. Ironically the couple were supposed to have teamed together on another magic show Luminiere five years ago also at the Aladdin . But investor funding dried up and that production never materialized and simply disappeared into thin air.

Carmen went out Tuesday night to celebrate her birthday and simultaneous escape from the show at the Privilege nightclub in Hollywood where she told her best friends she’d left the magic show. Carmen complained about the weekly commute saying she never realized she’d be in Vegas every Wednesday through Sunday.

“I don’t even like Vegas” she said at one point of her party. “I never realized how long and involved it was all going to be with the number of performances, and nobody prepared me for that.” There was also some dispute over two songs she was expected to sing in the show.

Pamela concluded: “It was always my dream to be a Vegas showgirl and that’s now come true.”

Rerhabilitated pop-queen Britney Spears came oh so close to resuming her career with her first public showcase—as a stripper!

Luxe Life has learned that the bewigged-bald-headed singer planned to greet her fans again as a burlesque dancer with back-to-back sexy take-it-all-off routines at the Forty Deuce Clubs in Los Angeles and here at our Mandalay Bay resort hotel casinos. The surprise appearances were all set for last night in LA and tonight here in Vegas.

But at the very last moment Britney pulled the plug. She’d spent all-day Tuesday rehearsing under the watchful encouraging eyes of owner Ivan Kane for the new Wednesday night Royal Jelly rock ‘n’ roll burlesque show. “She was going to sing three songs and strut her stuff with four backup dancers,” I was told.” Then for some reason with everything set in place they decided just an hour or so beforehand that it wasn’t the right time to make her professional showbiz return.”

My pal, Ivan commented: ” She came on stage durting rehearsal, looking very hot. She ran through the set several times. The dance choreography was smokin’ and she was sounding great. The backup dancers were beautiful. In fact, two of them perform at my club every week so it was a very comfortable at-home feeling.” Ivan explained that those dancers had brought Britney into his club twice recently to watch his classic burlesque shows and the new rock burlesque productions.

“She felt Forty Deuce was the perfect spot to gewt back in fronrt of a live audience.” said Ivan.” Forty Deuce is the gold standard of sexy burlesque shows in both Hollywood and Vegas. We were thrilled she thought of us, and we’ve already talked about rescheduling the appearance.”

The Forty Deuce clubs here and in Hollywood regularly attract star performers and star watchers. Infact this fall Ivan has partnered with both Sting and David Bowie to launch the New York club.

The gorgeous glamour girls of the Fantasy show at the Luxor have been renewed through the end of 2008! To celebrate the contract extension they’ve shot a new hot and sexy pinup calendar for the second consecutive year.

Its not yet even May but the three day perky photo project by French celebrity photog Lionel DeLuy from Los Angeles had to be done now, even though 2007 is just four months old.

Fantasy producer Anita Mann explained to me, “It will take another 8 to 12 weeks to edit his photos and do the layout and graphics, then another three weeks to print and shrink-wrap. Then it’s August and sales and nationwide distribution must get underway. We’ll have our calendar release party in August, but we’ll include the last three months of this year for fans who want to use it earlier.”

Last year’s best-selling debut edition, which even outsold Cirque show calendars, had a Luxor theme with a lingerie twist, but this new year will feature a Fantasy sports theme. Don’t fret my pets; the girls are all topless but nothing actually shows!

Here’s the rundown: lead singer Stephanie Jordan is semi-dressed in a football locker room, Dar plays baseball on a field of our dreams, Delicia works up a sweat weightlifting in the Luxor gym, Sacha went rock climbing in the actual Luxor lobby ceiling, newcomer Natasha was ice-skating on the resort’s new Aurora bar, Tonya was team cheerleader, Jennifer braved the cool pool waters, Christine bucked as a rodeo rider, Tracey will be seen as the world’s sexiest motocross rider, Season proved her volleyball pointers, and even I tried to cover-up Salina in a topless tennis peek-a-boo match as our Luxe Life photographer Scott Doctor brilliantly captured the scene!

Luxor president Felix Rappaport told me, “Fantasy has become a great brand for both the Luxor and all of Vegas as the number one review in town. The gorgeous girls are a symbol of the direction we are taking the property: hip, sexy, cool and very enterprising within the competitive environment of Vegas. The calendar is a great marketing tool both for the show and the hotel.”

Anita, the show’s producer, who works with my pal choreographer Criss Judd, gave Luxe Life an exclusive behind the scenes look at the making of the calendar as the deliciously dangerous dancers posed in their seductive and sultry costumes in the various settings.
She concluded, “It’s all good harmless fun and we’re celebrating the beauty of women. Next month our cast will be shooting a Fantasy Fitness showgirls workout DVD as the next step of the marketing campaign.”