CHER COMES TO THE RESCUE OF AN ORPHANAGE AS BOB MACKIE REVEALS COSTUME SECRETS OF HER NEW CAESARS PALACE SHOW
It’s a story about our newest Caesars Palace headliner that will touch your heart—even though she hoped to keep it a secret. Pop-legend Cher, who has ruled the music scene for 40 years, arrives here April 7 to start a month-long rehearsal schedule for her May 6 opening. She bought five-acres of land for an orphanage in Kenya and has pledged $3,500 a month for the upkeep of the 360 children there! She’s been quietly supporting the original orphanage for the past three years ever since she saw a TV show about the work of founders Robert and Eleanor Wood—and even has Clint Eastwood helping her efforts.
They rented the land for the school but on this past Christmas Day were given notice of eviction. They quickly found new land just five miles away and Cher without hesitation purchased it for them and committed the ongoing support for the children of which 80 percent battle the HIV virus. Said Robert: “Without a big money donor like Cher we wouldn’t be able to survive. The school makes a radical difference in the children’s lives and without Cher’s support we would barely have got it off the ground in the first place. Thanks to her we have been able to give them two full meals a day and a much improved life.”
Meantime Cher and Hollywood costume designer Bob Mackie have been getting her gowns ready for the Caesars Palace show. He has been zipping her in and out of his dresses since the 1971 Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.
Known as the “sultan of sequins” and “raja of rhinestones” the 68-year-old designer says he’s finalizing 12 stage-outfits for her. “She wants the whole works and people love that about her,” he said. This weekend he is being honored with the inaugural Fashion Arts Charlie Award at the combined 30th anniversary gala of the Hollywood Arts Council and 22nd annual Charlie Awards at the Jim Henson Studios—actress Mitzi Gaynor, another long time client, will present him with the trophy. Mackie has won nine Emmys and been nominated for three Oscars during his TV and movie costume career.
He revealed: “There’s going to be some incredible new gowns that people are going to love and they will be as spectacular as the show itself. We’re going to mix in some updated nostalgia looks that she’s worn before because she’s doing some of those same songs. But when she comes out on stage dragged up beyond belief everybody will be talking about it.” Bob, who will be at Cher’s premiere, also does stage outfits for her Caesars colleague Sir Elton John—they first met at a Cher TV special back in the 70’s. “It’s all going to be a great big dazzling party for Vegas,” he summed up.