STRIP SCRIBBLES
*There will be no statement or explanations from Mindfreak magician Criss Angel explaining the various incidents connected with his Planet Hollywood Resort appearances and activities at the Miss USA beauty pageant. He has decided not to comment or give any interviews.
My request for a candid conversation to clear up the accusations was turned down by his management people saying: “Just let it go away and be forgotten. There is nothing to be gained by rehashing it now. It’s a case of no comment.” Apparently from here on in he just wants to focus on his new $150-million Cirque du Soleil magic spectacular, Believe, for which rehearsals begin today (TUES) for the first time in the new Luxor Theater.
*French pastry star chef Francois Payard will break decade old perceptions that clocks are non-existent in casinos by unveiling the Payard Chocolate Clock right in the heart of Caesars Palace.
Today (TUES) for tax day, the Las Vegas Postal Service will have a mailbox at his restaurant for 14-hours to allow guests to send their taxes on time, and to ease the pain Francois will dispense truffles for your taxes every 15 minutes.
*Tonight was to have been the second week of Secret Talents of the Stars the new John O’Hurley CBS-TV series.
Tonight was to have been the video adventures of Playboy’s Girl Next Door Bridget Marquardt at Cirque du Soleil’s “O” show at Bellagio before she performed a daring trapeze wire high dive live in the studio. However, the network’s shock sudden surprise decision to “kill off” the show just hours after its first ever airing has KO’d all those plans!
At least John won’t have to do double air commuter flights twice daily for his nightly Spamalot shows at the Wynn.
*From the “Surveillance” file: Nip/Tuck star Kelly Carlson took her mom for drinks at Strip House in Planet Hollywood Resort and together they polished off the famed 24 layer chocolate cake… Singing Bee host Joey Fatone was also at the Strip House celebrity hot spot which has just been named in Zagat’s “Best of Las Vegas ‘08” guide… Chilli from the TLC group took a break from promoting her new line of custom made hangas “Bags by Chilli” and dined at Michael Mina’s Seablue restaurant in MGM Grand.
*The weekly bikini events at Tao Beach, Hawaiian Tropic Zone and Sedona restaurant, are all sponsored by Syrup swimwear—a local company owned by designer Aron Furst who created the name based on a combination of sexy, sweet tasteful girls… Ivana Trump wedding guest Nikki Haskell who is known for her StarCaps vitamin health line has created a “Dancing with the StarCruncher” physical fitness belt.
*Local real-estate developer Paul Murad who starred on Bravo TV’s Millionaire Matchmaker season finale has a second book being published at the end of April.
He told my friend Frank Lieberman, covering the Miss USA telecast for me, that the real estate market will remain in its current recession mode for as long as maybe three more years! He gloomily predicts that many of the projects announced for Vegas will never be built or will fail. On a positive note he said The New York Plaza project set alongside Donald Trump’s new International Hotel “will be built but it’s a matter of when and that won’t be too soon.”
*Racy rumors and wicked whispers: is it true that two of our top photo agencies in town gave a “cold shoulder” boycott to the Miss USA pageant because of “absurd contract demands?”… Is another nightclub on the Strip in danger of being closed down any moment now to be converted into a karaoke bar?