STRIP SCRIBBLES
*It was a slot-players dream come true, except it was only a scene in a movie. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been filming the new Witch Mountain at Planet Hollywood Resort where he helps rescue two stranded alien teenagers. They get to see inside a Vegas casino for the first time but as they walked down a row of slots their “energy” causes all of them to trigger into “jackpot payoff time.”
With fortunes spitting out without stop the melee escalates with fisticuffs thrown by gorgeous stunt-girls fighting for the money! I watched from the Planet Hollywood Resort mezzanine down to the casino floor alongside a strange and bizarre grab-bag of alien extras as cameras rolled on the fun, the excitement and the action. It will be one memorable sequence when its all edited together.
Incidentally, The Rock made Planet Hollywood Resort owner Robert Earl “homeless” for the week of location filming.
The former wrestler turned actor was given a tour of the superstar suites so he could decide which one he wanted for his stay. By mistake he was shown the owners suite and since Earl was out-of-town that’s the one he picked. He even left Robert’s extraordinary collection of bright British shirts locked up in a closet. But the owner returned earlier than expected, only to discover the nursery rhyme of Goldilocks & the Three Bears was true with the actor sleeping in his bed! The Planet Hollywood Resoert head honcho simply moved into a smaller suite and let Dwayne stay in his for the duration of the filming- but he did have his shirts moved over to new quarters!
*We’ve just learned where troubled singer actress Lindsay Lohan will be spending the Independence Day holiday weekend right here in Vegas alongside her best girlfriend (uh-hum) SaMANtha Ronson, who will be guest dj for the entire July 4 day at the Tao Beach in The Venetian.
*It’s one busy Vegas weekend for pop-princesses Danity Kane. The group joins Keri Hilson, The Veronicas and Tristan Pettyman for a sexy GQ magazine photo shoot all over The Mirage resort casino. They have their concert tonight with P. Diddy’s Making the Band MTV show at George Maloof’s Pearl theater in the Palms. Then they race off to the new Privé nightclub in Planet Hollywood fResort or their official after-concert party.
It’s interesting background on the sexy female singing group that it wasn’t until the 10th episode of the 2nd season of the third installment of MTV’s Making the Band that Diddy, or Sean Coombs, as I call him assembled the all-girls pop supergroup Diddy began work on the 4th season, and, Shannon, Aundrea, D. Woods and Aubrey became a bona fide success, releasing their self-titled debut album and a hit single, “Show Stopper.” This March they became the first female group to have their first two albums debut at No. 1.
*Congratulations to the Springs Preserve, which celebrates its 1st anniversary this weekend. During its first 12 months with its focus on sustainability and conservation the 180-acre Springs Preserve gardens with galleries and interactive exhibits saved over1-million gallons of water by replacing sod with artificial grass in the 2,0000 seat outdoor amphitheater, saved 2,500 yards of landfill space by recycling and mulching 19,000 Christmas Trees and produced enough electricity from its 2,m200 solar panels to power 80-homes for an entire year! The all-you-can eat ice-cream festival to celebrate the 1st year will feature live music from bands and Celtic Storm Dance performances.
*This weekend marks the start of the Women’s Tournament at the World Series of Poker and our hometown heroine Lisa Tenner has rounded up a celebrity-packed list for her Queens of Heart team. She’s got world-famous author Jackie Collins as a co-captain with actresses Teri Hatcher, Cheryl Hines, Camryn Manheim, Mimi Rogers, and Joely Fisher along with poker princesses Clonie Gowen, Pam Brunson in the 36-girls lineup. They’ll meet in the Caesars Palace Poker Room tomorrow (SAT) for their tutorial, plot strategy over drinks at Bradley Ogden’s fine-food restaurant and then at 11am Sunday they’ll march in to smash through the glass ceiling to victory. All the winnings go to Nevada Cancer Institute. Now it’s time to turn our cards and show all the aces of a winning hand with this weekends entertainment highlights in what we affectionately call the Top Deal the ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN:
FRI JUNE 6:
*Lets start with something completely different: Happy Birthday to Sgt. Pepper! He’s the youngest Atlantic bottlenose dolphin at the Siegfried & Roy Secret garden and Dolphin Habitat in The MIrage. The trained Animal Care staff will celebrate his 1st birthday today with new birthday toys. His name was picked by local school children after he was vorn to Duchess.
*Country is king of the night when Academy of Country music big winner, Kenny Chesney pulls into the MGM Grand Garden Arena complete with trademark oversized cowboy Stetson and singer LeeAnn Rimes for his “Poets and Pirates Tour.”
He was there just three weeks ago for the Academy of Country Music awards when he walked away with the No. 1 prize.
*P. Diddy joins up with MTV in the Pearl at the Palms to host two No. 1 selling chart-toppers, Danity Kane and Day 26 with special guests Donnie Klang and Cheri Dennis for Making the Band 4.
*The sweetest soul sounds this side of heaven are owned by my favorite group, Earth Wind & Fire at the Hilton tonight and tomorrow. They’ve been performing their unique music for over 30 years and “the love will never go.”
*Please support my frend, TV talkshow host Montel Williams at his Multiple Sclerosis fundraising poker tournament at the Golden Nugget. There’s a 5 p.m. red carpet for such stars as poker players Jamie Gold and Daniel Negreanu, Strip headliners Nathan Burton and Gordie Brown and one-time Mike Tyson bride, actress Robin Givens. There’s also a fundraiser for the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame at the Orleans Arena to honor former UNLV superstar basketball player Larry Johnson ‘s induction. My pal Mel Larsen, the voice of so many cartoon characters is also being inducted for their contributions to the advancement of sports in our community after a day of golf at Highland Falls.
*Comedians and best pals Ray Romano and Kevin James fill he Danny Gans Theater for two nights of laughter at the Mirage separately first and then teamed up for the finale. Comedy impressionist Bill Acosta brings his many voices and the Golddiggers to the South Point for three nights.
*For the sounds of yesteryear The Lovin’ Spoonful turn the clock back, up at the Suncoast and the Vegas Cruise Classic Car show has wheels spinning on the Fremont Street Experience through Sunday night.
*Continuing their runs through the weekend from earlier in the week starts are Elton John at Caesars, George Carlin at the Orleans, Disney’s High School Musical at Plant Hollywood Resort and the Burlesque Hall of Fame circus sideshow at the Palms.
*Its party-time with MTV’s Shot of Love 2 with Tila Tequila contestants Lauren and Sirbrina looking for love at Jet in The Mirage; Sports Illustrated super swimsuit model Tori Prayer celebrates her birthday at The Bank in Bellagio; Playboy model Rebecca Lynn hosts at the new Torrid nightclub in the Hawaiian Tropic Zone at Planet Hollywood Resort’s Miracle Mile.
SAT JUNE 7:
*Please support the special matinee performance of Stomp Out Loud at Planet Hollywood Resort because the cast has joined forces with the local chapter of Youth United to raise funds to build a Habitat for Humanity home and stomp out poverty housing problems.
*Controversial British punkers The Sex Pistols selected the Joint at the Hard Rock for their only American tour date. The British rebels still scream “Never Mind the Bollocks” and there’s no way I’ll explain that British slang expression!
*For musical sounds to meet many tastes the Rippingtons go smooth at Santa fe, the LA Guns rock out at the Sunset Station, the R&B “Keep On Keepin’ On” show serves up its soul revue at the Texas Station, Amanda & Diego are in concert for two back-to-back shows at the Rio and the Deathklok tour is at the House of Blues in Mandalay Bay with guests Solent Green and Chimaira for the “Metalocalypse.”
*Country queen Tanya Tucker still wows and makes the drive south on the I-15 worthwhile to the Star of the Desert arena on the stateline border.
*Real World Hollywood blonde cutie Brianna Taylor hosts the party pleasures at Prive in the Planet Hollywood Resort.
SUN JUNE 8:
*Amazing singing-ventriloquist-impressionist Terry Fator who won the first $1 million prize on America’s Got Talent starts a three-day engagement at the Hilton.
Don’t forget he starts his five-year new contract at the Mirage next Valentines Day with a whole new expanded and revamped mega show.
*Uncle Kracker is the star at South Point’s poolside summer concert series and Peter Murphy goes “retrospective” at the House of Blues in Mandalay Bay.
*It’s the 2nd anniversary of Red Models and all the beautiful girls and guys will strut their stuff at The Bank nightclub in the Bellagio.