STRIP SCRIBBLES
*Congratulations to celebrity chef Alex Stratta who told me his wife Laura had just hours earlier given birth to twins, Marco and Bianca–and it tied in perfectly as last night he won his first two Michelin stars for his ALEX restaurant at the WYNN.
“I’d better not get three-stars next year,” he joked at the awards ceremony in the BLUSH boutique nightclub there. Luxe Life will have that full report next week!
*Wall Street is reporting this morning that MGM and Dubai World completed their joint-venture transaction yesterday for CityCenter on the heart of the Strip. MGM contributed the CityCenter assets, valued at $5.4 billion, and received 50% of the equity in the project, while Dubai World contributed $2.96 billion for a 50% stake. Upon closure of the transaction, MGM received a cash distribution of another $2.47 billion, while the JV retained $490 million to fund near-term construction costs.
*Comedy actor Vince Vaughan, currently on the big-screen in Fred Clause, hit two nightspots in the same evening on his visit to the Bellagio. Over mojitos, he chatted up an attractive brunette bartender at the Caramel Bar and Lounge and later crossed the casino floor for Grey Goose and soda at the bar of the FIX restaurant. Vince parked himself at the end of the bar and found himself chatting to an elderly couple who coincidentally were from the same Ohio town as some members of his own family. No time to chat up a second beautiful bartender, though! Meantime, Weed’s TV star, actor Justin Kirk partied at the sister JET nightclub in the Mirage, dancing away to the sights and sounds of DVDJ Roonie G.
*Before moderating the CNN global coverage of the Nevada Democratic Party presidential debate, Situation Room anchor Wolf Blitzer, dined at Michael Mina’s Nob Hill restaurant in the MGM Grand… Nikki Ziering, former Playboy Playmate and ex-wife of Dancing with the Stars champion Ian Ziering had her hair colored by Michael Boychuck at AMP Salon in the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas. Nikki is starring in the upcoming Crazy Girls Undercover movie produced by Norbert Aleman.
*Expect a nice turnout of comedy stars at the Comedy Cares Celebrity Poker Tournament to be hosted by Sopranos star Steve Schirripa starting at 5 p.m. this afternoon. The casts of Entourage and Big Love, including Adrian Grenier, Jerry Ferrara, Rex Lee, Douglas Smith and Joel McKinnon Miller, will join with The View’s Joy Behar, SNL alumni Kevin Nealon, Jamie Kennedy, Nick Swardson, Chelsea Handler and fighter Frank Trigg to play the poker picks. It’s all to raise funds for the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, with poker-pro prince Daniel Negreanu there to coach the players. The gorgeous Las Vegas Pussycat Dolls will also make an appearance to keep the players on edge!
PURE owner Robert Frey and Harrah’s honchos Tom Jenkin, Gary Selesner, Jeffrey Pollack and AEG entertainment chieftain Tim Leiweke co-host the event. The winner gets a walk-on role on Entourage and a 47” HDTV flat-screen. Now for the remainder of the CAESARS PALACE COMEDY FESTIVAL weekend:
There are many around-the-clock shows, but here are the Luxe Life highlight picks:
Tonight; a triple 8 p.m. thriller. Jerry Seinfeld headlines in the Colosseum while Celine gets ready to return for her final shows. Bill Engvall welcomes the next generation of comics to the Blue Collar showcase in the Palace Showroom and DL Hughley hosts the Russell Simmons Def Comedy Jam in the Augustus showroom.
10 p.m. - First Vegas presentation of the 4th annual Andy Kaufman award.
10:30 p.m. - Jamie Kennedy joins with Nick Swardson in the Augustus showroom.
11 p.m. - The one time unrecognized standup comic from the Riviera, Chris Rock now is a major headliner and he shows exactly why at the Colosseum.
11:59 p.m. – Sexy blonde MTV generation talk show host Chelsea Handler and Jim Breuer kick back at the Palace showroom.
SATURDAY:
7:30 p.m. – Wise-talking Wanda Sykes brings her sassy style to the Augustus showroom.
8 p.m. - Jerry Seinfeld wraps his two day run at the Colosseum theater.
10 p.m. - Saturday Night Live veteran Kevin Nealon joins with The View’s outspoken comedienne Joy Behar in the Palace showroom.
10 p.m. - Britain’s outrageous cross-dressing comic Eddie Izzard is solo in the Augustus showroom.
11 p.m. - Chris Rock wraps his two-day run, also in the Colosseum Theater.
11:59 p.m. - Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria will be a surprise guest with the Hot Tamales Live show hosted by Kiki Melendez in the Palace showroom.
As if the staggering guest lists at the Planet Hollywood opening and the Comedy Festival aren’t enough for you, there’s a whole other host of stars in town for the weekend. Here comes our picks in what we affectionately refer to around here as the ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN:
Friday November 16:
*The “Piano Man” will tinkle the ivories and sing from his soul at the MGM Grand. With more than 150-million albums sold worldwide and six Grammy awards on his shelf, is it any wonder Billy Joel is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
*Actress and rapper Queen Latifah is juggling both careers successfully, but when the superstar hits the House of Blues she will play First Female Diva of Rap. All hail the Queen on her current tour.
*They’ve starred together on Everybody Loves Raymond, and you get double the pleasure and double the laughter when Ray Romano and Brad Garrett team-up for two nights of double joking at the Mirage.
*Brilliant jazz trumpet-titan Chris Botti presents his captivating contemporary jazz sounds in concert at the Green Valley Ranch. His 10th album and latest album, Italia even has a title track by operatic tenor Andrea Bocelli-the perfect follow-up to his collaboration with Sting on “Rest of Your Life.”
*My favorite country stars Trick Pony are at the South Point for two nights.
*Grunge band Puddle of Mudd has racked up platinum selling albums, won numerous awards and performed sold out shows in their 14 years together, so they are not “Living on Borrowed Time” any more!
*For sounds of southern rock, The Marshall Tucker Band provides a wonderful alternative, playing one of their 200 annual road shows at the Boulder Station.
*Longtime Vegas headliner, singer-songwriter Paul Williams, who is at the Gold Coast for two nights, may well slide out after his second show to join Barbra Streisand at her Planet Hollywood showcase. He’s the guy who won his own Oscar and Grammy stardom for the “Evergreen” hit that she sung in “A Star is Born.” Every wedding in the world plays one of his love songs; be it “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Close to You” or “You and Me Against the World.”
*Actor comedian Jamie Kennedy hosts his stand-up comedy after-party at JET nightclub in the Mirage, Whitestarr frontman Cisco Adler and hip hop star Shwayze host the monthly MySpace party at the new LAX nightclub in the Luxor, NBC-TV star Nadine Velazquez hosts a performance by Chamillionaire at Studio 54 in MGM, and Soprano’s star Steve Schirripa hosts a “Goombas and Garters” lingerie party from supermodel Elle Macpherson’s Intimates collection at the Hard Rock when the mobsters meet their molls!
Saturday November 17:
*The Rock the Block music festival gets underway at noon in the new downtown Fremont East entertainment district. In the musical lineup is celebrated hard core punk band Death by Stereo. They join an impressive bill featuring rockers Flyleaf, Smile Empty Soul, Franky Perez, Searchlight, Left Standing and AM Session. It’s a coming together of national and local bands that will last all day long, and it only costs $10 a ticket.
*The legendary ladies of 60’s rock and roll, Lesley Gore and former Shirelles lead singer Shirley Alston Reeves reunite in an oldies concert up at the Suncoast.
*Country star Tracy Lawrence will “Find Out Who Your Friends Are” when he appears at Boulder Station. Tracey’s awesome career began as a jamboree-loving teenager at Arkansas honky-tonks, but he went on to eight award-winning albums and 17 no.1 singles. For rock music, check out HIM—it stands for “His Infernal Majesty”—at the Hard Rock. The friends from Finland still features three of the founding members from their 1991 start. Hell Yeah has Bloodsimple and OT3P as special guests on their “Volume Strength Tour” at the House of Blues.
*Off-road racing’s most unique event, “Endure Cross” revs up the engines in the dirt at the Orleans Arena with current champion John Dowd taking on the determined competitors.
*Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough celebrates his bachelor party at the TAO Asian bistro and nightclub in the Venetian. Other Backstreet Boys, Nick Carter, A.J. McLean and Kevin Richardson have promised to send him toward marriage in a final blowout!
Actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who’s also a Maxim cover girl, celebrates her birthday at Body English in the Hard Rock.
Jokesters Jamie Kennedy and Nick Swardson will team up to host an after comedy festival party at PURE nightclub in Caesars, and I’m told I can whisper that Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria will stop by after her surprise appearance with the Hot Tamales Live.
Sunday November 18:
*Traditional Christmas songs will get an early airing with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra at Mandalay bay Events Center, but the musicians will still serve up their unique sounds of progressive rock, heavy metal and classical music.
*Tantalizing temptress and sultry busty brunette Lisa Boyle, a former Playboy model, unveils her very own photo art exhibit at the Playboy Club in the Palms, and artist Nick San Pedro celebrates his birthday with an exhibit at Caramel in The Bellagio, plus the downtown Beauty Bar holds its 2nd annual Drop Dead Gorgeous beauty pageant.
*It’s the 4th annual Night of a 1,000 Stars to benefit families in need at the Hilton, with Sandy Hackett, Lisa Dawn Miller, Adrian Zmed and the Scintas with the casts of Menopause the Musical, The Wizard and more.