Las Vegas Weekly

November 25, 2009 · 7:30 PM

‘DWTS’ champ Donny Osmond still deft afoot in return to Flamingo

By John Katsilometes

Donny Osmond arrives with the champion's mirrored disco ball trophy to cheering fans at the Flamingo after winning Season 9 of ABC's Dancing With the Stars on Nov. 25, 2009. Behind Donny is Tom Jenkin, Harrah's Entertainment Western Division president.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

He unfolded from the black limo at the Flamingo porte-cochere, and the crowd shrieked.

He lifted the mirrored trophy high above his head, and the crowd shrieked some more.

It was sort of a disco inferno, and for a time the star seemed more Tony Manero than Donny Osmond. Whichever, today he’s the most celebrated song-and-dance man in Vegas since, oh, maybe Sammy Davis Jr. (Feel free to debate that one.)

And all for a victory in a televised dance contest. Donny Osmond is champion of Dancing With the Stars. He turns 52 on Dec. 9, so he’s the show’s oldest champ, too. Amazing, but hey, it’s deserved. The Flamingo headliner is sore all over but still seems to move with his customarily comfortable gait, the type of show-must-go-on resiliency that separates him from, say, politicians from Texas.

Having been flown across the country and back in less than 24 hours, Osmond seemed almost magically refreshed as he was welcomed by probably a hundred or so employees of Flamingo and other nearby Harrah’s properties, along with comic George Wallace, afternoon comic magician Nathan Burton and the shapely inhabitants of X Burlesque. Chip Lightman, a man who has seen it all in 2009, was there for a hug, as was Harrah’s exec Thomas Jenkin. Osmond seemed to hug anyone who happened up, actually, even journalists (though not this one) and the odd camera-wielding fan. His sister, Marie, was not on hand for the welcome party -- allowing Donny his moment -- but the two will be performing together tonight at the Flamingo Showroom in Donny’s triumphant first show as DWTS champ.

Osmond says he’s still in shock from the whirlwind victory, and this is a man not readily shock-able who has been internationally famous almost since he was in Pampers. The show took a physical toll, certainly -- every contestant bemoans the wear-and-tear the body suffers during the DWTS competition. “You name it, it hurts,” he said.

Having been hustled through the bowels of the Flamingo to the showroom stage, Osmond was greeted by cast members and the production crew of his stage show. There, Osmond repeated that he was thrilled to win the contest for partner Kym Johnson, who had not yet won the disco hardware, and said he’d worked harder for this achievement than anything he’d accomplished in his long, legendary entertainment career. Then he was spun away to share cupcakes and more hugs, and to recite more quoted matter for an Entertainment Tonight video crew (tentatively, Donny is to appear on the show Thanksgiving evening).

It was a decidedly uplifting, Osmond-esque celebration (he energetically chomped at a cupcake now that he doesn’t need to train for the show). But the night was missing something -- Big D! Don Marrandino, the former Flamingo president who brought Donny & Marie to Vegas and who relocated a couple of months ago to run Harrah’s East Coast operations. But what the heck, I shot him a text and asked if he had any words for his good buddy Donny.

“One of my favorite people of all time,” he responded.

Yep, Donny Osmond is certainly the man of the hour tonight, especially on the Strip. It almost makes you want to fire up the old jukebox and dance the night away …

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.

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