Las Vegas Weekly

July 10, 2008 · 5:20 PM

Barkley makes million-dollar marriage proposal as celebs cause Palms gridlock

By Robin Leach

When not walking the red carpet with Shannon Elizabeth at Don Cheadle's celebrity Ante Up for Africa poker tournament, Charles Barkley has been making lucrative proposals.

Photo: Scott Doctor/www.greatscottstudios.com

It didn’t matter if you were simply playing slots in the casino or lounging by one of the many pools of hotel tycoon George Maloof’s Palms resort the past few days. You were certain to run into sports and movie stars because they were there in an all-out VIP invasion, and every restaurant and nightclub on the property claimed its fare share! This was Star Surveillance at its finest -- and it wasn’t even an opening party!

NBA star Charles Barkley caused the best commotion by coming into the N9NE steakhouse from a successful golf course outing -– and went straight to the bar for a celebration drink and promptly asked gorgeous bartender Char if she would marry him for $1 million! No word if she said yes to “Sir Charles” and become “Lady Char,” but at least they could have interlocking C initials on the towels! Later, he went on to enjoy a Caesar salad and rock shrimp before sharing his campfire s’mores with a group of ladies in the restaurant.

Many of Don Cheadle’s other poker-playing participants in his Ante Up For Africa charity tournament held court there. Don had cocktails with 10 friends, including Anthrax lead guitarist Scott Ian and poker princess Annie Duke, in the Nove Italiano restaurant. Don signed chef Geno Bernardi’s “kitchen door of fame” and told the story of his escape from a charging rhinoceros while on a trip to Africa.

Adam Sandler, wearing a New York Rangers T-shirt, was in a foursome for a steak dinner with mushroom mashed potatoes, asparagus, green beans and gnocchi in the N9NE Steakhouse before heading up to the Playboy Club for blackjack, where he stuck to bottled Fiji water. Also at Playboy were ER star Mekhi Phifer and latecomer reality TV actress Audrina Patridge. She arrived at 3:15 a.m. and stayed with her sister at the roulette tables until closing pre-dawn!

Photo: Tom Donaghue

Adam Sander, shown during competition in Cheadle's tournament, has been spotted at the Palms this week.

At ghostbar ultra-lounge, two boy-band heroes Donnie Wahlberg from New Kids on the Block and A.J. McLean from Backstreet Boys partied there on separate nights. A.J proudly pointed out that he’s been six years sober, without any drugs or alcohol, and he stuck to a non-alcoholic beverage. Donnie enjoyed Grey Goose cranberry cocktails with an anonymous female friend.

Comedian Katt Williams won a star turnout for his concerts in the Pearl at the Palms: actor Shemar Moore, rock legend Slash with Jason Bonham and Royston Langdon, who played the new “Bottle Rock It” shows at the Red Rock Resort. Model-actress Jaime Pressly, former Playboy nude and now in My Name is Earl was with hubby DJ Eric Cubeechee relaxing in their brief swimwear at the Palms Pool and enjoying Right Gin Snowcones to keep cool -- but they worked up a sweat later dancing in the Rain nightclub, and also later in the night at the Moon nightclub. Sacramento Kings power forward Kenny Thomas was at a Moon dance floor VIP table for two hours of 2a.m. fun.

Its not just out-of-towners who revel under the Moon -- locals do, too!

Mixed-martial arts Iceman, Chuck Liddell, stayed until closing at Moon with a foursome enjoying Patron tequila shots and Effen Black Cherry. Thomas Ian Nicholas, born in Vegas and known for his American Pie role and as Frank Sinatra Jr. in Showtime’s Stealing Sinatra was dancing with his wife DJ Colette in the Satellite Bar at Moon. Incidentally, he released his debut album Without Warning just six months ago.

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