Las Vegas Weekly

November 14, 2008 · 2:21 PM

Strip Scribbles: Smokey Robinson kicks off entertainment at Aliante, plus Kathy Griffin, Danity Kane and Alanis Morissette all head into town

By Robin Leach

Danny Gans.

Photo: TVT

*The relaunch of Britney Spears’ high-flying pop life continues. We told you earlier in the week of manager Larry Rudolph’s master plan for her huge comeback -- click HERE. Now comes word that she’s off to England this weekend for a guest star appearance there in The X Factor, a hugely successful talent show with no other than American Idol judge Simon Cowell as the host!

Photo: Scott Doctor

Britney Spears at LAX.

*Stars and athletes led by Entertainer of the Year Danny Gans raised $120,000 at his 14th Annual Danny Gans’ Partee Fore Kids Celebrity Pro-Am at DragonRidge Country Club. The funds benefit The First Tee of Southern Nevada and the Danny Gans Junior Golf Academy. More than 30 entertainers and athletes attended the event at MacDonald Highlands, including Kate Linder from The Young & the Restless, TV personality John Daly, Pacific Blue actress Paula Trickey, Olympic gold medalist Dan Jansen, Home Improvement’s Richard Karn, Hercules star Kevin Sorbo and John Aylward from Private Practice and The West Wing.

*Multiple James Beard Award-winning star chef Charlie Trotter introduces a new, exciting form of cooking at his Restaurant Charlie in the Palazzo tomorrow afternoon. He’ll demonstrate his latest bold, innovative addition to the world of gastronomy known as kaiseki and omikase influences. He’ll also match cocktail pairings with each course. We’re going to sit in on this invitation-only event and report back on the insights of the brilliant chef.

Photo: Wynn Las Vegas

*Steve Wynn’s chef de cuisine, Carlos Guia (second from left in above photo), was one of 100 volunteers invited to Washington, D.C., to plan next March’s “Share Our Strength Taste of the Nation” events. Founder Billy Shoe, George Stephanopoulos of ABC’s This Week and President Bill Clinton’s former press secretary, Mike McCurry, welcomed our Vegas chef to the nation’s capital. Carlos is also the event chair of the Taste of the Nation Las Vegas next June. SOS is America’s premier culinary benefit and has raised more than $70 million toward ending childhood hunger.

Meantime Wynn’s chocolate chef, Lionel Clement, won the U.S. National Chocolate Masters Competition, beating out four other pastry chefs and chocolatier finalists from some of America’s top restaurants and hotels. As part of the contest, Lionel created a large chocolate sculpture to convey the theme of this year’s competition -- “Haute Couture.” He crafted an exquisite silhouette of a woman’s face, with flowing hair and an elaborate hat made from different layers of chocolate. As a result of the win, he will represent the United States at the 2009 World Chocolate Masters Competition in Paris in October, competing against chefs from 19 other countries including Belgium, France, Switzerland, China, Australia and Brazil.

*Guess who came to dinner? Yes, that was actor Sidney Poitier enjoying supper at Wolfgang Puck’s new CUT steakhouse inside the Palazzo. Sidney, who has been a regular at Wolf’s Spago restaurants in Beverly Hills for more than 20 years, was on a quick back-and-forth visit to deliver an inspiration speech to convention delegates there.

Photo: Scott Doctor/www.greatscottstudios.com

From Cannes to CineVegas, Dennis Hopper is there.

*It’s official: The 11th annual CineVegas film festival will run from June 11 through 20 at the Palms, and its Brenden Theaters and legendary actor filmmaker Dennis Hopper will continue to serve as chairman. Artistic director Trevor Groth said: “2008 was a record-breaking year for CineVegas, with the most submissions, more people attending and more films, parties and events than ever before. I know that 2009 will also break records.” To date, films submitted by amateur filmmakers have gone on to become other festival winners: Beautiful Losers will have global distribution early next year, and Look was released in theaters last December.

Now we’re going to turn on the spotlight, get ready to roll and scream “action” for all the other highlight attractions this weekend in Vegas that around here we affectionately call the Royal Robin Rundown:

Friday, Nov. 14

*Superstar soul singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson, who recorded 37 Top 40 hits from 1960 to 1987 while at Motown Records, where he became a business VP, too, kicks off the new lineup of concert headliners in the just-opened Aliante Casino in North Las Vegas. “I Second That Emotion”! In addition to a string of hits including “You’ve Really Got a Hold On Me” and “Baby, Baby Don’t Cry,” he was a prolific songwriter, penning the “My Girl” hit for the Temptations and the Mary Wells classic “My Guy.” He breaks in the Access showroom for two nights to start the season with REO Speedwagon, Chris Botti and Merle Haggard following him.

*Country queen Lee Ann Womack headlines south on the I-15 at Primm Valley, and she still hopes you can dance -- her biggest-selling album to date, I Hope You Dance, certified triple platinum and reached No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart.

Photo: Denise Truscello

Kathy Griffin.

*Comedy is king this weekend: Self-proclaimed D-List comedienne Kathy Griffin will rip into Hollywood gossip and celebrity blunders when she returns to Mandalay Bay with her unique brand of somewhat shocking comedy. The Emmy Award-winning hostess of Bravo’s My Life on the D-List has no shortage of stars to sabotage with her sharp sarcasm. … Deal or No Deal funnyman Howie Mandel has two nights of his germ phobia-related stand-up humor at The Mirage. … Television actress Wanda Sykes returns to the Planet Hollywood showroom with her stand-up comedy act tonight and tomorrow… NBC’sLast Comic Standing brings its live tour version with the five finalists -- Marco, Jeff Dye, Louis Ramey, Iliza Shlesinger and Jim Tavare -- to the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay.

*If you want a tasty slice of “American Pie,” then singer Don McLean serves it up at the Texas Station. In 2001, “American Pie” was voted #5 in the “365 Songs of the Century” list. He’s gone on to many more hits, including “Castles in the Sky.”

*Turning back the hands of time -- the Lettermen, with their ’60s good time harmonies, have a three-night run at the South Point. Yes, they still wear the sweaters! … For something completely different, check out Blues Traveler at The Joint in the Hard Rock.

*Magician Jeff McBride hosts the next-to-last weekend of his Wonderground interactive club experience after his incredible shows at Palace Station with special guests Ross Johnson and Berk for two nights. Ross is a psychic entertainer specializing in mindreading, magic, fortune telling, telepathy and mentalism. He has been honing his craft for more than 20 years. Berk is a mentalist from Istanbul, Turkey, who recently won TV’s Uri Geller’s Phenomenon -- Turkey”.

*Party patrol: Puff Daddy’s all-girl group Danity Kane -- now a trio with Dawn Richard, Aundrea Fimbres and Shannon Bex -- host at Jet nightclub in The

Mirage. … Actor Josh Henderson celebrates his birthday in high style at the Bank in the Bellagio. The Desperate Housewives star also appears in the new 90210 series. … Our hometown and home-state contestants in the 2009 Miss Nevada USA pageant will meet fans and sign autographs from 6 to 8pm at the Hawaiian Tropic Zone inside Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile. … Actor Jason Mewes celebrates his new film Zach & Miri Make a Porno at Tao nightclub in The Venetian. He’s most known for his role as Jay of the duo Jay and Silent Bob in the movies Clerks and Strike Back. His Clerks co-star Kevin Smith directed the new “porno” flick. … Model and aspiring actress Britney Gastineau will celebrate her 25th birthday at the new Rok Vegas club in New York-New York, and Bachelorette DeAnna Pappas, newly single, will be rocking along there, too.

Saturday, Nov. 15

*It was a “Jagged Little Pill” that sent Canadian Alanis Morissette to the top of the American charts in 1995. That album still maintains the highest-selling debut by a female artist in American music history. “You Oughta Know” that. Her special guest opening act is singer-songwriter Alexi Murdoch, known for his “Orange Sky” featured on Ugly Betty, Prison Break and The O.C..

*Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz, who is in concert at the Pearl in the Palms, was the opening act for Alanis during her 2005 “Jagged Pill” tour, and now he’s solo in his own right with his Mr. A-Z and Waiting for My Rocket to Come platinum albums. He also wrote “The Ugly in Beauty,” which he reworked for the ABC hit Ugly Betty.

*Country music’s Tracy Lawrence, who racked up top new vocal awards in 1992 and 1993, will “Find Out Who Your Friends Are” -- his 17th No. 1 single -- at the Boulder Station. His most recent album For the Love was released earlier this year. Nice achievement for the teenager who used to just play in Arkansas honky-tonk joints!

*Party patrol: It’s the 4th anniversary of the quirky Krave nightclub at Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile, and female impersonators RuPaul and La Cage Riviera star Frank Marino will celebrate. It’s also Frank’s birthday, so it should be a fiesta of femininity. Singer-model RuPaul is currently working on Drag Race, a reality TV game show to air on Logo in January featuring top drag queens competing to be the No. 1 performer in the country. … Miss Nevada 2008 Veronica Grabowski celebrates her birthday and the last night of her crown with a double-up party at Blush in the Wynn. … Actors Peter Facinelli, Billy Burke, Ashley Green and Kellan Lutz celebrate the release of their new vampire flick Twilight with Beverly Hills 90210’s Jenny Garth at Prive in Planet Hollywood. … Playboy’s 2007 Playmate of the Year Sara Underwood takes a break from studies at Oregon State University to host a “naughty but nice” model party at Tabu Ultralounge in MGM Grand. … Reggae artist Matisyahu, who blends traditional Hasidic Jewish themes with his rock and hip-hop sounds, hosts his concert after-party at Lavo.

Sunday, Nov. 16

*Singing ventriloquist and impersonator Terry Fator starts his second-to-last run at the Hilton. He’ll perform tonight through Tuesday, and then return Dec. 21 and 22 -- and then he moves over to The Mirage come Valentine’s Day with a whole new stage spectacular.

*Not one but four rock units make the music loud at the Pearl in the Palms: OneRepublic, the Hush Sound, the Spill Canvas and Augustana.

*Sunday School at Body English in the Hard Rock is unlike any you may have ever attended. It’s a “Girl on Girl” French Kiss night with the hottest pair of lip-locked ladies winning $5,000! Any lady dressed in a scandalously short schoolgirl outfit also drinks free champagne all night long. At least it’s all of a biblical proportion in their Church of the Full Fun!

Monday’s tease

With UFC fighters taking over the town and holding court at nightclubs up and down the Strip, we’ll have the full photo report of all the hijinks. Watch for any big, breaking UFC news over the weekend here at Vegas DeLuxe. Then on Monday, we’ll be ready for the semifinals of Dancing With the Stars, plus news of yet another major movie premiere unspooling here with British hunk Jason Stratham, and Sylvester Stallone has promised to attend. Later in the week, we’ll also meet the sexy, sultry cast of a new Peep Show and have all the inside word on the huge Comedy Festival getting underway at Caesars Palace.

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