Las Vegas Weekly

October 29, 2008 · 3:27 PM

Strip Scribbles: Mariah Carey’s new music video goes to the Bank

By Robin Leach

Mariah Carey.

Photo: Tom Donoghue

*Superstar singer Mariah Carey has completed the music video that she filmed at the Bank nightclub in the Bellagio for her husband, Nick Cannon, who directed it. You can now see "I Can Stay in Love" for yourself by clicking this link.

*It’s a head-to-head rivalry just 48 hours before "Mindfreak" magician Criss Angel unveils his new $100-million Cirque du Soleil production at the Luxor. Irish hypno-magician Keith Barry has a budget in the hundreds and not the millions when his curtain goes up at the Planet Hollywood resort from now until the end of November. He’s had return gigs on both the Ellen DeGeneres and Jimmy Kimmel Live TV shows after amazing those hosts with his combo-conjuring skills. Keith performs both magic and hypnosis -- and I’m going to have dinner with him at the hotel’s KOI restaurant before the show so I can put his feats of agility to the test right in front of my eyes.

*A real surprise was in store for Vegas-based celebrity photographer Denise Truscello when she went yesterday to buy a copy of singer Celine Dion’s brand new double CD compilation. Denise, who often files her photos for Luxe Life, discovered that Celine and manager husband Rene Angelil had selected two of her photos for the cover shots! “I honestly didn’t know that was going to happen,” said Denise. “I’m super happy about it. They used several of my other photos on the inside, too, and that doesn’t get to happen that often.”

Photo: Denise Truscello

Album cover

*The Lincy Foundation has bestowed a gift of $1 million to Andre Agassi’s Charitable Foundation to support the improvement of public education in Southern Nevada. The Lincy Foundation, dedicated to supporting humanitarian efforts, including education, health care, children, families and the elderly, has supported Andre’s annual Grand Slam for Children benefit concert since 1995.

*Steve Wynn’s new resort, Encore at the Wynn, has just started taking its first reservations for the latest hotel with guests able to check in as of Jan. 12. The new separately distinct resort tower will have its own five signature restaurants, 11 specialty retail outlets, seven bars and lounges, 2,034 suites, 60,000 square feet of event space and the amazing new XS nightclub, which co-owner Jesse Waits told me last night I will get a sneak preview of in about two weeks time.

*"Mindfreak" Criss Angel’s older brother, Costa Sarantakos, obviously “believes” he’s here to stay in Vegas. He just shelled out more than $650,000 for a super-real-estate deal for a six bedroom, five-and-a-half bath home here. The previous owners first purchased it for half that price back in January 1999 but it was worth double what Costa paid before the home-market collapse. It’s a sprawling 5,400-square-foot home in the Paradise area on the east side of the Strip. Costa works as a still photographer for various TV shows and has appeared in a number of his brother's A&E TV shows, too.

* Playboy model and Vegas hometown hottie Jesse Preston played hostess to 30 beautiful Miss Mexico U.S. Latina contestants at a Hawaiian Tropic Zone party in Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile. Her friends, Playboy model Vanessa Raia and Miss Nevada USA 2007 Helena Aris also joined in the fun.

STAR SURVEILLANCE: Dancing with the Stars contestant and former Beverly Hills 90210 star Ian Ziering dined with a large group of family and friends at the RAO’s Italian restaurant in Caesars Palace. The table ordered up veal parmesan, penne vodka and shrimp cocktails. Ian actually walked around the restaurant checking out all of the historical and celebrity photos from the senior RAO’s in New York that adorn the walls here. At a nearby table was New England Patriots linebacker Junior Seau with friends dining on Uncle Vincent’s Famous Lemon Chicken and the legendary Rao’s meatballs ... Playboy 2008 Model of the Year Jillian Beyor partied the night away at the new ROK Vegas club inside the New York New York hotel casino.

Photo: Raw Talent Live

Jillian Beyor

Photo: Jeff Mendoza

Jillian Beyor

TONIGHT'S TIPS:

Rock of Love 2 finalist Daisy de la Hoya of the famous boxing family hosts the official casting call for her new VH1 reality TV series “Daisy of Love” at ROK Vegas nightclub inside the New York New York casino hotel, If you’re a male and looking for a laugh, Daisy may be looking for you to fall in love – so go take a chance on Cupid ... It's not only Wall Street but we’ve sunk to an "All Time Low" when "Mayday Parade" and "Maine" bring that timely named tour to the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay ... the shocks and scares step on with the Monsters Ball Halloween bash at MGM’s Studio 54 nightclub.

TOMORROW'S TEASE:

Luxe Life gets an advance peak at the scariest Halloween party of them all when we take a tour of magician Amazing Johnathan’s haunted house of horrors. It's so ghoulish this year that he’s dubbed it a "Missing Person’s" party because many guests will simply get lost forever, plus an all-star chef’s parade as culinary kings from across the country salute our fine dining scene and we earn the applause and accolades of the prestigious Michelin Guide. Our Criss Angel countdown reaches the remaining final day before the world premiere and we’ve got the last-minute, behind-the-scenes party planning for the grand gala of the year!

COMING THIS SATURDAY: Our brand-new multimedia website, www.VegasDeluxe.com, is on its way with daily 24/7 breaking news updates for all the luxury lifestyle secrets of Vegas plus all the latest celebrity happenings all over the Strip.

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