Las Vegas Weekly

September 5, 2008 · 3:53 PM

Strip Scribbles and weekend events in Las Vegas

By Robin Leach

* Singer and music producer Akon was at the Hard Rock to introduce his new artist, Asher Roth, who gave an exclusive debut performance in the Body English nightclub party. Akon joined in for a few songs, which had the crazed crowd burst into cheers and applause. Afterward, Akon and Asher invited guests up into the Octagon area for photos with the duo for an hour. Earlier, Akon and Lady Gaga surprised the poolside revelers when they hit the stage performing Lady Gaga’s hit "Just Dance" and Akon’s hits "Locked Up" and "Dangerous." Kip Winger, of the American metal/hard rock band Winger was at Carey Hart’s Wasted Space lounge and he grabbed the mic for yet another surprise performance.

* It was back in June that the planned UFC fight between "Iceman" Chuck Liddell and undefeated Rashad Evans was to take place in London. However, Chuck who is on a comeback crusade after being beaten by Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Keith Jardine, tore his hamstring and the fight was scrubbed. However, now the injury is healed and the battle for the UFC Light Heavyweight Title takes place tomorrow in Atlanta, so Vegas fans will watch via pay-pay-view. There’s a 10-year age difference between the two with Chuck being the elder statesman at 38 but both weigh in at 205 pounds apiece. Chuck stands 3 inches taller at 6-foot-2. Bookies are giving odds of +200 to Rashad as the underdog and –260 money line favorite on Chuck.

* Our merry mayor of mirth, Oscar Goodman, had a gorgeous showgirl on his arm when he cut the blue ribbon with a giant set of scissors at Morton’s steakhouse. It was the grand opening of the restaurant's new 12-21 bar and general manager David Hurst presented the mayor with his own wine locker and the new Oscartini drink from Oscar’s favorite Bombay Sapphire Gin.

* The giants of ladies golf, Helen Alfredsson, Natalie Gulbs and Cristie Kerr, who represent the PGA, the LPGA and Champions Tours, will go head-to-head to find an ultimate winner in the $1 million shootout set for Nov. 11 at our Rio Secco Golf Club. Television cameras will record the 17th annual Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge for broadcast in mid-December.

* Absolut Vodka has come up with an intriguing VIP package with The Jersey Boys musical about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons at the Palazzo. Absolut serves up a specialty cocktail and provides a private entrance into the theater through a VIP hallway with memorabilia from the Rock and Roll hall of fame group. Not only will guests sit right there in the front orchestra but they’ll take away a full-color oversized souvenir program to remember the special night. At $235 per person for the "absolut best seats in the house" you just have to say "cheers."

*Vegas is home to more magicians per square foot than any other city in the world and now the hottest new magician on the Strip is a gorgeous charismatic princess of prestidigitation. Meet Scarlett, who performs every afternoon except Thursday in David Saxe’s V Theater in the Miracle Mile at the Planet Hollywood resort casino. In a male-dominated business she’s become one of the very few female magicians to master some of the most difficult feats performed by the legendary Harry Houdini and Harry Blackstone Jr. The redheaded, green-eyed Reno beauty has conquered the unimaginable by being handcuffed, feet shackled, dropped upside down and locked in bone-chilling water in a water torture cell escape never intended for a woman. It’s a unique blend of skills, amazing magic and high energy. Says Scarlett: “I used to dream as a little girl of floating in the air with a magician but now I’m living the dream myself. Dreams do come true and now I am conquering incredible challenges myself.”

Now it's time for us to conjure up a whole set of tricks. With nothing up our sleeves we’ve waved the wand to produce all the weekend highlights and, “abracadabra,” here they are in a wizard’s wrap-up we affectionately refer to as the ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN:

Friday, Sept. 5

* Master of makeup and titan of theatrics, rock legend Alice Cooper, puts down the golf clubs at his Phoenix home to dress up for his three-day run of macabre music at the Orleans. He’s still not too old to spill blood on stage -- so you have been warned.

* Another blood-related actor-singer-entertainer, Billy Bob Thornton. Remember those vials of blood he exchanged with his fifth wife, Angeline Jolie? He celebrates his “end of the tour” afterparty at Carey Hart’s Wasted Space lounge. Earlier with his band The Boxmasters, he’ll rock The Joint at the Hard Rock resort casino. Billy Bob who goes to his roots of folk, country and rock, will be singing tracks from his fourth album Beautiful Door.

* For the smoother sounds of quiet-jazz, keyboardist and trombonist Brian Culbertson "Brings Back the Funk" at the Santa Fe Station showroom and you will "Always Remember" his "Sensuality" hit!

* If you’re looking for the most gorgeous of girls, look no further than the Blush boutique nightclub at the Wynn Las Vegas when the stunning, shapely, sexy, sassy dancers from the Crazy Horse Paris revue host amidst the knock-out glamour girls who serve up your cocktails.

* Sexy starlet, actress Rachel Bilson, hosts a bachelorette party at The Bank nightclub in the Bellagio. Guys, don’t panic! It's her best friend’s engagement -- not her own! Across the Strip at Prive in the Planet Hollywood casino, Japan’s hottest ever Playboy Playmate, Hiromi Oshima, hosts as the nightspot's own September miss.

* My favorite hometown comedian, David Brenner, entertains for three consecutive nights up at the Suncoast while it's two-in-one with Vicki Lawrence entertaining at the South Point because she’s sure to bring “Mama” along to add to the comedy routine.

* Rock reigns poolside at the Hard Rock with Collective Soul reveling in the success of its new album Afterwords. Their debut back in 1993 racked up seven No. 1 singles and 21 tracks on the Billboard charts. Over at the House of Blues, Shinedown leads a triple pack in the Mandalay Bay, including Jet Black Stare and Red.

* Playboy's September playmate of the month Valerie Mason hosts the Ditch pool party at the Palms and later International Playboy playmate DJ Miss Lisa celebrates the release of her latest CD at Torrid in the Hawaiian Tropic Zone of Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile -- and promises to ride the wheels of steel from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. after DJ Marc Thyssen wraps his set. The Hills heart-throb Doug Reinhardt struts his sexy stud stuff into the LAX nightclub at the Luxor for his party.

* Drive down the I-15 to Primm Valley’s Star of the Desert Arena when Showtime cable TV presents a fight card of Desert Stars when Friday Night boxing restarts. The 10-round main event features lightweight contender Antonio DeMarco from Mexico seeking his third victory within a year fighting against the WBO Latin American lightweight champ Jose Reyes from Puerto Rico.

*Magic legend Johnny Thompson from Mindfreak and International Magic Society's Magician of the Year Steve Dacri are the two known special celebrity guest artists at illusionist Jeff McBride's interactive Wonderground club after his Magic at the Edge shows at the Palace Station tonight and tomorrow. The unannounced guests who showed up unexpectedly last weekend were Criss Angel, Lance Burton and Jason England.

Saturday, Sept. 6

* Even though the big UFC fight between "Iceman" Chuck Liddell and undefeated Rashad Evans takes place in Atlanta, fans will be able to watch it on giant screens all around Vegas and one of the best spots will be the new Brand steakhouse at the Monte Carlo resort casino.

* Two-time Grammy nominee Paul Oakenfold is back with his extravagant Perfecto nightlife experience at Rain in the Palms with Kenneth Thomas kicking off the night while Dirt Nasty and Andre Legacy perform at Prive in the Planet Hollywood resort.

* Showbiz stars both on and off the Strip along with yesteryear’s headliners join for a lunchtime salute to honor the happiest mayor in the world, Oscar Goodman, in the main showroom of the downtown Plaza hotel and casino.

* British songbird Petula Clark, who won international stardom with her 60s hit "Downtown," goes off Strip to perform at the Cannery and fans still heed her warning, "Don’t Sleep in the Subway."

* Members of heavy metal band Skid Row are still "Slaves to the Grind" and the "Youth Gone Wild" group performs to the "Subhuman Race" at Club Madrid in the Sunset Station casino while Carey Hart presents rock ’n’ roll decadence at his Wasted Space lounge in the Hard Rock with Killola and Action Design rocking through the night.

Sunday, Sept. 7

* Our newest hotspot restaurant, SushiSamba in the Palazzo, celebrates the "Independence or Death" daylong feast and festivities with samba dancers and drummers. The chefs have cooked up a host of unique national delicacies to mark Brazilian Independence Day.

* Fashion designer Christian Audigier kicks off the first of his new Sunday night fashion giveaways. Each Sunday through September guest DJs will twist the turntables and hand out free Christian Audigier clothing. DJ Sizzahandz from Crooklyn Clan starts it and will be followed on the next three weekends by Eric Cubeechee, Scene and Riz.

* The five guys who make up the Young Dubliners will join you for a pint of Guinness after their DJGirl 6 poolside show at the South Point casino.

Monday's tease:

Siegfried & Roy tell me they are ready to meet the Queen of England and reveal some new secrets about their one-time “moment of magic” comeback. We’ll join the cast of Entourage as they celebrate the inaugural Virgin America flights between Vegas and New York and their new fifth season of shows, plus the wrap-up of all the nightclub platinum party people. We’ll get ready to welcome Donny & Marie Osmond as they begin their new headliner residency at the Flamingo and take a tour of the new Lavo restaurant and nightclub opening next weekend at the Palazzo.

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