Las Vegas Weekly

April 2, 2009 · 10:30 AM

Strip Scribbles: The Men of X strip down tonight at Hooters

By Robin Leach

The Men of X.

Photo: Jerry Metellus

The handsome hunks known as The Men of X officially premiere their new Hooters show tonight. The sexy Hooters girls in their trademark orange shorts will be serving food and cocktails at the VIP reception, and then the beefcake carnival gets underway in the Night Owl Showroom as the burlesque boys strip down, leaving little to the imagination! The sexy X Burlesque girls will put in an appearance to wish the boys good luck before they dash off to their own show at the Flamingo!

Photo: CBS

Marg Helgenberger of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

*Congratulations to CSI: Crime Scene Investigation actress Marg Helgenberger, who stars tonight on the CBS hit’s 200th episode. Yes, 10 years of CSI, an incredible run on television! Marg says her son was 9 when she began the show, and he’s now a 19-year-old freshman in Indiana. Marg and fellow actor William S. Petersen, who plays Dr. Gil Grissom, went to Evanston High in Illinois along with Michael Madsen. At one time, Virginia Madsen and Marg were waitresses at an Evanston restaurant.

The actress flew into Las Vegas to see Cher’s show at Caesars Palace and met the star backstage. Said Marg: “I complimented her on the show, and she said ‘bravo.’ I told her she was such an inspiration, and she said, ‘I don’t know how I got this old.’ I didn’t mean it in a derogatory manner, and I said to my friend on the way out, ‘I hope I didn’t offend her.” And my friend said, “I don’t think anything offends Cher.”

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

The Strip.

*I put in my two cents to defend Las Vegas from the blistering attacks we’ve sustained from Washington, D.C., that caused massive convention cancellations. You’ll find me tonight on the PBS news program SoCal Connected from Los Angeles. I discuss the state of Las Vegas and how the nation’s economic woes have made our city the best vacation destination bargain anywhere in the world. After the show airs at 8 p.m., it will be posted on its Web site along with all the behind-the-scenes footage we shot in the suite at Planet Hollywood overlooking a thriving Strip: www.kcet.org/socal/.

Photo: The Light Group

Flavor Flav.

Photo: The Light Group

Flavor Flav.

Photo: Light Group

Steve Urkel has grown up.

Star surveillance

Hip-hop reality TV star Flavor Flav ordered his rum and Coke served in a champagne glass to toast two friends celebrating birthdays at the Bank in the Bellagio -- and then he danced up a storm with an ever-growing circle of attentive lovely ladies. Flav also hit the DJ both for birthday shout-outs to his pals. … Actor Jaleel White, who played the geeky Steve Urkel on ABC’s Family Matters, turned up at the Bank to help celebrate Buffalo Bills star player Melvin Fowler’s birthday with Patron shots. … Heavyweight comedian Louis Anderson dined at the Brand Steakhouse in the Monte Carlo to celebrate a friend’s birthday. The Excalibur headliner and frequent visitor there enjoyed sparkling water, wedge salad and a bone-in rib-eye steak. … Four-letter word comedy king and Celebrity Apprentice cupcake killer Andrew Dice Clay, who is enjoying success with a limited run at Sushi Samba’s Sugarcane lounge in the Palazzo, went directly downstairs from his own show to watch Jersey Boys. … Olympic gold medalist and 100-meter-dash champion Maurice Greene was with friends at the Hard Rock Hotel’s Center Bar, while at nearby Wasted Space, Sid Wilson of Slipknot named himself DJ Starscream and went into the booth and played an impromptu set on the wheels of steel. Maurice also raced over to LAX in the Luxor, where he saw partying guests including pro poker player Phil Ivey, MMA fighter Tito Ortiz and former NBA star Antoine Walker. But the highlight was boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., who partied on the main stage with DJ AM and pals. Floyd is the subject of intense speculation about returning to the ring for a $100 million payday. He, however, was mum on the subject while at the club.

Photo: Pure Management Group

Andrew Dice Clay.

Photo: Pure Management Group

DJ AM and Floyd Mayweather Jr. at Pure.

*Two interesting events on the calendar today: There’s an autograph session for the drivers of the National Hot Rod Association’s Full Throttle Drag Racing at the Stratosphere. Starting at 5 p.m., the Don Schumacher Racing Team will be on hand with Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher and Funny Dar driver Ron Capps. Tony is the first driver in NHRA history to win five consecutive world titles and was both Driver of the Year and Champion Top Fuel Dragster in 2008. Other drivers attending include Cory McClenathan, Jack Beckman and Matt Hagen. The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series gets underway tomorrow for three days at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. … And high-level professional wrestlers from Mexico invade The Orleans Arena tonight for the AAA Lucha Libre Tour. The wrestling stars include La Parka, Cibernetico, Charly Manson and El Mesias.

*Real-estate mogul Donald Trump has created some extraordinary new stimulus benefits at his Trump International Hotel here. I just had to note them and pass them on to you because they are terrific savings to jump-start the economy again. Book his Suite Escape package from $89 per night, and it includes a $50 credit for massage and facial treatments in the gorgeous spa there. Book the Shop & Spa Experience for $309 a night, and you get a free 40-minute massage or facial, a spa gift, a $100 gift card at Nordstrom opposite the hotel in Fashion Show Mall, along with a personal stylist who will customize your wardrobe and personally escort you around for your intimate shopping experience. That offer is valid through Dec. 30!

Photo: Henry Prendes Charity

The Henry Prendes charity helicopter drops golf balls from the sky.

*I like being able to give high-fives to the charity efforts in our town, as residents are such a generous and gift-giving community. The 3rd Annual Henry Prendes charity golf classic raised $18,000 for Henry’s Place, the largest net proceeds in the past three years! The nonprofit was formed in 2006 to honor Metro Police Sgt. Henry Prendes, who gave his life in the line of service. Before his death, Henry always wanted to start a camp for underprivileged youth, and his wonderful widow, Dawn, and children are doing just that. This year’s tournament kicked off the building fund to construct cabins and facilities on 14 acres of land purchased in Cedar City, Utah. A Metro Police helicopter flew skyward and dropped 1,300 pre-sold and pre-numbered golf balls over the driving range in a “Golf Balls From Heaven” salute to the slain officer who was an avid golfer.

Photo: TVT

Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart with Robin Leach.

*Please note on your calendar that April 10 is the benefit for AmeriFace at Prive in Planet Hollywood. Miss USA Crystle Stewart will be the special guest, with singers Zowie Bowie performing. AmeriFace is an organization that helps people with facial differences such as cleft lips and palates. Ryan Seacrest, Janice Dickinson, the Kardashian sisters, The Girls Next Door stars and some of the pro dancers from Dancing With the Stars are among the celebrities scheduled to attend the benefit.

Photo: Courtesy

David Copperfield.

Photo: Scott Harrison/Retna/www.harrisonphotos.com

Audrina Patridge.

Tonight’s tips

If you see a lot of men wearing kilts today, there’s a good reason! In fact, they are Scottish kilts, and it’s to mark Wear a Kilt to Work Day. Nowhere will it be more evident than at New York-New York. More than 60 bartenders and managers, including all the hotel vice presidents, will wear kilts. They are even closing the Brooklyn Bridge replica for a Glenlivet Scottish malt tasting. It’s a nationwide charity fundraiser, with money raised here going to the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health downtown. The fun runs from 3 p.m. to midnight, and the Dueling Pianos provide the musical entertainment. … Incredible illusionist David Copperfield starts a new 20-day run at the Hollywood theater in MGM and, as noted in one of our other stories today, David Spade returns to The Venetian for a limited engagement over the next two months. … The CineVegas From the Vault screening series resumes for April at Clark County Library with the feature Kurt Cobain: About a Son, which was put together from 25 hours of previously unheard audio interviews of the late rocker. It’s an intimate and moving meditation on the Nirvana musician and artist. … After the ShoWest awards, actress Briana Evigan brings her Sorority Row sisters, possibly including Audrina Patridge, to meet up with Access Hollywood host Billy Bush in a double-party pack at Tao in The Venetian.

Photo: ABC TV

Holly Madison on Dancing With the Stars.

Tomorrow’s teases

As Motley Crue would sing, “Girls Girls Girls” -- and Vegas has the best of them this coming weekend. An advance look at plans for Hugh Hefner’s 83rd birthday celebrations at the Palms, and the Academy of Country Music Awards show, plus Julianne Hough’s free concert downtown at Fremont Street Experience. Hef is bringing in former flame Holly Madison and new gal pals Crystal Harris and the Shannon twins (Karissa and Kristina) for a blowout weekend party. I plan to ask him how he’s able to juggle the past and the present and ensure that the latter aren’t cat fighting with the former. Be sure to watch our video exclusive here on Sunday! Country queen Reba McEntire hosts the 44th country music awards show with a superstar lineup. As if that’s not enough, we’ll be posting the arrival of the 51 stunning Miss USA Pageant contestants checking into Planet Hollywood.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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