Las Vegas Weekly

December 8, 2009 · 1:55 PM

Strip Scribbles: Mayor to turn on Christmas tree lights downtown

By Robin Leach

Mayor Oscar Goodman attends the Christmas tree lighting at Fremont Street Experience on Dec. 11, 2008.

Photo: Las Vegas News Bureau

Our Merry Mayor of Mirth Oscar Goodman brings holiday cheer to the Fremont Street Experience when he flips the switch to light Las Vegas’ official Christmas tree tonight. The 50-foot tree will be festooned with glittering decorations and will be set below the 12.5 million lights of the Viva Vision screen.

After the ceremony, Candy & the Canes will perform a song and dance show to holiday music at 3rd Street between Fitzgerald’s, Four Queens and Fremont. The official Las Vegas Christmas tree will be on display there throughout the month, with free Candy & the Canes shows at 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 p.m.

*Yet another New Year’s Eve TV special will broadcast segments from Las Vegas. The first is at CityCenter for the Black Eyed Peas pre-taped cut-ins for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Eve ABC special with Ryan Seacrest, Taylor Swift, Akon and Natasha Bedingfield.

Now comes word that Carmen Electra will host the Billboard New Year’s Eve show with American Idol Season 8 winner Kris Allen and finalist Allison Iraheta. They will perform on a stage set up on the Strip for Sean Kingston. (Sean also will appear on Dick Clark’s broadcast!) Fox cameras will satellite our Las Vegas segments into Times Square, which means we’ll see the tape-delayed countdown for our midnight time zone.

There’s still rumored talk of a MyNetworkTV New Year’s Eve special with P. Diddy hosting, but it’s no longer clear where that will be located and who else will be starring.

*The private shopping event that MGM Mirage threw for the opening of its retail promenade Crystals at CityCenter really benefited four local charities. MGM donated $100,000, which was divided equally among Keep Memory Alive at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, the Nevada Cancer Institute, the Nevada Ballet and the Smith Center for the Performing Arts to open downtown.

“MGM Mirage has supported Keep Memory Alive for many years, and we’re delighted to be top-of-mind as they kick off a much-needed addition to the city. Together, our organizations are changing the architectural landscape of Las Vegas, as well as the nation’s perspective on Las Vegas’ role as an urban center,” said Maureen Peckman, CEO of Keep Memory Alive. The brain health center celebrated a remarkable achievement this year by welcoming its first patients on July 13 and introducing us to its Frank Gehry-designed gem for the patient-focused care.

Star surveillance

American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi, who turns 39 tomorrow, celebrated her birthday a few days early with dinner at Lavo in the Palazzo. She was joined by a large group, including husband Mike McCuddy and actress Kelly Hu. After dinner, they took over a skybox inside sister nightclub Tao in The Venetian. Earlier, Kara had lunch at Dos Caminos in the Palazzo. Also dining at Lavo was actress Missi Pyle and two girlfriends, and they hit the restaurant’s boutique nightclub for dancing at their VIP table. Heroes star Masi Oka dined at Tao before hitting the nightclub, as did actress Nadine Velazquez of My Name Is Earl and actor Gary Dourdan of CSI separately. … Tash and E-Swift of The Alkaholiks took the stage at Rain in the Palms for a performance with resident DJ Z-Trip during his weekly party Z-Trip’s Revolution. … Budding Las Vegas singer-songwriter Sean Heyl and his band Ocean City Defined opened for Donavon Frankenreiter at Carey Hart’s Wasted Space in the Hard Rock Hotel.

Tonight’s tips

Cher kicks off two nights of performances at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace to benefit Nevada Public Radio. She’s donated 200 tickets for each show tonight and tomorrow so the proceeds go to the not-for-profit, no-commercial broadcaster. The 63-year-old superstar highlights the hits of her 43-year career with more than a dozen new Bob Mackie gowns in the elaborate production that just celebrated its 100th show. … Skinny Puppy brings its Solvent See tour to the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay. … The King of Queens star Jackie Flynn headlines tonight through Sunday with supporting comedians Jodi Borello and Jonathan Bell at Harrah’s Improv.

Tomorrow’s teases

Barry Manilow talks about his January love project as he prepares for his new romantic shows in February at the Paris. We take a tour of the new Hard Rock Hotel tower and its nightclub Vanity opening on New Year’s Eve with P. Diddy. The Palazzo unveils its extraordinary Winter Wonderland spectacular for the holiday season, when more than 225,000 cranberries will be poured under falling snow. Star chefs at Caesars Palace do battle in a throwdown to see if Mesa Grill’s Bobby Flay can defeat Rao’s Carla Pellegrini.

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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