Las Vegas Weekly

December 31, 2009 · 5:58 PM

Strip Scribbles: The dollar$ and $en$e of NYE party fees

By Robin Leach

50 Cent at the Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip.

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

Just asking if it’s true that Fergie and The Black Eyed Peas will earn a $700,000 fee for their appearance and concert at LAX in the Luxor tonight, and that’s on top of their two-night haul for shows at Mandalay Bay Events Center on Tuesday and yesterday. The staggering sum came to me from two reliable sources. Additionally, they revealed that 50 Cent and Lil Kim appearing at sister nightclub Pure in Caesars Palace have a $100,000 paycheck, while Pete Wentz takes home $30,000 for his DJ duties at Jet in The Mirage tonight.

Hip-hop electro performers LMFAO, who will earn $75K for tonight’s California New Year’s Eve appearance, received a slightly reduced fee when they performed here this week at Blush in the Wynn. At Tao in The Venetian, Christina Aguilera is reportedly getting $250,000, and at the neighboring nightspot Lavo, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden divide up $100,000. It sure pays to work as you party!

Photo: www.KassidyPhotography.com

Rick Moonen.

*Congratulations to seafood chef supreme Rick Moonen, who will celebrate his fifth anniversary of RM Seafood in February. Earlier this year, the falling economy forced him to go dark with his upper-level fine dining room at Mandalay Bay, but he admits that it’s been driving him crazy. So now I’m pleased to report that he’s reopening it.

He said: “I desire a flagship room to show off the skills that are present in my kitchen, as well as maintain the sustainable seafood message through fine cuisine here in Las Vegas. I truly feel that I now have the most talented kitchen in Las Vegas, and it is time to show the public that we are ready to show a new definition of high-end dining and an experience that will change your perception of hospitality.”

Photo: Warner Bros.

Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Justin Bartha in The Hangover.

*Tomorrow as the new decade starts, Jan. 1 is aka National Hangover Day. Who better than Caesars Palace, the site of the comedy blockbuster The Hangover, to offer ways to recover from tonight’s hard partying and the post-holiday malaise. Twitter followers of @CaesarsPalace who tweet “Happy National Hangover Day, I’m at Caesars Palace” will receive free Bloody Marys at Caesars Palace’s bars all day tomorrow. Twitter followers who also watch The Hangover can enter a contest where they can tweet about New Year’s Eve adventures and how they are “paying for it.” The area code with the most tweets will be entered into a drawing for a trip to Las Vegas. Serendipity 3 will offer “The Hangover Omelet” with fresh air, bacon, French fries, mushrooms and cheddar served with a waffle or sweet potato fries for $12.

Photo: Kirvin Doak Communications

Deven May and Tommy DeVito during Jersey Boys' first anniversary celebration. Deven portrays Tommy in Jersey Boys at the Palazzo.

Star surveillance

The real Jersey Boy Tommy DeVito from the original Four Seasons enjoyed dinner at Mr. Lucky’s in the Hard Rock Hotel. … Actor Ed Begley Jr. attended last night’s Blue Man Group show at The Venetian. … Celebrating what promises to be an exciting final run for Bette Midler at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace, singer Kenneth “Babyface” Edmunds and tennis legend Billie Jean King each enjoyed the first night of Bette’s final 20 shows. They went backstage after the show to wish Bette a Happy New Year. Babyface and his kids also watched Criss Angel’s Believe at the Luxor and Mystere at T.I. … Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria dined at N9NE Steakhouse in the Palms with 10 guests before heading up to Moon, where UFC President Dana White was partying at a dance-floor table with The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 champion Diego Sanchez.

*One remaining four-day-long event you might want to know about: For the second consecutive year, more than 900 competitors will gather at the Flamingo to duke it out for $50,000 and the title of World Series of Beer Pong champion. This is the fifth annual competition and attracts contestants from all 50 states and overseas. Reigning champs Ron and Pop of Team Smashing Time will defend their title. Registration begins tomorrow, with play commencing for seven hours each day on Saturday and Sunday. The finals begin 11 a.m. on Monday, and the champion’s oversized check presentation should take place shortly before 6 p.m.

Photo: Erik Kabik/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Sean "P. Diddy" Combs at the Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Nov. 14, 2009.

Monday’s teases

We’ll post as many New Year’s Eve party photo galleries and stories over the holiday weekend and on Monday wrap up everything, plus the P. Diddy gala celebration to open Vanity in the Hard Rock Hotel. Then a busy week lies ahead as we get ready for the giant Consumer Electronics Show and the wicked, wanton vixens of the Adult Entertainment Expo and AVN Awards. We’ve got an interview with AVN host porn princess Kirsten Price complete with saucy, sassy and sexy photos.

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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