Las Vegas Weekly

February 2, 2009 · 11:54 AM

Strip Scribbles: Our hometown magic stars are all over TV this week

By Robin Leach

2004 Miss America Ericka Dunlap and magician Lance Burton.

Photo: Wayne Bernath

All week long, TV talk show host and comedian Craig Ferguson will be featuring Las Vegas magicians on his Late Late Show on CBS. It starts tonight with Monte Carlo headliner Lance Burton. Craig welcomes Jason Randal tomorrow, Jason Hudy on Wednesday and Ed Alonzo on Thursday, with Craig trying his own magic tricks Friday. Two other shows tonight also feature Vegas magicians. On Discovery Channel’s One Way Out, watch escapologist Jonathan Goodwin careen from a high-dive tumble down a hill in a locked barrel and then attempt an escape from a 30 mph spinning chair into which he’s bolted! In head-to-head 9 p.m. competition on MyNetworkTV, there’s Jeff McBride and Amazing Johnathan from the Krave Theater, and Scarlet, first lady of illusions who appears at The V Theater, both in Planet Hollywood.

*Do you have the cutest little puppy in the entire world? Every dog owner thinks theirs is the best! Now you have an opportunity to see what Donny Osmond thinks. He and local NBC showbiz reporter Alicia Jacobs have cooked up a “Puppy Love” promotion, and you can e-mail them pics of your adorable pet. Alicia and Donny will pick two winners, and they’ll win an onstage appearance with their pet when Donny sings “Puppy Love.” In addition, they’ll receive two VIP tickets and two backstage passes with the Flamingo headliners. You can find details at www.kvbc.com. Meantime, Marie will be meeting with locals and doll collector fans Feb. 13 when she showcases Valentine’s Day gifts with her Bridal, Valentine and Sweet Tots collector dolls. Marie says she will be in the Promenade gift shop for three hours starting at 2 p.m. to autograph purchased dolls.

Photo: Tom Donoghue

Miss America 2008 Kirsten Haglund was crowned at the Planet Hollywood Theatre for the Performing Arts.

*2008 Miss America Kirsten Haglund will return to Las Vegas sooner than she thought. To kick off her new TV career, Kirsten will be hosting the National Association of Broadcasters convention “Content Theater” for four daylong sessions April 22. The Jim Henson animated characters will take the host duties on the first day, April 20, and I’ve accepted the invitation for April 21.

*It’s now firmly inked that singing ventriloquist Terry Fator will starts his previews on Valentine’s Day at The Mirage. Then the star-studded gala opening night and party to launch his five-year, $100-million contract will be exactly one month later: March 14.

*Bisexual reality TV star and MySpace phenom Tila Tequila is one tiny bundle of TNT. She journeyed to Jet with a four-pack posse of shapely gal pals, including pink-outfitted WWE superstar diva Tiffany (aka Taryn Terrell), rock vocalist Alaina Beaton and DJ Roxanne Dawn, who spun a one-hour guest set on the wheels of steel. Spywitnesses told me that rocker Alaina never left Tila’s side, and that UFC head honcho Dana White watched all the action in a far more subdued section of the VIP area.

Photo: The Light Group

Sherren Lawrence and Tila Teqila. Separated at birth?

There was a double take when a Tila look-alike showed up as their cocktail server. Sherren Lawrence, who works at Jet, is said to bear a striking resemblance to Tila, and they were dressed in similar form-fitting, bra-baring little outfits. Do they look separated at birth? Tila didn’t call it a night at Jet; at 3 a.m., she and her “entourage of eight” wound up at Moon atop the Palms Fantasy Tower for another hour of partying with Patron tequila shots!

Photo: Pure Management Group

UFC fighter Heath Herring at Christian Audigier.

Star surveillance

UFC fighters partied up a storm over the big-fight weekend. Chuck Liddell, Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping were at Victor Drai’s new mega club XS in the Encore and next door at sister club Tryst in the Wynn. Tiago Alves was in an after-hours crowd at Drai’s in Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall that included Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson, rapper Too Short, poker star David Williams, boxer Joe Judah and Michael Bisping. Also at XS: MLB player Frank Thomas and Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos. … UFC fan favorite Heath Herring, aka “Texas Crazy Horse,” entertained a group of friends at Christian Audigier in T.I., where they stuck to Grey Goose vodka and Coke cocktails. … Designer and socialite Nicky Hilton danced in the VIP section of the Bank in the Bellagio after pal Wilmer Valderrama’s Pure birthday bash, and no sooner did she call it a night than sister Paris’ ex Stavros Niarchos arrived with his posse for the rest of the pre-dawn hours. … CSI: Miami heartthrob Adam Rodriguez, who was featured in People’s Sexiest Man Alive issue, dined solo at Tao’s sushi bar in The Venetian.

Photo: Tao

Jermaine Dupri.

Tonight’s tip

While Janet Jackson is reshuffling Japanese tour dates, producer-hip hop artist-boyfriend Jermaine Dupri will play guest DJ at Prive in Planet Hollywood. Just who will be his special guest at midnight? The new industry party kicks off next door at Koi with half-priced drinks and snacks until Prive starts rocking. … Happy Birthday to night queen Jodi Myers as she celebrates her birthday at Jet in The Mirage. … My pal Italian chef Geno Bernardi at Nove in the Palms has 300 wines in his rooftop cellar, and to showcase them properly, he’s created “Get Corked,” a new Monday night gathering to enjoy specially priced vino!

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Usher was part of the music entertainment at CES 2009.

Tomorrow’s tease

Can you believe Barbie is celebrating her 50th birthday? How old does that make Ken? The blonde fantasy girl comes to life in a special shopping trip through the stores and restaurants of the Palazzo to show off her fashion styles through the years beginning in the 1960s! … R&B superstar Usher has been out and about while recording his new album at the Palms, and we keep up with all his night moves. … Sir Elton John returns to his royal Red Piano at Caesars Palace’s The Colosseum. … Later in the week, it’s our exclusive interview with Danny Gans as he premieres his new run at Steve Wynn’s the Encore.

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