Las Vegas Weekly

February 10, 2009 · 12:44 PM

Strip Scribbles: Hometown Idol Mikalah Gordon celebrates her 21st birthday

By Robin Leach

Mikalah Gordon at Tabu.

Photo: MGM/Mirage TABU

Until now our hometown American Idol favorite Mikalah Gordon hasn’t been able to celebrate her showbiz achievements at a Las Vegas casino. That all changed when Tabu Ultra Lounge in the MGM Grand rolled out the red carpet to celebrate Mikalah’s 21st birthday. Our local beauty is no longer under age, and the Gone Country star was welcomed by a packed club, where she stood atop a table to greet everybody. Then she surprised fans with an impromptu performance of “Killing Me Softly” and “You Give Love a Bad Name.”

Mikalah hopped off the table and walked the dance floor interacting with guests and encouraging them to sing along. Tabu’s sexy servers surprised the talented temptress after her show with a beautiful chocolate birthday cake. Mikalah made up for all that lost time by dancing and partying until closing time!

Photo: Cashman Photography

Motley Crue's Tommy Lee and friends attend Cirque du Soleil and The Beatles' Love at The Mirage.

*When Motley Crue came to town to close down The Joint, drummer Tommy Lee packed his four-day visit with stops at all the hot spots. He took his Saints of Los Angeles Tour band mates to Cirque du Soleil’s Beatles Love at The Mirage. Tommy sipped on Veuve Cliquot champagne throughout the show! He also dined on miso soup and crispy sesame rice spicy tuna in soy paper with lettuce and chili sauce at chef Kerry Simon’s Palms Place restaurant. Tommy also hit the lounge at Lavo inside the Palazzo and ordered up the wine presentation. He told his group and the waiters how he’d enjoyed a crazy night once at sister restaurant Tao in the next-door Venetian when he tried to climb the large Buddha that overlooks the entire dining area!

Photo: Kirvin Doak Communications

Jersey Boys cast members Erich Bergen, Rick Faugno, Jeff Leibow and Deven May flank Frankie Valli.

Photo: Jacob Andrejczak

Erich Bergen, Kristofer McNeely, Rick Faugno and Jeff Leibow (second from right) with the Australian cast of Jersey Boys.

*For the first time since music star Frankie Valli attended last year’s May 3 opening of his Tony-winning Jersey Boys musical at the Palazzo -- coincidentally also his birthday -- he returned to see the show again! This time he brought with him the cast of the upcoming Australian production of the hit musical. Our backstage photos show Frankie with the Las Vegas cast of Erich Bergen, Jeff Leibow, Deven May and Rick Faugno, who plays Frankie, plus Australian company members Scott Johnson, Stephen Mahy, Glaston Toft and Bobby Fox, who will play Frankie Down Under.

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

Usher, with wife Tameka Foster, played NYE 2008 host at the Bank.

*Before superstar singer Usher departed to be with his wife, Tameka Foster, in a hospital in Brazil yesterday following complications from plastic surgery there, he and his recording producer Jermaine Dupri made a dapper duo around town. At Lavo, they even showed up in matching gray suits and dark sunglasses. They ordered martinis and the Saggio cocktail, but left chef Ludo Lefebvre to surprise them with his signature dishes for dinner. Usher and Jermaine then watched the Label Junkie fashion show in the upstairs nightclub and happily greeted fans and posed for photos at their dance floor table. The twosome also dined together at N9NE Steakhouse in the Palms. Usher ordered a winter salad and creamed corn, while Jermaine asked for the mushroom soup, and both men ordered up vegetable pastas.

Photo: David Sadlier

Lorenzo Booker at Cirque Du Soleil and Criss Angel's Believe.

Star surveillance

Legendary Steve Miller took in the late show of Love. He was with Broadway director Robert Roth, and the two were given a backstage tour after the show. Jason Pritchard, head of Love’s audio team, even replayed the opening musical number through the empty theater’s 6,341 speakers because they’d arrived late for the show and missed the start! … Actor Joe Pesci hit the weekly after-hours Vanity party at the Cathouse in the Luxor with five friends and enjoyed Veuve Cliquot rose champagne and Ketel One vodkas. The Oscar winner stuck to Dom Perignon champagne when they went to neighboring LAX, where Penthouse Pets Heather Vandeven and Valentina Vaughan were dancing to applause from welterweight champion boxer “Sugar” Shane Mosley and football stars Lawyer Milloy of the Atlanta Falcons and Eric Green of the Arizona Cardinals. … Heather and Valentina also hit Pure in Caesars Palace on their mini-Vegas vacation and sat near the VIP area where Arizona Cardinals players Tim Hightower and Eric Green and boxer Zab Judah watched the dance floor maneuvers. … Other football stars in town include Cincinnati Bengals’ Robert Geathers spotted at Lavo enjoying Moet Chandon rose champagne and Patron silver tequila shots; former NFL defensive tackle John Randle holding court at Pure; and Lorenzo Booker, running back of the Philadelphia Eagles, who took in Criss Angel’s Cirque du Soleil Believe at the Luxor. The four playful ushers who introduce the early show teased Lorenzo to the audience’s delight and helped him sip his Grey Goose and cranberry cocktail. … Star choreographer Criss Judd and a beautiful blonde companion enjoyed Belvedere cocktails at Lavo. … Ray Romano and Brad Garrett shared a VIP table overlooking the dance floor at Victor Drai’s XS in the Encore.

Tonight’s tips

I’ll host the “Executive Lounge” business mixer this evening at 6 at Lavo, and then my Las Vegas Weekly nightlife colleagues Xania Woodman and Jack Colton will host the “Media Circus” party there later toward the midnight hour. … Cisco and Shwayze promise to perform when they host a Verizon Wireless Blackberry Storm-sponsored party at Blush in the Wynn that’s open to the public. … James Stevens III is the comedy headliner through Sunday at the Improv in Harrah’s with John Diresta as his opening act. … Carey Hart’s Wasted Space in the Hard Rock Hotel has a full night of rock with The Shys, Halloween Town, Neon Trends and Crash Encore.

Tomorrow’s tease

You knew it wouldn’t take long for the Super Bowl players to arrive on the Strip party scene, and we’ve got the rundown of their celebrations and commiserations! … It’s our exclusive one-on-one interview with America’s Got Talent winner Terry Fator as he prepares to open his preview run on Valentine’s Day at The Mirage in his five-year, $100-million contract, plus one of the most luxurious non-hotel spas in the U.S. is ready for its star-studded opening.

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