Las Vegas Weekly

February 20, 2009 · 11:19 AM

Strip Scribbles: Vegas cover girl Amanda Righetti is new Scream Queen

By Robin Leach

Vegas magazine cover girl Amanda Righetti.

Photo: Kirvin Doak Communications

Congratulations to Vegas beauty Amanda Righetti for her cover photo on the new issue of our sister Vegas Magazine. Amanda’s won the nickname of Scream Queen because of her escape from the clutches of Jason Voorhees in the new No. 1 installment of Friday the 13th. Amanda, 25, has been recognized for her passion, intensity and sex appeal on the TV and silver screens. TV viewers know her most recently as Grace Van Pelt on The Mentalist.

Click HERE for the Vegas profile. Said Amanda: “It’s very exciting to be on a magazine cover you know your mom and dad will see and be able to buy! It’s an exhilarating feeling to win a whole new level of recognition with Friday the 13th after working on TV for years in The O.C., North Shore, Reunion and K-Ville.”

*It’s a rumor that’s picking up steam: Superstar comedian Billy Crystal is in final negotiations with a Strip mogul for a run of regular appearances at his resort casino.

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

Chubby Checker and the band.

*You really wouldn’t think the clock had ticked by all these years. The pop artist who launched a whole new genre of music with “The Twist” is still alive and -- twisting! Chubby Checker twisted the night away at the Silverton, and our contributing photographer Scott Harrison was there to capture the legend still spinning ’round the clock.

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

Chubby Checker.

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

Chubby Checker.

*For the fourth consecutive year, the 19th annual Epicurean Affair will be at the Flamingo, with more than 100 of our valley’s award-winning bars and restaurants serving up drinks, dishes and delicacies April 23 throughout the Flamingo’s 15-acre tropical oasis. The Nevada Hotel Association, the Nevada Restaurant Association and the Flamingo sponsor the event, hailed as the city’s culinary event of the year.

Photo: Heat Communications

The Epicurean Affair.

Photo: Aced.com

Jamie Gold.

*All-time World Series of Poker money leader Jamie Gold has signed what insiders say is the poker industry’s richest multi-year contract to date. Jamie has signed with the new Vegas-based Aced.com. He’s already issued a remarkable challenge to take his bankroll and his poker winnings and play at any stakes level in which he’s challenged. “It’s an open invitation to anyone to come and play me,” he said. Aced.com was launched in September and operates on the Merge Gaming Network.

Photo: Pure Management Group

Bebe fashion show at Pure.

Photo: Pure Management Group

Bebe fashion show at Pure.

*As part of MAGIC Marketplace, Bebe presented a fashion show at Pure in Caesars Palace. UFC fighter Dan Henderson and Los Angeles Clippers forward Nick Fazekas were among the athletes watching the show. Korean pop singer Suh In-young loved the clothes so much, she ordered up Cristal champagne to toast the clothing line.

Photo: Pure Management Group

Bebe fashion show at Pure.

Photo: Pure Management Group

Bebe fashion show at Pure.

Star surveillance

Three-time Grammy Award-winning rapper and actor Ludacris dined at Iron Chef winner Kerry Simon’s Cathouse at the Luxor. He selected Kerry’s famous tuna tartare and followed that with the Caesar salad and the tuna entrée. … WBA super-welterweight champion Sugar Shane Mosley also was at Cathouse enjoying the Vanity after-hours party. He stayed at the bar most of the night downing tequila shots with friends and fans. … NBA player Corey Brewer of the Minnesota Timberwolves was with friends in a VIP table at Moon in the Palms. … Lucky fans of the Plain White T’s were surprised to find the group seated at a VIP stage table at LAX in the Luxor. They were even more surprised when they were permitted to take photos with the rock stars. Sitting alongside was Milwaukee Bucks star Damon Jones, who ordered Ace of Spades champagne and shots of Patron tequila. … MLB free agent Frank Thomas has become a regular at N9NE Steakhouse in the Palms, and on his latest visit hung out at the bar with friends enjoying rock shrimp with his favorite Sauvignon Blanc wine. … Partying up in The Playboy Club at the Palms was British American rapper Slick Rick, and he joined rapper and beat boxer Doug E Fresh for an impromptu performance of their hit “La Di Da Di.” Doug continued with a 40-minute set, only to be followed by another rapper, Quik, who did his own 30-minute set. Joining in the fun was actor-comedian and Howard Stern radio personality Artie Lange.

Photo: Joe Fury

Corey Brewer.

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

Ludacris performs at LAX.

Now it’s time for us to be quick and slick as we hip and hop our way up and down the Strip for this weekend’s highlights for playboys and playgirls – and, as you know, around here we refer to it affectionately as the ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN:

Photo: Cirque

Dana Carvey poses with the cast of Love.

Friday, Feb. 20

*Saturday Night Live funnyman alumnus Dana Carvey, who over his seven seasons there did a wickedly diabolical and right-on impression of me in the “Relatives of the Rich & Famous” skits, plays The Orleans for three nights through Sunday. Not only is he an incredibly talented comedian and film actor, but also his impersonations of famous folks are always spot on and spiced with a little savagery!

*Ray Romano and Brad Garrett prove everybody loves Raymond when they team up for stand-up comedy at The Mirage for two nights. Down at the South Point, comedian Jon Reep begins a three-night run with his humorous routines.

*Country star Jason Michael Carroll sings the songs of the South for two nights up at the Suncoast. … British rock guitarist Al Stewart first claimed fame back in 1967, and he’s still going strong. His album Year of the Cat sold more than 1 million copies.

*The rock ’n’ roll show at the House of Blues starts at 4 p.m. because the Mandalay Bay venue is filled with heavy metal specialists including Taste of Chaos featuring Thursday with special guests Four Year Strong, Bring Me the Horizon, Pierce the Veil and Cancer Bats. … Guitarist Dave “The Snake” Sabo and bassist Rachel Bolan, who are playing at Sunset Station, formed their heavy metal band Skid Row in 1986. They broke up after their four platinum-selling albums with ex-frontman Sebastian Bach, but re-formed in 2000 and have been touring and released Revolutions Per Minute in 2006.

*The annual “Taste & Sounds of Soul” takes over Fremont Street Experience for three days and nights of music and cultural performances on both stages, with some of our wonderful restaurants serving up dishes to go with the festive mood.

*Ladies have to don their fishnets and corsets when Blush in the Wynn transforms into a swanky burlesque venue for a special surprise midnight performance. Even the gorgeous cocktail servers will be clad sexier than normal! … Twilight actress Ashley Greene hosts her birthday party celebration at Prive in Planet Hollywood. … Singer-actress Haylie Duff will celebrate her new regular role on the Fox sitcom Barely Legal and her 24th birthday with beau Nick Zano at the Bank in the Bellagio.

Photo: TVT

Wolfgang Puck.

*Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck is throwing an evening of fine dining at his Spago in Caesars Palace to celebrate the wines of Northern Italy tonight and tomorrow. His executive chef has paired six different wines with a six-course gastronomic meal -- all for $145 per person.

Saturday, Feb. 21

*Brooks & Dunn are the heavy hitters of the weekend with a concert at Star of the Desert Arena in Primm. It’s a full-blown performance stop in advance of them scooping up numerious awards at the two big upcoming country awards shows.

*The six-man group Mosaic sings a capella in a one-night-only concert at the Hilton thanks to our Flamingo heavyweight comic George Wallace, who gave them their first break. Mosaic was last year’s winner of MTV’s Top Pop Group with its unique ability to produce every sound from guitar riffs to funky bass lines with their voices.

*Say yes to Yes when the group rocks out at the House of Blues in Mandalay Bay. … Adlers Appetite proves its hunger and taste for music in Carey Hart’s Wasted Space at the Hard Rock Hotel.

*There are two performances of standup comedy with Harland Williams Price at the Playboy Comedy Show in the Palms.

Photo: Tao

Paul Wall, Travis Barker and Jermaine Dupri.

*Grammy-winning songwriter, producer and rapper Jermaine Dupri keeps busy awaiting the return of Usher to conclude their Palms recording sessions. Tonight, Jermaine plays deejay and twists the turntables at Prive.

*It’s a double birthday party blast at Hawaiian Tropic Zone in Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile with Playboy model Keeli celebrating her 22nd and MMA fighter Jon “War Machine” Koppenhaver celebrating after UFC 95. Keeli will give away gift bags of lingerie from 3Wishes.com to the first 100 ladies to help her cut the cake!

*The CineVegas Green Film series continues at the Springs Preserve with Manufactured Landscapes, a striking documentary from director Jennifer Baichwal about the work and world of artist Edward Burtynsky.

Sunday, Feb. 22

*Sadly, the Arthritis Foundation canceled its officially sanctioned Oscar party planned at Rain in the Palms due to current economic conditions affecting ticket sales. But don’t despair: The folks at the new luxurious and lavish Eleven Spa in Town Square have quickly put one together if you want to join Vegas VIPs in sipping champagne and chucking down caviar while watching the telecast. Our friends at CineVegas also are hosting a celebration at Sierra Gold Ultra Tavern. The guest with the largest number of predicted winners snags a pair of tickets to every film being screened at this year’s CineVegas Film Festival. They are even serving a special gin-based Oscar-tini in honor of our merry Mayor of Mirth Oscar Goodman!

*The Playboy Club model search at the Palms will pick its Miss February winner -- let the games begin! … The finale party of MAGIC’s Fashion Week wraps with DJ Vice at Lavo in the Palazzo.

*The “Area 52” screening series kicks off at the Onyx Theater as a sidebar to our CineVegas Film Festival activities. Local filmmaker Tom Barndt screens his shorts before the viewing of Interkosmos, about a secret USSR project in outer space.

Photo: The Light Group

Georgina Vaughan, the gorgeous 2009 Miss Nevada, will have her cake and eat it, too.

Monday’s tease

We’ll have the photo wrap-up of all the stars at play in Sin City, including Ludacris, Audrina Patridge, Arianny Celeste and others. Later in the week, look for our fabulous photo feature and interview with country star Toby Keith. We’ll meet Miss Nevada USA Georgina Vaughan as she readies for the Miss USA Pageant here. Plus, we unmask the masked magician and discover he’s a Vegas entertainer!

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