Las Vegas Weekly

January 20, 2009 · 6:30 AM

Morning Call: It’s larger-than-life Strip coverage of Inauguration Day; Miss America joins crowds in Washington, D.C.

By Robin Leach

President Barack Obama.

Photo: Tom Donoghue /www.donoghuephotography.com

At 8 a.m. today, the giant video screens at Planet Hollywood and its Miracle Mile shopping center neighbor were set to be merged to form a block-long TV wall to carry the inauguration coverage of America’s 44th president, Barrack Obama. It’s likely to be the longest, seamless wall of TV ever assembled and will be submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records!

While as many as 2 million people will pour onto the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., Planet Hollywood executives believe their screens will be seen by more than 100,000 people on the Strip.

Other resort casino billboards and JumboTrons also will switch over from coming attractions and promos to the Obama satellite feeds. Some sports books, too, will switch over to the coverage one hour in advance of the 9 a.m. Oath of Office.

We should be able to watch Miss America 2008 Kirsten Haglund, who flew to the nation’s capital yesterday from Las Vegas pageant headquarters, when she rides down Pennsylvania Avenue on the USO Inaugural float in the official parade. Planet Hollywood’s screens will switch to Kirsten when she is interviewed live from Washington by Fox political news correspondent Megyn Kelly on Fox News Channel between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. today about her participation in the historic events of the day as a new chapter for the country begins.

Tonight, with most of her luggage still here in Vegas, Kirsten will wear her Steven Yearich pageant gown, also for Saturday’s live telecast here, to perform the national anthem at the Commander in Chief's Ball, which President Obama will attend. From there, Kirsten will be whisked off to the USO Heroes Red, White & Blue Inaugural Ball. TV cameras will cover both events.

She’s promised, upon her whirlwind return here tomorrow, to give us a first-hand exclusive description of the day -- her most memorable in the 12-month reign as Miss America.

Over at Madame Tussauds in The Venetian, crowds have thronged over the past three days to get up close to the wax model of the country’s first black president. Obama is the first individual to receive a wax figure in all eight of Madame Tussauds’ worldwide attractions simultaneously.

The figure of Obama depicts him standing tall with arms folded in a relaxed but powerful pose and with his trademark smile. One of the first to check out the model was Frank Hawkins, NAACP Las Vegas chapter president. In the New York and Washington wax museums, Obama is seen standing beside a replica of the Oval Office desk, but here in Vegas, visitors can stand alongside him at the presidential podium as he is sworn into office!

Madame Tussauds officials are expecting all-time record crowds today at the exhibit featuring the new president, and TV screens have been set up there for the daylong presidential activities.

Meantime, in other presidential inauguration notes: Joan DuKore, the magician who performs in Find Your (Inner) Sexy at the Harmon Theater in Planet Hollywood, will perform at the American Legion in Washington, D.C., in honor of the living Congressional Medalists of Honor as part of the inauguration festivities. Also in Washington today, as we have previously reported, are Vegas headliners Clint Holmes, George Wallace and Vegas resident and former Supremes singer Mary Wilson, all of whom will be entertaining at different black-tie functions!

Watch for them all on your home TV -- or, better still, join the thousands expected to watch the special screens on the Strip!

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