Las Vegas Weekly

January 22, 2009 · 12:52 PM

Strip Scribbles: Kathy Griffin makes a surprise cameo in Bette’s show as part of new TV season

By Robin Leach

Kathy Griffin.

Photo: Denise Truscello

It has to be a surprise until it airs on television, but last night’s Caesars Palace audience at Bette Midler’s The Showgirl Must Go On received an unexpected treat when comedienne Kathy Griffin stopped the show! The star of the Emmy-winning My Life on the D-List made a surprise cameo appearance, and Bette played along with the gag routine! It took a while for The Colosseum audience to catch on that it was a gag for Kathy’s TV cameras -- and then the laughter really started!

The hilarity won’t be seen until the next season of Kathy’s show, but I’m told the audience erupted in howls of laughter. Earlier, Kathy had time off from filming and grabbed an A-list dinner at Fix in the Bellagio. She’s a repeat customer there and ordered spring rolls, mini crab cakes, mini baked potatoes and a baby lettuce salad. She and her assistant polished off the warm banana-filled doughnuts for dessert.

To-do dates

Don’t forget that at 2 p.m. today, celebrity impressionist and comedy singer Terry Fator will be signing copies of his new book Who’s the Dummy Now? at The Mirage. The book is a candid autobiography that chronicles his journey from teenage ventriloquist to the fulfillment of his life-long dream to headline on the Strip. Terry, who won the first season of America’s Got Talent, starts his five-year-run at The Mirage on Valentine’s Day. The first 100 fans in line today receive a special free gift! … Tomorrow, the new Pop Art exhibition of contemporary classics by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and others is unveiled at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art. The amazing collection of iconic artists’ material and imagery has been assembled in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. The exhibit will remain on show through September. Until now, the Bellagio gallery has focused on 19th and 20th century masterworks.

Star surveillance

Former boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his friend Angie Feliciano were at Victor Drai’s new XS nightclub inside the just-opened the Encore for the hospitality industry festivities. The party also brought out hip-hop musician Pittsburgh Slim. … Next door at Blush nightclub in the Wynn, the MoveOn.org inaugural party drew rapper Ice-T and stunning wife Nicole “Coco” Austin. … Joe Jackson, patriarch of the Jackson family -- and that includes being Michael’s dad -- turned up last night for the sexy, sassy X striptease show at the Flamingo. And I always thought Jehovah’s Witnesses weren’t allowed to have that much fun?!

Tonight’s tip

*When Michael McDonald went solo after the Doobie Brothers, he became one of my all-time favorite singers, and once again I’m going to miss out on his Star of the Desert Arena concert in Primm tonight because of Miss America duties. Otherwise, I’d drive right down I-15 to hear the former Steely Dan man sing his hits, including “Take It to Heart” and “I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near).” He’s been belting out that baritone voice since 1970 and will celebrate his 40th year in showbiz next year!

*Stoney’s Rockin’ Country and owner Stoney Gray will celebrate two nights of the Bull Riding World Championships starting tonight at his club and concert venue. World champion bull rider Tuff Hedeman will be on hand for the “Man vs. Machine” finals. Riders of the mechanical bull have been qualifying the past two weeks, and it all comes down to the big buck-offs tonight with a belt buckle and $500 at stake. The winner also gets two VIP tickets all weekend long for the Bull Riding World Championships at the South Point.

*Time to shape up -- even without a New Year’s resolution! Sgt. Harvey from VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club and American Gladiators’ Tanoai Reed host tonight’s 3rd Annual Tao Boot Camp at The Venetian. The vodka open bar means drinks on the house for guests dressed in camouflage, and the winner of the push-up contest grabs a $1,000 prize.

Tomorrow’s tease

Congratulations to Cirque du Soleil as it officially celebrates the 15th anniversary of its Las Vegas debut show Mystere at Treasure Island -- and it’s still going strong! … Country king George Jones reigns supreme this coming weekend in our ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN. … And we’ll have the final wrap-up of our weeklong pageant stories as we prepare for the crowning of Miss America 2009 during the big Saturday night live show at Planet Hollywood. Vegas DeLuxe will post the breaking news winner right after her coronation and then later our first exclusive interview with her as the yearlong reign begins.

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