Las Vegas Weekly

January 26, 2009 · 12:34 PM

Strip Scribbles: With Miss America Pageant over, the focus now turns to Miss USA

By Robin Leach

Photo: Michael Boychuck

With Miss America departing town, the beauty focus now goes to the Miss USA Pageant, also to be broadcast live from Planet Hollywood. Hair king Michael Boychuck hosted Miss Nevada Georgina Vaughan and Miss Washington Tera Turnure at his Color salon in Caesars Palace while they were filming their reality show B Girls. The cameras also are following Miss Idaho Melissa Weber and three Miss Teen USA contestants before the big competitions this spring. The reality show airs the week of Feb. 22.

*Actress Candice Bergen attended Bette Midler’s The Showgirl Must Go On at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace. Our favorite Murphy Brown star picked the Divine Miss M over the Miss America Pageant and Steve Wynn’s birthday bash!

*Miss America Pageant host Mario Lopez relaxed after his live telecast duties with Palms owner George Maloof and former Miss USA beauty queen Shanna Moakler in a group of 15 at Lavo in the Palazzo. The gang partied until 2 a.m.! It was the second consecutive night in Lavo for Mario and his family, who the night before had ordered up steak frites and washed them down with several pitchers of Saggio cocktails. Also at Lavo were singer Kimberley Locke and boyfriend Sgt. Harvey Walden of Celebrity Fit Club feasting on pizzettes, sea bass and eggplant parmiagiano before dancing the calories off in the upstairs club. Alongside were actor Shane West with family and friends, actress Zoe Saldana with her sister and actress Fairuza Balk.

*Following in dad’s footsteps! Former famed referee and boxing judge Mills Lane is having his legend continue with sons Tommy and Terry. They have established Let’s Get It On Promotions, and their weekend boxing event at the Plaza Hotel downtown brought out former champion Zab Judah.

Star surveillance

What Not to Wear star Clinton Kelly took a break between his Miss America Pageant duties to relax at the Strip House bar in Planet Hollywood, while Monty Python star John Cleese and Shanna Moakler were dining at separate tables. … Kenny G dined on sushi and sashimi at Nobu in the Hard Rock Hotel while on his three-night concert visit to The Orleans. … Music super producer Quincy Jones took in the sounds and scenes at Victor Drai’s new XS nightclub in the Encore, with actress Amanda Bynes -- enjoying the single life after her split from The Hills hunk Doug Reinhardt -- Randy Jackson and San Diego Chargers star Shawne Merriman all in adjoining VIP booths. … Shawne stayed out late hitting Drai’s After Hours inside Bill’s Gamin’ Hall at center Strip with poker prince David Williams and rapper Too Short.

Tonight’s tip

As part of the third anniversary of Jet in The Mirage, rap star T.I will perform hits from his new album Paper Trail. … Hip-hop also is the order of the night at Prive inside Planet Hollywood with Top 10 record producer RZA from Wu Tang Clan. … Tickets go on sale today for the May 30 Unleashed Tour stop by Fleetwood Mac at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. … It’s another night for Vegas magicians to shine on Masters of Illusions on MyNetworkTV, with Jason Byrne, Fielding West, Rocco and Kevin James.

Tomorrow’s tease

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson says he now understands why he was perceived as a “monster” as his new documentary Tyson is unveiled. … Which Strip hotel owner paid a $170 million IRS tax bill with a single check? … Local chefs and restaurant owners explain why President Obama will be great for business, plus the national TV programming convention comes to town, and we’ve got the sneak peek as the stars of Mad Men put on their own crazy cabaret revue at MGM’s Hollywood Theatre!

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