Las Vegas Weekly

March 22, 2009 · 7:45 AM

Photo Gallery: ‘Planet Holly’ for Holly Madison; Cher’s all-star finale turnout

By Robin Leach

Holly Madison outside Prive at Planet Hollywood.

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

It was a night of stars on the Strip, and the partying was still going strong this morning!

Playboy cover beauty Holly Madison was the queen of the night, and fans turned out in force for the party she hosted at Prive in Planet Hollywood.

“I should have asked them to turn out the lights on the last four letters,” Holly told me laughing. “Then it would just be Planet Holly. I like that!”

Earlier she enjoyed dinner at the neighboring Koi with friends, and Playboy gal pal Alison Waite joined in the fun. Our contributing photographers Denise Truscello, Scott Harrison and Erik Kabik were all on duty at Planet Hollywood for this great photo gallery.

Holly was presented with a “Vote for Holly” cake complete with sparklers to campaign for all the Prive party people to dial her (800) number tomorrow when she competes with partner Dmitry Chaplin on the third dance night of ABC’s hit Dancing With the Stars.

Photo: ABC TV

Holly Madison and Dmitry Chaplin on Dancing With the Stars.

Holly and Dmitry rehearsed for six hours yesterday at Tony Delgado’s dance studio on Grand Canyon Parkway in Summerlin. I’d joined them Friday (click HERE for that story) for our exclusive interview we’ll post here at Vegas DeLuxe tomorrow. For three days on their visit, they’d rehearsed a total of 18 hours with ABC cameras rolling the entire time.

“We’ll be dancing the samba Monday night,” Holly said. “I’ve designed my own dress for the dance, so it will be sexy and a little low-cut!” She still had stamina after the long rehearsal yesterday for her party last night and even danced with her girlfriends despite bruised knees! For the curious, no, ex-boyfriend magician Criss Angel didn’t surprise her with a post-midnight appearance after his Cirque du Soleil show Believe at the Luxor. Click HERE for our exclusive story and photos yesterday of Holly’s return to the Luxor, where she went backstage and met up with zany comedian Carrot Top.

Holly didn’t make it too much of a late night because she flies back to L.A. this morning to be in the dance studio by 11 a.m. for another six hours of rigorous rehearsal. Tomorrow, she and Dmitry have the afternoon dress rehearsal and then the broadcast followed by the judges’ scoring.

Photo: Denise Truscello

Holly Madison is presented with a cake at Prive.

“Each week it gets a little less nerve-wracking, ”Holly told me. “But I hope I never have to face the dance-off. That would be terrifying!”

A star-studded finale for Cher

Meanwhile across the Strip, Cher ended her current run of sell-out shows at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace in grand finale style -- even co-resident headliner Bette Midler, who starts her next series of shows there Tuesday, attended Cher’s performance! That was the first time one had seen the other’s show, but I don’t hear that Cher is staying on to watch Bette this time around!

Photo: Caesars Palace

Cher onstage at The Colosseum.

After Cher’s performance, actress Vivica A. Fox went backstage for a meet and greet! Also attending separately were fashion designer Michael Kors and lovebirds Nicky Hilton and boyfriend Jeffrey Katzenberg. Click HERE for our exclusive backstage photo of Cher with recent visitor Celine Dion. Cher resumes her next series of shows April 25 for one month.

Check back to Vegas DeLuxe tomorrow morning for our exclusive interview with Holly Madison during her three days of rehearsals here and for the wrap-up of all the weekend parties throughout town March Madness weekend!

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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