Las Vegas Weekly

May 18, 2009 · 11:58 AM

Strip Scribbles: The Divine Miss M offers career advice to Britney Spears

By Robin Leach

Bette Midler with her Nevada Ballet Theater Woman of the Year Award on Jan. 17, 2009.

Photo: Audrey Dempsey

Caesars Palace headliner Bette Midler has urged pop star Britney Spears to follow in her footsteps! In an interview on NewYorkPost.com’s Popwrap, Bette says she’s convinced that Britney has what it takes to headline her own Las Vegas residency, provided she avoids all the party temptations Vegas offers.

Says Bette: “Don’t drink. Keep your body up. Do vocal warm-ups every day. Be happy to see the people. They’re not a burden. They’re happy to see you, so be happy to see them.”

Photo: MTV

Britney Spears.

Wise advice indeed from the happy and Divine Miss M!

*The Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens is about to open its timeless tribute to summer with colorful cold-air balloons, a spectacular 42-foot-tall Ferris wheel of flowers and patriotic displays of the Stars and Stripes. The new glass aviary is filled with vividly plumed lorikeets and parakeets, and there’s even a male bear and his cub in fishing vests setting off on a whimsical adventure. This free exhibit is open to the public 24/7 until Sept. 12. Our contributing photographer Tom Donoghue is shooting the scene for us tomorrow, and we’ll have those shots here at Vegas DeLuxe this week.

Photo: TVT

Kenny Ortega and Michael Jackson.

*Emmy Award-winning producer, director and choreographer Kenny Ortega, who is creating the Michael Jackson concert production in London, joined MTV Music Video Awards-winning choreographer Travis Payne for The Men of X at Hooters casino. Kenny told the cast afterwards: “It was so much fun.” In addition to staging the Sirens of T.I. here, he also had a hand in creating the choreography for the dancing Bellagio water fountains.

Photo: N9NE Group

Chef Geno Bernardo and Ricky Hatton at Nove Italiano.

*Every Monday, my Italian chef friend Geno Bernardo puts more than 300 wines from vineyards around the world on display at half-price for his new “Get Corked” dinners at Nove Italiano in the Palms. It’s his way of combating the current economic blues. Additionally, Geno has five pasta specials to go with the wines that are $14 or less on Mondays. His small bites menu, with six choices, is $9 per dish.

*Sir Garfield Sobers of Barbados, who captained the West Indies team, was hailed by sports writers as one of the greatest cricket players of all time. Who would’ve guessed that his son would wind up living in Las Vegas and is about to open Garfield’s, his own restaurant. Expect it to open in the next two weeks near Marche Bacchus in the Desert Shores community.

Photo: Kirvin Doak Communications

Terry Fator and Sarah Brightman.

Photo: Images of LV

Daniel Negreanu.

Photo: TVT

Gabrielle Union.

Star surveillance

British songbird Sarah Brightman enjoyed the pajama Sunday brunch at Iron Chef Kerry Simon’s Palm Place restaurant. She told me she was here on a mini vacation and on her first night out hit legendary B.B. King’s performance at the House of Blues in Mandalay Bay. Also at Simon was Peepshow headliner Kelly Monaco enjoying dinner with friends. … Chef Geno created a special family-style dinner for retired NHL star Adam Oates, who has become a Nove Italiano regular. … MLB star Barry Bonds partied with friends at The Playboy Club in the Palms and posed for photos with fans before going up to Moon. Also at Playboy were poker pros Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu playing blackjack for a change of pace. … Checking out DJ AM at Rain were LMFAO, Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade and 10 cast members from MTV’s The Real World Cabo. … The Hangover’s Heather Graham, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha and Bradley Cooper and their director Todd Phillips had lunch at Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in Caesars Palace. … Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback and two-time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger hit Body English at the Hard Rock Hotel after the Tiger Woods charity dinner. … DJ Samantha Ronson dined at Strip House in Planet Hollywood. … The romance between Dancing With the Stars pro Derek Hough and his ex-TV partner Shannon Elizabeth is still going strong. The couple popped into Blush at the Wynn for cocktails and dancing. … Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban popped champagne to mark the end of the team’s NBA season with his star players Brandon Bass and Dirk Nowitzki at the Bank in the Bellagio, where the crowd gave them a shout-out, as did the DJ, who spotted them in the VIP section.

Photo: Denise Truscello/The Light Group

Perry Farrell celebrates his 50th birthday at Bare Pool Lounge in The Mirage.

Tonight’s tips

Rock rules with Nine Inch Nails and Jane’s Addiction in concert at The Pearl in the Palms, and heaven only knows how long Perry Farrell will keep the show going. … Hip-hop artist Rick Ross performs his “Cigar Music” at Prive in Planet Hollywood, while David Rush performs his hit “Shooting Star” at Jet in The Mirage while the final 12 models are selected for the WaxPax. … Comic impressionist Rich Natalie has opened his run of Voices of a Generation at the Harmon Theater at Krave in Planet Hollywood, and you can count 85 of them, from President Obama to Clint Eastwood during his show, in which he rotates 300 voices from his repertoire.

Photo: ABC TV

Lil' Kim and Derek Hough.

Tomorrow’s teases

It’s the three-hour finale of Dancing With the Stars, and our Vegas friends Holly Madison, Julianne Hough, Derek Hough, Chelsie Hightower and Steve-O are back on the dance floor before the mirrored disco ball trophy is presented to the winning couple. … We join the Madison Avenue all-stars for the Clio Awards at the Hard Rock with Mark Cuban, Emmy Award-winning Mad Men creator and executive producer Matthew Weiner and Hilton headliner Barry Manilow. … Then Wednesday our full exclusive photo session and interview with Barry as he reveals secrets for his International Fan Club gathering this weekend and what he’ll do when his Hilton contract ends in December.

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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