Las Vegas Weekly

October 12, 2009 · 1:19 PM

Strip Scribbles: Mayor to fly inaugural Las Vegas-London flight

By Robin Leach

Oscar and Carolyn Goodman.

Photo: Scott Doctor/www.greatscottstudios.com

After a short royal-themed official visit to London, our merry mayor of mirth, Oscar Goodman, and his lovely wife, Carolyn, will fly back home on the inaugural British Airways flight that starts direct nonstop service between the two cities. Oscar and other Las Vegas dignitaries will be aboard B.A. Flight #275 when it makes the first trip from my old hometown on Oct. 25.

The new Boeing 777, with three classes of cabin service, will depart London’s Heathrow Airport at 3:35 p.m. British time and, after a 10-hour, 50-minute nonstop journey, will land here at McCarran Airport with passengers getting a rousing showgirl and celebrity welcome. British Airways could handle nearly 15,000 arriving and departing passengers monthly on the new daily flight. Our local tourism officials who had been working for several years to secure the route believe it will boost tourism numbers.

B.A., as we affectionately call it, will compete with Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Airways, which flies from London’s Gatwick Airport directly to Las Vegas. Condor, a German charter company, flies twice weekly between Frankfurt and Las Vegas, and U.S. Airways has a one-stop in Philadelphia connection between Manchester in the north of England and McCarran.

Today before he packs and prepares for London, Oscar will present the key to the city in his City Hall office to Justin Timberlake and the leading Shriners officials here for Justin’s golf tournament and charity concert fundraisers this week. Check Vegas DeLuxe tomorrow for the full rundown of Justin’s events schedule and co-stars playing and performing. Here’s a teaser photo of Justin selecting kids in the crowd to participate in yesterday’s golf clinic.

Photo: Glenn Pinkerton/Las Vegas News Bureau

Justin Timberlake.

*Guy Laliberte picked up the nearly $10 million tab for the production costs for his weekend TV/Internet show that he hosted from the International Space Station. That’s in addition to the $35 million he paid to become Canada’s first space tourist for the 12-day trip into outer space on a Soyuz-15 spacecraft. He landed safely yesterday morning in northern Kazakhstan still wearing a red clown nose! Guy’s global broadcast was to promote his One Drop crusade to preserve the world’s diminishing water resources. Bono from U2 was among the performers taking part with singer Shakira and former Vice President Al Gore.

Photo: One Drop

Guy Laliberte.

On the telecast, watched here by members of Guy’s Cirque du Soleil cast and crews of their six Strip shows, Bono and the billionaire astronaut chatted about water. Said Bono: “You are the first clown in space, and we think it’s a good idea for you to give us your perspective on our little planet while you are looking down on it and not on it. How do we look from there? How does our little planet look, Guy? The Cirque founder, who started out as an itinerant fire-blowing stilt walker, said: “Planet Earth looks great but also so fragile.” The star-powered special can be viewed at OneDrop.org.

*Leggy Italian topless model Chiara Salvade says to my former London Fleet Street tabloid pals that she has become the latest busty girlfriend of Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, who spends more time here in Las Vegas than any other city when he’s not touring. Tommy has been linked with numerous topless beauties, including his ex-wife Pamela Anderson -- remember the infamous boat-bound sex tape? Chiara says they met via webcam and that their hours of Internet chats led to a meeting, which led to her going on tour with the band. She admits that she’s love-struck: “Tommy has always been my idol. He is a real sex symbol. I am totally smitten. We have been dating and making love now for several months.”

*Harrah’s comedy headliner Rita Rudner took her family to see Lance Burton's magic show at the Monte Carlo, and Lance turned it into an extra-special moment by levitating Rita and her husband Martin's daughter, Molly, onstage and up in the air.

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

Larry Ruvo and Jerry Springer at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.

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

Larry Ruvo and Jerry Springer at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.

*TV talk show titan Jerry Springer, now hosting America’s Got Talent Live! at Planet Hollywood, was given a private tour of the new downtown Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health by founder Larry Ruvo. Jerry has teamed with Planet Hollywood CEO Robert Earl for a special performance of AGT Live! this Wednesday, with all the money from tickets sold being donated to the Keep Memory Alive fundraising organization for the center.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

Wayne Newton.

*I’m told all systems are go for Wednesday night’s first preview of the new Wayne Newton shows at the Tropicana, and rehearsals have been very successful. Click HERE for our earlier interview with Mr. Las Vegas. He wants to ensure that there are no hiccups or kinks before scheduling the official red carpet gala premiere.

Photo: Tony Tran

Jamie Foxx at Lavo in the Palazzo.

Star surveillance

Even after two hours of entertaining enthusiastic fans at the Caesars Palace Colosseum, Jamie Foxx still had sufficient energy to unexpectedly grab the mic for an unrehearsed set at Lavo in the Palazzo afterward. Jamie played funnyman emcee as DJ Five spun for the packed nightclub revelers. Jamie did relax a little with friends at a VIP table stocked with Patron and Dom Perignon. … Also at Lavo for another visit, one of several this past week, was glamorous Vanessa Minnillo, who has been staying at the Palazzo while filming a new ABC reality TV series that ended its shoot this weekend. The true beauty sipped Veuve Clicquot Grand Dame and Dom Perignon Rose champagnes. … Musician Al B. Sure was spotted at the weekly Ditch Fridays pool party at the Palms, while Mario Lopez arrived with 12 people at Rain in the Palms and hung out in the VIP section in an advance celebration of his birthday (click HERE our weekend photo coverage of his bash at the Bank in the Bellagio). … Boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. sat at the champagne bar in N9NE Steakhouse in the Palms for his meat and potatoes feast. … In The Playboy Club at the Palms, world-renowned DJ Tiesto was with six friends sipping Perrier-Jouet champagne and confirming reports that he will be opening the new Haze nightclub on New Year’s Eve at MGM’s CityCenter premiere celebrations. …. Supermodel Cindy Crawford and her nightclub czar husband Rande Gerber watched The Beatles Love by Cirque du Soleil at The Mirage with son Presley and daughter Kaia snacking on popcorn. … Comedian Carlos Mencia was joined by his wife and friends at Tao in The Venetian. The funnyman wound down to the music of DJ Vice and Jewel of Russia vodka after his two nights of stand-up at Treasure Island. … Five-time Emmy Award winner Dennis Miller, who adds his acerbic, highbrow, dictionary-busting humor to his Fox News commentaries, performed at The Orleans Showroom, and Las Vegas News Bureau photographer Darrin Bush got the winning shot.

Tonight’s tips

It’s the opening night premiere for comedy impressionist Frank Caliendo at the Monte Carlo. You can expect his comedy takes on everybody from Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton to sports anchor John Madden. Click HERE for our recent interview with Frank as he prepped for the new show. … Carmen Electra’s main squeeze, former Korn rocker Rob Patterson, is the guest deejay at Prive in Planet Hollywood, and she promises to be there to dance along to his music session. … Andrew Dice Clay returns with his must-see, wickedly hilarious comedy at the Riviera’s main showroom in a new run through Oct. 25. Click HERE for our interview with The Diceman. … Three 6 Mafia perform at Jet in The Mirage. … Diane Ford, voted 11 consecutive years as Comedienne of the Year by the American Comedy Awards, takes on marriage and divorce when she headlines at the Riviera Comedy Club through Sunday night with Ben Creed and Matt Markman.

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

Frank Caliendo.

Tomorrow’s teases

We’ll expose the TV show filmed here that almost succeeded in pulling the wool over our eyes, but one simple slip exposed the deception -- and I don’t like being tricked! Tell me the truth, and I’ll keep it secret. Try to bamboozle, and I’ll go digging for the truth, which we eventually discovered! … Justin Timberlake is all set for his annual Las Vegas golf tournament and VIP celebrity concert to raise funds for Shriners Children’s Hospitals. We’ll also have the full photo report of superstar chef Joel Robuchon’s visit to the Epicurean Foundation fundraiser at The M resort with our celebrity chef Rick Moonen. … And in a music-themed edition of Vegas DeLuxe, we’ve also got an intimate, close-up photo gallery of The Doors musicians at Wasted Space, plus hometown rockers Theory of Flight.

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.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter HERE.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter HERE.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter HERE.

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