Las Vegas Weekly

August 13, 2010 · 11:09 AM

Home Shopping Network broadcasts include Criss Angel’s new magic kit

By Robin Leach

Criss Angel's new magic kit in his Las Vegas mountaintop mansion Serenity.

Photo: TVT

It’s an expanded all-star lineup for Home Shopping Network’s 11 hours of live broadcasts this weekend from Planet Hollywood, and thousands of fans are expected for the on-air shopping extravaganza and the meet-and-greet parties with the stars and HSN’s sales personalities.

It really is “Shop, Party & Play” for three days starting this evening, and admission is free. Late this afternoon, there will be a behind-the-scenes media tour of the Celebrity Ballroom with my longtime pal and Las Vegas regular Rhonda Shear as the guide to the final preparations underway for tomorrow’s 10 a.m. curtain up.

Tonight’s three-hour cocktail party with a red carpet to rival Wednesday’s premiere of The Expendables, also at Planet Hollywood, features celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, The Expendables director, writer and star Sylvester Stallone’s wife Jennifer Flavin Stallone, actress and model Molly Sims of Las Vegas fame and Rhonda, who sells her lingerie creations on the network.

Photo: Sean Smith/WireImage

Molly Sims at Pure in Caesars Palace.

Mindfreak magician Criss Angel will headline the stars attending the exclusive meet-and-greet sessions as part of his weekend launch of his line of supersized magic kits. HSN is live from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow with Susan Lucci, Tori Spelling, Tony Little, Joy Mangano, Ingrid Hoffmann, Carl Banks, Randolph Duke, Heidi Daus, Diana Gilman, Antthony, Forbes Riley, Colin Cowie, Todd English and Molly, Wolfgang, Jennifer and Rhonda.

The HSN hosts here are Colleen Lopez, Chris Scanlon, Bobbi Ray Carter, Callie Northagen, Lynn Murphy and Bill Green. HSN personalities also will interview guests and give them an opportunity to appear on HSN in a segment titled “I Want to Be an HSN Star.”

On Sunday, it’s another 5 hours of live broadcasts from the 27,000-square-feet of shopping in the Celebrity Ballroom, plus live stage shows where guests and fans will be able to grill the HSN and on-air sales people, including Susan, Todd and Tori.

Criss launches his 250-plus trick, platinum Mindfreak Magic Kit. He was just 6 years old when he learned his first magic trick from his Aunt Stella.

Photo: Al Powers

Susan Lucci at Lavo in the Palazzo on June 27, 2010.

Andy Khubani, founder and CEO of IdeaVillage, said: “It was a natural partnership. Criss is a world-class performing artist. It’s what he does best as the world’s most famous illusionist, mystifier, escape artist and star performer. Television is all about magic demonstrations, so this is the perfect venue to introduce the new kit.

Criss said: “I’m excited about the partnership. I know they have the ability to reach as many up-and-coming magicians as possible. This kit is the ideal gift this fall and holiday season for anybody who has ever wanted to create a little magic of their own.”

The big box consists of more than 250 tricks, an easy-to-follow instruction manual, a DVD and six Mindfreak tricks that Criss has performed on the show complete with instructions. It will be in retail stores next month and makes its debut this weekend at the HSN events.

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 at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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