Las Vegas Weekly

February 22, 2010 · 9:51 AM

Bill Clinton discusses Our Common Humanity at Colosseum tonight

By Robin Leach

Former President Bill Clinton at the National Clean Air Energy Summit 2.0 at UNLV's Cox Pavilion.

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

It’s highly doubtful that there’ll be any flamboyant flash and fishnet costumes the likes of which Cher could only wear. Don’t expect Bette Midler’s Caesars Salad dancers to pick up a night’s work and strut their stuff now that the show has ended. And it’s way too early to expect Celine Dion’s upcoming 31-member orchestra to come in for a one-night gig to play her hits.

This will be a plain stage with a podium and microphone. After all, this is not a Jerry Seinfeld soliloquy on life in a tiny Manhattan apartment with zany neighbors. The most you might get is an excited announcer opening: “Tonight, direct from a New York hospital heart health scare, it’s the 42nd president of the United States.”

Yes, Bill Clinton walks the stage of the legendary Caesars Palace Colosseum tonight for a lecture titled Embracing Our Common Humanity. He’ll share unique insights and observations to describe the challenge of globalization, emphasize growing interdependence and point the way toward a common feature based on shared goals and values. Nothing funny there -- no sidesplitting humor or laugh-out-loud jokes!

Fans will line up, though, to hear him wax wise, and after the show, some dining choices for the first Democratic president in six decades to have been elected twice. He’s previously enjoyed Caesars Palace restaurants, having dined at Wolfgang Puck’s Spago and Rao’s Italian outpost from New York City near his Harlem offices.

Clinton, with a Secret Service detail in tow, is expected to stay in the grandest suite at the resort that Oprah Winfrey marveled at when she stayed in it. The closest our former chief executive is likely to come to the antics of The Hangover filmed there is to watch the DVD that’s available in the penthouse super-suites. He might use the gym now that he’s under doctor’s orders for extra exercise and a better diet after stents were placed in his heart last week.

It’s a quick overnight trip for Clinton, who lands here today just 72 hours after President Obama came to town. William Jefferson Clinton will receive a very warm welcome because he’s always been a big booster of Las Vegas -- and has always enjoyed himself on visits here.

So call it our Tonight’s Tip, and, incidentally, if you spring for the $750 highest-price ducat, it gets you a seat in the first four rows and a meet-and-greet photo op with him after the lecture.

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.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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