Las Vegas Weekly

January 24, 2010 · 1:36 PM

Photo Gallery: Marie Osmond is NBT’s Woman of the Year

By Robin Leach

Nevada Ballet Theater honored Marie Osmond as its Woman of the Year in the Champagne Ballroom of the Paris on Jan. 23, 2010.

Photo: Denise Truscello/WireImage

Flamingo headliner Marie Osmond received the Woman of the Year Award from Nevada Ballet Theater during its annual Black & White Gala in the Champagne Ballroom of the Paris last night, and I tweeted from the festive celebration.

Here are some highlights:

Lon Bronson’s band rocking the Champagne Ballroom at the Paris for Nevada Ballet Theater Black & White Gala. Tony Delgado’s ballroom dancers danced us all in for dinner. Now the NBT ballerinas start the gala.

Marie Osmond is Woman of the Year and has made her grand entrance and is now working the tables. Marie is looking glam and gorgeous. Who will surprise her later? Marie just told me E.T.’s cameras are here, so she’s run off for a moment to do their interview.

Cynthia Gregory, prima ballerina from American Ballet Theater, has just moved to Vegas and is attending her first NBT gala. George Wallace here. Myron Martin of Performing Arts Center told me the building tops out in February, and first shows will be March 2012. It’s beside Lou Ruvo Clinic.

I conducted the paddle raise, and we took in $40,000 for a new ballet dance floor. One lucky person won the raffle, and L.A. trip to Jimmy Kimmel’s TV show. It’s the 26th annual gala. Previous honorees have included Bette Midler, Celine Dion, Rita Rudner, Ann-Margaret, Paula Abdul and Phyllis McGuire.

Trip to St Petersburg, Russia, with airfare provided by Cirque du Soleil, just sold for nearly $10K, meaning more funds for NBT. Mosaic now doing its vocal musical instrument tribute to Marie Osmond. Six-man group with sensational sounds.

Intro to Marie Osmond as we ready for her award. Marie says she is staying in Vegas if Flamingo show ever ends. With eight kids, she loves no tax. Musical video tribute to Marie runs down her extraordinary career and successes. She co-founded Children’s Miracle Network, which has raised $3 billion-plus.

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

Nevada Ballet Theater honored Marie Osmond as its Woman of the Year in the Champagne Ballroom of the Paris on Jan. 23, 2010. Marie is pictured here with George Wallace.

Marie gets standing ovation as she goes onstage. Marie is thrilled to be here. Marie puts on glasses for her acceptance speech. Why does Marie keep picking on me to punctuate her jokes? Gotta ask her about that. Maybe she does want me to be her boyfriend?!

She’s giving kudos to various folks, including her Dancing With the Stars friend Wayne Newton, who talked her into moving to Vegas. Donny may have won DWTS, but he will never be Woman of the Year, cracks Marie to end her speech.

I have no idea at all why lovely Marie Osmond found me her perfect comedic foil at last night’s Nevada Ballet Theater B&W gala. Marie, who was paid tribute as Woman of the Year, got in dig after dig at me as we razzed each other in a spontaneous, unscripted joke fest!

The crowd laughed and loved it. Our Senior Editor Johnny Katz even said we should take the show on the road! It was classic Burns & Allen!

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

Nevada Ballet Theater honored Marie Osmond as its Woman of the Year in the Champagne Ballroom of the Paris on Jan. 23, 2010. Jennifer and Frank Mir are pictured here.

We posted our interview with Marie on Friday, and our Senior Editor John Katsilometes posted his story this morning in The Kats Report on the Las Vegas Sun, while photographers Denise Truscello and Erik Kabik captured Marie’s magical moment last night.

NBT launched its Spread the Dance campaign, which includes yours truly, last week.

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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