Las Vegas Weekly

July 26, 2010 · 4:24 PM

Strip Scribbles: Drive to aid Young Nala actress Aug. 3 at Mandalay Bay

By Don Chareunsy

The cast of Disney's The Lion King celebrates the show's first anniversary at Mandalay Bay on May 15, 2010.

Photo: Getty Images

By Don Chareunsy, Vegas DeLuxe editor

Disney’s The Lion King, bone marrow center DKMS, GetSwabbed.org, Disney Theatrical Productions and Mandalay Bay are hosting a bone marrow drive at Mandalay Bay Theater on Aug. 3 to assist Shannon Tavarez, 11, and other leukemia patients. Diagnosed with acute leukemia in April, Shannon, who portrays Young Nala in Broadway’s The Lion King, is fighting for her life, and a bone marrow transplant might be her only chance at survival.

DKMS, the largest bone marrow donor center in the world, has joined the effort to raise awareness and help Shannon in her battle. Shannon’s mother is black and her father is Dominican. Only eight percent of the 7 million registered donors are black, which means that only 17 percent of blacks in need of a transplant will receive one. The drive is noon to 4 p.m., donors must be ages 18 to 55 and in good health, and registering to become a donor begins with a cheek swab.

To pre-register, email MatchShannonLV@gmail.com or visit the Match Shannon Facebook page. Additional details, including donor eligibility criteria, are at GetSwabbed.org and MatchShannon.com.

*Is singer Olivia Newton-John coming to The Strip as a headliner? According to Fox 5 News/KVVU, the recent Glee guest star, who performed her monster hit “Physical” with Jane Lynch’s character Sue Sylvester, is in talks to perform here, she told More on Friday. The show would debut in 2011, although there is now deal right now, she said. Newton-John attended a meet-and-greet with fans at The Venetian last Friday.

STAR SURVEILLANCE

Sports stars converged on Lavo in the Palazzo last night for the sounds of DJ Vice. LeBron James of the Miami Heat arrived with a large group that included Damon Jones of the Milwaukee Bucks and took over two dance floor tables stocked with Belvedere, Patron and Perrier Jouet Rose. James danced and waved to fans. At the next table, Lamar Odom of the Los Angeles Lakers was with brother-in-law Robert Kardashian Jr. and friends. The crowd went wild for the NBA champ when Vice announced his arrival, and he enjoyed a cigar, Grey Goose cocktails and Moet Nectar champagne. Also at a dance floor table was Larry Johnson of the Washington Redskins enjoying Ace of Spades champagne and Patron. Johnson gave James a shout-out and a glass of bubby to a dancing bachelorette. Playboy Playmate and Holly’s World star Laura Croft also was at Lavo with girlfriends. … Cesar Millan of National Geographic’s The Dog Whisperer watched Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular at The Venetian.

Check out the weekend celebrity recap posted this morning on VDLX for more star coverage.

TONIGHT’S TIPS

Ken Garr and Butch Bradley are at Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club in Tropicana. … Elvis Presley impersonator Trent Carlini is at the Las Vegas Hilton. … Santa Fe and the Fat City Horns are at The Lounge in the Palms. … And Jeff Garcia, Kenny Bob Davis and Brandon Hahn are at The Improv at Harrah’s through Sunday.

TOMORROW’S TEASES

Zoe Thrall of the Palms Recording Studio and Aid for AIDS of Nevada (AFAN) are tomorrow’s guest columnists.

Vegas DeLuxe Editor Don Chareunsy is assisting with Strip Scribbles while Robin Leach is on vacation through Aug. 4.

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.

Share This