Las Vegas Weekly

March 2, 2010 · 5:20 PM

Holly Madison: ‘Peepshow is back and better than ever!’

By Robin Leach

Peepshow at Planet Hollywood.

Photo: Denise Truscello/WireImage

There’s no doubt about it. The producers of Holly Madison’s Peepshow at Planet Hollywood have made it hotter and sexier during its six-week hiatus. In fact, it’s at least twice as hot now because audiences get to see Holly go topless in two dance numbers, and just so the girls aren’t left out of the flesh appeal, the Big Bad Wolf drops his trousers to bare his bum.

The revamped show reopened to a sell-out crowd last night, and its platinum blonde bombshell star even tweeted her verdict before she talked with me at the end of the performance. She said: “Peepshow is back and better than ever! What a fantastic audience tonight! Great job, everyone.”

When I chatted with Holly, she said: “I am so excited to be back with the show. It felt like we had been gone forever even though it was only six weeks. All the new elements work so well. There was really good energy tonight, and the new cast all worked well and showed they were having tons of fun onstage and with the audience.”

I noted that the cheerleaders’ number has vanished and a very hot and sexy dance routine with Holly winding up trapped topless in a giant spider web has been added.

“I am really happy about that. I’d asked to do more, and I didn’t mind adding the extra topless appearance,” she told me. I even noted in the finale that she goes topless, too, a lot sooner before Peep Diva gives her a white boa. “I’m glad you noticed that, too,” Holly laughed.

In addition to new casting and Wayne Brady’s former backup singer Cheaza taking over as Peep Diva, there’s new lighting, dance numbers and costumes. I think the G-strings have gotten even briefer -- if that’s possible -- and the dancers seem to revel in who can be first and fastest to remove their bras! The huge tank of milk, the soaring saddle striptease and six stripper poles are still safely intact, along with the stellar singing of Josh Strickland, who is co-starring in Holly’s E! reality TV series Holly’s World.

Producer Scott Zeiger, head of BASE Entertainment, welcomed the audience, which including Cirque du Soleil cast members. Also in the audience, Luxor President Felix Rappaport, who is meeting with Scott today about possibilities at the Luxor. Scott told me that as a producer and investor in The Phantom of the Opera, he’ll fly to London for Tuesday’s world premiere of its sequel Love Never Dies with Sierra Boggess, who was his star here in Phantom -- the Las Vegas Spectacular at The Venetian.

“We are automatically an investor in the American production of Love Never Dies, which will open at the Marquis Theater on Broadway in November. There are no plans whatsoever for it to come to Las Vegas for many years. Phantom is still doing good business here. Our Jersey Boys is still a sellout every night. Phantom has a good five years yet here, and we can always add guest name stars if necessary,” he said.

Peepshow creator, director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell is in London as choreographer for Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies. He returns here after the opening and will spend four days on the Strip on March 16 putting the final touches on the revamped Peepshow. Then he returns to London to ready the future Broadway and Australian versions.

Holly’s dressing room was flooded with flowers from well-wishers for her second opening night. She noted that former boyfriend Playboy founder Hugh Hefner had sent dozens of her favorite yellow roses. Hef even tweeted, “Congratulations and love to Holly on her new season of Peepshow tonight in Vegas.”

She summed up: “In our afternoon final rehearsal, I almost fell right over in the second-to-last routine. I thought if that happens on the night, we’re all in trouble. But everything went flawlessly. No drama. Nothing went wrong. No emergencies -- just a fabulous success. I’m so glad we’re back.”

Holly resumes filming Holly’s World at the end of March. It will premiere on Memorial Day weekend and air in her The Girls Next Door friend Kendra Wilkinson’s time slot as Kendra’s season ends.

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

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