Las Vegas Weekly

March 5, 2010 · 4:34 PM

Strip Scribbles: Warner Bros. to get Achievement Award at ShoWest

By Robin Leach

Three men and a baby: Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms in The Hangover.

Photo: Warner Bros.

The statistic is mind-blowing: $4.010 billion in ticket sales for Warner Bros. from its 2009 worldwide box office. Here in the U.S. alone, the company raked in more than $2 billion. The staggering numbers were revealed yesterday when ShoWest announced that it will present the Achievement Award to the company at the final night’s banquet and awards ceremony March 18 as the four-day convention wraps at Bally’s and Paris.

While in Las Vegas the week after next, Warner executives will announce a bigger blockbuster lineup for 2010. Expect to see Clash of the Titans starring Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes; Sex and the City 2; Inception starring Leonardo DiCaprio; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1; the Clint Eastwood-directed Hereafter starring Matt Damon; and Life as We Know It starring Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel and Josh Lucas.

Warner’s record in 2009 included nine films that opened at No. 1 and held the top spot for 12 weeks total: Gran Torino, He’s Just Not That Into You, Friday the 13th, Watchmen, 17 Again, The Hangover, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, The Final Destination and Where the Wild Things Are. Six of the studio’s films grossed more than $100 million domestically: Watchmen, $107 million; Terminator Salvation, $125 million; The Hangover, $277 million (making it the top-grossing R-rated comedy of all time); Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, $302 million; The Blind Side, $248 million; and Sherlock Holmes, $206 million. Many stars of Warner’s upcoming films will be here for ShoWest.

*The 16th Annual BMI Latin Awards were last night at the Bellagio, and Las Vegas News Bureau photographer Brian Jones was on red carpet duty. He captured these photos of Grammy, Latin Grammy and Billboard Music Awards winner Juan Luis Guerra-Seijas and Latin Billboard chart-topper Fanny Lu. Grammy and Latin Grammy Award winner Juanes received the BMI President's Award from BMI President and CEO Del Bryant and BMI Assistant Vice President, Latin Music, Los Angeles Delia Orjuela, and he proudly held it alongside wife Karen Martinez.

*The Wet Republic folks really want you to know that they are waging war on nightlife, as the new marketing campaign says it all. We wrote about the pool wars heating up yesterday as George Maloof opens his Palms Pool and Bungalows today. Wet Republic follows with next weekend’s opening at MGM.

STAR SURVEILLANCE

Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi took their families to see The Beatles’ Love by Cirque du Soleil at The Mirage after coming in early from the L.A. tour stop for their concert tomorrow at MGM. … Ex-NFL star Jay Fielder dined with a friend at N9NE Steakhouse in the Palms.

*One of the most exquisite men’s gift collections goes on show today and tomorrow at Viceroy in MGM CityCenter’s Aria. William Henry Studios will showcase its finely crafted pocketknives, pens and money clips. It takes 800 steps by 30 artisans and craftsmen some eight months to create just one pocketknife, so each is a limited edition. The designers use organic materials such as exotic hardwoods and Mother of Pearl jewelry for the casings with insets of diamonds, sapphires, opals and rubies.

*Las Vegas-based best-selling author Todd Wilbur, creator off the Top Secret Recipes franchise, has announced a tie for the winner of his 1,000th recipe contest. He’s named the chicken and gnocchi soup from The Olive Garden and KFC’s Kentucky Grilled Chicken as joint winners. The recipe contest, which kicked off with the release of his ninth cookbook Top Secret Recipes Unlocked, allowed the Clone Ranger’s fans to send him their pick for his 1,000th recipe. “I have already started unlocking the secret to the soup, and I expect to master that very soon,” Todd said. “I was amazed that after two months of tabulating all the entries for the 1,000th recipe, it ended in an exact tie.”

Now it’s time for us to cook all the tasty dishes to create a menu of superstar attractions for this headliner weekend that we affectionately refer to around here as the ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN:

FRIDAY, MARCH 5

*Legendary singer-songwriter Barry Manilow will make music and magic as he begins his two-year residency at the Paris performing 156 shows staged by choreographer and director Jeffrey Hornaday of Flashdance, A Chorus Line and High School Musical fame.

*British crooner Engelbert Humperdinck, with the smoother than black silk bed sheets voice, is at The Orleans singing his hits that have kept on piling up since his 1967 debut “Release Me.” The Indian-born singer with one of the most unusual names in showbiz, given to him by Tom Jones’ original manager, performs through Sunday.

*Comedy king George Lopez has racked up extraordinary success with his own sitcom, TV appearances, comedy specials and now his own late-night talk show. He brings his Tall, Dark and Chicano Tour for two nights to the Las Vegas Hilton. Coincidentally, in the nearby cabaret showroom, comic Andrew Dice Clay, who appeared on George’s TV show last night, is performing another weekend of outrageous material.

*Comedy superstars Ray Romano and Kevin James team up for a humorous one-two punch at The Mirage. Each does a solo standup, and then they double for the closing, double-barreled laughs. … El Charo with special guest Valentina plucks the heartstrings at House of Blues in Mandalay Bay, while the reggae, funk and R&B group Prince Ama and International Flow perform at Smokin’ Hot Aces at The Venetian.

PARTY PATROL

Platinum knockout Holly Madison will make a splash wearing a bikini on the red carpet when she hosts the official U.S. launch of designer Adriana Fernandez Bikinis with a midnight fashion show at Eve in CityCenter’s Crystals. Twenty models will show off the swimwear in Eva Longoria Parker’s new nightclub above her restaurant Beso. … At Prive in Planet Hollywood, it’s the official Las Vegas release party for She’s Out of My League. … Sexy Shannon Elizabeth hosts at Pure in Caesars Palace, while the duo Nikki and Rick walk the red carpet just before midnight at Bank Nightclub in the Bellagio.

SATURDAY, MARCH 6

*Bon Jovi is almost a month into its new world tour. They unveiled The Circle Tour on Feb. 11 in Honolulu, and they’ll play 135 shows in 30 countries through 2011. The N.J. rockers are at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

*Local performers are turning out for a fundraiser to help Las Vegas entertainer and musical conductor Bill Fayne pay medical bills after he underwent major surgery for esophagus cancer that had him in a weeklong coma. The salute is a sell-out at Suncoast, with a lineup including Lance Burton, Terry Fator, Louie Anderson, Human Nature, Susan Anton and cast members of Jersey Boys and Menopause: the Musical and led by his best pal singer Clint Holmes.

*The fourth edition of the concert tour that pays homage to the music and legacy of Jimi Hendrix will include contemporary rock and blues artists Brad Whitford of Aerosmith, Double Trouble’s Chris Layton and David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos, along with Joe Satriani, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and bassist Billy Cox. The musicians all team up and pair off separately to play Hendrix’s hits.

*Dick Dale & Yeller Bellies perform at the Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip, while Neal McCoy is the real McCoy at Silverton Casino Lodge.

*Tickets go on sale today for Crosby, Stills & Nash at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel on June 4. David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash are still going strong.

PARTY PATROL

Jersey Shore stars Ronnie & Sammie make their debut appearance here at Jet in The Mirage. … It might be the sexiest party of the year when The Black Tape Masquerade Ball, featuring adult giveaways and hot models in black tape lingerie designs, is at Prive in Planet Hollywood. Is this where Lady Gaga got her fashion ideas? … Leighton Meester throws a Good Girls Gone Bad party at Haze in MGM CityCenter’s Aria. … Big Boi performs and hosts at Pure in Caesars Palace, while Blake Lewis is at LAX in the Luxor.

SUNDAY, MARCH 7

*All the glamour and excitement of Hollywood’s biggest night of the year comes to The Las Vegas Oscar Night America party to benefit Variety Children’s Charity. A red carpet, authentic Academy Award programs and a re-creation of the exact Oscar dinner starts at 4 p.m. at The M Resort. Master magician Lance Burton and his Strip friends including magicians Mac King, Jeff Hobson and Bob Masi, juggler Michael Goudeau and Melody Scott will entertainment between commercial breaks and on the red carpet.

*The Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show kicks off with a party at Vanity in the Hard Rock Hotel with DJ Presto One and DJ Five.

PARTY PATROL

Galactic plans to raise the roof at Carey Hart’s Wasted Space in the Hard Rock Hotel, and its Ladies Night with DJ Ryan Wellman spinning at Prive.

MONDAY’S TEASES

Mindfreak magician Criss Angel jets out of town on a rush round trip to host World Wrestling Entertainment’s Raw Live, and in an exclusive interview, he reveals why he’s going for the 10-year reunion throw down with the musclemen and wrestling warriors.

We’ll also have the full weekend wrap-up of parties on the Strip, plus nightlife czar Jack Colton helps us with the rundown for the Nightclub & Bar convention.

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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