Las Vegas Weekly

March 16, 2010 · 3:53 PM

Strip Scribbles: George Wallace is giving away a Smart Car on April 1

By Robin Leach

George Wallace at Frank Caliendo's grand opening at the Monte Carlo on Nov. 13, 2009.

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

Comedian George Wallace is giving away a Smart Car to one lucky winner at his April 1 show in the Flamingo, where he’s headlined for six years, and the giveaway is no joke! Fans participate by filling out an entry form at his showroom after watching the performance. Anybody who buys tickets from VegasOnDemand.com also is automatically entered.

Said George: “I’m so excited to be giving away this Smart Car. I love to give back to the community, and this is just another way to let my fans know that I love them and there’s absolutely nothing they can do about it.” George plans to make calls to folks entered in the contest to post on his Facebook page and Web site over the next three weeks. He added: “It’s not an April Fools’ joke. I’m actually giving away the Smart Car. For 863,000 people, it may be a joke, but for one winner, it’s for real.”

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

Chef Todd English at the grand opening of Beso restaurant and Eve Nightclub at CityCenter on Dec. 3, 2009.

*Three-time James Beard Award-winning celebrity chef Todd English officially debuts his latest eatery Todd English P.U.B. at MGM CityCenter’s Crystals. P.U.B., an acronym for Public Urban Bar, is a modern interpretation of an authentic English pub and features more than 50 bottle, keg and cask beers, including rare finds such as Van Diest Fruli Strawberry, Rogue Chocolate Stout and Strongbow Cider. The fun begins at the bar, equipped with signature Todd English hourglasses that encase only seven seconds of sand. Down a draught in 7 seconds, and the pint is on the house, up to four pints!

The P.U.B. gets a private VIP going-over this evening but has its public grand opening celebration tomorrow and will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from sales of its commemorative glasses to the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. During the all-day celebration, guests can purchase 23-ounce commemorative pilsner glasses with a Pyramid Haywire Hefeweizen or Audacious Apricots Ale for $20 and keep the glass. The festivities will include traditional English pub games including darts and beer pong on the specially designed tables in the restaurant, plus the 7-second beer challenges.

WICKED WHISPERS & RACY RUMORS

Staff at one of our Las Vegas casino resorts is whispering about the generosity of their boss meeting payroll out of his own pocket when the bank cut off funds in between loans being re-engineered. … Landlords at one Strip shopping mall are confident that they will be signing a new tenant very shortly to a vacated “midnight flit” theater space. … Which star of a Strip show was felled for a week by laryngitis? The understudy wasn’t even ready to step into the shoes, so a dancer just did the moves but not the words! … Expect an announcement shortly about a major star being added to a rotating Strip theater: The deal is done, but the contract remains to be signed. Then the ticket sales date can be revealed. … Is yet another Las Vegas hotel about to go the bankruptcy route? I’m told the count might actually be two more, but the good news is that this past weekend was the best since New Year’s on room rates, show audience numbers and restaurant reservations, so maybe the tide is turning. Hopefully!

*It’s college basketball tournament time, and nobody does it like our town. With March Madness rapidly approaching, Vegas.com has complied its travel predictions and stats for the big upcoming events. Here are a few stats vs. last year’s March Madness: Hotel room sales in Las Vegas are up slightly compared to last year. The average daily hotel room rate is up 14 percent from last year, the largest increase for a major holiday so far in 2010.

Photo: Scott Doctor

Blue Man Group showed up at Amy Smart's party.

*Another indication of improved economic figures might be found in the now seven-day-a-week performance schedule to start for Blue Man Group as of April 1. And its two shows nightly with a third being added over upcoming Easter weekend dates! The high-octane multi-media attraction is filling the 1,760 seats at its Venetian theater so well that starting April 1, and at least through June 30, the new schedule will be 7 and 10 p.m. seven days a week. On April 2, 3 and 10, there also will be a third show at 4 p.m.!

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

Joe Bastianich and chef Mario Batali at Mario Batali's farmers market Bet on the Farm in the Palazzo.

*Palazzo and Venetian restaurant owner and viticulturist Joe Bastianich, Mario Batali’s business partner, turned up on NBC’s Today to plug our upcoming gourmet food extravaganza Vegas Uncork’d. Joe instructed the TV hosts how to pair wine with music and, of course, food. He will host the After Hours Crushed: Wine that Rocks! event at Azure Pool in the Palazzo on May 8.

*Magicians worldwide led by our Las Vegas-based illusionists celebrated the ides of March last night. March 15 is the date best known for when Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 B.C. by Brutus, Cassius and 60 other conspirators. William Shakespeare’s play tells that Caesar was warned by a fortuneteller to be wary for his life, which was in danger on the Ides of March. Since the date was made famous by a mentalist, magicians have always celebrated it with a prediction -- but are under a code of conduct not to reveal any premonitions of death or doom.

Photo: Joe Fury/N9NE Group

The Glitch Mob at the Palms.

Photo: Joe Fury/N9NE Group

The Glitch Mob performs at the Palms.

STAR SURVEILLANCE

Pop star Kristinia DeBarge indulged in sweet treats at the newly opened Sugar Factory inside Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile shops. The singer was with her mother, and they scooped up some of the most popular items, including Britney Spears’ Signature Couture Pops. Kristina performed as the opening act for Britney during her worldwide Circus Tour last year. … Moon at the Palms was the scene of a remarkable 90-minute impromptu performance by The Glitch Mob, an up-and-coming band made up of three guys with oddball names: edIT, Ooah and Boreta, who rocked the house. … NFL phenom Jason Sehorn enjoyed a luxurious stay at the Palazzo in a 2,000-foot luxury suite with pool table and piano. Jason was one of the first to tackle the Bamwich, Emeril Lagasse’s new signature steak sandwich that’s served with chili cheese fries and wings at Lagasse’s Stadium. During his visit, Jason played PocketCasino and posed for photos and signed autographs. The next night, Jason was at star chef Mario Batali’s Carnevino for a tavern burger and potato chips.

TONIGHT’S TIPS

Good Charlotte rocker Joel Madden is the guest DJ behind the wheels of steel at Moon. … Comedienne Maryellen Hooper, who won Best Female Standup at the 12th Annual American Comedy Awards, headlines at Harrah’s Improv with Marc Price and Lachlan Patterson through Sunday. Maryellen recently recorded her first comedy CD Dignity Under Duress.

TOMORROW’S TEASES

It’s St. Patrick’s Day and the wearin’ of the green! In the search for the shamrock, we’ll turn over every four-leafed clover with a ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN of everything that’s happening with lucky leprechauns. Peepshow star Holly Madison leads the parade on the Strip! Begorrah! Plus 2010 Miss America Caressa Cameron gets home to Virginia for the first time since being crowned at Planet Hollywood back in January, and we have the photos of the emotional homecoming. We also get right under the nose and in the face of Steve Dacri to check out his extraordinary and amazing close-up magic at the Las Vegas Hilton.

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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