Las Vegas Weekly

May 12, 2010 · 5:39 PM

Strip Scribbles: Celine Dion named America’s favorite singer in poll

By Robin Leach

Celine Dion in concert in Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 28, 2009.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

Superstar Celine Dion has been named America’s favorite singer in a new Harris Poll, followed by U2 in second place, Elvis Presley and The Beatles tied for third, Tim McGraw fifth, Lady Gaga sixth place, George Strait and Rascal Flatts seventh and eighth and Alan Jackson and Frank Sinatra tied for ninth to round out the Top 10.

Celine starts her new three-year residency at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace next March 15. The AEG Live show, directed by longtime Grammy Awards director Ken Ehrlich and being designed exclusively for The Colosseum, features 31 musicians in a full orchestra and band. The concept centers on capturing the romance of classic Hollywood movies, in addition to Celine’s biggest hits, performed with a stunning visual presentation.

“Celine’s production team has been working on some unique creative elements for the show, which will take the live Las Vegas experience to a whole new level and offer audiences something refreshingly unexpected,” said John Meglen, president and co-CEO of AEG Live/Concerts West.

*Peepshow star and reality TV darling Holly Madison has created a line of candy necklaces from her own signature favorite sweet treat. She’ll unveil the creations Friday of next week, and fans will be able to watch the debut as she films it for her new E! Entertainment reality TV series Holly’s World.

*Launched yesterday, Wanna Get Lucky by Las Vegas writer Deborah Coonts -- my neighbor here -- is already getting rave reviews. We toasted to her debut novel’s success and her female character Lucky with champagne. Deborah, whose husband is New York Times bestselling author Steven Coonts, said she has already started work on two sequels. “Some are lucky at cards. Some are lucky in love. Others simply wanna get lucky,” she quipped.

*Congratulations to Treasure Island’s newly opened Oleksandra Spa & Salon run by T.I. owner Phil Ruffin’s wife. The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences bestowed yesterday its International Five Star Diamond Award -- the most prestigious award of excellence in hospitality, gastronomy, attitude, quality, cleanliness and, above all, service. T.I. and the spa and salon now join a distinguished list of winners including Burj Al Arab in Dubai, the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo and The Madison in Washington, D.C. Earlier this year, Treasure Island earned AAA’s Four Diamond Award.

WICKED WHISPERS & RACY RUMORS

Did entertainment executives from The Venetian and Monte Carlo try last-minute bids for Human Nature before they renewed for two years with their Motown hits show at Imperial Palace? … Which faded Atlantic City casino hotel is going to get a major makeover and name change to a hipper, more modern Las Vegas resort branding? … It can’t possibly be true, but I’m told from strong sources that a beautician with one of our most prestigious casino salons is receiving a massive check to take a permanent trip out of town since a most unexpected hotel head honcho has been paying too much attention to her during his mani-pedi sessions -- and then after-hours!

*Every Wednesday, the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health hosts caregiver support programs. Today, it’s a primer against senior scams and how not to be a victim and fight frauds. Next week, Keep Memory Alive founder Larry Ruvo will speak, and then May 26, Muhammad Ali’s daughter Rasheda, who wrote I’ll Hold Your Hand So You Won’t Fall will speak about Parkinson’s disease and how children can best understand it.

*The inaugural fundraising gala for the Nevada Blind Children’s Foundation is at World Market Center on May 22. The Ladybug Ball will raise funds for programs in our state with no school for the blind. Visually impaired kids here can either move out of state for resources or turn to the Nevada Blind Children’s Foundation for support.

STAR SURVEILLANCE

Floyd Mayweather Jr. celebrated his brother’s birthday last night with a large group of family and friends at Lavo in the Palazzo. Dessert was two seven-layer chocolate cakes for the group! After dinner, the party continued upstairs in the boutique nightclub with DJ Five, Patron Silver and Hennessy. Jeffrey Samardzija of the Chicago Cubs was at Lavo with a group of MLB players. … Dancing With the Stars frontrunner Nicole Scherzinger dine at Munch in Caesars Palace and posed for photographs with patrons. … Actors Chazz Palminteri, William Baldwin and Joe Piscopo and B Real of Cypress Hill were all at Steve Martorano’s restaurant in The Rio. Steve and Chazz hosted three couples who bid $4,200 each at the Candlelighters Organization fundraiser for dinner with Chazz and the meal cooked by Steve. The couples were in a bidding war, so Chazz and Steve offered all three the meals. … Comedian and TV host Howie Mandel dined at N9NE Steakhouse in the Palms last night, as did Britain’s Got Talent judge Piers Morgan, while upstairs in Moon, Carmit Bachar, formerly with the Pussycat Dolls, was at a VIP table with four friends.

TONIGHT’S TIPS

Direct from China, the new DAO Asian Celebration provides a world of rich traditions of Chinese mystery, culture, acrobatics, dance and martial arts at the Riviera. … My pal Jerry Greenberg presents an amazing re-creation of The Doors at the Las Vegas Hilton with Wild Child. … Jersey Boys star Travis Cloer performs with Rag Tag Entertainment in the cabaret showroom of The Liberace Museum as birthday week celebrations continue. … Two big bashes at Carey Hart’s Wasted Space in the Hard Rock Hotel celebrate the Bullet for My Valentine after-party and the Cabana Candy launch promising gorgeous girls galore. … And you can’t top it off any better than the first of a monthly series of Naked Sushi presentations at Osaka, where handmade rolls will be served on nearly naked models wearing banana leaves.

TOMORROW’S TEASES

We’ll have the first photo gallery of the Miss USA Pageant contestants in ball gowns and swimsuits from their pageant presentation show tonight at 8, plus two other extraordinary sets of photos: a unique aerial sequence taken directly above the Strip by low-flying helicopter and a new wild TV poker show that pits the pros against ordinary players. Plus, we reveal the 2010 Playboy Playmate of the Year.

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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