Las Vegas Weekly

May 13, 2010 · 3:56 PM

Strip Scribbles: Music legends Dionne Warwick, Connie Francis at Hilton

By Robin Leach

Connie Francis, Eric Floyd and Dionne Warwick.

Photo: Eric Floyd

Music superstars Connie Francis and Dionne Warwick will perform together onstage for the first time at the Las Vegas Hilton for three nights starting May 21. They are two of the world’s most recognizable voices and successful female recording artists of all time, who have between them a remarkable 175 Top 10 global hit singles and have sold more than 500 million albums worldwide. Little wonder that they are hailed as “The Grand Divas of the Stage!”

Las Vegas producer Eric Floyd told me it was his life-long dream to get the two singers together: “I just asked. Apparently no one ever had, and they both said yes.” Next weekend’s shows won’t be the first time they’ve met. Both are New Jersey natives born on Dec. 12 (the same also as Joe Williams and Frank Sinatra) and were once rival junior high school cheerleaders. Connie admits that she turned down song submissions from a young Burt Bacharach and Hal David, which resulted in Dionne’s 12 million-selling debut album with the songwriting duo.

Photo: Miss America Organization

Miss America 2010 Caressa Cameron, right, meets with soldiers and their families stationed in Germany.

*It’s not just about the Miss USA Pageant girls today! Miss America 2010 Caressa Cameron, who was crowned here at Planet Hollywood in January, is wrapping up her five-day tour in Stuttgart, Germany, visiting U.S. military personnel and their families, U.S. schoolchildren attending Department of Defense schools and wounded warriors at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and at warrior transition centers in the Stuttgart area. It’s Caressa's first time traveling to Europe.

Photo: Miss America Organization

General William E. Ward, Miss America 2010 Caressa Cameron and Lord Mayor Wolfgang Schubert.

Photo: Miss America Organization

Miss America 2010 Caressa Cameron with students from Patch Elementary School in Stuttgart, Germany.

In an email to me, Caressa said she told the troops: “The job that you do, and the service that you present, is unparalleled, and I just cannot say how many wonderful things I've heard about you. And how wonderful it is to know that there are people out there who do what you do, who care and serve willingly and freely because they have the heart to do so. A lot of my job as Miss America is going around and caring for others. What you offer to this country, to countries all around the world, and abroad is absolutely amazing. Thank you for your heart of service.”

*Tonight at the Luxor, I shoot a segment for A&E’s Biography about Criss Angel and afterward will relax with a fine stogie at the launch of the new cigar nights at Rhumbar in The Mirage.

Photo: Glenn Pinkerton/Las Vegas News Bureau

Rita Rudner arrives on the blue carpet for the Viva Elvis world premiere at Aria in CityCenter on Feb. 19, 2010.

*It looks all set for Wayne Newton, Terry Fator and Rita Rudner to join Fox News host and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee next week when he tapes two one-hour network specials in The Venetian Showroom. I’m going to play announcer and guest on both, and Venetian Chairman Sheldon Adelson also is on the schedule.

*Local rockers My Darkest Days has collaborated on “Porn Star Dancer” with Ludacris, Nickelback’s Chad Kroger and Zakk Wylde, Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist. The video for the song was shot last week at Vanity and SkyBar in the Hard Rock Hotel and at the Palms. Chad specifically added the new Tequila rage Ambhar to be part of the shoot. The tequila is available at Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, Hard Rock, The Venetian and Luxor and is the exclusive tequila at Rehab.

STAR SURVEILLANCE

Rapper Sean Paul dined at Nove Italiano in the Palms and then headed up to The Playboy Club, where the sexy Bunnies presented him with a Playboy Club key. UFC President Dana White and comedian and TV host Howie Mandel also were at The Playboy Club in separate groups. … Comic book legend Stan Lee was hosted by 20 friends for a special dinner in N9NE Steakhouse at the Palms before going up to Moon, where Ronny Turiaf of the Golden State Warriors joined them. … Rocker and hometown hero Michael Godard won first place in a Road to Recovery Foundation poker tournament at the Hard Rock Hotel to benefit injured Supercross riders, and he turned round and donated a Ryan Villopoto custom Cannondale carbon fiber bike he’d painted for the silent auction. … Freestyle skier and Olympic star Alex Bilodeau watched The Beatles Love by Cirque du Soleil at The Mirage with four friends and a TSN crew. They all went backstage to meet the cast, where Alex posed for photographs with the cast and his gold medal. Alex won a gold in the men’s moguls at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, becoming the first Canadian to win a gold at an Olympic Games in Canada.

TONIGHT’S TIPS

The weeklong birthday celebrations honoring Liberace continue at his foundation and museum with two guided tours, the Valeri Glava Musical Journey with Liberace scholar Christine Riegart and Anna Kijanowska’s classical piano concert in the Cabaret Showroom. … The Jeremy Cornwell Project kicks off the new Happy Hour at Twin Creeks in Silverton Casino Lodge. …. And comedian Bryan Callen headlines at The Playboy Comedy in the Palms hosted by Cort McCown and Paul Hughes.

Photo: Sony Pictures/Hot Ticket

Kenny Chesney at the red carpet premiere for his Summer in 3D at Rave Motion Pictures in Town Square on April 17, 2010.

TOMORROW’S TEASES

It’s a weekend of wondrous women and gorgeous girls as Hugh Hefner introduces Texas temptress Hope Dworaczyk as the new Playmate of the Year at a party at Rain the Palms that readers and fans can attend for the first time, plus 51 pretty pageant princesses compete in the 2010 Miss USA Pageant. Country king Kenny Chesney hits town, along with rockers Paramore, and The Lion King celebrates its first anniversary at Mandalay Bay.

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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