Las Vegas Weekly

May 16, 2010 · 8:41 AM

Photos: Hugh Hefner fetes Playboy PMOY Hope Dworaczyk at the Palms

By Don Chareunsy

Hugh Hefner, Crystal Harris and 2010 Playboy Playmate of the Year Hope Dworaczyk arrive at the Palms on May 15, 2010.

Photo: David Becker/WireImage

By Don Chareunsy, Vegas DeLuxe editor

Playboy founder and legend Hugh Hefner last night officially unveiled the 2010 Playboy Playmate of the Year, stunning 25-year-old Texan Hope Dworaczyk (also the April 2009 Playmate of the Month), in a celebration at Rain in the Palms that also included music and dance performances, red carpet arrivals, videos and previous PMOYs.

Playboy Radio’s Kevin Klein of The Playboy Morning Show, of which Mr. Vegas DeLuxe Robin Leach is a regular guest, served as master of ceremonies, and the VIP list onstage included Palms mogul George Maloof, Mr. Hefner himself, 2009 PMOY Ida Ljungqvist (who in a refreshing off-the-TelePrompTer moment told the slightly rowdy crowed to “shut up” and said of another Playmate, “Girl, you were robbed!”), 2008 PMOY Jayde Nicole (Brody Jenner’s gorgeous Canadian model ex-girlfriend), 2006 PMOY Kara Monaco and the Playmate Dancers.

Senior Editor John Katsilometes also was at the PMOY red carpet and celebration and posted his The Kats Report early this morning on LasVegasSun.com. Our contributing photographers Scott Harrison and WireImage's David Becker were on Playboy PMOY duty last night.

The night included three music performances. Nikita, comprised of Dasha Astafieva and Julia Kavtaradze, performed a pop song in Ukrainian and bathrobes, which they surprisingly never doffed. Astafieva was Playboy’s Playmate of the Month for January 2009. Chicago pop rock/electronica outfit The White Tie Affair, led by crazy frontman Chris Wallace, performed three infectious songs, include “Candle (Sick and Tired),” which was featured on MTV’s The Hills. Somebody turn the lights on!

Three-time Grammy winner Robin Thicke, who watched The White Tie Affair from a balcony far above Rain before taking the stage, performed a set that included a dedication of “Lost Without You” to Dworaczyk, who was perched atop a black piano for much of the performance. Two things about Thicke: He sweats a lot (he doesn’t seem to favor breathable fabrics), and his hips don’t lie. Robin Thicke = soulful sex, if that makes sense.

Photo: David Becker/WireImage

2010 Playboy Playmate of the Year Hope Dworaczyk arrives at the Palms on May 15, 2010.

Photo: David Becker/WireImage

The Playmate Dancers arrive at the Palms on May 15, 2010.

ALSO OF NOTE:

*Holly Madison, who always looks gorgeous, was behind us in valet upon arrival at the Palms; Holly’s World co-stars Laura Croft and Angel Porrino win Most Adorable Couple on the red carpet; Hefner was accompanied by girlfriend Crystal Harris on the red carpet and inside Rain; and Iron Chef winner Kerry Simon was definitely the evening’s rock star culinary king.

*My wingman and I met PR guru Andrew Freedman and his wife Patty Dworkin Freedman inside Rain, and he offered us two seats at his table. Andrew Freedman Public Relations represents, among others, Dworaczyk, Pussycat Dolls founder Robin Antin, Caesars Palace headliner Matt Goss and legendary actress Joan Collins.

*Issues of Playboy’s June 2010 issue, with Dworaczyk on the cover and 3-D glasses inside for the magazine’s first-ever 3-D issue, were handed out while exiting Rain. It was my first Playboy issue. Ever.

Photo: Scott Harrison/Retna/www.harrisonphotos.com

Hugh Hefner and 2010 Playboy Playmate of the Year Hope Dworaczyk onstage at Rain in the Palms on May 15, 2010.

Photo: Scott Harrison/Retna/www.harrisonphotos.com

Holly Madison arrives at the 2010 Playboy Playmate of the Year celebration at the Palms on May 15, 2010.

*Speaking of first times, my wingman and I were kicked out of the media area on the red carpet by security because we didn’t have proper media credentials (in all fairness, we arrived late, but Palms PR god Larry Fink got us on the arrival line). So we entered Rain early. Take that, security!

*One of the videos reminded the crowd that Anna Nicole Smith and Jenny McCarthy are previous PMOYs.

*Dworaczyk has brains and beauty. She is a total stunner.

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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