Las Vegas Weekly

May 18, 2010 · 5:04 PM

Strip Scribbles: The Lion King celebrates its first anniversary

By Robin Leach

The cast of Disney's The Lion King celebrates the show's first anniversary at Mandalay Bay on May 15, 2010.

Photo: Getty Images

Congratulations to the cast and crew of Disney’s The Lion King in celebrating its first anniversary at Mandalay Bay over the weekend. Mandalay Bay chef Vincent Pilon presented the actors, actresses, singers and dancers with a cake, and they posed for photographs backstage.

The one-of-a-kind theatrical experience and critically acclaimed production continues to reign as the world’s No. 1 musical while earning record-breaking numbers at Mandalay Bay Theater. Cast members Thom Sesma, Kissy Simmons, Derrick Williams and Buyi Zama were among the celebrants.

*Former Phantom -- Las Vegas Spectacular star Sierra Boggess was called to duty at BBC studios in London to meet the four semifinalists of Over the Rainbow. The reality TV show is searching for a Dorothy to star in Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s upcoming production of The Wizard of Oz. Sierra gave the girls advice on the challenges facing the winner before singing as guest star the title song from her new London musical Love Never Dies, Phantom’s sequel, which heads to Broadway next year after being postponed from the fall.

Here’s YouTube footage of Sierra on and off the set, and Love Never Dies producers have released a trailer from the show. (Incidentally, YouTube celebrated its fifth anniversary yesterday.)

*Billionaire Donald Trump’s 2010 Miss USA Pageant broadcast from Planet Hollywood on Sunday night was watched by 5.25 million viewers, a 5 percent increase from last year. The pageant was up against the Survivor finale and gave Las Vegas a lot of national exposure. There’ll be more tonight when 2010 Miss USA Rima Fakih handles David Letterman’s Top 10 list.

*Winding up my transcripts from the pageant, I loved the quotes from Joan and Melissa Rivers that I didn’t have room for yesterday: “We are the eyes and ears of the viewers, and if we are not sarcastic and vicious, we won’t get our paycheck! This is beauty, not brains -- at least they are being honest about what they are really about rather than pretending. We don’t care about brains. Who are we kidding? This is a beauty contest, and you aren’t dealing with brilliant minds sometimes.” Then Joan added: “Melissa is following in my footsteps, fortunately the good parts. She is smarter than me, better than I am, prettier than I am, thinner than I am, and she knows how to conduct herself nicer than me.”

*Our contributing photographer Erik Kabik was selected as the debut artist for a new series of monthly showcases that premiered at the 23rd floor lounge and bar of the Mandarin Oriental at MGM’s CityCenter last night. Erik has spent 20 years photographing many of music’s top names, and he broke into the profession with his first shots of The Grateful Dead in concert at Oakland Coliseum in 1990. Erik today shoots most of the music shows at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel, including Carlos Santana, and at other Las Vegas venues. His celebrity shots are regularly featured right here on Vegas DeLuxe.

*As it gets set to enter The New York Times bestseller list, praise is mounting for Las Vegas author Deborah Coonts’ first book Wanna Get Lucky? Wanna Get Lucky? has been lauded by bestselling authors Susan Wiggs, Stephen J. Cannell and Douglas Preston. It’s the story of Lucky O’Toole, head of customer relations at new opulent casino Babylon who has to juggle a suicide plunge from a sightseeing helicopter, an adult film award convention and her unlikely romance with the Strip’s best female impersonator! Deborah, a neighbor of mine here, is married to bestselling author Steven Coonts.

*The Wheel of Fortune Wheelmobile returns to Las Vegas at The Venetian ballroom this weekend in its hunt for new contestants for six shows to be filmed at The Venetian and Palazzo in July. Auditions are Saturday and Sunday. … The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cameras are following George Maloof’s sister Adrienne around the Palms today shooting segments for the program. … Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee’s Fox News staff have arrived and set up camp at The Venetian showroom for two broadcasts there Thursday. … Las Vegas resident Smokey Robinson joined Whitney Houston and Dionne Warwick for producer and Liza Minnelli ex David Gest’s upcoming TV tribute to Michael Jackson to air in June.

*Iron Man 2 star Don Cheadle’s Fourth Annual Ante Up for Africa starts July 3 at The Rio with pals Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Tracy McGrady, Brad Garrett, Hank Azaria, Ray Romano and Kenny Smith set to play. Additionally, poker pros Howard Lederer, Phil Gordon, Chris Ferguson, Andy Bloch and Phil Hellmuth are joining the action. A total of $3 million has been raised for the charity in three years.

*Comedian Brad, who follows me on Twitter, seemed to confirm rumblings last night that contracts for him to take over and run the Comedy Stop at the Tropicana are nearly inked.

TONIGHT’S TIPS

Actor Greg Travis (Showgirls, Starship Troopers, CSI: Miami and Cold Case) returns to his comedy roots with a run at Harrah’s Improv through Sunday with Jay Phillips and David Gee. … Wynn superstar chef Jet Tila, who writes for our sister Las Vegas Weekly, has joined with chef Kuldeep Singh of Origin India to kick off a six-month series of free cooking demos at Whole Foods in Town Square.

TOMORROW’S TEASES

We’ll have our one-on-one interview with Smokey Robinson and his Down Under discoveries Human Nature as they celebrate a major contract renewal at Imperial Palace. Then what fate awaits our Top Chef Masters contestants Susan Feniger and Rick Moonen from Mandalay Bay? We’ll take a preview look at what’s in store on the Bravo show, plus a peek at the intriguing new tapas restaurant Johnny Smalls opening at the Hard Rock Hotel.

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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