Las Vegas Weekly

September 8, 2010 · 4:56 PM

Strip Scribbles: Holly Madison begins vacation in Florida next week

By Robin Leach

Holly Madison and Angel Porrino at XS in the Encore.

Photo: Danny Manhoney/XS Nightclub

Peepshow headliner and Holly’s World star Holly Madison starts her weeklong Florida vacation Monday morning after watching the final two dress rehearsals of her co-star Angel Porrino, who will step into her high heels during the platinum blonde’s well-deserved break.

Last night at the Recycled Percussion premiere at Studio 54 in MGM Grand, Holly told me that her holiday will be part work with photo shoots at Disneyland and the Harry Potter attraction at nearby Universal Studios. Holly also wants to do some animal charity work while in the Sunshine State.

She’s traveling with her co-star Laura Croft. “Peepshow is in great shape with Angel handling it in her unique way,” Holly told me. “She’ll do fine, and I won’t have anything to worry about while I’m away in Florida.”

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/ErikKabik.com

Chris Phillips and Marley Taylor of Zowie Bowie at the 2010 AFAN Black & White Party at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel on Aug. 21, 2010.

WICKED WHISPERS & RACY RUMORS

Some regular Las Vegas celebrities have begun to get a new nickname at our pool parties and nightclubs: “star stiffers.” This past week alone, I was, ahem, tipped to the no-tipping by one star who had a $400 bar bill and left nothing, one reality TV star and her friends with a $4,000 bill, which was comped but they didn’t tip, and another Hollywood personality here who charged up a storm and then left the pool club to pay for it all -- again, no tip! “None of them ever tip, whereas the local Las Vegas celebrities always tip. The Hollywood stars just expect everything for free, and they get more and more blatant about it. They could afford to tip since it’s free anyway for them, but they leave nothing,” I was told. … Was a budding magician bounced from a TV show because a major Strip magician will appear on the final episode and didn’t want his 20-year-old illusion shown up with a new version? … Rumors are flying that Chris Phillips and Marley Taylor of Zowie Bowie are back together after being seen at Rain in the Palms hanging out on the main stage enjoying closerthanthis cocktails. … And which hotel theater will close for a week or so this winter for a $1 million makeover and reopen with a new show early in the New Year?

Photo: TVT

David Foster and Charice Pempengco.

*It’s a very busy October for “hit man” David Foster. On the heels of Seal’s sixth studio album, which regular Las Vegas visitor David produced, he’s juggling two extraordinary, star-studded Las Vegas shows within a week of each other before he flies off to Asia for concerts from Oct. 19-30 in Japan, Thailand and Singapore, plus Manila, from where his discovery, new Glee cast member Charice, hails.

Grammy-winning Seal, the husband of supermodel and Project Runway host Heidi Klum, reunited with the renowned producer who produced Seal’s 2008 album Soul. The album Commitment will be released Sept. 28 with its single “Secret” one week earlier. Seal will then headline for David Foster and Friends at Mandalay Bay Events Center mid-October, which also features Martina McBride and a growing list of other music stars.

A week earlier on Oct. 9, David also oversees Sir Elton John, Rob Thomas, Jason Mraz and the Three Canadian Tenors for the Andre Agassi Grand Slam gala at the Wynn. Congratulations to David, who last week was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

*Congratulations also to 23-year-old Jenny Gulley from Las Vegas, who in an exhaustive talent search beat out hundreds of Broadway hopefuls to win the role of Dorothy in the musical production WiZaRD, which opens at New World Stage in New York in December. WiZaRD was created, written and directed by Las Vegas singer and pianist George Bugatti and is being produced by the Harold Arlen Foundation -- Harold is the original The Wizard of Oz composer.

Photo: Brian Jones/Las Vegas New Bureau

Chef Rick Moonen poses with Miss Universe contestants during the Miss Universe around the world chef tasting event at the World Market Center on Aug. 11, 2010.

*Celebrity chefs Rick Moonen from Mandalay Bay and Andre Rochat from the Palms and Monte Carlo have cooked up an impressive list of chefs for the spectacular Ninth Annual Jean Louis Palladin fundraiser dinner Oct. 17 at RM Seafood in Mandalay Bay. The formidable talent includes Rick’s kitchen colleagues Adam Sobel and Gerald Chin, Gary LaMorte (Andre’s and Alize), Mark Hopper (Bouchon), Luciano Pellegrino (Valentino), Vincent Pouessel (Aureole), Barry Dakake and Geno Bernardo (N9NE Steakhouse/Nove Italiano), David Werly (Le Cirque), Martin Heierling (Sensi/Silk Road), Hugo Coudurier (Restaurant Guy Savoy), Jean Joho and Joung Sohn (Eiffel Tower) and Michael and Wendy Jordan (Rosemary’s), with desserts by Megan Romano (Aureole) and Michelle Lee (RM Seafood).

All the dishes are recipes prepared from Jean Louis’ Cooking With the Seasons. Proceeds support culinary scholarships for future chefs. I’ve purchased my tickets and will handle auction duties. Contact RM Seafood for yours!

Photo: Courtesy

Rathna Singh.

*In addition to the magnificent cigars and exotic cocktails, Casa Fuente in The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace now features for the first time anywhere in the world a lady ambassador, beautiful Rathna Singh, who moved from Fiji to Las Vegas. She’ll help you pick out the perfect cigar and pair it with an aged Scotch to sip while you smoke. Her full title is Embajadora de la Casa!

*Three days of second anniversary celebrations are underway at Rick’s Cabaret, and gorgeous girls from other Rick’s Cabaret showrooms from New York to New Orleans to Dallas have flown in for the parties. The club has rolled out extra party buses, limos and Rick-mobiles for the shenanigans. The partying continues tonight and tomorrow, and one winner receives a trip to Manhattan to attend next month’s fifth-anniversary celebration of the Midtown club.

*Keep your eyes on Canadian teen illusionist Michael Machek as a name to watch here. Michael has been so successful north of the border that he saved money to produce his own show Enchantment and had it built here by the same company that built for Criss Angel and David Copperfield. While building his show here -- it opens Tuesday with an all-teen cast and crew, too -- he performed at small local stages and wound up in talks with a larger venue to perform a production. Michael is getting raves for his sleight-of-hand speed and is so confident about it that he uses a giant projection screen to show his close-up magic.

STAR SURVEILLANCE

Luxor headliner comedian Carrot Top was at Hussong’s Cantina in Mandalay Place to accept a charcoal rendering that’s now been added to the restaurant’s Charcoal Portrait Wall of Fame. The comedian chatted with owners Scott Frost and Jeffrey Marks and was serenaded by Hussong’s Rock ’n’ Roll Mariachis. … Steven Adler, the original Guns ’n’ Roses drummer who played on Appetite for Destruction at 19, promoted his book My Appetite for Destruction at Borders in Town Square, and contributing photographer Scott Harrison was on duty for the event. … My pal, singer and record producer Ron Dante attended Rock Con and in a reunion hung out with old friends and stars he’s recorded: Mary Wilson, Tommy James and Little Anthony. … DJ Erick Morillo dined at Sushi Samba in the Palazzo with 20 friends after calling owner Matt Johnson at the Miami location to secure a spot. … Kid Cudi performed at Pure in Caesars Palace, and photographer Bob Burchess snapped the action. … Retired NFL star Franco Harris partied at The Playboy Club in the Palms, while Joe Jackson checked out the action nearby. Model and Dancing With the Stars contestant Joanna Krupa was at the club to film a segment for an upcoming reality TV show. Playboy Bunnies presented her with a Playboy Club key. … And my Fame Games friend actor Verne J. Troyer partied at Moon sipping on Fiji Water and then was seen playing blackjack for six hours at Binions.

TONIGHT’S TIPS

Television’s Mr. Cooper invites you to hang, as comedy star Mark Curry provides the laughs at the Las Vegas Hilton through Sunday night. … The Shoppes at the Palazzo and Fashion Show are the official Las Vegas participants in the industry’s global Fashion Night Out sponsored by Vogue. More than 250 designer boutiques and 75 retailers here with special shopping incentives are taking part, plus there’s a Betsey Johnson runway show at Lavo’s Label Junkie party in the Palazzo.

TOMORROW’S TEASES

Some 75 Las Vegas restaurants are joining forces with the Nevada Restaurant Association to present Epicurean Affair at the Palazzo, and we’ve got your ticket to taste! Plus, our Editor Don Chareunsy has a report from the premiere of junk-rock founders Recycled Percussion’s show at Studio 54, where Carrot Top performed onstage but lost to our esteemed Senior Editor John Katsilometes in a drumstick battle.

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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