Las Vegas Weekly

February 22, 2011 · 5:01 PM

Strip Scribbles: Oscar Night America Las Vegas is Sunday at the Palms

By Robin Leach

Mayor Oscar Goodman and his wife Carolyn Goodman at the Keep Memory Alive 14th Annual Power of Love Gala at the Bellagio on Feb. 27, 2010.

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

It’ll be a night of excitement and glamour a la Hollywood as celebrities led by master magician Lance Burton walk the red carpet at Oscar Night America Las Vegas on Sunday at Brenden Theaters at the Palms. It’s the only Oscar-viewing party in Las Vegas officially sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The Morning Zoo host Chet Buchanan will welcome Lance along with Mayor Oscar Goodman and his wife mayoral candidate Carolyn Goodman, Taylor Barton, Kevin Burke, Jennifer Cloer, Travis Cloer, Anthony Crivello, Geechy Guy, Frank Mir, Alain Nu, Murray Sawchuck, Tatyana, Mo Wiley, The Ink Spots and more.

Photo: BJ Allen

Hope Dworaczyk is flanked by Peter Saide, Travis Cloer, Deven May and Jeff Leibow of Jersey Boys at the Palazzo.

It’s the 18th year that AMPAS has worked with local charities to raise funds with Oscar Night viewing parties. Last year, more than $3 million was raised with 51 events. The event includes theater viewing of the live telecast and an after-party at The Playboy Club. Proceeds benefit Variety, The Children’s Charity of Southern Nevada, which is dedicated to improving the quality of life for local children with special needs. Tickets are available at ONALV.org.

*Mystery man and British street artist Banksy is loved by the folks at Jet at The Mirage, even though they don’t know him and he daubed his signature Mickey Mouse-inspired graffiti over their billboard on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. The billboard company CBS Outdoor promptly removed the billboard. The Light Group that operates Jet was flattered that Banksy put graffiti on its ad and requested that it be put back in place. The company refused, saying it would return the tagged sign to TLG here, but the company is still waiting.

A PR rep for Jet said: “We’re extremely pissed. … It's our billboard that got tagged. … It’s not their billboard. … They clearly have zero appreciation for art!!! We were flattered Banksy tagged on our ad -- it was epic.” Now there’s a bigger guessing game as the elusive Banksy’s work increasingly pops up around Hollywood the week his docu-drama Exit Through the Gift Shop is up for an Oscar. Will the bad boy Brit surface? The Jet folks hope he’ll stop by the nightclub before returning to London -- and that the poster arrives soon!

Photo: Brian Jones/Las Vegas News Bureau

IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard.

Photo: Brian Jones/Las Vegas News Bureau

IndyCar racers at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign on Feb. 22, 2011.

*IndyCar drivers were in town today to announce that their 2011 racing season will culminate with the crowning of its champions at Las Vegas Motor Speedway at the Izod IndyCar World Championships on Oct. 16. Las Vegas showgirls at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign greeted IndyCar drivers Will Power, Ryan Briscoe, Marco Andretti and Ryan Hunter-Reay. IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard made it official at a news conference at Crystals at MGM’s CityCenter.

*As Peepshow star Josh Strickland gets ready to shoot his video for his debut single “Report to the Floor” at Krave tonight at midnight, he received the great news today that his song has entered the Top 10 on the iTunes Dance Charts. His co-stars Holly Madison, Laura Croft and Angel Porrino have promised to be at the Planet Hollywood nightspot to cheer for him -- maybe they’ll appear in the video?

Photo: Caesars Entertainment

Cast members of Jubilee!

*Cast members of Jubilee! at Bally’s took part in a two-day tour of Mexico City to promote and encourage tourism to Las Vegas. Orchestrated by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the tour highlighted attractions available to travelers from Mexico while here. In Mexico City, the showgirls had print and radio media appointments, including a visit to Telehit’s TV studios for a showgirl makeover feature. Jubilee! is celebrating its 30th anniversary this summer. Mexico is third to Canada and the U.K., respectively, in tourism here.

*Wet Republic at MGM Grand is set to open March 11 for its fourth season and with a star-studded grand opening planned for April 16. Incidentally, sister hotspot LAX at the Luxor welcomes DJ Sharam to kick off his residency tomorrow night.

Photo: Michael Becker/Fox

Steven Tyler, Ryan Seacrest, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson.

*The two-hour American Idol in Las Vegas airs tomorrow on Fox, as the 60 contestants sing Beatles onstage at Cirque du Soleil’s Love at The Mirage. Judges Jennifer Lopez, Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler selected which 40 would move on to Hollywood, and after eliminations, the remaining contestants were filmed watching Love.

*Tickets are now on sale for the Glee Live! tour stop at Mandalay Bay Events Center on May 21. Thirteen of the cast are making the 16-city tour: Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Mark Salling, Dianna Agron, Naya Rivera, Heather Morris, Harry Shum, Chord Overstreet and Darren Criss, who celebrates his birthday at Lavo at the Palazzo this Saturday. The performances include new song and dance numbers, as well as favorites from Season 1 and 2.

The Blue Agave Margarita at Agave in Summerlin.

Tonight’s tips

It’s National Margarita Day, and there’s no shortage of places to order the cocktail first created in Acapulco in the late 1940s. Disney’s Emmy Award-winning Imagination Movers bring their concert tour of rock and roll for kids to The Orleans Arena. British DJS The E.C. (Eye Candy) Twins twist the turntables at Lavo. Heather Murren, wife of MGM head honcho Jim Murren, has a book signing at Barnes & Noble on West Charleston.

Tomorrow’s teases

Playmate of the Year Hope Dworaczyk returns here soon to crown her successor as she prepares to compete on Celebrity Apprentice premiering March 6 on NBC. Imperial Palace headliners Human Nature meet with Oprah Winfrey in their homeland Down Under, and we have details of Paris Hilton’s new reality TV series filmed here in Las Vegas.

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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