Las Vegas Weekly

January 30, 2012 · 6:27 PM

Strip Scribbles: Celine Dion’s wardrobe malfunction; ‘Hangover 3’

By Robin Leach

Celine Dion celebrates the grand opening of the Octavius Tower and Chinese New Year at Caesars Palace on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012.

Photo: Denise Truscello/WireImage/DeniseTruscello.net

Caesars Palace headliner Celine Dion raised eyebrows with her shockingly short gold Pierre Balmain dress at the weekend Jamaica Jazz Festival baring more than just her thighs, and she was forced to change into silver leggings and a white blazer later in the performance. She blamed the high stage and low seating rather than the French designer’s scissor for the surprise look up her legs! However, fans raved about how great she and her glamorous gams looked.

Celine has confirmed our interview with her last month about two albums to be released this year. The Canadian superstar posted a message to her fans on YouTube.

And just before she wound down her first 2012 Caesars run, she participated in the opening of the Octavius Tower and the Lunar New Year celebrations. Celine returns Feb. 22 through March 18, with Sir Elton John’s “Million Dollar Piano” there Feb. 9-18.

PORN EXPLOSION: The recent 2012 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo at the Hard Rock Hotel proved a worldwide bonanza of social media interaction. During the 2 1/2 hour AVN Awards red carpet and 3-hour awards, there were 35 million Twitter impressions recorded for hits to text and 800 photo messages. In the 48 hours post-show, there were 4.5 million more hits.

‘HANGOVER’$’ MILLION$: Hollywood insiders say it looks certain that each of the three “The Hangover” stars Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms will get $15 million to reprise their roles in the third film in the franchise. Times change! The first film shot here in 2009 cost $35 million, and the boys each received less than $1 million. “The Hangover” earned $467 million worldwide. They received $5 million each for Part 2, and the worldwide box office jumped to $581 million. Part 3 will be filmed this summer in L.A. for a 2013 Memorial Day weekend release and will include flashbacks to Las Vegas.

CRAPS PLAY: Lady Antebellum is excited over the trio’s five Academy of Country Music Awards nominations (the awards are April 1 at MGM Grand Garden Arena), but listen carefully to their YouTube fan message, and singer Charles Kelley doesn’t hide the fact that he’s more thrilled about returning to the craps tables here -- as he’s confessed many times to us.

EXCELLENCE AWARDS: The 38th annual UNLVino wine festival that raises thousands of dollars for scholarships at the UNLV College of Hotel Administration is set for March 22-24. Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh will be awarded a 2012 Dom Perignon Award of Excellence at the opening Bubble-licious event at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. The next night, Renee West, Luxor and Excalibur president, receives the award at Sake Fever at the Mirage pool, where Japanese brew masters will present more than 100 sakes. At Saturday’s Grand Tasting in Bally’s, Chef Michel Richard from Central at Caesars Palace is the honoree. Tickets are available at UNLV Tickets, Mirage, Paris and Bally’s box offices, UNLVino.com and (877) 413-8466.

Also please make a note of our beloved Opportunity Village’s Celebrity Poker Tournament on April 7 at the Caesars Palace Poker Room with a VIP brunch at near Pure before the noontime tournament.

SIERRA’S SAVE: Former “Phantom -- the Las Vegas Spectacular” star Sierra Boggess was set for a dismal spring after her Broadway starring role in “Love Never Dies” was followed by the musical “Rebecca” stalling before opening due to last-minute producers’ financing failures. But within a week of the sad Daphne du Maurier musical news, Sierra landed a 2-month guest-starring role in “Love, Loss and What I Wore” with Robin Strasser and Dawn Wells at New York’s Westside Theater.

NASCAR RACES: Veteran Las Vegas racecar driver Brendan Gaughan has agreed to compete in four races on the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. He’ll drive his No. 33 South Point Chevrolet Impala in his previously announced 18-race NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule with Richard Childress Racing’s Welcome, N.C.-based team. Brendan, 36, competed full time in the Sprint Cup Series during the 2004 season, finishing 28th. He finished 9th in 2009, 11th in 2010 and was part of the five-driver lineup that won the 2011 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. Brendan kicks off in Phoenix in March here at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

GOODBYE, HELLO: As we say a fond farewell to Boa Steakhouse, which shut its doors at the Forum Shops at Caesars over the weekend (with a promise to open at another Las Vegas location this year), we say a warm welcome to Block 16’s Public House at the Venetian (Block 16 also owns Barrymore at Royal Resort, Holsteins at Cosmopolitan and LBS Burger at Red Rock Resort).

ROYAL RECOGNITION: Congratulations to Bellagio President and COO Randy Morton and his 8,000 employees on receiving Conde Nast Traveler’s Navigator Award recognizing the highest standards of excellence in hospitality. This is only the second time the Navigator Award has been awarded: the first was in 2009 to Gov. Linda Lingle on behalf of the State of Hawaii. And congratulations to country star Trisha Yearwood, who regularly surprises hubby Garth Brooks’ audiences at the Wynn, on her new Food Network show.

TONIGHT’S TIPS

It’s Monday night Celebrity Karaoke at the Library in the Cosmopolitan’s Marquee, and DJ Graham Funke spins at nearby STK for Magnum Mondays, when a regular-sized bottle is upgraded to super-sized for free.

TOMORROW’S TEASE

Meet the new 2012 Miss Nevada USA and 2012 Miss Teen Nevada USA: Jade Kelso, who won her first pageant, and Katie Eklund, who dropped 21 pounds to win her title. Plus, sports legends film a new TV special, “Players Club”, at the Palms.

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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