Archives
'Sopranos' Soiree, Poker Pandaemonium and Las Ramblas Rumblings
PIX UPDATE! See our carousel above for more great shots from Robert's wild party!
Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler (right, and see more in our carousel) have spent much of their lives appearing on HBO's hit series 'The Sopranos' as brother and sister. So it was only appropriate they were together as "best friends" (as opposed to dating) for Robert's 21st birthday, celebrated at the Venetian's TAO nightclub this weekend. It was truly a "take no prisoners" party, with 30 close friends -- some of whom flew out from New York for the festivities. The birthday boy seemed to be doing his best to make up for not being able to drink the past 20 years -- I'd bet he woke up next afternoon vowing never to drink again!
Their night began with a sit-down Asian fusion feast in the adjoining TAO Asian Bistro, and continued with a giant birthday cake topped with showering sparklers, carried in by two girls dressed in all-white with angel wings. There was also a whopping white balloon drop, and a snow-making machine spraying everyone in sight, right on the stroke of midnight. 'Madhouse' comedy star Jeff Beacher played mc and ringmaster for the bash, which saw dawn break before the revelers called it quits.
Wearing a white suit, baby-faced Robert, screamed to me: "What a way to turn 21! It just couldn't get any better than this." And Jamie-Lynn added: "This is a party. What a fantastic way and place to celebrate coming
of age."
Iler, who plays Anthony Soprano Jr., the son of mob-boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), started in showbiz at just six years of age. Although he gave it up briefly in an attempt to be a normal schoolkid he went back at age 10, and has now been partof the Soprano world for seven years -- a third of his life! He's won a Screen Actors Guild award and the Hollywood Reporter's Young Star Award for 2 consecutive years for his role. Jamie-Lynn was cast as Soprano daughter Meadow while midway thru high school. Both appear in the show's sixth season debuting next Sunday (March 12) on HBO.
The happy couple hugged and cheek-kissed throughout the evening (as "best friends" remember) and it seemed as if Iler's brush with the law last year when he pleaded guilty in a NY courtroom for aiding and abetting a tourist's mugging of $40 was totally forgotten! Wonder if he also forgot the $10 grand he lost playing #21 on a roulette table?
He had some interesting observations about the game. "I started playing almost 30 years ago in the tournaments," Gabe told me, "working a lot in Vegas and just take a shot at the early days of World Series of Poker. I did it just for the fun to challenge the best players in the world. At the time it was just 40 players -- now there's over 5000. Poker is where if you have even a little talent you can challenge the best players in the world. A lot of luck is involved. I got lucky right away and won a few tournaments when I first started, and a few [more] in the last 30 years. Playing today is much tougher because of the thousands of players. I came in 2nd in an event last year, but they last so much longer. Used to be one day, and the World Series of Poker was only 3 days. Today, a regular tournament lasts 3 days and WSP, almost 2 weeks. It's too draining for me, so I watch more now than I play."
The players' own money was on the line -- each had to pay $20,000 to buy in, with NBC kicking in an extra $220,000. The three-day tournament has $1.5 million in prize money: the final 16 players each win at least $25,000 and the first-place payout is$500,000. Once the brackets (initial pairs) werefinished, Doyle Brunson, often referred to as the Granddaddy of Poker, wagered a side bet of $100,000 that someone from his region (which happens to be Hearts) would win the event. Howard "The Professor" Lederer (Diamonds) bracket took that bet. It should turn out to be a very interesting event, if for nothing else than the tremendous side action!
The rumblings about Oscar winner George Clooney's multi-billion dollar Las Ramblas condo-resort hotel complex have started up again. His local partners Jim Stuart and Ken Sullivan admitted Friday that their construction costs have doubled since the original $3.5 billion venture was proposed. They said they're now not sure if it will be built, even though Clooney is committed to Vegas and a project here. "It may not be quite the same as was first envisioned, but Clooney isn't saying 'good night and good luck' to it," one of the executives there told me over the weekend. "We'll have a positive announcement very shortly about the complex, which will probably become far more hotel-casino oriented than a residential development."
It's only appropriate that as the second annual Nightclub and Bar convention opens today thru Wednesday at the Convention Center, we wind up today's Journal with a scoop. It's been rumored for a few weeks that Hollywood nightclub queen Amanda Demme, who parties with all the stars at her Teddy's and Tropicana Bar (Roosevelt Hotel) clubs is moving to Vegas. We have the official word: she's signed with the new W Hotel Edge Group to open a nightclub spot there when built in 2008, and meantime also with the red-hot Pure Group for a joint venture in one of their new hotel operations...
Tomorrow as our watch on Nightclub Week continues, we'll have an amazing
photo layout of the sexy burlesque dancers of Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce
nightspot at Mandalay Bay. You can kick out a high note and peel us an
email at robinsvegas@aol.com with your own bumps and grinds. So you don’t miss one exciting edition, simply click here or on the 'Alert Me' tab up top and we’ll remind you every day the moment we’re up and running.
Don't forget: go to AOL Vegas for much more on hotels, casinos, restaurants, nightlife, and everything Las Vegas! Check AOL Travel for great deals on hotels, airfare and much more! And when visiting Vegas, be sure to see Las Vegas Magazine in your hotel room (or at kiosks in Fashion Show Mall) featuring a print edition of Luxe Life: Vegas, and an incredible directory of attractions, shows and restaurants here.
robinsvegas at 3:36:00 PM PST Blog about this entry |
Add to del.icio.us | 
digg this
