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Manilow's Secret Shows, Stars Party as ShoWest Sneaks Peeks
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Monday, March 20, 2006
Despite the secrecy, some of the contestants did manage to hop around Vegas nightlife while here, most notably at Rain in the Palms...
There was even more security on hand (and this time from the Secret Service) to guard former veep Al Gore, who turned up unexpectedly at ShoWest, the world's largest movie industry convention held last week here at the Paris and Bally's hotels. He was promoting the global warming documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth,' which he insisted could be as successful as 'March of the Penguins' if movie theater owners promoted it properly...
But the one I am most eagerly awaiting is 'The Notorious Bettie Page,' starring Gretchen Mol as the pinup sensation that shocked America. Back in the latter days of 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,' I set out to find the reclusive centerfold, who hadn’t been seen for more than 30 years. We tracked her down to a California trailer park, and persuaded her to talk to us off-camera. Our story brought her back to life, with a major feature in Playboy, her first appearance up at Hef's mansion -- where I was invited to join her for dinner -- and eventually led to restitution of the royalty money from all her misappropriated pinup photos through the years. And now the topper: a Picturehouse/HBO film of her amazing story! Bettie, I couldn’t be happier for you, and I just hope the movie does your story truth and justice...
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Manilow's Secret Shows, Stars Party as ShoWest Sneaks Peeks
At the heart of the 'American Idol' secrecy is Barry's new CD 'The Greatest Songs of the '50s,' which went gold within a week of its January 31 release. The album (his 45th) hit #1 out of the gate -- exactly 30 years after his first million-seller did the same -- making him the hottest he's ever been in his lengthy career. So 'Idol' producers decided Barry should introduce this season's talented crop of 11 finalists tomorrow, watch (and possibly critique) as they sing his '50s hits. Then Wednesday, he will show them "how it's done," as the Pop Prince sings the numbers himself. Perhaps it will be the one time that Simon Cowell is rendered speechless!
Despite the secrecy, some of the contestants did manage to hop around Vegas nightlife while here, most notably at Rain in the Palms...Barry is booming all over again. Back in December, after attending the taping of this month's PBS fundraiser special (click here to see the full Dec. 12 blog), I wrote: "There’s no question that his fanatical fans are the most dedicated of any singer.I sat in the midst of a group from as far away as London, Japan, New York, Washington DC, and Philadelphia who’d flown in just for the taping. One medical instructor from Queens, NY told me he’d been to over 200 Manilow shows and estimated it had cost him easily over $100,000 in air, hotel, ticket costs and time off in the 14 years he'd been following the singer. No wonder one of Barry's staff commented: "A Mary Kaye convention looks like a wake compared to Manilow fans." Barry heads a cast and band of 14 entertainers for the show in the 1,700-seat state-of-the-art theater, which even has "on-stage" seating for several lucky fans. Set to run at the Hilton until the end of 2007, his show has now been renewed into 2008. "It’s a concert that changes every night," Barry told me. "We just never do it the same way with the same songs in the same order any night." PBS is also selling a DVD of Barry's concert with bonus features, including intimate backstage footage and a Manilow interview.
Barry's success bodes well for his five-years-running dream to stage his musical 'Harmony,' the story of 3 Jewish and 3 German comedic musicians during World War II (known as "The Comedian Harmonists") he wants to take to Broadway. Fans who have heard some of the music say it’s the best he's ever written and recorded...
There was even more security on hand (and this time from the Secret Service) to guard former veep Al Gore, who turned up unexpectedly at ShoWest, the world's largest movie industry convention held last week here at the Paris and Bally's hotels. He was promoting the global warming documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth,' which he insisted could be as successful as 'March of the Penguins' if movie theater owners promoted it properly...But it was the superstar headliners and up-and-coming "stars of tomorrow" who surely shone in ShoWest's spotlight. Star Wars' sexy Natalie Portman (right -- her hair growing back from its shaved look, seen in her new futuristic thriller 'V for Vendetta') was named Female Star of The Year. Audiences obviously agreed, as 'Vendetta' topped box offices over the weekend. Vince Vaughn won Comedy Star of the Year ... and Laurence Fishburne was hailed for a Distinguished Decade of Achievement in Film. My friend, Entertainment Tonight's 24-years-running host 
Mary Hart mc'd the ceremonies, which also had an 'American Idol' tie-in. Young Jennifer Hudson, named Female Star of Tomorrow, is a former top 12 competitor from last season's 'Idol,' who is making her feature film debut in the long-awaited film version of 'Dreamgirls,' (due in theatres Dec. 22). She’s also written and recorded her debut album due out this spring.
Mary Hart mc'd the ceremonies, which also had an 'American Idol' tie-in. Young Jennifer Hudson, named Female Star of Tomorrow, is a former top 12 competitor from last season's 'Idol,' who is making her feature film debut in the long-awaited film version of 'Dreamgirls,' (due in theatres Dec. 22). She’s also written and recorded her debut album due out this spring.Incidentally, Mr. Fishburne could have won a distinguished award for Premium Party Potentate during his 48-hour Vegas visit. The actor (who stars with Tom Cruise in 'Mission Impossible 3') certainly has late night stamina. His first night, he knocked back martinis at the bar of Fix in the Bellagio, then crossed the casino to the Caramel lounge for a near-seven-hour marathon with four bottles of Moet Chandon champagne. Definitely my kind of drinker! And next night, after the awards ceremony, his Party Mission Possible continued when he returned to Fix for sliders washed down with pinot noir --after a quick stop in the adjoining Light nightclub. 
This man knows how to enjoy himself, Vegas style!
This man knows how to enjoy himself, Vegas style! Fishburne also stars in, and co-produced, the amazing new movie 'Akeelah and the Bee' (due April 28), which won Rising Star of the Year award for 12-year-old Keke Palmer. It's the inspirational story of a precocious young girl's rise from South LA's inner city, defying conventional wisdom, to a national spelling bee in Washington DC, partly financed by the Starbucks coffee folks and my pal, Mark Cuban (owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team)...
I had the opportunity to scope out some of the other new movies headed to your neighborhood movies theaters over the next 12 months, and here are my personal picks and highlights: Denzel Washington and Jodie Foster in 'Inside Man;' HughGrant and my friend Marcia Gay Harden in an 'American Idol' type spoof titled 'American Dreamz;' Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston in 'The Break Up' (which fans are hoping doesn’t happen to them in real life, now they’re dating); Owen Wilson, Kate Hudson and Michael Douglas in 'You, Me and Dupree;' Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx in the movie version of the '80s TV hit series 'Miami Vice;' my pal Michael Caine and Julianne Moore in 'Children of Men;' Scarlett Johansson and Josh Hartnett in 'The Black Dahlia' crime thriller; Angelina Jolie and Matt Damon in the espionage drama 'The Good Shepherd' (incidentally, Matt will be back in 2007 with the third installment of his Jason Bourne thrillers, 'The Bourne Ultimatum'); Steve Carell and Morgan Freeman in 'Evan Almighty;' and last but not least, 'Smoking Aces,' filmed here in Vegas recently, with Ben Affleck, Andy Garcia, singer Alicia Keys, Ray Liotta, and Jeremy Piven. Two of my all-time comedy favorites also return with what should be monster movie megahits: Robin Williams as a talk show host who becomes President in 'Man of the Year,' and my fellow Brit, slapstick artist Rowan Atkinson returns as Mr. Bean in 'French Bean,' on vacation in the south of France with a beautiful starlet!
But the one I am most eagerly awaiting is 'The Notorious Bettie Page,' starring Gretchen Mol as the pinup sensation that shocked America. Back in the latter days of 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,' I set out to find the reclusive centerfold, who hadn’t been seen for more than 30 years. We tracked her down to a California trailer park, and persuaded her to talk to us off-camera. Our story brought her back to life, with a major feature in Playboy, her first appearance up at Hef's mansion -- where I was invited to join her for dinner -- and eventually led to restitution of the royalty money from all her misappropriated pinup photos through the years. And now the topper: a Picturehouse/HBO film of her amazing story! Bettie, I couldn’t be happier for you, and I just hope the movie does your story truth and justice...We’ll be back right here tomorrow as I go on another hunt, this time for the new Maxim magazine cover model, and a sneak peak through the ultimate in Vegas hotel super suites at the legendary Caesars Palace. You can make certain you never miss one exciting edition of our LuxeLife Journal by clicking here or on the 'Alert Me' tab at the top of this page. You can also email us at robinsvegas@aol.com.
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