Archives
June 2006
6/30/06
Beatlemania Is Back: The Beatles 'Love' by Cirque du Soleil Opens With Galaxy of Stars -- NEW PHOTOS
6/29/06
6/28/06
6/27/06
6/26/06
6/23/06
6/22/06
6/21/06
6/20/06
6/19/06
6/16/06
6/15/06
6/14/06
6/13/06
6/12/06
CineVegas, Carmen Elektra's Poker Pals, 'Phantom' and More Star Sightings
6/12/06
6/9/06
6/9/06
6/8/06
6/7/06
6/6/06
6/5/06
6/5/06
6/2/06
6/1/06
Monday, June 12, 2006
Our 8th annual CineVegas – “the world’s most dangerous film festival” - began its 8-day run at the weekend and chairman, actor Dennis Hopper (pictured) who will celebrate his 70th birthday in two days time, Wednesday, June 14, opened it with the world premiere of “Strangers With Candy” -- a wild, weird yarn about a 46-year-old ex-junkie ex-con who tries to start over by returning to high school. It features Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Stephen Colbert, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Back in 2003, Dennis won the CineVegas lifetime achievement Marquee Award and has remained our chairman since. He first visited Vegas in the early ‘50s to watch his hero, Orson Welles, performing magic and filmed his world-famous “Rebel Without a Cause” here five years later. Our brazenly unconventional film festival this year features visits tonight from Laurence Fishburne and supermodel Rebecca Romjin. Then it’s Sylvestor Stallone on Wednesday and Christine Ricci and Helen Mirren on Friday.
Rebecca, who has starred in everything from the large screen 'X-Men’s Last Stand' to the ‘Pepper Dennis’ series on the WB, has two films
featured in the festival. Her ‘Wet Dreams’ documentary about the dancing waters
of the Bellagio hotel premieres tonight and her ‘Lies & Alibis,’
about commercialized adultery and murder, is the festival’s closing-night
feature on Saturday. The statuesque blonde beauty said: “Like many Vegas
visitors, whenever I came here I spent hours sitting in front of the fountains.
I became truly mesmerized by them and I got so into them that I wanted to pick
my own music and choreograph the fountains. My filmmaker friend, Steve Willis,
urged me to turn the idea into a film and we actually made it happen. We even
got to swim in the center ring during one of the shows. It ended up being the
most satisfying, fulfilling thing I’ve ever been a part of.” Her
film’s
advertising tag line “What happens in Vegas, sprays in Vegas” might set off a
feud with our tourism commission’s ad agency who always “call in the cavalry”
to legally object to take-offs and parodies of the official branding campaign.
As part of the CineVegas festival, Brenden movie theaters at the Palms have created their own Hollywood-themed “Walk of Fame” and Rocky hero, Stallone will be on hand as his star is formally unveiled and presented to him on Wednesday. But I’m mighty proud because I got one too!!! Yep, there I am alongside such greats as Rhonda Fleming and Cuba Gooding Jr. Next time you’re in the Brenden movie theaters at the Palms check out that welcome-foyer floor and you can play spot the stars. I am deeply honored and somewhat phased at being recognized for inclusion with the crew of celebs. It’s my favorite local cinema complex for movies so I’ll polish it every time I stop by. but if you’re there and it needs an extra sparkle please don’t hesitate to use your elbow grease. I’d rather that than you “walk all over me.”
DOUBLE THE POT
Sexy Carmen Elektra hoped to raise $50,000 for her “Head to Hollywood” charity with a celebrity poker event at the Hard Rock Hotel. By the time the six-hour tense tournament terminated, Hard Rock president Harry Morton was able to almost double that and providing a check for $90,000! Our photo above shows Harry and Carmen with the presentation check before the final pot was tallied up.
Some 157 players including Carmen herself, ‘American Idol’s’ Randy Jackson, David Spade, Shannon Elizabeth, Montel Williams and Omarosa Stallworth from ‘The Apprentice’ took part. Carmen lasted for four hours windingup in the final 30 player group before being ousted, Shannon Elizabeth lasted five hours and made it to the final table where she finished sixth overall. Later, all the celebs were joined by actor Sean Penn for a private Body English nightclub party hosted by Carmen. Former husband, Dennis Rodman was doing his own party thing meantime at Pure for designer Chris Aire with date Bai Ling and friends supermodel Tyson Beckford and actress Vivica A. Fox.
FIRST PHOTO
The ‘Music of the Night’ soars in The Venetian’s specially
built $45 million theater for ‘Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular.’ It opens
tonight with the first preview and the gala premiere is set for June 24.
Construction is right down to the wire in a remarkable touch-and-go right till
curtain-up! It was only over the weekend that the cast and orchestra
finally got into the theater for their first full dress rehearsals. Engineers,
yesterday, were still rigging the mind-blowing special effects four-part
chandelier that explodes over the audience with the Phantom flying down inside
it from the ceiling. In the middle of all the chaos, the legendary and now
unflappable director, Hal Prince, took time out to tape, via satellite, his acceptance speech for the
Lifetime Achievement award that was presented to him at last night’s Tony
Awards show live on CBS from Broadway. He told me: “It was more important that
I remain in Vegas to launch the show. After all, I’ve been given too many TONY’s
to count over the past 20 years. I know this is a Lifetime Achievement, but if
we aren’t ready for Monday night, then I’ll have no life left or any
achievements left!”
Over a gourmet cheeseburger in Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio
restaurant at The Venetian, creator Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber told me why he
wouldn’t be able to attend tonight’s preview: “First, I’m not at all worried
because we already have the perfect story and the greatest music and it’s been
a huge success around the world so we’re not exactly doing this for the first
time. I have to get back to London
to open the new modern version of the “Evita” musical and then I’ll immediately
fly right backto Vegas for the June 24 Phantom premiere.” There will be ten
Phantom shows weekly at 7PM and 10PM.
Check Luxe Life tomorrow for the full incredible story of the nearly $100 million ‘Phantom project’ and a complete behind-the-scenes photo-album!
PARTY NIGHTS
Entertaining out-of-town friends at the N9NE steakhouse in the Palms, star-studded groups were everywhere you turned: NBC’s ‘Las Vegas’ star Josh Duhamel congratulated actor Jon Voight on becoming a grandfather (with his daughter Angelina Jolie’s first child , Shiloh, in Namibia, Africa with his actor (sort of) son-in-law Brad Pitt who return to their Malibu home where a huge family celebration is planned for mid- week); at separate tables, actor Dennis Hopper kicking off CineVegas and Cincinnati Bengals’ sports stars Carson Palmer and Chris Perry having to use a motorized scooter to maneuver between tables due to a leg injury. Josh later wound up at Tao in the Venetian to dance the night away where he found “8 Mile” star Mekhi Pfifer, poker legend Doyle Brunson and soccer sensation Pablo Maldini. Then Saturday night at Tao record numbers turned up full force for a platinum Patron party when ‘Last Call with Carson Daly’ host Carson Daly launched a new music website he's involved with named BURN LOUNGE -- a next generation community powered digital music service. Among those in our crowd dancing along with the Tao dancers to DJ Vice’s sounds: ‘American Idol’ star Justin Guarini, Actress Joy Bryant, Simon Rex, ‘Everybody Hates Chris’ star Tichina Arnold and MySpace celebrity and web-vixen, Forbidden.
STRIP SCRIBBLES
Hometown hero, Andre Agassi, has shown up in London for extra training for what might be his final shot at a Wimbledon crown after deciding to bypass the French Open. … Did Tony award winner Harvey Fierstein earn a $1 million payday for his three-month run starring in ‘Hairspray’ before it officially closed last night -- less than a month after he’d departed ? … In between his summer solo touring schedule, my pal and neighbor, Vince Neil of Motley Crue, is restoring a 1932 Ford antique auto. The Crue reteam again in September to resume their tour opening for Aerosmith. … Please join Siegfried & Roy when they host the Opportunity Village celebrity poker tournament with 15 of their entertainer friends on Saturday, June 24 at Caesars Palace. The buy-in is only $500 and all goes to one of Vegas’ most beloved charities.
TOMORROW’S TEASE
Surprise secrets of the 20-year dream to bring the world’s best musical to the world’s best theater on the Strip: the near $100 million ‘Phantom of the Opera.’ Luxe Life has incredible one-on-one candid interviews tomorrow with the legendary creator Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and director Hal Prince.
DAILY CINEVEGAS LUXELIFE PICKS
Monday, June 12
6PM
World Premiere ‘Park’ with Billy Baldwin and Ricki
Lake (Palms)
7PM
Half-Life Award presentation to Laurence Fishburne (Palms)
8:30PM
World Premiere ‘Wet Dreams’ - Rebecca Romjin & the Bellagio
fountains’ dancing waters. (Palms)
10:30PM
– ‘Park’ movie afterparty with Marissa Tomei at Jet nightclub in The Mirage
11PM- ‘Wet
Dreams’ party with Rebecca Romjin in the Fontana Room at The Bellagio
TONIGHTS TIP
Fox premieres the reality series ‘Hells Kitchen 2’ as a two-hour special from the new Red Rock resort, with controversial catatonic-chef Gordon Ramsay. One of the 12 contestants -- none are from Vegas -- will win the chef’s job in the resorts new T-Bones restaurant. Staff of the steak joint and the hotel will be seen throughout the new season of shows.
CONTACT US
You can share your Phantasy in an operatic tone with an
email to robinsvegas@aol.com To ensure
you don’t miss one drumbeat of the new edition, click
here or at the 'Alert Me' up top if you’d like;to know;the moment the
new exciting Luxe Life is up, up and away! ;
Go to AOL Vegas for much more on hotels, casinos, restaurants, nightlife, and everything Las Vegas! Check our travel section for great deals on hotels, airfare and much more!; And when visiting Vegas, be sure to see Las Vegas Magazine in your hotel suite featuring a print edition of AOL Vegas Luxe Life, and an incredible directory of attractions, shows and restaurants.
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CineVegas, Carmen Elektra's Poker Pals, 'Phantom' and More Star Sightings
Our 8th annual CineVegas – “the world’s most dangerous film festival” - began its 8-day run at the weekend and chairman, actor Dennis Hopper (pictured) who will celebrate his 70th birthday in two days time, Wednesday, June 14, opened it with the world premiere of “Strangers With Candy” -- a wild, weird yarn about a 46-year-old ex-junkie ex-con who tries to start over by returning to high school. It features Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Stephen Colbert, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Back in 2003, Dennis won the CineVegas lifetime achievement Marquee Award and has remained our chairman since. He first visited Vegas in the early ‘50s to watch his hero, Orson Welles, performing magic and filmed his world-famous “Rebel Without a Cause” here five years later. Our brazenly unconventional film festival this year features visits tonight from Laurence Fishburne and supermodel Rebecca Romjin. Then it’s Sylvestor Stallone on Wednesday and Christine Ricci and Helen Mirren on Friday.
Rebecca, who has starred in everything from the large screen 'X-Men’s Last Stand' to the ‘Pepper Dennis’ series on the WB, has two films
featured in the festival. Her ‘Wet Dreams’ documentary about the dancing waters
of the Bellagio hotel premieres tonight and her ‘Lies & Alibis,’
about commercialized adultery and murder, is the festival’s closing-night
feature on Saturday. The statuesque blonde beauty said: “Like many Vegas
visitors, whenever I came here I spent hours sitting in front of the fountains.
I became truly mesmerized by them and I got so into them that I wanted to pick
my own music and choreograph the fountains. My filmmaker friend, Steve Willis,
urged me to turn the idea into a film and we actually made it happen. We even
got to swim in the center ring during one of the shows. It ended up being the
most satisfying, fulfilling thing I’ve ever been a part of.” Her film’s
advertising tag line “What happens in Vegas, sprays in Vegas” might set off a
feud with our tourism commission’s ad agency who always “call in the cavalry”
to legally object to take-offs and parodies of the official branding campaign.
As part of the CineVegas festival, Brenden movie theaters at the Palms have created their own Hollywood-themed “Walk of Fame” and Rocky hero, Stallone will be on hand as his star is formally unveiled and presented to him on Wednesday. But I’m mighty proud because I got one too!!! Yep, there I am alongside such greats as Rhonda Fleming and Cuba Gooding Jr. Next time you’re in the Brenden movie theaters at the Palms check out that welcome-foyer floor and you can play spot the stars. I am deeply honored and somewhat phased at being recognized for inclusion with the crew of celebs. It’s my favorite local cinema complex for movies so I’ll polish it every time I stop by. but if you’re there and it needs an extra sparkle please don’t hesitate to use your elbow grease. I’d rather that than you “walk all over me.”
DOUBLE THE POT
Sexy Carmen Elektra hoped to raise $50,000 for her “Head to Hollywood” charity with a celebrity poker event at the Hard Rock Hotel. By the time the six-hour tense tournament terminated, Hard Rock president Harry Morton was able to almost double that and providing a check for $90,000! Our photo above shows Harry and Carmen with the presentation check before the final pot was tallied up.
Some 157 players including Carmen herself, ‘American Idol’s’ Randy Jackson, David Spade, Shannon Elizabeth, Montel Williams and Omarosa Stallworth from ‘The Apprentice’ took part. Carmen lasted for four hours windingup in the final 30 player group before being ousted, Shannon Elizabeth lasted five hours and made it to the final table where she finished sixth overall. Later, all the celebs were joined by actor Sean Penn for a private Body English nightclub party hosted by Carmen. Former husband, Dennis Rodman was doing his own party thing meantime at Pure for designer Chris Aire with date Bai Ling and friends supermodel Tyson Beckford and actress Vivica A. Fox.
FIRST PHOTO
The ‘Music of the Night’ soars in The Venetian’s specially
built $45 million theater for ‘Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular.’ It opens
tonight with the first preview and the gala premiere is set for June 24.
Construction is right down to the wire in a remarkable touch-and-go right till
curtain-up! It was only over the weekend that the cast and orchestra
finally got into the theater for their first full dress rehearsals. Engineers,
yesterday, were still rigging the mind-blowing special effects four-part
chandelier that explodes over the audience with the Phantom flying down inside
it from the ceiling. In the middle of all the chaos, the legendary and now
unflappable director, Hal Prince, took time out to tape, via satellite, his acceptance speech for the
Lifetime Achievement award that was presented to him at last night’s Tony
Awards show live on CBS from Broadway. He told me: “It was more important that
I remain in Vegas to launch the show. After all, I’ve been given too many TONY’s
to count over the past 20 years. I know this is a Lifetime Achievement, but if
we aren’t ready for Monday night, then I’ll have no life left or any
achievements left!”
Over a gourmet cheeseburger in Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio
restaurant at The Venetian, creator Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber told me why he
wouldn’t be able to attend tonight’s preview: “First, I’m not at all worried
because we already have the perfect story and the greatest music and it’s been
a huge success around the world so we’re not exactly doing this for the first
time. I have to get back to London
to open the new modern version of the “Evita” musical and then I’ll immediately
fly right backto Vegas for the June 24 Phantom premiere.” There will be ten
Phantom shows weekly at 7PM and 10PM.
Check Luxe Life tomorrow for the full incredible story of the nearly $100 million ‘Phantom project’ and a complete behind-the-scenes photo-album!
PARTY NIGHTS
Entertaining out-of-town friends at the N9NE steakhouse in the Palms, star-studded groups were everywhere you turned: NBC’s ‘Las Vegas’ star Josh Duhamel congratulated actor Jon Voight on becoming a grandfather (with his daughter Angelina Jolie’s first child , Shiloh, in Namibia, Africa with his actor (sort of) son-in-law Brad Pitt who return to their Malibu home where a huge family celebration is planned for mid- week); at separate tables, actor Dennis Hopper kicking off CineVegas and Cincinnati Bengals’ sports stars Carson Palmer and Chris Perry having to use a motorized scooter to maneuver between tables due to a leg injury. Josh later wound up at Tao in the Venetian to dance the night away where he found “8 Mile” star Mekhi Pfifer, poker legend Doyle Brunson and soccer sensation Pablo Maldini. Then Saturday night at Tao record numbers turned up full force for a platinum Patron party when ‘Last Call with Carson Daly’ host Carson Daly launched a new music website he's involved with named BURN LOUNGE -- a next generation community powered digital music service. Among those in our crowd dancing along with the Tao dancers to DJ Vice’s sounds: ‘American Idol’ star Justin Guarini, Actress Joy Bryant, Simon Rex, ‘Everybody Hates Chris’ star Tichina Arnold and MySpace celebrity and web-vixen, Forbidden.
STRIP SCRIBBLES
Hometown hero, Andre Agassi, has shown up in London for extra training for what might be his final shot at a Wimbledon crown after deciding to bypass the French Open. … Did Tony award winner Harvey Fierstein earn a $1 million payday for his three-month run starring in ‘Hairspray’ before it officially closed last night -- less than a month after he’d departed ? … In between his summer solo touring schedule, my pal and neighbor, Vince Neil of Motley Crue, is restoring a 1932 Ford antique auto. The Crue reteam again in September to resume their tour opening for Aerosmith. … Please join Siegfried & Roy when they host the Opportunity Village celebrity poker tournament with 15 of their entertainer friends on Saturday, June 24 at Caesars Palace. The buy-in is only $500 and all goes to one of Vegas’ most beloved charities.
TOMORROW’S TEASE
Surprise secrets of the 20-year dream to bring the world’s best musical to the world’s best theater on the Strip: the near $100 million ‘Phantom of the Opera.’ Luxe Life has incredible one-on-one candid interviews tomorrow with the legendary creator Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and director Hal Prince.
DAILY CINEVEGAS LUXELIFE PICKS
Monday, June 12
TONIGHTS TIP
Fox premieres the reality series ‘Hells Kitchen 2’ as a two-hour special from the new Red Rock resort, with controversial catatonic-chef Gordon Ramsay. One of the 12 contestants -- none are from Vegas -- will win the chef’s job in the resorts new T-Bones restaurant. Staff of the steak joint and the hotel will be seen throughout the new season of shows.
CONTACT US
You can share your Phantasy in an operatic tone with an
email to robinsvegas@aol.com To ensure
you don’t miss one drumbeat of the new edition, click
here or at the 'Alert Me' up top if you’d like;to know;the moment the
new exciting Luxe Life is up, up and away! ; Go to AOL Vegas for much more on hotels, casinos, restaurants, nightlife, and everything Las Vegas! Check our travel section for great deals on hotels, airfare and much more!; And when visiting Vegas, be sure to see Las Vegas Magazine in your hotel suite featuring a print edition of AOL Vegas Luxe Life, and an incredible directory of attractions, shows and restaurants.
robinsvegas at 3:23:00 PM PDT Blog about this entry |
Add to del.icio.us | digg this
