Celebrity Gossip From Las Vegas With Robin Leach | Luxe Life Digest

In advance of hubby Kevin Federline's planned weekend video shoot at PURE nightclub in Caesars Palace, popstar Britney Spears checked into The Venetian yesterday (THURS) -- and was spotted in the afternoon at the hotel's Canyon Ranch health spa complex. The last time the couple was supposed to be at the PURE nightclub they wound up in a heated argument in front of diners and staff at a Caesars restaurant with Britney fleeing in tears for her suite while Kevin partied on at PURE without her. It led to a slew of rumors that their up-and-down marriage had finally disintegrated. Britney ended up admitting to NBC Today show host Matt Lauer that they were receiving marital counseling and a psychologist's help, but that the marriage was not over and they were both very much together. Vegas insiders had expected Kevin to show up solo for his video taping -- not with Britney in tow. Now the paparazzi will be out in full force watching their every move over the next two-days for any new fireworks.

Kevin will have video camera in hand to shoot the night crowd dancing to his new single, appropriately titled 'Lose Control'. Then he'll hand off the camera to the professional dancers as he moves and grooves with his fans. It's supposed to be top secret but I'm reliably told that Britney will be there not only watching, but also making a cameo dancing appearance. She's already hired a top hair-dresser and makeup artist for her mini-scenes! Kevin plans to edit the PURE dance footage into the final music video. A 12-hour shoot for the video with models and dancers is scheduled from 7AM to 7PM Saturday and then Kevin and Britney will walk the red-carpet at 11PM. Then, as the midnight hour approaches, he'll be on the disco floor, filming until the wee hours with Britney keeping an eagle eye on all the antics and jumping into the shots too!!!

A NOD TO THE OLD SCHOOL

'Jubilee,' the longest running show on the Strip celebrates its 25th Anniversary.

Hard to think of anything old in Vegas. Seems everything is always new -- or what is old is in the process of being blown up, torn down to make way for the new. Fortunately though, two fine institutions are still going strong. Congratulations to Caesars Palace, which is about to celebrate its 40th anniversary, and to the longest running show on the Strip: 'Jubilee,' which is about to celebrate its 25th anniversary. A week from tonight (August 5), Caesars will actually mark its 40th, but the executives will throw their party next Wednesday instead (August 2). And it’ll be a scene right out of 'Animal House' complete with Otis Day and the Knights who performed the toga-party scene in the infamous movie! The Stripside Roman Plaza amphitheater will be turned into a bacchanalian bash and anybody over 21 who arrives in a toga gets in for free. The same is true for the after party in the PURE nightclub.

Across the street, Bally’s 'Jubilee' is still luring audiences. In fact, more than 8-million have seen the show since the summer of 1981, when it opened as the most spectacular Strip show of its time. Way before Cirque, it utilized 3 giant 100,000 lb. moving elevators, transforming 4-story sparkling staircases into sinking Titanic ships and gladiator arenas. Before outrageous Cher fashions, Hollywood designer Bob Mackie was sewing sparkling sequins and topping feathered head-dresses for the 33 different sequences. Think of a Busby Berkeley Broadway hit from yesteryear but 'Jubilee' is still the original classic and last remaining of the world-famous Strip showgirl productions. The cast of 100 zips in and out of 1,000 unique and individually designed costumes that originally cost $3.5 million to make way back then. Think at least triple that today!!! The finale of "Grand and Glorious beauties" alone has gowns made from 16 yards of material, 10 yards of boa ribbons and 120 twisted plumes of pure ostrich feathers on each girl!

NEW ALBUM

The Killers are raising eyebrows in town by naming their upcoming CD 'Sam's Town.'

I’m really curious as to why The Killers recorded their brand new, and eagerly awaited 2nd CD, by spending three months in the just opened, hot and hip celebrity-studded Palms recording studio, and then titled it 'Sam’s Town,' which is a locals-only rival casino on the opposite side of town and certainly without any of the gorgeous glamour!!! The album, due for release on October 2, even surprised Boyd gaming officials who own Sam’s Town. "We’re very excited that when the Killers think of home and Las Vegas they think of Sam’s Town. We can’t wait to hear the title track. This was a real surprise," Teri Jenkins told Luxe Life. The Killers always tend to surprise. The Las Vegas boys had to go to London to first find fame and fortune and still regularly refuse American press interview requests. Brandon Flowers who is The Killers lead singer says the CD was influenced by Bruce Springsteen but Brandon predicts it will be recognized as the best album in 20-years and even better than their 'Hot Fuss' CD from 2-years ago.

NEW SCINTAS HOME

The Scintas Family recently moved its act to the Strip, appearing now at Sahara.

After 5-years the Scintas family musical act have just switched from the Rio and now call the Sahara home. After the opening night show I asked older brother Frankie what it felt like to finally be on the Strip? He told me it was always their dream: "When we first came to Vegas, weworked for Steve Schirripa (The Sopranos), then entertainment director at the Riviera, in a lounge, but it didn’t truly count because our dream was to be on the Strip in a big showroom and entertaining in nightclubs around the country. It happened and we worked hard for it, and now it is here and I still can’t describe what a great feeling it is to be a headliner on the Las Vegas Strip --the entertainment capital of the world. The Rio was great. It was theater in the round and it had all of the video screens and everything. I didn’t think I was going to like the regular Sahara Theater. I kept telling my family I don’t think we are a true theater act, but the more we played in here -- we did previews for about 4 or 5 weeks -- I saw that these people were really into the show, and things that wouldn’t go over in a Cabaret style show, like the big ballads that Chrissie does. It puts her up to that other level. It is incredible. The sound system is brand new. All the lighting is brand new. We had the room accoustisized and I think the sound is just definitely better. It is fuller, fatter, and better. Even though it is an 830-seat theater, I think the people are closer than they were than in the 590-seat theater at the Rio. It is more intimate, and that is what I love about it." By the way the matriarch of the original Buffalo based family, Mamma Scinta is still at the Rio - appearing in 'Tony n' Tina’s Wedding'!!

STRIP SCRIBBLES
Incidentally, Frankie Scinta steps out of the family group for one-day only on Sunday, July 30, at 4PM, when he joins magician Lance Burton for the annual benefit show in Lance’s theater at the Monte Carlo hotel to raise funds for the hundreds of children receiving free medical care by The Shriners. Fellow magicians Mike Michaels, Rory Johnson and Luna Shimada will also perform… . What a week of stars at the Palms: manic magician David Blaine with supermodel Bridget Hall, rapper Lil' Jon, Howard Stern sidekick Artie Lange, sportscaster John Salley yet again and Sacramento Kings star Mike Bibby, who brought his mom along to share the bright lights and fun!... . And because we need no excuses to run photos of PYT’s (pretty young things) here’s the best of Palms casino honcho Jimmy Tipton’s 5th annual legendary poolside pajama party which also attracted the same pack of sports stars and rappers.


Scenes from Jimmy Tipton's poolside pajama party.

The Jack Daniel's girls are intoxicating at Jimmy Tipton's pajama party.

DOWN MEXICO WAY
Meantime this weekend Sammy Hagar turns the amphitheater at Caesars Palace into a beach-bash for 9-hours today, and will do so again tomorrow, with his classic, hit-filled concert wrapping up each night’s fiesta festivities. It comes complete with beach volleyball, a village of Redhead souvenir shops, cocktail bars and other fan paraphernalia so the party never stops. The weekend extravaganza was masterminded by Sammy’s good pal, Harrahs/Flamingo president Don Marrandino who will be carefully watching its success to see whether their plans for a full-time Cabo Wabo party playpen should go ahead at the Flamingo. Now for the rest of this weekend’s star-studded entertainment that we affectionately call ROBIN’S ROYAL RUNDOWN:

Friday July 28

Yours truly enjoying a toast with Ivan Kane.

MONDAY’S TEASE
Pamela Anderson's candid secrets from her weekend marriage in St. Tropez to Kid Rock. The full Vegas interview IN HER OWN WORDS, just 48-hours before the wedding ceremony!!! Plus, Luxe Life has the full story of Britney and Kevin's wild weekend video shoot at PURE and the sexy photo-wrap-up of the Playmates' lingerie party with the Gypsy Kings poolside at the Palms. Toni Braxton hosts her very own sneak preview of her new 'Revealed show' opening at the Flamingo on Thursday. Don't miss one extraordinary edition of Luxe Life-- the #1 inside source of everything that's happening in the most exciting city on earth!



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