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

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For two weeks, six-time Grammy-Award-winning singer Toni Braxton was confined to bed, battling a severe flu bug and laryngitis that caused her to lose her voice completely. "It's the worst I've ever experienced and I panicked I might not ever sing again," the 105-lb beauty told me backstage at the Flamingo, on her 3rd night back on the Strip. Miraculously she's sounding better than ever before and her 18-hit-song and dance performances are dazzling fans with a 99% sellout every night at the box office, according to Flamingo president Don Marrandino.

Indeed, the night I attended she was magnificent on her $1-million microphone of 6,500 diamonds, winning standing ovations. Now she's even got her sassy sisters, Tamar and Trina as her backup singers, and the trio are the prettiest of pictures when grouped around the piano that Toni plays for one number! (Their new album will be released in March and they'll stay in the show till then until they leave for their own promotional tour.) "I've been playing piano since I was 10-years-old and I played it as my own accompaniment on my very first audition for Babyface (Kenneth Edmonds)," Toni told me. She also told me that she is still loving her Vegas residency. "I really do love living out in Southern hills and working on the Strip every night," she said. "It's tough trying to balance a career and motherhood simultaneously, but it's great being a mom to two kids by day and a rock and roller by night."



Toni turns very emotional revealing how, when she first got to Vegas in July, she tested her son in August and learned he was autistic. "He's been doing much better the last two weeks and I'm optimistic, but it hasn't been at all easy. My husband and I are his soldiers in the fight and I'm just so thankful my Vegas gig gets him all the help he needs." Two tips for you on your must-visit to Toni's spectacular show: 1) Settle back with the new Tonitini drink of Absolut Ruby Red, X-rated Fusion, Pomegranate Juice and Sensi Rose Nectar. 2) Get a seat as close and upfront to the stage as possible, because chances are good she'll invite you on stage for a love-duet or dive into your lap for a little kiss and cuddle during a romantic number! For the rest of my life I will always wonder of the miracle dressmaker who spent 120 hours hand-beading the 25,000 decorative stones and 11,000 Swarovski crystals that decorate what has to be the world's sexiest and shortest mini-dress, which somehow protects all her charms from being exposed anymore than they already are!! Toni admits if she does accidentally pop-out, she simply pops back in, and that has to be seen to be believed! For even more Toni, click here for our Sexy Photo Gallery.

007 STARS GALA

A private screening of 'Casino Royale,' the new James Bond film opening nationwide tomorrow, and a comedy performance by Dana Carvey will highlight the Nevada Cancer Institute's 5th fundraising gala at the MGM Grand Garden Arena tonight. Special guests at "Bond for the Cure," include old pals George Hamilton and James Caan with star chefs Joel Robuchon, Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina and Tom Colicchio serving up the taste treats. CNN's Larry King plays emcee. I caught a very sneak preview of the new Daniel Craig starring as 007 thriller 10-days ago and found it a riveting, explosive, all action suspense movie. In other words, vintage Bond at his best, and the perfect match to the high-tension of first actor Sean Connery. The movie is an absolute winner from start to finish and the opening high-sky construction crane chase should have the viewers opening their wallets for donations to Nevada Cancer Institute just to sit back from the edge of the chair! Click here for the AOL Movies preview.

REVOLUTION TALENT HUNT

Luxe Life got the first sneak peek at the new outfits the mood managers, servers and hosts will be wearing at The Beatles, Cirque du Soleil Revolution nightclub ultra lounge and Abbey Road bar opening at the Mirage on December 17. They went on display for the thousands of applicants at the Revolution job fair to checkout before their interviews. The successful job-seekers were whittled down to a final 200 and by the end of the month the successful ones will be notified so those costumes can be fitted and training gets underway. Brand-new cutting edge technology is being used in the ultra-lounge, which will open, by 5PM daily until 10PM with Beatles music, before turning into a late night spot with other music. Screens are being installed this week behind the long main bar to replicate the projections used in Cirque's actual 'LOVE' musical next door and the first of 7-cameras go under cocktail tables to capture images and messages customers create on the tops that flash to another panel. Luxe Life will bring you the first look about 2-weeks before the soft opening. Put February 14, Valentines Day, on your diaries for the official opening with invitations already in the mail to Sir Paul, Ringo, Yoko and Olivia!



UNDER THE BIG TOP

Tonight at the Rio is the grand official opening of the new 'Cavalia' spectacular, a critically-acclaimed show that captures the majestic connection between man and horse, tracing that bond through history with music, acrobatics, special effects and multimedia elements. The 50 horses represent 10 different breeds. Different disciplines of equestrian are spotlighted as horses and riders share the stage with aerialists, dancers, musicians and acrobats. The visionary behind 'Cavalia,' Normand Latourelle, was deeply involved in Cirque du Soleil during its earliest days, and he's gone on to also produce adventurous shows of mammoth proportions. Far from a rigidly scripted show, 'Cavalia' encourages its horses to express themselves as they perform under the 160-foot long arena under the 10-story, 110-ft high Big White Top during this evocative, dream-like spectacular. 'Cavalia,' although HQ'd in Montreal, has toured the last 2 years with over 1.5 million people marveling over the majestic horses, but this is the first visit to Vegas and runs until Dec 9.

STRIP SCRIBBLES

TAO makes its Worship Thursday parties quite the hotspot scene. Last week, boxing champ Floyd Mayweather popped bottles of champagne in the VIP section all night long with friend, actor Chazz Palminteri and this week it's the Perfect 10 national model search. ... Congratulations to Master Magician Lance Burton (seen above with, from left: Jerry Fink, Ann Henderson and Bruce Bommarito) who has headlined at the Monte Carlo Resort for over 10 years for being named Nevada Magazine's Entertainer of the Year. The official publication of Nevada began publishing in 1936 and reaches over 600,000 readers. I was one of the judges along with Norm Clarke, gossip columnist and Mike Weatherford, entertainment columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal; Jerry Fink, entertainment writer for The SUN; and Ann Henderson, entertainment editor for Nevada Magazine ... Congratulations also to 'Menopause The Musical,' celebrating its 400th show at the Hilton tonight in its comedic spotlight on women facing "The Change" of life after 40!

TONIGHT'S COMEDY FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
8PM: Five comedy finalists compete for $50,000 in Stand Up or Sit Down hosted by George Lopez
8:30PM: The Bob and Tom Radio Show Comedy Tour
10:30PM: A special performance by Bill Maher
11PM: Dave Attell ropes in Louis C. K. and Daniel Tosh in a trio takedown
11:30PM: 'Sex and the City' star Mario Cantone presents his latenight irreverent humor
Plus, AOL's Comedy Party starts at 10PM in PURE.

TONIGHT'S TIP
The weekend entertainment offerings get an early start with songbird Olivia Newton John, (pictured) recently inducted into the Australian Music Hall of Fame, at the Luxor through Saturday night. ... Vegas' own Dewey Cooper features on the fight card at The Joint inside the Hard Rock when Pacquiao and Velazquez battle it out in a 12-round championship slug-fest. ... Legends of dance music Paul Oakenfold and Pete Tong debut at JET in the Mirage and entertainer Barry Manilow starts to wrap 3-more nights of shows at the Hilton before heading home to Palm Springs.

TOMORROW'S TEASE
Superstar Barbra Streisand goes head to head against Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg and Robin William's huge star-studded Comic Relief comedy special. Plus, the master of the macabre Amazing Johnathan has his new comedy TV special premiering this weekend.

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