Barry Manilow, who headlines at the LAS VEGAS HILTON through 2007, performed in this year’s Royal Variety Show in the U.K.  His performance was carried twice on BBC.  Manilow returned to the Las Vegas Hilton on the heels of a truly outstanding year, which began with his “Greatest Songs of the Fifties” debuting at # 1 on the charts and quickly achieving platinum status. He then received an Emmy Award for his PBS television special, “Manilow: Music and Passion,” with the DVD achieving triple platinum status.   The year culminated with the unprecedented record launch of his “Greatest Songs of the Sixties,” which garnered him the biggest sales week of his career when it debuted on the Billboard Top 200 at #2. Tickets are now on sale for Barry’s show for all of 2007 at the Las Vegas Hilton box office or www.ticketmaster.com, or www.Vegas.com or by phone at 702-732-5755 or 1-800-222-5361.  

The Shaolin Kung Fu Show is back at the HILTON featuring monks from the Shaolin Temples in China who have trained in martial arts and dance. The group will also be featured in the Olympics when China hosts the games.

With the tremendous popularity of dance, the celebration of dance comes to life in Simply Ballroom at THE GOLDEN NUGGET.  Simply Ballroom  features some of the world’s foremost ballroom champions with 10, top-ten ranked competitive ballroom dancers from across the globe. The art of ballroom dancing is illustrated in the many styles of competitive dancing, including the passionate tango, lively jive, elegant waltz and the dramatic paso doble. Fresh from their world tour, which included engagements in South Africa, Dubai and Europe, these champion dancers launch their first time in the U.S. with an unlimited engagement at THE NUGGET. Due to the popularity of the show at 8 p.m. an additional show has been added at 3 p.m.

Inspired by the spirit of The Beatles and created by Cirque du Soleil, The Beatles REVOLUTION LOUNGE at The Mirage is revolutionary in design and atmosphere. This ultra-lounge uses cutting edge, interactive experiences to create a psychedelic sensory environment and reflects a contemporary interpretation of The Beatles era.

Elena Jeanne Batman, one of two leads that play “Carlotta” in Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular at THE VENETIAN sang the national anthem at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Congratulations to TERRIBLE’s HOTEL and CASINO as they celebrate their 6^th anniversary.

Here is some advance info on great performing artist coming to Las Vegas. As tickets will be almost impossible to get if you wait, they are now issuing tickets way in advance for the following:

Recording artist and dance sensation Justin Timberlake will bring his “2007 FutureSex/LoveShow” world tour to the MGM Grand Garden Arena Friday, Jan.19, Justin will be accompanied by a 14-piece band, back-up dancers and special guest Pink. .

Academy Awards winner Jamie Foxx, nominated for three Grammy Awards including Best R&B Album for Unpredictable, Best Rap Duo/Group for “Georgia” with Ludacris and Best R&B Performance by a Duo/Group for “Love Changes” with Mary J. Blige, will be at the ALADDIN, Friday, February 16   Foxx first came to fame as a comedian. After spending time on the comedy circuit, he joined Keenan Ivory Wayans, Jim Carrey, Damon Wayans and Tommy Davidson in the comedy series "In Living Color." In 1996, he launched his own series, "The Jamie Foxx Show."  He not only starred on the series but also was the co-creator and executive producer, and also directed several episodes. Since that time, in addition to his work in front of the camera, winning the Academy Award for his remarkable portrayal of Ray Charles, Foxx is enjoying a thriving music career. His music albums are selling in the millions.  Now he stars with Beyonce Knowles in the film "Dreamgirls," which is touted to be Academy Award material. 

Pop-music star Christina Aguilera launches her 41-city “Back to Basics” 2007 North American tour in February and will bring her high-energy show to the MANDALAY BAY EVENTS CENTER Saturday, March 3.  Special guests are The Pussycat Dolls, as well as Danity Kane.

Rock ‘n roll superstar Rod Stewart will roll his 2007 North American tour into the MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA Saturday, March 17.  Rod Stewart return to his rock roots, by highlighting songs from his No.1 chart-topping album Still The Same…Great Rock Classics of Our Time.  The album features a number of classic hits from his more than three-decade career. 

Talented vocal phenomenon Josh Groban will perform at the MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA Saturday, April 7. Groban burst onto the international music scene in 2001 with the release of his self-titled debut album featuring the hit single “To Where You Are.”  His follow-up albums brought enormous success.  

No tickets on sale as yet, but it will be an unprecedented super fight between two boxing superstars and former Olympians.  An event that will shatter records many thought would never be broken.  Golden Boy, six-division world champion Oscar De La Hoya, will meet unbeaten, four-division world champion Floyd Mayweather on Saturday,  May 5 at MGM GRAND. in the biggest fight to hit the sport in decades.  As soon as ticket sales are offered, I’ll let my readers know.

THE CANNERY celebrates Elvis Presley’s life with a 72nd birthday celebration on January 5 and 6, 2007 hosted by Elvis expert Steve Christopher with special performances by Johnny Fortuno and The Stamps Quartet as well as a meet and greet with friends and co-stars of Elvis Presley. Tickets are $10 at the door and the celebration begins at 8 p.m. Johnny Fortuno has been praised by critics and celebrities as one of the top Elvis Presley tribute artists. 

And, it is as if Elvis never left the building. The ‘King’ is more popular than ever. Now there is a new musical show portraying the singing career of Elvis Presley at the SAHARA, called “The Musical History of the King.”  This show presents songs from the `50’s era when his first big hits were on the radio, then the movies, then from his “comeback years: at the sold out Las Vegas concerts.  Trent Carlini who has received rave reviews for his tribute impersonation of Elvis delivers an amazing performance as Elvis

Did you know?  Although Nevada is called ‘The Silver State,’ there are about two-dozen major gold mines in Nevada. They produced 6.85 million ounces of gold in 2005 with a value of about $3.05 billion, third in the world behind South Africa and Australia

MAMMA MIA based on the songs of ABBA, celebrated its 1500^th show at MANDALAY BAY. Now in its fourth year, MAMMA MIA! has been the most successful full-scale musical ever to play on the Las Vegas Strip.  MAMMA MIA! has not only experienced success in Las Vegas, but, has been seen by over 27 million people around the globe and has more productions playing worldwide than any other current Broadway musical

THE SOUTHERN NEVADA YOUTH TENNIS FOUNDATION (SNTF) is an organization whose purpose is to help youth by providing safe, expertly supervised educational and physical tennis activities.  Current students are largely “at risk” young people who need positive role models, everyday life skills that help promote drug awareness, reduce violence, fight obesity, promote good nutrition, fitness habits, healthy decisions, leadership, team work, negotiation skills, self-esteem and decrease school dropouts.  Over the past ten years SNYTF has provided over 15,000 “free” tennis lessons, and it is SNYTF’s mission to double that number over the next 10 years. This has been a mission of love by founder/director Sandra Rose Comito (Sandee - tennis pro and former Mrs. Nevada) and a board of directors and advisors including Drs. Ted and Parvin Jacobs, Sandy and R.J. Peltyn, Ed Rivera and Jack and Nancy Weinstein.  For more information www.nevadayouthtennis.org.

Nathan Burton Comedy Magic in the “V” Theater at the Aladdin Hotel is perfect for children but fast paced and intriguing enough to keep adults on the edge of their seats.  Burton gained national recognition this past summer as the most featured magician on NBC’s hit, “America’s Got Talent.” With six prime-time performances, he performed more than any other competitor and bewildered the judges and viewers week after week by performing a variety of awe-inspiring illusions. Next year, Nathan will be returning for the second season of "America's Got Talent," as a special guest and coach.  Also in 2007, Nathan will appear on an episode of "The Surreal Life: The Fame Game," on VH1. I was honored to meet Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. a passionate environmentalist, who was in town at a gala on behalf of  Nova Town & Sage Era Development a futuristic environmentally-aware resort dedicated to improving environmental, cultural, scientific and economic communities. Robert (Bobby’s son) was the keynote speaker and was also signing copies of his bestselling book “Crimes Against Nature.”  His speech was really frightening and enlightening as to what has been happening to our environment.  

Las Vegas DEPARTMENT of LEISURE SERVICES OUTREACH SERVICES invites families to a Super Saturday celebration in Ethel Pearson Park on January 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants will enjoy free refreshments; a DJ with musical entertainment; special guest performances by a mariachi band, dance and step teams; a jump house; face painting; team games and playground fun; and educational mini workshops for adults. There will be no charge for admission or participation in any of the activities. Ethel Pearson Park is located on West Washington Avenue at D Street. Advance reservations are not required.

CityCenter is MGM MIRAGE's $7 billion city-within-a-city that will open on the Las Vegas Strip in November 2009 (between Bellagio and Monte Carlo resorts).  It is the largest privately financed project in the history of North America and has been designed by seven of the world's foremost architects

Hypnosis helped a Henderson man find out where two hours of his life went when he drove into a green hazy fog while on his way home from his valet job at the Flamingo with his wife and child. The stars of “Hypnosis Gone Wild” Terry Stokes and Michael Johns at THE HARMON THEATER hypnotized John Oscar Hein on two different afternoons recently while producer-director George Ciccarone of Henderson filmed the piece hoping to get it on “Inside Edition.  Originally from Ohio, this happened in the fall of 1993 while Hein and his wife and child were driving home to his remote cabin in the Mojave National Preserve. When they arrived home it was about 3:30 a.m. and they remembered driving into a strange looking green fog. Usually after work they were home by 1:30 a.m. and they could not figure out what happened to those two hours. Hein also had a scab on his neck, which was very strange. He went to a hypnotist in 2003 after having weird sex dreams. When he saw the movie `Fire in the Sky’ that helped bring back memories that he had been milked by UFO’s for his semen. His wife (now ex) warned him not to say anything because her ex-husband worked for the U.S. Air Force on the radar screen and said they called UFOs `electronic blips.  Hein said, “Terry and Michael really helped me. It was an emotional experience. I’m not one to cry but was on the brink of tears as I was just coming out of a state of being hypnotized.”  Terry Stokes said, “I believe that he believes it is true.  He was definitely not faking it. Stokes said he was approached in Pensacola, Florida about 10-15 years ago by a mother of a child with a similar concern and the Air Force called him and said one of their psychologists would handle it.