Comedian Gordie Brown, an incredibly talented entertainer, ends his engagement at THE VENETIAN February 13. Brown, whose show consists of comedy, music, parody and impressions, began performing in The Venetian Showroom in October 2006. Brown will turn his attention to other projects and performances throughout the country with eventual plans to return to his Las Vegas home at THE VENETIAN.

 

Wow! Wow! and more Wow! About the new Hawaiian Tropic Zone in the Miracle Mile Shops at PLANET HOLLYWOOD. Opened by powerhouse restaurateur Dennis Riese and celebrity chef David Burke, the grand opening celebration featured live performances by The Forbidden World of Don Tiki, Little Steven Van Zandt's "The Chesterfield Kings" and the exotic Hawaiian Tropic Zone Dancers. I spoke to Dennis Riese and his lovely wife (see picture) who said the Forbidden World of Don Tiki entertainment came directly from Hawaii. What a great show!. Hopefully entertainment like this will continue at this great venue. Costume designer Nicole Miller and world-famous chef David Burke have come together to bring glitz and entertainment back into fine dining. David Burke is the mastermind behind Hawaiian Tropic Zone's eclectic menu which features both lunch and dinner items. At the opening celebration, the food was great and kept coming and coming, served by gorgeous models.  The guys were looking (or should I say gawking). more than eating, and it was a delight to see such beauty. The exotic and friendly Hawaiian Tropic models wore alluring brief fuchsia bikinis and floral sarongs designed exclusively by American fashion designer icon Nicole Miller. The Hawaiian Tropic Zone's sexy table concierges not only serve, but participate in nightly beauty pageants.  Hawaiian Tropic Zone has a sexy modern décor, captivating dining room,, a cat-walk stage for nightly entertainment, the largest video wall in Las Vegas, cabaret dancers, full bar, water wall entrance, strip-side patio (which I am told will soon have cabanas) and live DJ appearing nightly.  Check it out!

 

 

 

 

A unique production by the Divine Performing Arts of their Chinese New Year Spectacular was presented for one night only at THE LAS VEGAS HILTON.  This is a

global touring company that is dedicated to carrying on the true spirit of 5,000 years of Chinese traditional culture. In keeping with that concept, the production was truly

spectacular. Wonderful performances, costumes, settings, a live orchestra and themed storylines were moving and spiritual. However, in keeping with the Las Vegas concept of an ongoing show, I don't believe it would be successful here.  However, I feel lucky to have enjoyed this spiritually lovely endeavor with a theme of the truth, compassion and forebearance.

 

The GOLD COAST celebrates the Chinese New Year on February 12 with one of the largest traditional Chinese Dragon Dances in Las Vegas. At 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. a

traditional Chinese lion and a 62-foot Chinese dragon will dance through the casino to bring good luck to all in attendance. It is believed that the lion will chase away

evil spirits and bring good luck and prosperity. The dragon represents wisdom and a long life.  Kung fu practitioners from the Lohan School of Shaolin will perform the

dances.

 

Menopause The Musical has just celebrated its 1,000 performance at the LAS VEGAS HILTON. Inspired by a hot flash and a bottle of wine, Writer/Producer Jeanie Linders created the show as a celebration of women who are on the brink of, in the middle of, or have survived "The Change." What a romp, not only for the gals, but guys love it too.

 

Grammy Award winning artist Boz Scaggs will headline at the HILTON Feb. 8-9. performing the best-known songs of his career that has spanned 30 years. Scaggs has combined rock, jazz, R&B and blues to create a trademark sound.

 

You have probably seen them out to lunch, at the park, at a coffee shop or at the theater, but you have never seen the Red Hat Ladies like this. Approximately 1,700 members of the Red Hat Society (RHS) converged on the Las Vegas Strip to kick their way into the history books with a Guinness World Record attempt for "Most People in a Chorus Line."  Dressed in their sassy hats and signature, purple and red regalia, visitors to the Las Vegas Strip saw a mirage of purple and red that stretches nearly a half mile.  The "hatters" are in town to celebrate the opening of HATS! the new musical at HARRAH'S.  HATS! was inspired by the fun-loving lifestyle encouraged by the Red Hat Society.

 

Known for her incomparable humor, over-the-top imagination and captivating charisma, the Divine Miss M. has appropriately titled her new Las Vegas production "Bette Midler The Showgirl Must Go On." The show, which is created exclusively for The Colosseum at CAESARS PALACE, makes its highly anticipated debut on February 20. With plenty of girls and gags, The Showgirl Must Go On will feature some of Midler's favorite colorful characters, from Delores Delago - the wheelchair-bound mermaid - to the oldest living showgirl in Las Vegas, old, old, old Soph. Midler, and her entourage of talented performers, comprised of the staggering Harlettes (Jordan Ballard, Kyra Dacosta and Kamilah Martin), a 13 piece band- which includes a six piece horn section from the Las Vegas band "The Fat City Horns" - and 20 female dancers. Can't wait to see her show!

 

Forty years ago, the group WAR had everyone listening to and singing to their beat.  Still great, WAR had the audience at the FLAMINGO doing just that again and again as they performed in the George Wallace show. George Wallace is in his fourth year as a headliner at the FLAMINGO and packs the showroom every night.  Known best for his "Yo Mama" jokes and his infamous "I Be Thinkin" lines, Wallace creates a one-on-one atmosphere with his audiences, including them in the show and giving away a multitude of prizes during each performance. MOSAIC the Las Vegas-based music group, has been sharing stage time with George Wallace throughout 2007. They have been named the "Next Great A Cappella Group" by Boyz II Men, the best-selling Motown group ever. MOSAIC is comprised of six members that include Josh Huslig, Sean Gerrity, Corwyn Hodge, Troy Dolendo, Heath Burgett and John Gibson.

 

If you love prime rib, you will love the new restaurant at the SOUTH POINT called Primarily Prime Rib. Featuring four separate cuts of prime rib, dinner includes a choice of house salad or split pea soup and a baked potato or rice pilaf. The four cuts include a South Point Cut, an English Cut, a Blackened Cajun Style and a Cowboy cut.  In addition Primarily Prime Rib serves chicken and seafood as well and all at very affordable prices and very generous portions. I had a hot spinach and cheese dip appetizer that is almost a meal in itself.  Another new restaurant opened at the same time called Baja Miguel's.  While I was unable to partake in their victuals, I heard very favorable responses from other media people who were there. 

 

MAMMA MIA! at MANDALAY BAY was previously scheduled to end in August after more than 2,300 performances. However, due to popular demand, MAMMA MIA will now play through January 4, 2009. The production celebrates its 5th anniversary in February and is the longest running and most successful full-length Broadway musical to ever play Las Vegas. The movie adaptation of MAMMA MIA will be released in July. 

 

SUNCOAST SHOWROOM SCHEDULE:

 

SONNY TURNER  Feb. 8th - 10th. The Platters went through many personal changes, with the most successful incarnation, comprising lead tenor Tony Williams, David Lynch, Paul Robi, Herb Reed and Zola Taylor. In the late 1959, Sonny Turner replaced Tony Williams as the lead singer of the original Platters when he was chosen out of 100 singers who auditioned, Sonny at the young age of 19, toured the world with The Platters bringing their music to people of all nations. There are only three surviving members of the The Platters still alive today. They are Herb Reed who founded the group in 1953 and sang bass. Zola Taylor, the female vocalist and Sonny Turner. Sonny remained with he Platters from late 1959 until 1970 when he left to pursue a solo career.  In 2005, Sonny received The Lifetime Excellence in Entertainment Award in Las Vegas and was also inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame for his achievements with The Platters. 

 

CHRISTOPHER CROSS  Feb. 15th - 17th:

Best known for his number one hit songs, Sailing and Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do), the latter of which he performed for the film Arthur starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli. Sailing earned three awards at the 1981 Grammy Awards Ceremony, while Arthur's Theme won the Oscar for Best Original Song.

 

THE OSMOND BROTHERS  Feb. 22nd - 24th: The Osmond Brothers, Wayne, Merrill, Jay and Jimmy have been performing in front of worldwide audiences for 50 years.  They are one of the most well-known entertainment families in the world. They skillfully play 28 musical instruments, dance and write music. This year, The Osmonds are celebrating their historic 50th year in the entertainment industry with a PBS Special entitled, The Osmond's 50th Anniversary Reunion, airing in March. The Reunion Special stars The Osmond Brothers, with special guests Donny and Marie. The special marks the first time in many years that the entire Osmond Family has been on the same stage. 

 

The ORLEANS Arena will transform into a sandy beach when it hosts the final stop of the first-ever AVP Hot Winter Nights indoor volleyball tour Feb. 23. More than 200 tons of sand will be brought in for the three-hour competition and "winter beach party." The most popular and talented professional volleyball players including Kerri Walsh, Jake Gibb, Elaine Youngs and Stein Metzger will compete as teams of two.

 

ORLEANS SHOWROOM SCHEDULE:

 

THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS February 8th - 10th The Smothers Brother's first professional appearance was at The Purple Onion in San Francisco in 1959, and from 1967 to 1969, they hosted their own prime-time comedy hour.  Steve Martin and Rob Reiner got their starts as writers on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and there, Steve Martin got the opportunity to try stand-up.  Tom and Dick made the viewing audience laugh while challenging the audience to think about what was happening in the world. They took a stand against censorship, and their social and political commentary eventually got them fired from CBS. The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour is now studied in universities across the country as an important factor in the revolutionary changes undergone in the United States during the 1960's. The millennium brought new honors for the legendary duo. Former Las Vegas residents, The Smothers Brothers are a staple in out town and audiences love them.

 

An Evening with GEORGE CARLIN February 14th - 17th & February 21st - 24th                                    

Carlin also was quite controversial. Famed for his landmark Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television routine, George Carlin filled the void created by the

death of Lenny Bruce, honing a provocative, scathing comic style, which bravely explored the limits of free speech and good taste. George's initial comedy work,

believe it or not, cast him as a clean-cut, straitlaced performer. During the 60's George began appearing on television variety shows, notably The Ed Sullivan Show

and The Tonight Show during the Johnny Carson era. In the 1970s, George changed his routines and his appearance.  Sporting a beard, earrings and dressing

strangely, George lost some television bookings but regained his popularity and during this period he also perfected what is perhaps his best-known routine, Seven

Words You Can Never Say on Television, a routine which offended some. George was arrested in 1972 at a Milwaukee Summer fest and was charged with violating

obscenity laws after performing this routine. However, his popularity never declined and in 2001, George was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 15th Annual

American Comedy Awards. In 2004, he was ranked #2 on Comedy Central's 100 greatest stand-ups of all time lists, just behind Richard Pryor. 

 

Vinnie Favorito and Darren LaCroix have teamed up again to host Las Vegas Humor Boot Camp™, sessions in February and March. Comedian, celebrity roaster and radio talk show host Vinnie Favorito is a veteran in the comedy world. The Humor Boot Camp was developed in 1998 by LaCroix, author, keynote speaker and corporate comedian who was named the Toastmasters 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking after competing against 25,000 people from 14 countries. Prior to his success, LaCroix struggled with public speaking and sought professional help from Vinnie Favorito who taught LaCroix the art of humor. The Humor Boot Camp is designed to teach everyone, from salespeople to top-level executives, how to use humor as a means to deliver a message. Tuition is $895 per person and includes two full-day seminars with professional feedback, a VIP ticket to the "Vinnie Favorito Comedy Show" at O'Sheas, and a money-back guarantee. Early bird and buy-one, get-one half off discount specials are also available. Interested parties call toll free (888) 528-4451.

 

This year, everything at the Consumer Electronic show (CES) was either smaller, larger or thinner. JVC unveiled an LCD TV less than 3 inches thick, calling it the world's thinnest flat-screen television. The ink had barely dried on JVC's statement when rival Pioneer Corp was already claiming a concept TV that was less than one-fourth as thick. JVC said its new slim TV, which includes a TV tuner, measures 1.5 inches or 39 millimeters (mm) at its narrowest, with a maximum depth of 2.9 inches (74 mm) at the center. Pioneer then unveiled its Kuro 52-inch flat panel concept TV based on plasma technology, a rival to LCD. It boasted a thickness of 9 millimeters. But unlike JVC, which promised its thin TV's this year, Pioneer said its products would not be available in 2008. It did not say if a tuner was included. Rival Sharp, in August, revealed prototype 52-inch LCD TVs, which were 20mm thick. Its conventional 52-inch TV is 81 mm thick. TV makers are scrambling to develop thinner models to preempt rivals who are eyeing mass production of organic light-emitting diode TVs, known for thinness and crisp images.

 

3 Redneck Tenors - A New Musical Adventure at the LUXOR February 6-12 combines overalls and tuxedos to bring a new breed of tenor to Las Vegas. This musical comedy follows three singing cousins from their modest beginnings in Paris, Texas, all the way to their triumphant debut at New York's famed Carnegie Hall.  3 Redneck Tenors is a foot stompin', knee slappin', funny musical redneck romp, with tunes from Elvis to Puccini, soul to pop and country to opera.  Billy Bob, Billy Joe and Billy Billee mix NASCAR with Beethoven, lite beer with Puccini and even kick up a little dust with Ave Maria Dixie!   

 

Mayor Oscar Goodman awarded the Mayor's Urban Design Award (MUDA) for Historical Preservation to the Junior League of Las Vegas (JLLV) for their notable restoration of the Morelli House…..Hizz Honor also presented Penthouse Pet Princess (October 2004) and The Penthouse Club Las Vegas Key Girls, Teresa and Devon, with The Key to the City in his office chamber.  In return, the ladies presented the mayor with a Key to the Club welcoming him to visit the club at anytime and ensuring he would be well cared for. This should make the "Happiest Mayor" even happier. The Penthouse Club Las Vegas is the newest gentlemen's club, bringing the magazine to life. The Penthouse Club Las Vegas, located at 3525 W. Russell Road in the space formerly occupied by Sin, is the largest Penthouse club in the world at 46,000 square feet of entertainment space. The club has added the R U 702 "Locals Only" Lounge where only locals can gain access through an exclusive membership and will always receive their first drink free.

 

Legendary comic David Spade and Emmy Award-winner Wanda Sykes usher in a new era of comedy at PLANET HOLLYWOOD with their hilariously biting stand-up engagements. Long-time Las Vegas headliner, David Spade gets a new home on The Strip playing a series of dates beginning February 15 - 16 at the Planet Hollywood Showroom. He performs in a series of weekend dates through 2008: February 15-16, March 14-25, April 11-12, July 25-26, August 30-31, October 10-11, October 24-25 and November 28-29. Talented comedienne Wanda Sykes adds to the laughs with a limited engagement at the Showroom March 28-29.

 

Where can you usually see celebrities while enjoying a sumptuous dining experience? Strip House, located in PLANET HOLLYWOOD, has quickly become a hot spot for celebrity sightings.  Recent guests include Bruce Willis, boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard, funny man Chris Kattan, "The Sopranos" star Lorraine Bracco, Pamela Anderson, Cameron Diaz, Adrian Grenier of "Entourage", NBA legend Charles Barkley, rapper Lil' Jon, Sylvester Stallone, comedian John Stewart and actor Danny DiVito. to name a few.  Besides the great food, the restaurant's playful, sexy and vintage design creates an atmosphere with sultry silks, rich leathers, rosy lighting and Studio Manasse silhouettes.

 

John Edward, (not John Edwards the presidential candidate) author, lecturer and psychic medium, known for his popular internationally syndicated television shows, "Crossing Over with John Edward" and "John Edward Cross Country," appears at the FLAMINGO, Thursday, Feb. 14 at 11:00 a.m. and Saturday, Mar. 15 at 11:00 a.m. Edward will captivate audiences with his uncanny psychic abilities.  He has become notable for his unique ability to connect with those who have passed on, and his compelling, down-to-earth approach to his work. Each two-hour seminar consists of a Question and Answer session and an exciting opportunity to witness messages from the other side. Tickets are $181.55.

 

Author Dennis Griffin presents "Las Vegas and the Mob," a lecture on the life of Chicago mob enforcer Tony Spilotro, at 11 a.m. Feb. 20 at the Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 S. McLeod Drive. This program is free.

 

Two tribute performances at the CANNERY will be Black Diamond "The Ultimate Tribute to KISS," on Friday, February 15 and Saturday, February 16. Then, David Brighton pays tribute to David Bowie on Friday, February 22 and Saturday, February 23. Admission is $5 at the door. This production is complete with flamboyant costume changes, elaborate staging and perfectly emulated vocal stylings.