BEAUTY QUEENS GALORE: THE MISS USA CONTESTANTS ARRIVE TO START 15-DAY GLAMOR CHALLENGE!

Over 50 gorgeous girls arrive in Vegas today (THURS) for the battle of “lipstick, hair and mascara” as they go through all 15-days of the preliminary competitions leading up to the April 11 live telecast of Miss USA 2008.

 

Tonight at the host hotel, Planet Hollywood Resort there will be a 7 p.m. “welcome celebration” right on the Strip before the pageant contestants enjoy a dinner party at the new Koi restaurant there.

 

Also incoming will be stars Donny & Marie Osmond who will host the NBC broadcast. Although it’s the third time they’ve hosted a pageant together it’s the first time since 2000 that they’ve actually hosted a primetime TV special together (Their eight-day run at MGM Grand in July is already completely sold out and in September they start a long term resident headliner stay at the Flamingo). “Watching the pageant was an anticipated yearly event when Donny and I were growing up,” said Marie. “We are honored to be a part of this U.S. tradition and to hopefully make Miss USA a memorable night for millions of new viewers.”

Rachel Smith, Miss USA 2007, also arrives tonight and she will crown her successor at the conclusion of the two-hour primetime telecast of the 57th Miss USA.

It was last March 23, 2007 at the Kodak Theater on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, that a dream came true for 21-year-old Rachel when she was presented with the winning tiara and sash. She said: “It’s pretty amazing to be able to live one of your dreams.” The bi-racial Panama-born Tennessee native who previously held the title of Miss Tennessee Teen USA back in 2002, traveled to South Africa where she volunteered at Oprah Winfrey’s Leadership Academy for Girls.

Hard on the heels of her $80 million divorce award by a British High Court judge against her former husband, Beatle Paul McCartney, Heather Mills—who appeared on Dancing with the Stars—also arrives as one of the celebrity judges. She’s in the British headlines this morning for saying she won’t be able to live on and raise their daughter on such a “small amount!” Heather says she wants to hire a new accounting firm to prove he’s worth twice as much as was revealed in court so she can get her award doubled! Hopefully she’ll explain that to me if we meet up during the days ahead.

For me it will also be a reunion with old friend, real-estate developer Donald Trump who owns the Miss USA pageant. He’s bringing in daughter Ivanka and son, Donald Jr. for the festivities because coincidentally he will formally open his brand new golden Trump Tower condo-tel on the Strip next Monday. I get the advance tour this afternoon so we can bring that to you before the grand opening ceremony.

 

The glamour-girls—including our very own Miss Nevada, Veronica Grabowski who is dating Mindfreak magician, Criss Angel have a full slate of social activities in addition to their pageant sessions and rehearsals. Two of the highlights include a dinner next Wednesday at Maggiano’s Little Italy in the Fashion Show opposite the Wynn and a “Sock Hop” in Planet Hollywood Resort’s new Privé nightclub on Saturday night, this weekend. The 51 contestants and Rachel will pair up with 52 people with intellectual disabilities from our favorite charity Opportunity Village for the Sock Hop organized by the new Best Buddies Vegas outpost founded by Anthony Shriver. The Maggiano’s dinner will also feature Miss Teen USA reigning queen Hilary Cruz for the motivational clothing and products line Once Upon a Dream with founder and creator, Supermodels Unlimited spokes girl, Andrea Forte.

Luxe Life’s ace lens man Scott Doctor will be joining me for our daily coverage and we’ll chronicle all right here so click back each day for the latest news and photos.

CHER COMES TO THE RESCUE OF AN ORPHANAGE AS BOB MACKIE REVEALS COSTUME SECRETS OF HER NEW CAESARS PALACE SHOW

It’s a story about our newest Caesars Palace headliner that will touch your heart—even though she hoped to keep it a secret. Pop-legend Cher, who has ruled the music scene for 40 years, arrives here April 7 to start a month-long rehearsal schedule for her May 6 opening. She bought five-acres of land for an orphanage in Kenya and has pledged $3,500 a month for the upkeep of the 360 children there! She’s been quietly supporting the original orphanage for the past three years ever since she saw a TV show about the work of founders Robert and Eleanor Wood—and even has Clint Eastwood helping her efforts.

They rented the land for the school but on this past Christmas Day were given notice of eviction. They quickly found new land just five miles away and Cher without hesitation purchased it for them and committed the ongoing support for the children of which 80 percent battle the HIV virus. Said Robert: “Without a big money donor like Cher we wouldn’t be able to survive. The school makes a radical difference in the children’s lives and without Cher’s support we would barely have got it off the ground in the first place. Thanks to her we have been able to give them two full meals a day and a much improved life.”

 

Meantime Cher and Hollywood costume designer Bob Mackie have been getting her gowns ready for the Caesars Palace show. He has been zipping her in and out of his dresses since the 1971 Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.

Known as the “sultan of sequins” and “raja of rhinestones” the 68-year-old designer says he’s finalizing 12 stage-outfits for her. “She wants the whole works and people love that about her,” he said. This weekend he is being honored with the inaugural Fashion Arts Charlie Award at the combined 30th anniversary gala of the Hollywood Arts Council and 22nd annual Charlie Awards at the Jim Henson Studios—actress Mitzi Gaynor, another long time client, will present him with the trophy. Mackie has won nine Emmys and been nominated for three Oscars during his TV and movie costume career.

He revealed: “There’s going to be some incredible new gowns that people are going to love and they will be as spectacular as the show itself. We’re going to mix in some updated nostalgia looks that she’s worn before because she’s doing some of those same songs. But when she comes out on stage dragged up beyond belief everybody will be talking about it.” Bob, who will be at Cher’s premiere, also does stage outfits for her Caesars colleague Sir Elton John—they first met at a Cher TV special back in the 70’s. “It’s all going to be a great big dazzling party for Vegas,” he summed up.

ON THE TOWN WITH “MR BELDING” & THE INDIAN CHIEF

If only our school, principals and headmasters had been as nice as Saved by the Bell’s Mr. Belding. My friend, actor Dennis Haskins revels in the role and the fans love him back. He is adored by everybody and a night on the town with him is akin to pop superstar status. Wherever he goes he gets an avalanche of men, women and girls wanting photos and autographs and he obliges all. When we had dinner at Robert DeNiro’s new Ago Italian restaurant in the Hard Rock even Seminole Indian Chief ambassador, Joe Dan Osceola made the trek from Florida reservation headquarters to meet him.

 

The tribe owns most of the other Hard Rock operations around the world including the giant Florida casino resort hotel where Anna Nicole Smith camped out before her death. I asked him since he owns the Hard Rock Cafés if he hoped to add our Vegas Hard Rock casino to his portfolio. “It has been discussed and we always look ahead to the future for our continuing growth for generations to come,” he told me quietly with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes.

 

 

Dennis was visiting Vegas to host the Spring Break salute at the Body English nightclub at the Hard Rock hotel. We were surrounded by “naughty schoolgirls” as we walked the red carpet and eventually settled into a VIP booth overlooking the packed dance floor. It was a night of total fun—and craziness—and the fans kept a constant cheering squad going for him. They just adore him for being gracious with all their requests. Dennis has just wrapped a new movie and is continuing with his new standup comedy act.

STARS PARTY HEARTY AROUND THE CLOCK

It was a “full house” when the cast of the long-running popular TV show all partied at the Body English nightclub Smashtime party in the Hard Rock hotel

 

 

Daily 10 host Sal Masakela welcomed Bob Saget, John Stamos and David Lee Coulier from the TV hit. Also taking in the fun were Weekend at Bernie’s star Johnathan Silverman and music impresario Tommy Lipnick. The previous night Bob Saget had performed his standup comedy routine to a sold-out crowd who got an extra bonus when John Stamos walked on stage in the middle of Bob’s guitar comedy number. The close friends not only dined together at Nobu but also grabbed the sun’s rays poolside during their working vacation trip.

 

This weekend’s new movie release of 21 is based on the book of the card-counting exploits of MIT student Jeff Ma—and he was made guest of honor at the Smashtime party.

Meantime over at Studio 54 in MGM Grand, notorious party girl, American Pie actress, Tara Reid hosted a night of dancing and drinking.

 

 

The sexy starlet sparkled in a flashy black sequined mini dress accented with black satin trim. Tara who just returned from a Mexico vacation was golden tanned and looked gorgeous with her soft cascading coils of long blonde hair. She sipped both Veuve Clicquot champagne and Grey Goose vodka and every time she waved to the crowds as she leaned over the upper balcony they cheered her. Before calling it a night Tara moved over to the nearby Tabú ultra lounge to dance into the early hours to her requested house music tracks! Tara was then off to Goldspike, Nevada to start filming a true-life murder and ghosts haunted-hotel story!

Two-time winter Olympic gold medalist, speed skater and Dancing with the Stars contestant, Apolo Ohno partied at the Bellagio’s new The Bank nightclub with MTV’s Real World Las Vegas star Trishelle Cannatella at his side.

 

Also there, actor Ryan Cabrera with Drew Brown from the One Republic band. Ryan, who was romantically linked with Ashlee Simpson, returned for a second night at The Bank when supermodels Tiiu Kuik and Sara McNeilly celebrated their birthdays with model gal pal Michelle Buswell. Tiiu has been a Vogue cover girl and Sara is labeled the hottest gal to leave Michigan since Madonna!

 

 

 

 

Former heavyweight champion Iron Mike Tyson was the center of attention at the weekly Miss LAX contest—and the bikini babes bombarded him for photos.

 

Across the dance floor were Nick D’Anna and girlfriend Ania Migdal from E! Network’s hot Sunset Tan reality series. Mixed martial arts fighter Frank “Twinkle Toes” Trigg and DJ Paul from hip-hop sensations Three 6 Mafia also partied at LAX in the Luxor.

 

Up the Strip at Pure nightclub in Caesars Palace Mike Tyson was rocking for a second night—but he just missed boxing champion Floyd Mayweather who bought champagne for a large group of his friends in the premium VIP booth. Also attending was pro-poker prince Antonio Esferandi.