After taping five one-hour TV shows in just two days, you would have thought 'The View' costar, comedienne Joy Behar, would have wanted to stay on in Vegas to grab some r'n'r. Instead, she dived right in to more work. Tonight (Thurs. Feb. 23), my feisty female friend makes her debut in Sin City with a one-night only performance at The Flamingo. She’ll show slides of her family and kid about her Italian-American heritage – plus include some behind the scenes secrets of 'The View's funniest guests and incidents not seen on camera."I’m only doing it because we were already out in Vegas for the TV show," Joy told me. But she vows to return without her View vixen castmates for more comedy concerts if its successful. "I love Vegas, and I’m in love with black jack. So we’re meant for each other," she said. Before she joined The View in 1997, Joy was a Manhattan standup comedienne. "I never really traveled outside the city, because I was a single mom raising a child, so I liked to stay close to home." Joy to the world!

As we told you on Monday, 'The View's week in Vegas will be capped tomorrow AM with an unusually in-depth interview and literally tear-jerking performance by Celine Dion. In advance of the broadcast, we can bring you these up close photos and tell you what's talked about as the show was taped at the beginning of the week, and we were there, of course! Like Joy, Celine talks about the importance of family as a priority, and that her son used to cry when she sang. "I go home every night," she says now, "and my son has a home, he has stability... I want him to sleep on the same pillow, I want him to open the fridge and have the milk ready." Celine talks about the possibility of adding another child to her family, the pleasures of living in Las Vegas, her book, and how she nearly turned down her signature hit 'My Heart Will Go On!'

Celine tells them, "I want people to know that I go through the same things as them, and I am not any different. We are normal people, and I just feel privileged to sing songs for them. People come to me and tell me that 'we got married to that song,' or 'I lost someone so dear to me and I listened to your song' and it is a privilege to not only sing for them but to have a relationship with them."

Celine's performance on the show moved the ladies so much that co-stars Barbara Walters and Meredith Viera could visibly be seen wiping tears from their eyes afterward! (see right) It is a broadcast you don't want to miss, so be sure to tune in ABC tomorrow at 11 AM (check your local listings, of course)...

With Vegas becoming more and more a serious destination for serious musical artists, it only makes sense that our ever-expanding town can now finally challenge Nashville, New York City and LA with a truly state-of-the-art recording studio. George Maloof’s new Studio At The Palms, in his new Fantasy Tower, had barely opened its doors when it was booked solid by some of the industry’s biggest names. Currently local lads The Killers are in for several weeks recording their follow-up to 'Hot Fuss' and even after 12-hour days, they can retire to their fantasy suites and by remote control continue to mix or modify from bedside control panels! Jazz pianist and crooner Michael Buble has cut there, Kelly Rowland from Destiny’s Child loved recording there and experts are predicting the tracks laid down by brilliant blues guitarist Joe Bonnamassa will also be outright winners. Paris Hilton even held a DJ listening session to play some of the tracks of her new CD, which insiders are tipping as the best solid surprise hit of the season (coming 4/28).

Studio director Zoe Thrall, formerly at NYC's legendary Hit Factory says the new Palms facility is one of the best in the country – and definitely the most convenient and luxurious for musicians and singers. Work proceeds on the tower's other attractions, while several of the fabulous Fantasy suites are already open. Next up, the newly designed SKIN pool arrives in time for spring, and then the Playboy Club will celebrate its grand opening in September...

Also staying on the cutting edge and ever restless about change for the better is mastermind mogul Steve Wynn (right with yours truly). While he's been in the news lately regarding the closing of 'Avenue Q,' Steve has many other changes in store, including significant updates to signature show 'Le Reve.'

Steve told me exclusively: "When Franco [Dragone] and I made our deal, there was no 'KA,' no 'Zumanity' ... now there are four Cirque shows and soon five including the new Beatles one at Mirage. Franco and I talked about it and I said, 'I would like to introduce some new things, and I would like to spend some more money on the show, and I would like to take it to a more sensual, artistic area. Let’s sit down with Tim Hatley, who does the costumes and the sets, Moses Pendleton, Michael Curry ...' And we came up with some really incredible ideas that really augment our show and take it to another level.

"We are going to do this over a period of six months," Steve continued, "and build the show in an area that brings to the stage in Las Vegas something they haven’t seen in 'Mystere' and in 'O.' So we are going to play with it, and give our audiences some new things as time goes by, which I think is a good thing to do in Las Vegas. It is very important in Las Vegas that we stay dynamic with our theaters, and that we are always pushing the envelope and trying new things. None of the shows should stay static. I think that Guy LaLiberte feels the same way, with 'Zumanity' and 'KA.'"

Steve now confirms that on May 28 (the day after 'Avenue Q's last performance) construction will start immediately on converting his Broadway Theater into the Grail Theater, and expanding it from 1200 seats to 1499 seats. He says the conversion and expansion work will be completed for rehearsals for Eric Idle's rock 'em sock'em Monty Python musical 'Spamalot,' to begin Dec 1 with a firm February opening... Steve also revealed that he’s pacted with Top Rank boxing baron Bob Arum as the hotel’s new Sports Director to present superstar fights in tandem with Harrah’s, so boxing remains Vegas ‘ #1 sport attraction...

Every now and again, I like to pass on personal recommendations to our loyal LuxeLife Journal readers, appropo to nothing other than your enjoyment. Here’s a charming couple: Las Vegas Dreams is a collection of intimate up close photos and interviews with the top talents of the fastest growing city in America by local author Jim Bickford. The 176 pages feature life stories of 70 prominent movers and shakers, over 400 color pictures and a look at 40 of our fabulous resort hotels. Included are tycoons Kirk Kerkorian, Brian Greenspun, Tim Poster, Tom Breitling and Bobby Baldwin, entertainers Clint Holmes and Danny Gans, Senators Harry Reid and John Ensign -– and even backstage at 'Jubilee' with the city’s senior stateslady of deliberate wardrobe malfunction, Fluff LeCoque (honest, that’s her real name!) ... It’s a great guide, a splendid souvenir and a tremendous take-home gift.

Local history also plays a part in my second tip: It's not often I write raves about a non-Strip-hotel restaurant, but The Capital Grille (located on the 3rd floor of the Fashion Show Mall opposite the WYNN) is a deserving exception. Tough to decide between its 900 different wines and its dry-aged on-premises steaks and chops as the key highlight, though I most enjoyed the giant cold seafood shell platter and the swordfish served up by chef David Sacco! In all, 10,000 bottles of wine are housed in the restaurant that seats 300 guests in its main room and another 84 in 3 private dining rooms. The walls are graced with 16 huge portraits (see right) of venerated Vegas names including Elvis Presley, billionaire Howard Hughes, flamboyant pianist Liberace, the Rat Pack, and (reputed) gangster Bugsy Siegel, who opened the original Flamingo in the '40s, starting the Las Vegas Strip as a legit destination! Wonder what he'd think of all the building that’s going on here now?

Finally today, if you’re passionate about poker or simply anxious to brush shoulders with the princely players, take a stroll to Bobby’s Room in the Bellagio Poker Room. On exhibit there is artist LeRoy Neiman’s painting of a world-class group engaged in a high-stakes game. The preeminent players include Lyle Berman, Doyle Brunson, Chau Giang, Chip Reese and even Bobby Baldwin -- the President and CEO of Mirage Resorts -- himself. The room is actually named in honor of Baldwin, who was the 1978 World Series Poker Champion. What's really fascinating about the painting is that it actually depicts Leroy (see upper left corner) sketching the group as they played for real in an intensive no-limit game!

LuxeLife will be up front and center right here tomorrow with the royal Robin rundown of riches for the weekend, plus intimate details of yet another scantily-clad topless show for the Strip. Don’t miss one exciting edition! We’ll help by reminding you each day the very second its published if you simply click here or on the 'Alert Me' tab up top! We also read every remark you make -- ribald, reverent or rancorous -- at robinsvegas@aol.com, so keep those cards and letters coming.

Don't forget: go to AOL Vegas for much more on hotels, casinos, restaurants, nightlife, and everything Las Vegas! And check AOL Travel for great deals on hotels, airfare and much more!

Read previous columns from Robin Leach at: journals.aol.com/robinsvegas/LuxeLifeVegas