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'Jubilee!' Celebrates 25 Years; Vince Neil's Tequila & Tattoos; Japonais Opens at MirageFriday, September 29, 2006
In
This Issue:
The barely-clad, sometimes topless showgirls of 'Jubilee!'
celebrate 25 years.
Vince
Neil's new tequila is a hit, plus he's holding an open house
for tattoo artists
Pink's
hubby Carey Hary is sued by ex partner.
Japonais opens at The
Mirage
With
thousands of rhinestones and hundreds of beautiful girls, 'Jubilee!'
is
celebrating 25 fabulous years at Bally’s.
Since 1981, the barely-clad,
sometimes topless, showgirls -- seen in all these wonderful photos --
have been kicking up their high heels and fishnets
in one of the longest running shows on the Las Vegas Strip, with its
lavish
costumes and elaborate sets, world-renowned specialty acts and dynamic
music.
To commemorate the extraordinary anniversary achievement throughout all
of next
month, all Nevada
residents get in for just $25!! “It’s an amazing accomplishment for an
outstanding
show,” said Chris Nelson, Director of Entertainment
for
Bally’s Las Vegas.
“We wanted to find a special way to mark the occasion and thank the Las
Vegas community for
supporting us now for more than 25 years.”
Voted
the “world’s best showgirls”
by Travel Channel/BBC and featured on the cover of the New York Times,
Arts
& Leisure section, the gorgeous showgirls of Donn
Arden’s
'Jubilee!' are still the epitome of the grace and elegance synonymous
with old-time
Vegas. Conceived, staged and directed by the legendary Donn Arden,
'Jubilee!' is
an extravagant 12-shows-a-week stage production, with an initial cost
of $10
million, more than 1,000 costumes, 53 songs and scenery weighing up to
4- tons.
You know I love those statistics so here
goes:
The
cast of features 85 high-kicking performers.
This might be a man's world -- except on stage. Showgirls
outnumber
the men by about two to one.
To hit the heights of dancing fame, all 'Jubilee!' Showgirls
must be
at least 5-foot-8, while Showboys tower at 6 feet tall.
All dancers must excel in ballet, jazz and tap.
It
takes a wardrobe team of 18 people to build, repair and wash costumes.
58
tuxedos, based on Fred Astaire, were individually
hand-cut
and tailored. Bob Mackie and Peter
Menefee
are the show's original costume designers. Hey, if Bob Mackie is good
enough
for Cher and Britney…
There
are nine costume changes in a single performance. There are over 1,000
different costumes in the show. The average cost of one finale costume
is
$7,000.00. 8,000 miles of sequins used on the costumes are enough to
reach from
Las Vegas to Paris and back! The notch skirts (weighing up
to 10lbs) and Love costumes are made of fabric material especially
woven in Japan
for 'Jubilee!'
It only takes the women three minutes to put their costumes
on. We
told you these were extraordinary women.
Shoes
cost approximately $100.00 a pair and last about 3 months and each girl
has about
7 pairs of shoes for the show! Every shoe is re-enforced with steel
braces and
rubber soles.
The only lipstick color showgirls are allowed to wear is red.
With all the twirls and kicks they must execute, the dancers
go
through 1,500 pairs of tights a year.
The action isn't only on the stage. There's an army of more
than 50
people working behind the scenes, including stagehands, lighting techs
and
wardrobe folks.
With 17 set changes in the show, even a replica of the
sinking
Titanic makes an appearance.
The heaviest headdress weighs in at 35 pounds. The costume
feathers
are mainly ostrich and pheasant but when there’s a shortage the dancers
switch
to rooster, turkey and vulture feathers.
About
4,200 pounds of dry ice is used for the fog effects in eachperformance.
'Jubilee!' performers must re-audition for their job every
six
months.
About 12,000 people see the show each week.
The
rhinestones are silver plated Austrian Swarovski crystals which are the
highest
quality rhinestone in the world, topaz, crystal, sapphire, emerald,
ruby,
amethyst and aurora borealis rhinestones. If all the jewelry were
weighed
together, it would weigh 10,000 lbs.When 'Jubilee!' was in production
in 1980,
there was a world-wide shortage of rhinestones, because they were all
being
used in 'Jubilee!'
"We
keep the costumes in immaculate condition, hire the best showgirls in
the
world, and maintain the stage to the highest technical standards,” said
Chris
Nelson, Director of Entertainment at Bally’s Las Vegas. “When you
entertain 11 million
customers, to be good isn’t enough, you have to be the best every
night.”
For
a one-time only, memorable night, gorgeous film actress and 'Dancing
with the
Stars' frontrunner Vivica A. Fox will make a special
guest
appearance in 'Jubilee!' tonight in celebration of the show's 25th
anniversary.
Vivica, who starred in 'Kill Bill' and 'Independence Day,' will join
the glitz
and glamour alongside the showgirls both behind the scenes and on
stage. At the
special performance, Vivica will also display some of the latest moves
she’s
learned from 'Dancing With the Stars' with her partner, Nick
Kosovich, while the cast transform her
into a classic
Vegas showgirl for the finale draped in barely nothing, except for
those
sparkling sequins and regal rhinestones.
TEQUILAS &
TATTOO
Motley Crue bad boy frontman Vince Neil with his wife
Lia Gerardini.
My
neighbor, Motley
Crue rocker Vince
Neil telephoned me from
Times Square in New York
because he was so excited debuting his new tequila Three Rulers (Trez
Rios). “Can
you believe we’ve sold 150,000 bottles from our first showing," he
excitedly screamed. “Now we gotta figure out how to deliver that
volume.” Vince
is also riding on the success of his line of V-wines. Naturally, he’s
excited
about returning home here on a stop of the legendary rock tour they are
doing
with Aerosmith
that we’ve told you about previously in Luxe
Life and he’s going to use that stop here to open at the end
of next
month his new tattoo shop centerstrip at O’Sheas
Casino between the Flamingo
and Harrah’s.
First though, if you are anartist and not a one-hit wonder, he
has an open house today and tomorrow at the Flamingo
to recruit his staff.
TATTOO TROUBLES
Pink's husband Carey Hart is facing legal woes over
his A&E featured tattoo
shop.
A bitter
legal battle has broken out between former tattoo parlor partners
John Huntington
and motorcycle rider, Carey Hart husband of popstar
Pink.
Huntington has
sued Hart -- despite the fact that both their names are still on the
Palm’s
lobby store -- claiming he is owed a long-overdue amount from when
Carey bought
him out of the deal. Huntington
apparently had a 48% share of the parlor, which is featured on the
A&E show
'Inked.' Huntington
says he sold his piece back in January 2005 and was promised 5% of the
profits
after the sale. Huntington claims Carey Hart did make payments to him,
until
July 2005, but then stopped as of August ’05 and alleges that Hart
"misrepresented the true amount of sales," and thus he’s due more
money. Huntington
also wants to turn over the firm’s financial records to prove the
adventurous
accounting. Carey’s legal eagles replied that the lawsuit has
absolutely no
merit whatsoever!
JAPONAIS PASSION
Miae Lim shows off her new Mirage eatery Japonais, which is
also in Chicago and New
York.
Its one of
the most staggeringly beautiful Japanese restaurants to ever open in
Vegas and
tonight the $10-million palace Japonais
opens at the Mirage. It’s a dream come
true for 39-year-old owner Miae Lim, a Korean, born
of a Japanese mother. Miae
began in the restaurant business as a cocktail waitress, lying about
her age to
get the job and she parlayed salary and tips into purchasing an old
pizza
parlor in Chicago
and converting it into a sushi-nightclub phenomenon. She used the money
from
that venture to fulfill the dream of owning her own upscale restaurant
with
Japonais in Chicago.
Now celebrating its 3rd birthday in the Windy
City, it won 3-stars twice, which led
to the opening of a sister Japonais in New York in July. Now, on the
heels of the double success,
comes her new Vegas outpost opening with a star-studded celebrity gala
party
tonight. She told me that she has not 1 but 2 executive chefs in charge
of a
14-cooking team and she’ll spend 3 months each year in Chicago
and New York
but 6-months here because she loves Vegas golf!! 70% of the out of town
restaurant menu itemsare on the Vegas lists, but she’s introducing
French
Fries with Kobe beef on skewers and robato burgers just for Mirage
diners.
The $10-million
Japanese eatery Japonais at The Mirage opens
tonight.
The
restaurant is a design masterpiece by Jeffrey
Beers. It's sophisticated and sexy,
yet warm, with calming blue waters on stone and a lacquered red
entryway. A
custom, 15-ft long royal mosaic table, crafted of gold glass,
highlights a
private 16-guest dining room. The main room seats 170 with another 100
in the
lounge. Miae credits Nobu for being the godfather of the Japanese food
movement
saying, " People wanted healthier food not so fattening, and eating our
dinners make you feel better and not heavier. I love the challenge of
making it
in this highly competitive restaurant city. I was so focused I had no
time to
have fears or be scared. It takes passion to win and I’ve sure got that
to
ensure the best!” Mirage president Scott
Sibella commented, "Our resort
continues to emerge as a leader in the city’s dining scene and Japnoais
adds to
our high energyand culinary excitement.” I got the sneak exclusive peek
before
tonight’s VIP opening, so can safely advise when you go for its
signature
style, European elegance and modern cuisine try the smoked duck (Le
Quack
Japonais) and the house-smoked Wagyu Rib Eye and Wagyu carpaccio. My
personal
favorite was the Tuna Tuna Salmon and the Kani Kani snowcrab claws
wrapped in
shrimp!
SPORTS PHOTOS
The new Neil Leifer gallery at Caesars Palace will be home
to some of the most memorable sport's
photos.
Its one of
the world’s greatest collection of sports photos and as Bob
Costas
says, Neil Leifer’s images have been shaping
memories for
decades. Caesars
Palace
has just announced the opening of Neil’s permanent gallery on the
casino level
of the resorts new Augustus Tower, spotlighting the
celebrated photographer’s unforgettable moments in sports and culture.
More
than 200 have graced the covers of Sports Illustrated, Time and People
magazines. The Leifer Gallery debuts the most acclaimed sports photos,
including Muhammad Ali’s victory over Sonny
Liston. Other celebrated
photographic images include Secretariat winning the Kentucky Derby,
famed
football personalities Vince Lombardi, Joe
Namath and Bear
Bryant, and President
John Kennedy with Vice President Lyndon
Johnson after the president’s first pitch at
baseball’s opening day in 1961. Growing up in New York’s
Lower East Side, he was only 18 when SI
published the first of his 170 cover photos. His Olympics photos
captured the
US hockey team’s “miracle on ice” victory over Russia, Kristi
Yamaguchi defying gravity, and Eric
Heiden’s
five speed skating gold medals. Leifer has published 12 books, and next
month
his newest 350-page 'A Year In Sports,' will be published by Abbeville
Press. Also,
next month he will receive the prestigious Lucie Award -- the premiere
honor in
photography -- for outstanding achievement in sports photography. His
books and
photographs have toured prestigious art galleries in dozens of Leifer
exhibits,
but the Caesars Palace venue will be the first that is
dedicated specifically to his work and is the only gallery that bears
his name.
The gallery opening coincides with installationof 17 giant Leifer
photosin
the resort’s new Poker Room. Some are images Leifer created while
covering
events at Caesars Palace. These include
Sonny Liston playing poker at the famed resort, Muhammad Ali and
Diana Ross
at the front of the hotel, and Sugar
Ray Leonard battling Thomas Hearns
in their record-breaking 1981 boxing showdown. The Caesars Palace Poker
Room is
open 24 hours to guests age 21 or older. Not only is the gallery open
daily from
10am to 10pm all week long, but admission is FREE, and I know you love
that
number!
ALL STAR PARTY
It's just 24-hours now to the start of the weekend long 1st
anniversary celebrations of TAO at The Venetian. The star-studded
secret guest
list is growing by the minute and Luxe Life has just
learned
the VIP guest list and that right after her booking on DUI charges in
Los
Angeles party-heiress Paris Hilton will hop the
private jet
over to Vegas for the 48-hour nonstop party. (Click
here for Monday's Luxe Life
which detailed the head to head battle between TAO's party-queen
Janet
Jackson and arch-rival PURE's diva attraction,
Mariah Carey).
Janet, who admits she still hasn't spoken to Justin
Timberlake
since that infamous Superbowl "warderobe malfunction" will be arm in
arm with beaufriend Jermaine Dupree, who included me
in one
of his most recent music videos that we filmed on a private luxury
plane at the
Van Nuys airport. Joining us tomorrow night will be my longtime pal
Brooke Shields, on a rare Vegas visit, along with
Christina
Applegate, James Franco,
Katherine Heigl,
Allison Janney, Chris Cornell,
Nick
Cannon, Pete Wentz,
Steve-O, Sanaa
Lathan, Gabrielle Union, James
Marsden,
and Vin Diesel, to name just a few. It's all set for
super
celebrity gridlock this weekend on the Strip with the two super clubs
literally
opposite each other just 100 yards apart!
STRIP SCRIBBLES
A longtime
ago here in Luxe Life, when the Wet and Wild water
park
closed near the Sahara,
I wondered out loud if the highly-successful Aqua Dome,
with a year-round retractable roof that had been opened in oil-rich
Brunei
could replace it. The year-round indoor and outdoor water-park seemed
perfect
for our desert kingdom. Well, now somebody is out trying to raise money
from
Vegas investors for one to open by 2010. … One time Vegas resident
Gennifer Flowers
is coming back from New Orleans
to start her singing career again. The blonde beauty who is known for
her
affair with then-presidential hopeful Bill
Clinton quit Vegas two years ago and
returned to New Orleans
to open her own theater which ran successfully until Hurricane Katrina
wiped it
out. She thinks there’s less risk here in Vegas, hence the homecoming!
TONIGHT'S TIP
It’s a
weekend for bodybuilders and fitness fanatics. Legendary Joe
Weider,
the man who invented keep-fit workouts, hosts his Olympia Weekend at
the
Orleans Arena and kick-starts the contests for Mr.
And Mrs. Olympia.
TOMORROW’S
TEASE
It's the
ultimate weekend showdown in the battle of the Vegas nightclubs as
dangerously
dueling divas Mariah Carey and Janet
Jackson collide head-on in the clash
for supremacy between PURE
and TAO.
We’ll also peek in on a sky-high pool with
its bikini babes on full view from planes flying in on the flight path
and full
details and photos of a unique horse spectacular that’s galloping into
the Rio.
CONTACT
US
You too can
do battle or ride like the wind with an email to robinsvegas@aol.com.
To ensure
you don’t miss one fast-track edition, click
here or at the
'Alert Me' up top if you’d like to know the
split-second we post the brand new Luxe
Life.
Go
to AOL
Vegas for much more on hotels, casinos, restaurants,
nightlife, and everything Las Vegas! Check our travel section for great
deals on hotels, airfare and much more! And when visiting Vegas, besure
to see Las Vegas Magazine in your hotel suite featuring a print edition
of AOL Vegas Luxe Life, and an incredible directory
of attractions, shows and
restaurants.
Read previous columns from Robin Leach at:
journals.aol.com/robinsvegas/LuxeLifeVegas
Articles and photos from Robin Leach's Luxe Life: Vegas column on AOL cityguide are used by permission.
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