It was the biggest and best birthday bash I've been to since 'Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous' ended its 14-year-run back in the early 90's! Superstar Christina Aguilera flew in just to sing 'Happy Birthday,' Robin Williams had guests roaring with his comedic analysis of the human body's reproductive systems, and the Divine Miss M, Bette Midler, talked about her possible upcoming Vegas engagement at Caesars Palace.
It was a $5-million+ entertainment extravaganza for my friend, 84 Lumber chief Joe Hardy (above with Bette) to celebrate his 84th birthday! He built up his private billion-dollar business from the very first cash and carry 84 Lumber store and his near 500-coast-to-coast stores includes one right here between the Palms and the Orleans! Pittsburgh Steelers player Troy Polamalu, who partied here after last year's Superbowl victory, attended with former Homeland Security chief, Tom Ridge and even President George Bush and First Lady Laura sent their congratulations and birthday wishes!
Bette Midler was the first celebrity entertainer. With a 10-piece all female band led by her female pianist/conductor and the three stunning Scarlet Harlots, Bette opened her show with 'Friends.' If this was a miniature taste of the production they're hoping to bring to Caesars next February after Celine Dion ends her run Dec 15, then this is absolutely perfect entertainment. Bette's got salty songs, dirty jokes and a few F-bombs thrown in for good measure, but everybody laughs along in hysterics and nobody's offended, She admits to being over 60 but sings and high kicks like the best of them, along with her trio of singers. She belted through Rosemary Clooney's 'Tenderly,' Peggy Lee's 'Fever' and got a standing ovation for 'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy' and the hysterically funny 'Pretty Legs Great Knockers' medley! She joked about how wealthy Joe Hardy was and got her trio to agree that "Money Looks Good on Any Age."
Backstage I chatted with Bette about the stories I'd heard that, along with Cher, she would be a replacement for Celine. She said: "I'm not a spring chicken anymore. It would be a tough challenge, and I'm really worried about my throat. That's a lot of singing every night and I just don't know if it would hold up." I reassured her that the Colosseum was fully moisturized and the theater family would ensure she had the same drizzle spray system in place as Celine has. "Well that reassures me, I'll come," she said delightedly." You know this gig for Joe is my first in over a year. We actually rehearsed full-time for a week just to pull off this one-time-only show." Bette admitted that her cast and crew are all excited and looking forward to the Vegas run, if all the details finally work out and are announced officially next month. She says the show, if it all comes together, would be much different than the one she'd just performed but admitted that she's got a writer who would update each night with new jokes tailor-made from the news and the desert kingdom's happenings!
The entire birthday bash, which was a total surprise for the billionaire, was all carefully engineered by his daughters. They even brought in the cast of 'A Chorus Line' from Broadway to sing his favorite songs from his and late-wife Dorothy's favorite musical! But the biggest surprise of them all was the startling unexpected appearance of pop superstar Christina Aguilera, who first sung 'Happy Birthday' to him and followed that with her powerful acapella version of 'You're Beautiful.' There wasn't a dry eye in the house, and en route upstairs afterwards Christina told me that she'll be back in Vegas on March 3 at Mandalay Bay!
The noon-to-midnight affair wrapped with Robin Williams and a let-it-fly comedy show that brought the house down. His take on male and female reproductive organs and evolution is the funniest routine I've ever heard in my life and he's definitely adding it to his standup act. He and I posed for our annual get-together photo and he told me he was thrilled that the recent Comedy Festival at Caesars had been such a tremendous success and for raising record monies to help Katrina hurricane victims. "The Comedy Festival is set for a long run in Vegas and I'll support it every year I can," he said. $10 MILLION INVESTMENT
This just in!!! Wonderful rumors buzzing the Strip that none other than pop-superstar Christina Aguilera hasagreed to become the lead investor in the new LAX nightclub going into the Luxor. If the gossip is true, then she's putting up $10 million as the largest solo investor. She joins other pop heartthrob Nick Lachey who is opening his steakhouse concept there too. I'm also fairly reliably told that the deal for a ROXY outpost to come to the Luxor from its LA headquarters has fallen through but has been replaced by another top nightclub queen!
GRAND OPENING CELEB TURNOUT
Over 500 family, friends and guests turned out to celebrate the official grand opening of Rao's restaurant in Caesars Palace. I joined owners Frank Pellegrino Sr., Frank Jr. and his wife Carla and got to dine along with actress Fran Drescher (above), comedian Rita Rudner, actor/former Hells Angels Leader Chuck Zito, stylist to the stars Michael Boychuck, my old pal ,General Hospital actor Tristen Rogers, and a slew of Rao's New York regulars including Nicky "The Vest" Zaloumis, photographer Neil Leifer, and former NYPD chief Sonny Grasso. Rao's Caesars Palace is the only outpost of the legendary restaurant that has been a staple in New York for the past 110 years.
Known by foodies and celebrities across the US as the toughest reservation in town, the restaurant once famously turned away Madonna, and President Bill Clinton needed a call from a friend connected to the restaurant in order to ensure he was seated in the tiny Manhattan dining room. Rao's regulars include Billy Crystal, Woody Allen, Tony Bennett, the entire cast of 'The Sopranos' (Frank Pellegrino Sr. was a member of the cast for two seasons). Already the legend continues at Caesars with the restaurant already hosting such celebrities as Jerry Seinfeld, Dane Cook, Toni Braxton, Richard Belzer, Curt Schilling and Jason Giambi, just to name a few. Nanny star Fran told me that she's always been lucky enough to get a table at the toughest reservation in town. "I'm known as a floater," she said. "I know its impossible to get a table there so I call Frank and give him a range of dates in a given week when I'm back in New York. Then he'll call me back and say he can squeeze me in early or late on one particular night, and I leave everything free until he tells me when I can get dinner there. I plan my whole week after that. The only way to get the table is to be willing to float!" The food is sensational and the service unique. They even have a small retail store here where you can buy the famous sauces, and a t-shirt that proudly boasts "I Got a Table at Rao's." I'll be back there tonight to help my pal Michael Boychuck celebrate his new signing there as the resident celebrity hair-stylist at the new QUA Spa.
FOOD FEAST NETS $30,000
Another Caesars restaurant, the famous Guy Savoy played host to culinary master Paul Bocuse from Lyon, France, when good friend Guy hosted a stunning evening of both fabulous foods and wondrous wines to benefit the James Beard Foundation and also Guy's new scholarship fund for students attending hotel and restaurant studies at our local UNLV Harrah College of Hotel Administration. The night's 7-course feast for just 70 fortunate diners raised an amazing $30,000 in donations!
CES STARS
My old boss of a decade, media mogul Rupert Murdoch dined at my friend, chef Tom Mahoney's AquaKnox seafood restaurant in the Venetian while he was in town for the Consumer Electronics Show. But it was the Gibson guitar hospitality tent that pulled in the most celebrities including Velvet Revolver, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, Joan Jett and Slash from Guns N' Roses. Football hunk Matt Leinart, who has been linked with both Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, signed autographs at the Polaroid booth along with Hulk Hogan, who's 'Hogan Knows Best' VH1 reality show follows our 'Fame Games' each Sunday night.
STUNTS AND RAPS
Tickets went on sale yesterday for the unique two-day event with legendary thrills actor Jackie Chan and Grammy Award winning rapper Kanye West for their music spectacular on Feb 13 and 14 at the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood resort casino. I didn't know Jackie was also a singer but the legendary actor will fly in directly from the set of his 'Rush Hour 3' movie for this one of a kind concert experience which marries the hottest musicians from China and America for FUSION 2007. Also appearing with Jackie are Supergirls who won the Chinese version of "American Idol" and joining Kanye will be Gnarls Barkley, Lupe Fiasco and hip-hop group Spank Rock. STRIP SCRIBBLES
Jenna Jameson and UFC fighter boyfriend Tito Ortiz are becoming quite the regulars at the Body English nightclub in the Hard Rock. They turned up twice in 3 nights, but missed band members from Panic! At the Disco and Linkin Park, KoRn, Incubus, and Young Jeezy rocking out with Nicky Hilton, Danny Masterson and Billy Corrigan from Smashing Pumpkins celebrating Tommy Lipnick's birthday party the night in between! ... Even our famous local residents like to hit our neighborhood casinos and Andre Agassi and wife, Steffi Graf were spotted playing blackjack up at the Red Rock Resort. ... Over at Studio 54 WWE diva Candice Michelle launched the new hospitality industry night and none other than 25-time Grammy Award winner Quincy Jones unexpectedly waltzed in! ... 'Deal or No Deal' host Howie Mandel is normally all laughs but he turned serious to visit the unique BODIES exhibition of human cadavers at the Tropicana Hotel.
TONIGHT'S TIP
Its Not Unusual when Tom Jones comes to play Vegas but it would be unforgivable if we forgot to tell you. His run tonight lasts thru January 31 at the MGM. Step a little further back in time with the oldies for Frankie Avalon and Bobby Rydell who will play the Orleans through Sunday night.
TOMORROW'S TEASE
It's just under a month to Valentines Day, so you'd better start locking down plans for that special romantic night so you don't get accused of not thinking ahead. Luxe Life has 3 very special ways to say I Love You and give you the ultimate, winning home-run score. Plus the 52 Miss America contestants arrive and I've got advance secrets from the annual Keep memory Alive Alzheimer's gala to really make your eyes open wide!
