Vegas Popular

In the giant gridlock, rush hour traffic of NBA All-Star weekend, our favorite Strip singer Toni Braxton almost didn't make it to her very own Walk of Fame Star ceremony.

Her limousine overheated and came to a grinding stop, not even half-way between her Flamingo Hotel and the Brenden movie theaters at the Palms, where I was waiting with owner Johnny Brenden to make the presentation. She called on her cell phone to say she'd be late, but would complete the rest of the journey on foot if she couldn't hop a cab.

Now the sight of a diminutive pop princess struggling on the street would make any knight in shining armor come to the rescue, but it was fans riding as passengers in one taxi that spotted her sidewalk adventure. They pulled over, offered her a lift and delivered her right to the theater lobby!


I emceed the ceremony and Johnny presented her with a $2,500 check for her selected Autism Speaks charity. Her Celebrity Star is now placed alongside stars of Sylvester Stallone, Dennis Hopper, Nicholas Cage and Hugh Hefner. Said Johnny: "The star is presented to Toni for her outstanding contributions to the music and entertainment industry and your music has touched the lives of millions of people. Your kind heart and dedication to charitable causes has made a significant impact on the world."


The six-time Grammy-Award-winning artist, who now headlines nightly at the Flamingo, told us that she'd left plenty of time for the short trip but, because of all the chaotic traffic-jams, congestion and one boiled limousine radiator, the hop had taken two hours! Toni also opened the All-Star Game halftime show, following my booming voice-over introduction

25 YEARS OF MAGIC

Congratulations are in order for master magician Lance Burton (seen above with his mom and Criss Angel), who will celebrate his 25th year of Vegas shows in May. Actually, he still doesn't even look 25! His first gig was in Folies Bergere at the Tropicana back in 1982 and I remember walking, in hard hats, with him on the construction site of the Monte Carlo when execs there built him his own theater, where he's been the past 11 years.

Now Lance is finally taking the time to enjoy the fruits of his labors. He's put his home of 20-years near Sunrise Mountain up for sale, as he builds himself a modern-day 10-acre hilltop six-bedroom castle in Henderson! Workers are up there everyday while he checks out the view overlooking the entire valley; from the Stratosphere to as Far East as the eye can see.


Lance tells me the new home is about three months from completion with the interior designing and building that comes complete with a theater that can be used for television, movies and performing, and two garages -- one on the lower level of the three-level home and another on the second level, which is the main floor.

Only a small handful of performers keep rarefied company with top illusionists of all time, going as far back as Houdini! So special congratulations to Siegfried & Roy who were lauded in 8th place and Lance who made 9th place in Variety's list of the top 10 magicians of all-time. Houdini took 1st place. Richard Kaufman, editor of industry trade-magazine Genii, says achieving that level of success is "almost impossible," adding that "to become a superstar, you need a combination of inherent charisma, the desire to work harder than anyone else who's ever lived, ability in your field and financial capital." Nevada Magazine's panel of critics selected Lance Burton as "Entertainer of the Year/2006."

MORE CONGRATS
Our local hometown rockers, The Killers grabbed two prize trophies at Britain's prestigious music-industry awards -- The Brits, my country's version of the Grammy's. The Killers won for 'International Group of the Year' and with their 'Sam's Town' recording for ' Best International Album.' The Vegas group first found stardom with my fellow Limeys before their success moved back across the Pond to New York!

SIZZLING AD

From the "Only in Las Vegas" file, comes a new ad from hair colorist to the stars Michael Boychuck that's certain to become the talk of the town with its edgy smack in your face fun approach to the subject. Michael let LUXE LIFE have the first sneak peak at his AMP Salon at the Palms graphic that will run next month in the Racket and 944 magazines. "Controversy is good conversation," says Michael." "So if the clever copy-line gets talked about, it will have achieved its purpose." Michael just wrapped a full-day session with the Hogan girls, mom Linda and pop-singing daughter Brooke Hogan (seen below) and he gave them a whole new rich blonde look for their three month stay on the West Coast, wrapping up the third season episodes of their VH1 reality series 'Hogan Knows Best,' that began in their Florida home.



B-BALL LOUNGIN'

I deliberately kept one photo back from the NBA All-Star weekend so it wouldn't get overlooked, but its nice to know that, just like me, even Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith had to kick up his heels and stretch out and chill during all the excitement. He'd been playing in Magic Johnson's 8-Ball pool challenge at the Wynn and fortunately our smart thinking friends at Vegas Magazine had provided the right length bed in their booth!

RECORD SALES
Proving the Vegas condo market is surprisingly alive and very well thank you: more than 90% of the luxury residences at MGM CityCenter's Mandarin Oriental sold in a mere 14 days for more than $600 million! It's the first of CityCenter's four residential developments to be released to the public and the prices were well above expectations. Only pads left are the multi-million-dollar Mandarin Penthouses; including a three-bedroom, 4,259 sq.ft. unit. The first contract sales on the second residential unit, The Vdara, start today. The third Veer residences will begin sale April 2 and the final Harmon tower will be in June.

STRIP SCRIBBLES
Take a few moments and click here to read my pal Arash Markazi's column on Sports Illustrated for his report on the shoulder-to-shoulder battle-action we emerged unscathed from after NBA's red-carpet celebrity arrivals! ... Jessica and Ashlee Simpson's manager/dad Joe celebrated his 49th birthday after the All-Star game at TI's Social House. He sat in the Newspaper dining room and enjoyed garlic oil seared Kobe beef and the bone-in filet. For desert, Simpson was presented with a magnificent homemade birthday cake. Seated nearby was USA Olympic gold medal sprinter Maurice Greene who sipped hot sake with his garlic oil seared Kobe beef.

TONIGHT'S TIP
NFL Pro Bowler Steven Jackson and the sexy dancers from Sirens of TI team up to support Easter Seals at a charity fashion show in Tangerine starting at 7pm. Look out for all-pro NFL'ers including Marc Bulger, Andre Johnson, Jimmy Smith, Troy Brown, Drew Bennett and Willie McGinest, and UNLV greats Keenan McCardell and Adam Seward, amongst the crowd! The evening will feature a high-end fashion show, three new hot dance numbers by the Sirens of TI, and both a silent and live auction for autographed sports memorabilia, upscale dining and entertainment experiences, and designer fashions. Tickets will be $150 per person and are available by clicking here. Tickets also will be sold at Tangerine this evening. ... The music world's legendary Paul Oakenfold is at the Influence party in Studio 54 at MGM Grand.

TOMORROW'S TEASE
An exclusive candid conversation with David Copperfield as we talk about his discovery of "THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH" on islands in the Bahamas. This is one look into the future you will not want to miss and David even invites you to share the experience!

Also Pop-ular in Vegas Right Now:
- Luxe Life: Paula Abdul Talks Slurs, 'Idol' and Being Woman of the Year
- Luxe Life: Star Party Weekend Keeps Going
- Luxe Life: Inside Kanye West's All-Star Weekend Party
- Luxe Life: Britney Bald Before She Shaved?
- Dry Heat: Old School Vegas
- Luxe Life: Carmen Electra to Star in New Vegas Strip Show
- Luxe Life: NBA Friday Night With Diddy, Jay-Z, Shaq, Kobe and More
- AOL Vegas: Hoff in Vegas