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Rock the Joke: Welcome to Vegas' Unofficial Festival Season

Jerry Seinfeld headlines the Comedy FestivalIt's not like you need another reason to come to Vegas. With the endless supply of conventions, new nightlife and changing Vegas Stripscape, there are plenty of excuses to hop a plane to the desert.

If you do need a little extra temptation, the next few weeks here may be just the right motivation to motor west.

With The Comedy Festival and the Vegoose Music Festival just around the corner, it's Vegas' unofficial festival season. Two festivals do not a season make, but I did label the season as unofficial.

Maybe a couple promoters will jump in with new festivals next year. I recommend a sand festival and a magic festival.

In the meantime, check out these too legit to quit fests:

The Comedy Festival
HBO Comedy Festival Caesars Palace VegasHBO's annual festival of laughs seems to get bigger and bigger. This year, Jerry Seinfeld is one of the top draws and in the world of stand up comedy, Jerry is as about as big as it gets. Although I realize Dane Cook, who's 'Tourgasm' stopped by the festival last year, and his fans may disagree.

Where to Stay:
Since the festival is based at Caesars Palace, if your expense account can absorb the costs, you should stay there. There's nothing like stumbling back to your room after a few cocktails with Dave Attell rather than having to que up in a long taxi line.

The Flamingo is one or two pedestrian bridges away and is a nice cost-effective alternative just across The Strip. If you must have luxury and Caesars is fully booked, try Bellagio across the street or grab a suite at The Venetian.

Who to See:

Robin Leach & Chelsea HandlerIn addition to the aforementioned Mr. Seinfeld, I'm really excited to see Chelsea Handler, seen here with my pal Robin Leach. She's easily the fourth hottest woman on television behind Martha Stewart, Nigella Lawson and Sarah Alexander, but she's definitely the funniest. Chelsea was in the girl 'Candid Camera' style show known as 'Girls Behaving Badly.' She also had a brief stint as a guest host on 'The View' and now has her own show called 'Chelsea Handler Lately.'

Speaking of 'The View,' Joy Behar will be performing a show with 'SNL' alum, Kevin Nealon. Football fans will want to see Frank Caliendo as he takes his Rich Little schtick from 'Mad TV' to the 'Fox NFL Pregame Show' to his own show, 'Frank TV.'

Wanda Sykes, Eddie Izzard and Ellen DeGeneres are some of the other big names topping off the schedule.

Where to Eat, Drink and Be Merry:
Usually there are private, festival-related parties at some of the venues at Caesars Palace like PURE nightclub and The Pussycat Dolls Lounge. You can go for the gourmet gusto with expensive Vegas meal at Guy Savoy's or try something more reasonable at Bradley Ogden's or Wolfgang Puck's Spago.

After PURE, most of the big names will be hitting new spots like LAX down south on The Strip at Luxor or TAO up north at The Venetian.

Vegoose Music Festival
Muse the band playing second Las Vegas show.
If you're more into chaotic outdoor music concerts than civilized indoor comedy shows, you'll want to come to Vegoose. It's the punny, annual two-day music affair to remember usually occurring on the weekend before Halloween.

This year, the festival seems to have a political bent. I'm not sure if it's because we're on the cusp of what should be a long, greedy, tortuous election cycle, but Rage Against the Machine, Public Enemy and Muse (pictured with political message backdrop) fit in nicely with the mindless, yet tasty, hum of Daft Punk and The Shins.

Where to Stay:
Sam Boyd Stadium is off of the Boulder Highway so it would be a trek from any of The Strip hotels. I'm not saying you shouldn't stay at a Strip hotel, I'm just saying it's a bit far. If you want to stay at a casino hotel closer to the stadium, try Green Valley Ranch or Sunset Station.

The Vegoose site knows their audience and recommends some campgrounds in the area. The closest are the campgrounds at Sam's Town, but be warned, it's not a short hike to the stadium.

If you want to get away from it all, but you don't want to trade a suite for a tent, explore the offerings at scenic Lake Las Vegas.

Rage Against the Machine and Public Enemy to play in Vegas

Who to See:
Muse on day two is a must-see. I had the privilege of seeing them at their show at The Joint last year and to see a band that intense at a smaller venue (they're accustomed to selling out Wembley on multiple nights) was amazing. They have all the political fervor of Rage Against the Machine packaged in a UK pretty boy box along the lines of Keane, Radiohead and Travis. Incidentally, Rage Against the Machine is headlining on day two.

If day two is all about the politics with Muse and Rage Against the Machine, then day one is all about fun with headliners Daft Punk and Iggy & the Stooges. The Shins, Blonde Redhead and Queens of the Stone Age should be part of your alterna-itenerary for day one.

For the granola crowd who appreciate the fact that the Grateful Dead played at this stadium 14 times during the '90s, you'll want to put down your tobacco accessories and jam with moe., Michael Franti and Spearhead and Infected Mushroom on day two.

Hip-hop and rap fans can rejoice for Public Enemy, Ghostface Killah, Cypress Hill and M.I.A.

Where to Eat, Drink and Be Merry:

If you're looking for the celeb hangouts in this neck of the woods, you'll have to head to Green Valley Ranch. There are some swanky eats and drinks, but most of the places here are for locals. If you're looking for some good wings and things, Sunset Station does have a Hooters.

I recommend heading up 515 until you hit Downtown Vegas and hit some of the hipster spots on Fremont East like Beauty Bar, The Griffin and Downtown Cocktail Room.

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The Highs & Lows of Mr. Las Vegas Wayne Newton

Wayne Newton Mr. Las Vegas Dancing with the Stars
It's easy to understand why Wayne Newton is called Mr. Las Vegas. First of all, there are the more than 30,000 solo shows the guy has played here over the last 40 years. (That's an average of 750 a year!!)

Then there's the fact that he's the consummate entertainer. Even if you are seated in the very back of the venue Wayne is playing, he has an innate ability to make you feel like you're in the first row.

And just like Vegas, Wayne has had his share of "not so great" moments. Vegas had that bizarre moment in the '90s, when it tried to become "kid friendly," while Wayne has his recent stint on 'Dancing With the Stars' to answer for.

But, even though he's had some lows, there have been far more highs in the life of Wayne Newton, the man who continues to be the archetype of the Vegas entertainer. The man who has more than earned the moniker Mr. Las Vegas.

DANKE SCHOEN (High)
Wayne Newton releasing 'Danke Schoen' in 1963 is the equivalent of Led Zeppelin releasing 'Stairway to Heaven.' OK, so maybe it's more like Barry Manilow releasing 'Copa Cabana.' Either way, its release was a pivotal moment in a career that is still going strong. More than 40 years later, it's Wayne's signature song, and its childlike enthusiasm still manages to make us smile.

DANKE SCHOEN PART II (High)
By the '80s, Wayne was already a superstar, but the inclusion of his signature song in the movie 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' -- which Ferris lip-syncs on a parade float -- helped expose him to a younger generation. For the first time, it was not only OK to admit you liked Wayne Newton if you were under the age of 40, it was cool.

Wayne NEwton USO
USO (High)
Since succeeding Bob Hope in 2001, Wayne has served as Chairman of the USO Celebrity Circle, assisting in the recruitment of other celebrities to entertain U.S. troops. But, he is certainly not new to entertaining our men and women in uniform. In fact, Wayne has entertained service members in every military conflict since and including the Vietnam War. Maybe Mr. Las Vegas isn't broad enough to describe Wayne.

'THE ADVENTURES OF FORD FAIRLANE'
(Low)
Always an affable guy, Wayne jumped at the chance to play a villain in this Andrew Dice Clay stinker of a movie. While I'm sure it gave him sick thrill portraying an evil record executive, just sharing the screen with a hack such as Clay has to be considered a low point.

THE UNFORTUNATE MOUSTACHE (Low)
To some people, there's no such thing as a good moustache. (These people obviously don't share my deep appreciation for the upper lip whiskers of guys like Burt Reynolds, Salvador Dali and Rip Taylor.) But, there is certainly a such thing as a bad stash, and Wayne has sported one a few times over the years. Please Wayne, always keep a Mach3 handy.

'VEGAS VACATION' (High)
Seven years after his villainous roll in the bomb 'Ford Fairlane,' Wayne redeemed himself by, well, playing himself in 'Vegas Vacation.' His duet with Helen Griswold (Beverly DeAngelo) is one of the movie's shining moments. It's just Wayne being Wayne, which is fine by us, because that's what he does best.

'DANCING WITH THE STARS' (Low)
Why Wayne? Who Wayne? When Wayne? Why did you decide to dance on national television? Who told you that this was a good idea? When will you fire this person? Wayne is a cool guy, but on 'Dancing with the Stars' he comes off as a stiff caricature of himself. It's sad to watch and it was only fitting that he got KO'd of the competition by Floyd Mayweather, Jr. It's going to take a while to bounce back from this one. But, he will undoubtedly bounce back. After all, he's Wayne Newton.

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Pamela Anderson Marries Co-Star Of Paris Hilton Sex Tape

It was another typical weekend in Vegas, as people gambled, danced, dined and, oh yeah, Pamela Anderson got married.

Yes, the former 'Baywatch' beauty, and current star of Hans Klok's The Beauty of Magic at Planet Hollywood resort, married Rick Salomon Saturday night, in between performances of the magic show. Salomon, as you might recall, is best known for co-starring in the famous Paris Hilton sex tape, '1 Night in Paris.'

So, let's review: Pamela was once married to Tommy Lee, with whom she made a famous sex tape. Then she married Kid Rock, who recently got into a fight with Lee. Now she has married a guy who is famous for being in a sex tape with Paris Hilton and who was once married to Shannen Doherty, who once got in a fight with Tara Reid, who once got in a fight with a plastic surgeon's knife (and lost.) It's like playing "Six Degrees of Sex, Fights and Videotape."

Given Pamela's hubby history, and the history of celebrity marriages in general, there's a good chance she and Salomon will be divorced in a few months, leaving her on the lookout for hubby number four. I'm holding out hope that when/if that happens, she'll finally marry someone stable. Maybe someone like, say, Owen Wilson.

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If O.J. Stole It, Conspiracy Theories and Vegas Alibis

O.J. Simpson Vegas mugshotThe O.J. Simpson "Great Vegas Robbery" is a big, hot alleged mess, isn't it?

Orenthal was held as a flight risk for a few days and then posted a $125,000 bail and flight risked back to Florida. A jailed friend of a local nightlife fixture who was in the same holding cell as Orenthal is saying that he admitted to killing his wife and gave a speech about double jeopardy. Orenthal is alleging that former LAPD detective Mark Fuhrman hatched this robbery conspiracy at retribution.

Now, O.J.'s main accuser and alleged sports memorabilia dealer, Alfred Beardsley, has been outed as a convicted felon and arrested in Vegas for a parole violation.

And to think with the memorabilia, all of this is just for a few bucks and a better feedback rating on eBay.

If He Stole It
If the legal proceedings back in 1994 weren't strange enough, each day that passes in Orenthal's current legal saga gets weirder and weirder. As the facts in the case start to surface, I'm expecting Orenthal to once again be acquitted, but this time it won't be the trial of the century or even decade.

I'm also expecting 'The Onion' or some other respected publication to publish a full, word-by-word parody version of 'If I Did It: Confessions of a Killer' as 'If I Stole It: Confessions of a Sad, Sad Man.'

Conspiracy Theory
TMZ has an audio excerpt that allegedly features Orenthal allegedly going "commando" in an alleged Vegas hotel room, but it's hard for me to tell from just audio if Orenthal is wearing underwear or not. Heck, I can't even tell if the voice is actually Orenthal or someone pretending to be Orenthal. It sounds like a South Park version of Orenthal, but I'm not a forensics expert.

Vegas does have a lot of professional impersonators and honestly, with the poor recording quality and bleeping, it sounds like it could have been anybody.

If there isn't a conspiracy, why does a recording exist anyway? Vegas casinos have a lot of video surveillance, but they haven't started bugging the rooms, yet. Oh Mark Fuhrnam, is your alleged 14-year-old grudge finally being satisfied?

The Other Glove Drops
I expect to Orenthal to be acquitted, not based on the facts of the case, but since exiting football and the demise of the 'Naked Gun' movies, acquital is the only thing Orenthal has been really good at.

For these legal proceedings, Orenthal will have to make a go without the masterful defense strategy and rhymes of the late Johnnie Cochran. The only way that the part showman, part lawyer will be able to aid Orenthal is if Carlos Mencia lends the services of "The Ghost of Johnnie Cochran."

Vegas Alibi Kit
The good news for Orenthal is that the marketing wizards behind the "What Happens in Vegas" campaign developed a Vegas Alibi Kit. If you were naughty in Vegas, you can use the Vegas Alibi Generator 2.0 to create a clean alibi to take home to friends, family and colleagues. There is also a photo faker tool to back up the story. Orenthal can take his Vegas mug shot to superimpose on the available photos.

It's easy, the generator asks you a series of multiple choice questions based on likes and dislikes and then spits out an alibi. One of the examples they use on the site is "I had to unbutton my pants." That is cleaned up to be a dining reference.



Inspired by 'If I did It,' I pretended to be Orenthal and answered the following questions from the Vegas Alibi Generator 2.0. Some of the questions and answer choices were eerie:
1. Before heading to Vegas, I take inventory of my closet.
2. Custom-fit clubs really gets my juices flowing.
3. If given the choice, I'd watch The Home Shopping Network.
4. People tell me that I remind them of Cher.
5. Among friends, I am known for my swing.
6. Second helpings give me the goosebumps.
7. I've been saving up for something leather.
8. When I was a child, I had a tendency to swing sticks at balls.
9. I have this recurring nightmare where the bouncer won't let me in.

The alibi that the machine spat out was "All I did was shop." It doesn't say anything about five-finger discounts, but to back up the story, the Vegas Alibi Generator 2.0 gives the following instruction, also eerie:

Now if anyone asks:
  • What's with all these credit card charges?
  • Why are you wearing new pants?
  • Why are your shoulders so sore?

Your story goes like this:

After buying a few things at Grand Canal Shoppes you were so tired you stopped to eat at Garden Buffet. The next day, you hit Las Vegas Outlet Center and Dillard's and topped the day with Chidos w/ Emery, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, The Devil Wears Prada.

Remember! Keep your shopping bags, receipts, and tags 'cause nothing backs up an alibi like evidence.


Yes indeed, nothing backs up an alibi like evidence.

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The Best Vegas Celebrity Couples

Vegas is a great town for coupling. There is something about all of that neon, slot machine noise and being on holiday that make people want to pair up.

There is the legal coupling known as the Las Vegas wedding, which adds weight to the Vegas nickname, "The Marriage Capital of the World," and then there is the unplanned coupling based on random acts of nightlife that bolsters another Vegas nickname, "Sin City."

Vegas is also a great town for celebrities so it is only natural that the two concepts will intersect in the world of celebrity couples. Phyllis McGuire and Sam Giancana were probably the greatest Vegas celebrity couple love story of all time. based on Vegas lore and romanticized treatments like the movie 'Sugartime.'

Beyond the celebs who fly in for quickie Vegas weddings, here are the five current best Vegas celebrity couples:

Britney Spears and Criss Angel

This fresh Vegas celebrity couple should be made the unofficial first couple of Vegas for as long as they're together.

Britney has done more for the Vegas economy over the last few years with her appearances and Criss films his A&E 'Mindfreak' show in Vegas and will star in a Cirque du Soleil Show at the Luxor.

More importantly, they are veterans on the Vegas celebrity coupling circuit. Britney was married and annulled here and she and her second husband were constant companions of the Vegasarazzi. Criss had a Vegas fling with Paris Hilton.

I'm reading they may have already broken up, but I'm staying positive and hope these two crazy kids find a way to make it work.

If they do end up at the Little White Wedding Chapel, they need to be careful who they invite to the wedding.

Siegfried and Roy
While this Vegas power couple's romantic relationship has long since moved to a professional partnership, there is still an undeniable spiritual, magical connection between Siegfried and Roy.

If it weren't for Roy's tragic accident back in 2003, the dynamic duo would still be fixtures on the Strip with their lifetime contract at The Mirage. Well technically, with their statue right on The Strip, they are still a fixture, but only in bronze.

They started performing in Vegas in 1972 and have performed more than 5,000 shows. Roy's rehabilitation gives hope that one day they'll be back on a Vegas stage, but in the meantime they are staying active in the community. My pal Robin Leach has some great photos of Siegfried and Roy tapping the keg at the annual Hofbrauhaus Oktoberfest in Vegas.

Pamela Anderson and Hans Klok
As far as I know, this relationship has not blossomed into a work-based romantic relationship, but the popularity of their 'Beauty of Magic' show at Planet Hollywood qualifies Pamela Anderson and Hans Klok as a couple.

Pamela has constantly been in the Vegas headlines ever since she announced she was buying a luxury pad at the Panorama Towers on The Strip last year. Unfortunately, her ex-husbands Tommy Lee and Kid Rock have also been making headlines. It seems that every time they are in Vegas at the same time, there are rumors of one threatening the other like last New Year's Eve when one showed up at the other's suite to allegedly settle a score. Of course the bravado and threats culminated in the VMA fist fight.

Known as the "World's Fastest Magician," Hans' headlines have only been for his feats on the stage. The only ex situation he had is when Carmen Electra backed out of his first planned Vegas show, but Pamela seems to be a better fit.

Maybe if this couple lasts long enough, they'll also be enshrined in bronze on The Strip.

Pink and Carey Hart

Pink is originally from Pennsylvania, but her extreme sports hubby Carey Hart grew up in Vegas and Vegas is where their relationship started to bloom a few months after meeting at the 2001 X Games.

With their jobs, they obviously travel a lot, but have residences in Vegas and L.A. Carey also has a business in Vegas. The reality show 'Inked' was filmed at Carey's Hart & Huntington tattoo shop at the the Palms.

Jenna Jameson and Tito Ortiz
Jenna Jameson was born in Vegas and Tito Ortiz has made a name for himself slugging it out in the UFC Octagon in Vegas and abroad. When I interviewed the couple at the AVN Awards earlier this year. They seemed extremely happy, but the situation was a little tense, because just off-screen of this photo is Jenna's ex-husband Jay Grdina doing an interview.

Jenna has been picked apart in the tab rags all year and Tito gets a lot of grief for being the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy" and his swagger in the Octagon, but the way I see it, if you can make each other smile the way they do, that's what life is all about.

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What's O.J. Simpson's Vegas Alibi?

O.J. Simpson Vegas mugshotFacing multiple felony charges, O.J. Simpson is being held without bail in a Vegas jail as a risk flight. My pal Robin Leach has been following the story more closely with the bail, the mug shots, the arrest and the hours leading up to the arrest, but I can't help but think what happens if this goes to trial?

As Robin points out, O.J.'s plea should be coming up soon and the way we do it in Vegas is via closed-circuit television from the detention center. So O.J. shouldn't actually physically be in court, but on a TV in court -- a different form of Court TV.

Should the allegations lead to a trial, the bad news for O.J. is the late, great Johnnie Cochran is no longer around to mastermind his defense to these charges.

The good news for O.J. is that as part of the wizardry that is the "What Happens in Vegas" campaign, there is a Vegas Alibi Kit he might be able to utilize. I don't think it was built for these kinds of alibis, but the kit might be worth checking out.

If that doesn't work, maybe Carlos Mencia's "The Ghost of Johnnie Cochran" can help. However, since TMZ has audio of the O.J. confrontation with "The Juice" as the alleged ring leader, it may take more than the 'Mind of Mencia' to stop the squeeze. Watch more tonight on TMZ TV.

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Venetian and TAO VMA Photos


Linkin Park rocked the Xbox Oasis at TAO Beach for 'Halo 3.'

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All Photos by Jacob Andrzejczak of imagesofvegas.com


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The cast of MTV's 'Real World Sydney'

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Eve rocking the Disney Couture

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Tanika Ray from 'Extra'

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Must be getting hot: Lauren and Brody hug while entourage mists.

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Hotties Ashanti and Ciara hanging out at Xbox Oasis at TAO Beach

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Brody Jenner and Lauren Conrad looking happy with their baggage.

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Diddy being Diddy at the Xbox Oasis at TAO Beach.

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Ryan Cabrera does a swag bag inventory check.

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