Britney Spears: Icon Award — and Broadway bound?
Ahead of her return Wednesday to her Axis at Planet Hollywood residency, Britney Spears was presented with the first-ever Icon Award at The Radio Disney Music Awards on Saturday, and it was her younger sister, recording artist Jamie Lynn Spears, who walked onstage and surprised Britney to make the presentation.
The awards’ hosts, Kelsea Ballerini and Sofia Carson, were joined by Hailee Steinfeld to perform a medley of Britney’s biggest hits while all wearing her outfits from matching videos. I loved her comment introducing her sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, with Kevin Federline: “You’re the reason my heart beats.” The kids hung out with Nick Jonas backstage at the awards at Microsft Theater in Los Angeles.
Meantime, her manager, Larry Rudolph, has had exploration talks with Broadway producer and choreographer Jerry Mitchell about turning her music catalog of chart-topping songs into a Broadway musical. Jerry told Forbes, “It would not be an autobiographical musical. All her famous songs would be used to tie together a fictional narrative like ‘Mamma Mia.’ ”
SHANIA SCORES
There were fireworks when country superstar and former Caesars Palace headliner Shania Twain kept her promise and premiered her new single “Life’s About to Get Good” at The Stagecoach Music Festival in Indio, California.
Shania dazzled fans wearing age-defying, see-through, black-lace pants as she sang, “I wasn’t just broken. I was shattered. I had to believe that things would get better. I tried to forget you, forget her.”
The single is from her new, fifth studio album — her first in 15 years — due for release in September. Eating potato chips afterward backstage, she said: “You can’t have the good without the bad, and that’s what the song ended up being about.” Critics said she stormed the headline spot and impressed everybody with her comeback songs.
STAYING ON!
Model and actor Tyson Beckford is extending his guest-hosting residency at Chippendales at The Rio with 36 shows starting June 15 through July 9. Tyson returned to the award-winning male revue March 30, and he begins a vacation June 4.
“I am really excited to be staying even longer with my brothers at Chippendales,” said Tyson in a news release. “Performing with these talented guys to sold-out crowds at The Rio remains one of the most fun times I have ever had in my career. Ladies, get ready: I’m staying!”
TWO LADY WINEMAKERS
When Wine Spectator brings its Grand Tour Event to The Mirage this Saturday, there will be two female winemakers who deserve special recognition. Jennifer Brown is the millennial face of Hall Wines, and she will be representing the company. Jennifer is a wine and lifestyle expert, especially when it comes to wine etiquette. She grew up in Napa Valley in California.
Megan Paredes, the rocket scientist wine maker, also will be there. Megan brings laboratory science, specifically biochemistry and molecular genetics, into the wine-making process. Experts say that the two are an important part of the wine industry’s future.
CHEF MOVES
Michelin-star chef Bryce Shuman has been tapped as chef of the new restaurant Primrose, one of the first to open at the anticipated transformation of Monte Carlo to MGM Park.
Chef Joshua Bianchi, who was Victor Drai’s kitchen king at Drai’s atop The Cromwell and Drai’s in Vancouver, British Columbia, is the new executive chef at Alize atop The Palms. He also worked for Daniel Boulud at Wynn Las Vegas and Julian Serrano at Picasso at Bellagio.
RUNNING NURSE
Cancer survivor, grandmother and Las Vegas nurse Helene Neville made it safely to Evanston, Wyoming, over the weekend to begin Monday’s first leg of her 4,000-mile run through 12 states to claim a new world record. In a message to me, she said that the high altitude there had slowed her start down considerably.
STAR SURVEILLANCE
Migos made their return to Drai’s, and there were cheers for the “Bad and Boujee” rappers as they took the stage for a performance that also featured “T-Shirt,” “Handsome and Wealthy” and more. Post-show, the trio partied in a stage-side VIP booth to enjoy the sounds of resident DJ Franzen.
Husband-and-wife dancers Stephen “Twitch” Boss and Allison Holker attended “Magic Mike Live” at The Hard Rock Hotel.
Lil Jon and Flavor Flav were spotted twice on back-to-back nights checking out Wynn Nightlife’s newest superstar resident DJs The Chainsmokers and Kygo.
Oakland Raiders tight end Jared Cook partied at Tao at The Venetian while DJ Devin Lucien manned the decks.
French Montana hosted and performed at Marquee at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The rapper fueled up beforehand at nearby Beauty & Essex before taking the Marquee stage where he performed hits such as “Pop That” and “Lock Jaw.”
