‘Pussycat Dolls’ furor and Shauna Sand’s sweet birthday
In the midst of the Harvey Weinstein Hollywood “casting couch” scandal, a new furor broke out this morning (Oct. 17) when former “Pussycat Dolls” dancer and singer Kaya Jones outrageously claimed that the group was a “prostitution ring.” Founder Robin Antin, a regular well-known Vegas visitor and the original manager of singer Matt Goss at the Palms and Caesars Palace promptly slammed the accusations with strongly worded denials saying: “They are dsgusting ridiculous lies.” Robin claimed in her rebuttal of the charges that Kaya was a “Pussycat” reject who was never a member of the group and just looking for 15 minutes of fame.
Kaya maintains she was in the group, which had a Las Vegas troupe at the former Pure nightclub in Caesars Palace from 2003 to 2006. In her explosive series of Twitter social media messages earlier today, she claimed members of the all-female group had to “sleep with whomever they were told to” and they became mentally broken as a result.
“My truth. I wasn’t in a girl group. I was in a prostitution ring. Oh, and we happened to sing and be famous while everyone who owned us made the $,” she wrote. “After they turn you out or get you hooked on drugs, they use it against you. Correct. Victimising the victim again.” She went on to say she hadn’t previously reported the abuse because she’d been warned: “If I tell, I will. … You know, end up dead or no more career.”
She did not name Robin in her angry messages but in a plea to the founder, who she described as “a den mother from hell” called for her to tell the public how the group was broken and the abuse led to “the suicide of one of the girls.”
Obviously this is a developing story which we will monitor as there are more details available.
ANOTHER SPORTS TEAM
Las Vegas is to get another professional sports team. The WNBA and NBA Board of Governors have unanimously approved the relocation of the San Antonio Stars to Las Vegas. MGM Resorts International will own and operate the team, which will begin play in Las Vegas in the 2018 season. The team’s home arena will be the Mandalay Bay Events Center..
MOVING CEREMONY
A private note — but perhaps the most moving memory of the recent Rt 91 Harvest festival gun massacre at Mandalay Bay — will be the police officer funeral of Charleston Hartfield, 34, with a motorcade down the Strip on Friday morning. Charleston was a father and military veteran, who also coached youth football. So, in addition to the police officers saluting “one of their own,” his soccer students also will line the route.
10TH ANNIVERSARY
The world’s best butcher, Dario Cecchini, is flying from Florence, Italy to Las Vegas on Dec. 9 to help his friend, celebrity chef Mario Batali, celebrate the 10th anniversary of his Carnevino restaurant at the Palazzo. Joining the duo will be guest chefs Nancy Silverton, Michael Symon and Paul Kahan — each of whom will create a special course for the party. Dario is not only known for his meats, but also his uncanny ability to recite the full-length version of “Dante’s Inferno” while playing a trumpet and walking across the table tops of his restaurants.
SHAUNA’S BIRTHDAY
Baywatch bombshell actress and Playboy supermodel Shauna Sand took her three daughters, Alexandra, Victoria and Isabella, to the Sugar Factory American Brasserie to celebrate her birthday. Prior to dinner, the look-alike foursome went on a sweet tooth shopping spree in the restaurant’s gift shop. Shauna stocked up a container of her favorite Swedish Fish candy, while her daughters selected other sweet treats, including peachy jellies and Jelly Belly jelly beans. They also picked out a birthday crown and matching hair barrettes.
Upstairs, they snapped videos and photos in Sugar Factory’s outside Candyland, which has giant cupcakes, light-up tulips and a carousel, before enjoying dinner in the Chocolate Lounge. They ordered up the unique rainbow sliders and the white chocolate burger and fries, in addition to non-alcoholic versions of the Chocolate S’mores Martini and Lollipop Passion Goblet. Birthday sparklers were blazing at dessert on the world-famous King Kong Sundae — the equivalent of ice-cream for 10 !
Sugar Factory, which began in Las Vegas has now become a global enterprise with locations throughout the United States, including New York City, Chicago, Orlando and South Beach Miami. Openings are planned in Seattle; Virginia at Pentagon City; Connecticut at Foxwoods Resort Casino; and in New York City on Broadway. The brand expanded internationally with its first retail store overseas in Bahrain, plus two restaurants in Dubai and another in Manila, Philippines.
Before heading home to Los Angeles the family toured the new Rolling Stones exhibit at the Palazzo. “ You could not have asked for a better birthday trip,” Shauna said. “It was all magical.”
BAR B Q CHEF
One never associates French Michelin starred chefs with down-south ribs and brisket, but our Caesars Palace culinary king Guy Savoy dazzled at the Memphis Food & Wine festival. He led the roster of 13 out-of-town guest chefs and 20 local chefs preparing dishes served by vintners and sommeliers. A former recipient of the Legion d’Honneur, France’s highest honor, Guy has five restaurants in Paris and his Guy Savoy restaurant at Caesars Palace. His Le Chiberta earned its first Michelin star after just opening six months earlier. He’s the author of several cookbooks, including “Simple French Recipes for the Home Cook.” So, he was well away from his normal turf when he journeyed to the Memphis Botanic Garden for the big barbecue. He tackled lamb ribs, pork ribs, briskey and a 100-year-old cole slaw recipe. It was Guy’s first trip to the South where he was the featured chef and he was at Caesars here for tow days beforehand to hone his barbecue skills.
CASINO AWARDS
There was a very sad “morning after” when heavyweight comedian Ralphie May won Comedian of the Year at the fifth annual Casino Entertainment Awards in the Hard Rock Hotel held in conjunction with the GE2 Global Gaming convention. I was due to present him with the glass plaque, but he didn’t show up due to a battle with pneumonia, and next morning we learned he had died during the night. Ralphie was a current regular here at Harrah’s with his “No Apologies” shows. However, his last social media Twitter message posted two hours after I was due to introduce him onstage was that he was very happy to have won the award. He was survived by his wife Lahna and their daughter, April, and son, August.
At the show our Vegas residents , singer Clint Holmes was named Entertainer of the Year and comedienne Rita Rudner received a lifetime career achievement award for being the longest-running solo comedy act in Las Vegas. Her 15-year run on the Strip sold almost 2 million tickets and grossed over $100 million at the box office. Rita’s husband of 29 years, Martin Bergman, co-wrote her next two projects with her — a movie titled “Secret Sisters” and a play “Two’s A Crowd.”
Our Axis showroom at Planet Hollywood took the honors for Amphitheater of the Year. Kevin Burke, star of “Defending the Caveman,” the longest-running Broadway show in Vegas history, hosted the celebrity red carpet, which included disco icons The Village People, “Fantasy” singer Lorena Peril and the Isley Brothers ,who won the Musical Artist of the Year award.
CHOREOGRAPHY AWARDS
The seventh annual World Choreography Awards are set for Beverley Hills next Monday (Oct 23) and “Fantasy producer” Anita Mann at the Luxor will be honored with the Legacy Award for outstanding achievements in the world of dance for moviers, music videos, commercals, television and digital content. With her more than 40 years of experience choreographing TV and films, Anita worked for five season as the choreographer of “Solid Gold” and she has won an Emmy and six nominations. The award presenters include “Dacing with the Stars” judge Carrie Ann Inaba and former DWTS dance pro Cheryl Burke.
HAUNTING VOCALS
Singer and pianist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody andformer American rock band Evanescence brought their concert of songs and music to the Pearl at the Palms. With members Jen Majura, Will Hunt, Try McLawhorn, Tim McCord, Terry Balsamo, David Hodges, John LeCompt, Rocky Greyt and Will Boyd, they played as a full orchestra . They brought drama and passion to a sold-out crowd with such songs as “Bring Me To Life,” “My Heart is Broken” and their newest, “Imperfection.” Their fourth studio album, “Synthesis,” is due Nov. 10. Our thanks to Denise Truscello for her wonderful photos. Fans were unanimous in their opinion of “one of the most beautiful shows that ever graced the Pearl stage.”
STAR SURVEILLANCE
• Entertainers Dani Elizabeth from “Crazy Girls” at Planet Hollywod and Maren Wade of “The 50 Shades of Grey” musical parody at Bally’s enjoyed the new giant bloody mary brunch that opened at Lavo in the Palazzo.
• Comedian and actor Jim Norton from the Tropicana at the second round of “Mike Tyson’s Undisputed Truth” show at MGM Underground. Jim had seen Round 1 of “Undisputed Truth” in 2016 and returned for the sequel.
• Actor Richard Blake Thomas from “Bronx Tale’ at Martorano’s in the Paris Las Vegas for authentic Italian menu tastings.
• A special menswear show, Suit Up, by Tom Ford, John Varvatos, Ted Baker and others for their collections at Stitched in the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas brought out an enthusiastic crowd of super sharp dressers to the Wet Deck of the W Hotel at SLS.
TONIGHT’S TIPS
• Former Beatle Ringo Starr returns with his All Starr band to continue his mini-residency at the PH Showroom in Planet Hollywood.
• Cast members including, Jackson Williams, Kyo Dominick and Ryan Carlson from “Magic Mike Live” at the Hard Rock Hotel will bring their sexy dance moves to the Hofbrauhaus stage as they tape the keg for Oktoberfest.
• To celebrate the Las Vegas Academy’s 25th anniversary, guest alumni will join the Wind Ensemble, the Symphonic Chorus and the Philharmonic Orchestra for their Legacy show in The Smith Center.
• The eclectic jazz concert series at Myron’s cabaret salon in The Smith Center features the Jeff Hamilton Trio with hosts Dame Madelyn, Niles Thomas and world-renowned trumpeter Bijon Watson.
• Rapper and producer “Chief Keef,” Keith Cozart, returns to the Brooklyn Bowl in the Linq for his Glo Gang concert.
• The Space by Mark Shunock stages a late-night jazz show with Toscha Comeaux and Charles McNeal titled “Lester and the Lady.”
• Gregg Austin’s M Town salutes the music of Auto City at the South Point.
• The Hug Wine happy hour party is at the Grape Street Café in downtown Summerlin with three hours of pourings of the Italian sparkling wine.
• DJ Five counts halfway to 10 at Hyde in the Bellagio.
• DJ Hollywood spotlights the music for dancing at The Dorsey in The Venetian.
