Red Carpet Report: Canceled Cher and R. Kelly shows, Scott Disick, Jimmy Garoppolo, Frankie Valli, MAGIC
Bad weather hampered R&B king R. Kelly’s smooth arrival here Friday. He broke heaven and earth records to make it to The Joint at The Hard Rock Hotel on time, but the delays forced entertainment officials to scrap the concert.
The singer-songwriter (“I Believe I Can Fly,” “Ignition”) was feeling dejected but brightened his spirits hanging out at Center Bar with his band and crew until the wee hours of the morning talking and sharing drinks with fans.
Las Vegas electronic-violinist Lydia Ansel wowed him with her show, and he asked that she perform longer than normal, so the blonde bombshell added two hours of entertainment to keep R. Kelly et al happy.
FLU FELLS
Cher canceled her weekend performances at Park Theater at Monte Carlo and was ordered to bed rest by her doctor after flu felled members of the superstar singer and actress’s band and crew and her. They are anxious to return, and a doctor has given them a tentative go-ahead to be back onstage Wednesday.
UP ON THE ROOF
Even though we showed the YouTube videos of Steve Wynn atop his hotels for two TV commercials I wrote about in Sunday’s Brett Ratner interview, the Hollywood director and producer and I still had people who refused to believe that the hotel mogul balanced himself precariously on the roof.
Brett emailed me a new YouTube video to prove once and for all that Steve really did go up to the Wynn and Encore skylines for the dangerous, high-flying helicopter shots just feet from his face. Here is the making of the Encore commercial:
Brett’s Hilhaven Lodge whiskey is currently available in Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Kentucky, where it is bottled, but not Aspen yet, as I wrote. Whoops! But it’s on its way soon. He says that expansion will take it to New York next month and national by next year.
FASHION FOREFRONT
More than 80,000 designers, retailers and manufacturers in the fashion industry arrive today and Tuesday for the twice-annual MAGIC fashion trade show. Fall and winter fashions will be on display and the runway. (The August shows feature fashions for the following summer).
This week’s show is Tuesday through Thursday, and global buyers who have been coming here every year for more than two decades will lead this year’s charge for the millions of sales generated. The fashion industry is a $1 trillion enterprise, and MAGIC Las Vegas is one of the Top Five global marketplaces.
STRIP CLOSING
Two lanes of Las Vegas Boulevard will be closed from 12:45 to 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, for a procession of off-road racecars taking part in this year’s Mint 400. As grand marshal, I will be in the lead car, the Odyssey Battery Humvee, for the journey from Gene Woods Racing traveling south to north to end on Fremont Street Experience.
At Fourth Street, all northbound lanes will be closed to enable the procession to reach FSE. On March 2, sponsor BF Goodrich Tires presents a Mint 400 documentary, followed by the Method Race Wheels pit crew challenge. I’ll drop the green flag at Buffalo Bill’s in Primm on March 4 at 1 p.m. for the big race.
COMEDY & DOLLS
Burlesque dancer Brittany Walsh declined to perform her acrobatic archery blindfolded, which was a relief when she bent over double to fire an arrow from a bow held in her feet at the Comedy & Dolls opening standup shows at the new cabaret theater at Planet Hollywood. But Brittany assures me that she’s confident of pulling off the stunt without mishap.
Beyond double-jointed, she’s a marvel with her solo-hand balancing and contortions. The production with 20-year veteran Greg Vaccariello as anchor features a changing lineup of three comedians at each performance, plus a rotating lineup of burlesque beauties. Also there displaying ample charms as they peel off their gowns:
Tana the Tattooed Lady, who was an original member of The Atomic Bombshells, and gymnast and fire-eater Allie Sparks of the burlesque show “The Suicide Girls.” It’s a unique combination for a show with lots of laughter and amazement as the glamour girls serve up strength, grace, charm and otherworldly delights. The show strikes just like an arrow: right on target!
HAVE A SHOT!
A selection of 27 whiskies has been added to the menu at Sushisamba at The Palazzo, making it the largest Japanese whiskey list in Las Vegas and one of the largest in America, with some aged 28 years. Executive chef Joel Versola and executive pastry chef Michael Outlaw teamed up with corporate sous-chef John Um to create an eight-course tasting menu with whiskey cocktails.
I loved their version of caviar with smoked ocean trout roe and crispy tempura sweet oysters in butter lettuce. I’m a Sauvignon Blanc drinker, especially in Asian fusion restaurants, but this time I tried a passion fruit whiskey sour and Wagyu cocktail, a classic riff on an Old Fashioned. Delicious!
Leave room for the Cafe Bom Bom dessert — dark-roasted coffee custard, chocolate hazelnut crumble and sweet cream ice cream topped with Japanese whiskey foam. They partner it with a Japanese cherry Manhattan Granita served with Iwai Japanese whiskey, Carpano vermouth, cherry bitters and cherry syrup. The entire experience is not to be missed.
SPEAKER SERIES
I’ve written previously about my sports agent pal J.B. Bernstein, who is a sports marketing pioneer and the inspiration for the film “The Million Dollar Arm.” Recently, I told you that he was in India again, this time trying to find a future football star from hundreds of cricket fans who auditioned.
Will he find the next NFL kicker with a $100,000 talent competition? On Tuesday evening, he’ll present the full story in a lecture at the Meadows School speaker series and host a Q+A afterward.
STAR SURVEILLANCE
Reality-TV star Scott Disick joined friends Saturday night at a stage table at XS at Steve Wynn’s Encore for a Guess fashion industry party as MAGIC delegates arrived early for fashion week.
Legendary singer Frankie Valli, who headlined The Pearl at The Palms on Saturday, attended Sir Elton John’s “The Million Dollar Piano” at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Sunday night.
And New England Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo partied with friends at Intrigue at Wynn Las Vegas on Saturday.
