Wyclef Jean escapes to Vegas
Wyclef Jean is feeling good, even though he just got shot in the hand during elections in Haiti last weekend.
"I’m doing better, man," he says with a little chuckle. "It grazed my hand. I’m fortunate, and everything is OK, despite the 1 zillion stories on the Internet."
Wyclef has music news: He’s no longer considering putting four previously unreleased Fugees songs on his next album.
"I’m not doing that anymore," he tells me. "I think the Fugees material — leave it to the Fugees.
"Me and (rapper) Pras started talking. The conversation is just starting to flow. Hopefully we can get in conversation with (vocalist) Lauren (Hill)."
The goal of Fugees talks?
"If anything, just start to build back a vibe. I think that’s needed," he says.
For his next album, "Feel Good Music," he’s working with Estelle and hopes to bring in Jennifer Hudson.
He’s appearing at club Haze, an hour after midnight Saturday. He’s "very tempted" to perform.
"I’m a big fan of Vegas," he says. "As a youngster in high school, I always dreamed that I would have my own club in Vegas, and I would contract my band — the way Prince did in the movie, ‘Purple Rain’ — to perform, like, once a month."
Fantasy escapes in Vegas give him balance, he says.
"If you work hard, (but) if you don’t play hard, you’re gonna suffer," he says. "When you leave Vegas, you’re ready to go back to work."
FERGIE
Fergie celebrates her birthday at club Bank tonight after a midnight red carpet. Husband Josh Duhamel will be on her arm, and she’s hinting at a present she wants.
"He doesn’t know this, but I love the metal Alexander McQueen clutch," she tells me. "It’s, like, leafy metal with a skull on the top.
"Maybe he’ll read this in Vegas and — who knows?!"
The Black Eyed Peas singer (turning 36 Sunday) is only now starting to buy couture for herself.
Fergie does own nice things, but they are primarily celebrity gifts.
She’s in the process of giving friends and family a "free shopping spree" of outfits from her overflowing closet.
"I felt guilty because I was getting everything for free. So I felt greedy," she says.
"I wouldn’t splurge on myself," she says. "Now I’m feeling like it’s OK to reward myself. … Retail therapy is addicting."
PRESIGHTINGS
MTV puts on a Britney Spears special at midnight tonight at Palms’ Rain nightclub, with DJ Pauly D, for a $60 cover charge. … Lil Jon spins Saturday at Surrender. … Flo Rida performs tonight at Chateau after a 10 p.m. carpet. … "Jersey Shore’s" Ronnie walks an 11:30 p.m. carpet today at LAX. … Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett does MGM’s dayclub Wet Republic at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Doug Elfman’s column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Contact him at delfman@reviewjournal.com. He blogs at reviewjournal.com/elfman.
