Luxe Life Blog

Strip Scribbles: Criss Angel launches Make-A-Wish holiday toy drive

Posted November 17, 2010 • 4:32 p.m.

Criss Angel and his secret warehouse.

Photo: TVT

Mindfreak magician Criss Angel is heading up the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s 2010 holiday toy drive. The star of Believe at the Luxor kicked it off this morning at Bank of America, which is the main sponsor. Criss wants fans and the public to drop off new unwrapped toys at any of the 54 Bank of America centers in Southern Nevada from today until Dec. 3. Then he’ll host the annual party for the Make-A-Wish kids at The Rio on Dec. 9.

Criss was named Male Wish Granter of the Year in 2010 and in 2007 received the Greicius Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Make-A-Wish Foundation for his dedicated work for the charity. Last year, Criss also participated in one of our local radio station toys for kids drive giving the single largest individual donation ever -- $10,000 from his own pocket!

*It’s going to be the wildest birthday bash and guaranteed to make sensational tabloid headlines. Las Vegas adult entertainer and dancer Joslyn James, who figured prominently in the Tiger Woods scandal, will celebrate her birthday with porn star Gina Rodriguez, who was named by actor David Boreanaz as the woman he cheated with on his wife Jaime Bergman. Holly Sampson and Jamie Jungers, also named in Tiger’s romps, are joining the party. Former Star celebrity reporter Kate Major, who was engaged to Lindsay Lohan’s father Michael Lohan before he tried to sell a set of her nude photos, is the third host. The craziness starts Tuesday at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, and Tila Tequila has promised to go.

*A new line of restaurant, cocktail and nightclub wear fashions were presented to delegates at today’s G2E Global Gaming Convention. Staff from Tao, Wet Republic, Lavo, LAX, Studio 54, Tabu and Social House modeled the new outfits during the advance peek, and we’ll have photos right here at Vegas DeLuxe tomorrow.

*After a five-year absence, Circus Vargas, America’s favorite Big Top Circus, returns here for Thanksgiving weekend at The Rio. Owners Katya and Nelson Quiroga have been Las Vegas residents for the past 20 years but haven’t been home for the holidays since 2005. Ringmaster Ted McRae hosts the animal-free circus, which features an aerial bungee ballet, the world’s top flying act The Flying Tabares and a wild electrifying motorcycle performance by the youngest person ever to take part in the stunt. TV personality Jon Weiss from CBS’ Amazing Race will host a 30-minute pre-show peek into the world of Circus Vargas before each show.

*Congratulations to the executives and staff of Mandarin Oriental at MGM’s CityCenter on winning in its first year the prestigious AAA 5-Diamond Award rating and the coveted Forbes 5-star award for its spa.

*Standup comic Louie Anderson is being honored by the Showbiz Society on Saturday at the Embassy Theater in the downtown Las Vegas Rocks Cafe. Mayor Oscar Goodman will present Louie with the key to the city, and Louis Prima Jr. will present the 2010 Louis Prima Award. Comedian George Wallace, entertainer Steve Rossi and I will be on hand to poke fun in a salute to the Palace Station headliner. Louie lives here and has worked here the past 26 years.

Star surveillance

Free agent and former Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth was at Blush in the Wynn with friends at a dance floor VIP table. DJ Ruckus, aka Greg Andrews, performed at the weekly Bang party in Moon at the Palms. Playboy Playmates Tyran Richard and Juliette Frette signed autographs at the Bally Technologies booth at G2E.

Tonight’s tips

The new show America’s Soul Music starring Russell Thompkins Jr. and The New Stylistics opens in the main showroom of the Clarion. Russell, the group’s original singer, was famous throughout the 1970s for his falsetto voice. The Stylistics were one of the best-known Philadelphia soul groups, with 12 consecutive Top 10 R&B hits.

Tomorrow’s teases

On the day that the new 2010 Beaujolais Nouveau is released to French restaurants and bars across the city, our esteemed Editor Don Chareunsy goes undercover with a super sleuth’s report of Counter Intelligence and the season wrap-up of Project Dinner Table, plus his experience at So You Think You Can Dance. And Wayne Newton joins Paula Poundstone for the taping of the NPR show Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me at the Paris.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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