Luxe Life Blog
Celebrity preview: Kardashians, plus Olympic swimming and PBR champs
Kim Kardashian and Kourtney Kardashian at Vegas' seventh anniversary party at Surrender in Encore on June 19, 2010.
Photo: Scott Harrison/Retna/www.harrisonphotos.com
As the sunshine and heat intensify, it’s a wild weekend of new summer season pool openings, with companion nightclubs kicking into high gear, too. That means Hollywood celebrities galore picking up extra paydays for their Las Vegas visits.
On the flipside, Rio headliner magicians Penn & Teller continue their generosity as grand marshals of the 10th Annual AIDS Walk matching the target of their team’s walkers. Last year, their challenge raised more than $176,000.
If you’re Keeping Up With the Kardashians, you’d better do it on the Strip because Kim Kardashian and big sister Kourtney Kardashian are at the heart of the weekend action.
Only in Vegas could you also have two Olympic champion swimmers in head-to-head competition away from the pool. Michael Phelps will give a champagne toast -- and hand out medals -- to open Encore Beach Club at Surrender, while Amanda Beard handles similar duties at Azure Luxury Pool at the Palazzo. Gold medals for all? Golfer Natalie Gulbis rounds off the action away from the greens with a poolside fashion show party at Donald Trump’s Trump International Hotel.
But the biggest, toughest and meanest action of the weekend definitely comes from Professional Bull Riders as the athletes face danger in Last Cowboy Standing. You just know some of those riders will go head over horns during their 8-second rides on at least three angry animals.
This also is the weekend that superstar Celine Dion ends her first run of shows. She’ll be away after Sunday’s show until June 7, but in the interim, Janet Jackson is set for three shows next weekend, followed by Ricky Martin, Jeff Dunham, Stevie Nicks, Kylie Minogue and Chelsea Handler. It takes a lot of people to fill Celine’s shoes!
Throw in comedy, and no wonder Las Vegas can confidently say that there’s something for everyone in the Entertainment Capital of the World. We’ve saddled up all the details and polished our buckles, so hold on for the ride as we unleash this week’s Royal Robin Rundown:
Ray Romano.
Friday, April 15
*Ray Romano brings two nights of his witty observations about life to Terry Fator’s theater at the Mirage.
*Eddie Money performs at Boulder Station, Troy Olsen is at South Point all weekend, and the Las Vegas Hilton plays host to tribute band Led Zepagain’s Symphony to Heaven for two nights.
*The History Channel’s American Restoration premieres with Las Vegas makeover expert Rick Dale.
Party Patrol
*Reality TV star Kourtney Kardashian celebrates her 32nd birthday at the grand opening of Gallery Nightclub, with its erotic backdrops of voyeuristic imagery, at Planet Hollywood. The Real Housewives of Orange County star Alexis Bellino celebrates her anniversary at Chateau Nightclub & Gardens at the Paris. Peepshow and Holly’s World star Josh Strickland reports to the floor at Rockhouse at Imperial Palace. Six YouTube sensations who’ve racked up more than 1 billion views team up for DigiTour 2011 at The Playboy Lounge at the Palms. Jay Sean is at Jet at the Mirage. Mumford and Sons are at Boulevard Pool at the Cosmopolitan. And there’s a three-night Celtic Fest on Fremont Street Experience with The Young Dubliners.
Saturday, April 16
*Daredevil cowboys and their Stetsons take over Mandalay Bay Events Center for PBR’s Last Cowboy Standing. The world’s current Top 40 riders have to stay on at least three vicious bulls for 8 seconds apiece. The $200,000 first-place prize -- the biggest one-day payday of the Built Ford Tough Series challenge -- bragging rights and live TV exposure all ensure a thrilling night of spills, chills and thrills. The official after-party, which includes a performance by former UNLV student and two-time PBR world champion Justin McBride, is at PBR Rock Bar & Grill at Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile.
Brandon Flowers gives a surprise performance at Pure's sixth-anniversary celebration on March 15, 2011.
*There are multiple music choices, with Brandon Flowers and Nervous Wreckords, followed by Chase and Status at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, Bruce Hornsby at Red Rock Resort, Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers fame at the Cannery, Voices 3 at Suncoast for two nights and Jenni Rivera at Star of the Desert Arena at Buffalo Bill’s in Primm.
*Comedian Dana Carvey of Saturday Night Live fame who often imitated me with bulls-eye parodies, stars at the Orleans for two nights and has added President Obama and Charlie Sheen to his repertoire, as he told Senior Editor John Katsilometes in The Kats Report.
Party Patrol
*Gorgeous Kim Kardashian will dazzle in a sexy swimsuit and cover-up hosting the official grand opening of MGM Grand’s Wet Republic. Fourteen-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps makes a splash at Encore Beach Club’s 2011 kickoff party. Olympic gold medalist Amanda Beard hosts at Azure Luxury Pool. Celebrity Apprentice and LPGA star Natalie Gulbis hosts a poolside fashion show and cocktail party at Trump International Hotel. The International Bikini Team swimsuit contest is at Silverton Casino Lodge. The SNI Swimwear Calendar Girls dazzle by day at Liquid Pool Lounge and by night at Haze, both at Aria.
Michael Phelps with Gavin Maloof.
*Grammy winner Cee-Lo Green is at Gallery, and he promises not to forget you. Kendra reality TV co-star Colin Wilkinson -- yes, her brother -- hosts a launch party for C-DUB Entertainment at Eve at Crystals. Playboy beauty and TV host Carmen Electra celebrates her birthday at Chateau, and Dev performs at Jet.
*Jeff Lewis of Bravo’s hit Flipping Out appears at the Las Vegas Design Center at World Market Center. The 2011 Autism’s Angels Gala is at the Keep Memory Alive Event Center. Project Dinner Table showcases seven MGM Grand chefs for its first open-air dinner of Season 2 at Town Square. And the Pure Aloha Festival speaks the language of luau at Silverton’s Pavilion.
Sunday, April 17
*For the 10th consecutive year, Penn & Teller serve as grand marshals for AIDS Walk. Registration begins at 8 a.m. at World Market Center, with a 10:30 a.m. start.
*NBC starts weekly broadcasts of the recent National Heads-Up Poker Championship filmed at Caesars Palace. The debut episode features Don Cheadle vs. Tom Dwan, Phil Laak vs. Daniel Negreanu and David Williams vs. Emmitt Smith.
Party patrol
*You know it’s officially summer in Las Vegas when 4,000 people dive in for Rehab’s Season 8 grand opening at the Hard Rock Hotel. For the premiere weekend, thousands of balls will be dropped from the sky containing more than $100,000 in cash and prizes as DJs Eric D-Lux and Shift spin the wheels of steel. And Grammy-winning resident DJ Afrojack launches Daystar Sundays: Party in International Waters at Encore Beach Club.
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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