Luxe Life Blog
Oscar photos: Vanity Fair party, Lance Burton’s film, Kevin Burke 9 for 10
Natalie Portman at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party at the Sunset Tower Hotel in L.A. on Feb. 27, 2011.
Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/ErikKabik.com
The gold statuettes were 280 miles west in Hollywood, but Oscar Night Las Vegas also had its own stars and glittering gowns last night. Whereas 127 Hours star and Best Actor nominee James Franco played host at the 83rd Academy Awards alongside Anne Hathaway, his co-star Rebecca C. Olson glowed on the red carpet at Brenden Theaters at the Palms.
There were chauffeurs galore causing gridlock in L.A., but here it was a gorgeous and beautiful vintage grand antique limousine that delivered the VIPs and stars. Media, fans and autograph hunters converged at the only official Oscar viewing party in Las Vegas to benefit Variety Children’s Charity of Southern Nevada. Thanks to contributing photographer David Mayne for his coverage of the event.
Among the VIP names attending with Rebecca were master magician Lance Burton and his longtime girlfriend, singer Gabriella Versace; Defending the Caveman star Kevin Burke; America’s Got Talent semifinalist magician Murray Sawchuck; The Ink Spots; and Rolan Whitt , co-star of The Naughty Hypnotists. They partied in owner Johnny Brenden’s 4,000-square-foot luxury suite with seven LCD TV screens and a supersized aquarium for his baby shark collection.
Lance told me that his entertainment partner, juggler Michael Goudeau, and he are now one-third of the way through shooting their indie magic film. “We have a 100-page script, and we’ve completed about 30 pages so far,” Lance said. “We’re really pleased with the way it’s coming along, and I’m having great fun taking on an acting role.
“Yes, it has lots of magic, but filmmaking has become a very interesting part of my life, having retired from the live magic performances. I still have the Gone Fishing sign up in a sense because the indie movie is the only thing so far I’ve wanted to do.”
Kevin, who also appears nightly in a magic and mentalism show downtown at the Plaza, was featured here at VegasDeLuxe.com over the weekend. He had used his mentalism skills to predict the Oscar winners, which we posted Friday. He proved correct in nine of the 10 major categories.
Rebecca C. Olson at the 2011 Oscars Las Vegas Party at the Palms on Feb. 27, 2011.
He told me: “The only one I missed on was Best Actress. I had Annette Bening, not Natalie Portman. At .900, if I was a Major League Baseball player, I would have been a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame with that winning stat!”
The telecast, with ABC’s permission, was shown on the Brenden Theaters big screen to a packed crowd on this 18th year that the Academy and the network have co-operated with local charities. Last year, the Oscar parties raised more than $3 million in 51 cities. Las Vegas Variety President Kari Ayers said: “Oscar Night generates excitement all over the world. With the Academy’s help, our Vegas guests felt like they were on the Hollywood A list, too.”
Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party at the Sunset Tower Hotel in L.A. on Feb. 27, 2011.
Meantime over in Tinseltown, regular VegasDeLuxe.com contributing photographer Erik Kabik shot the glamorous and star-studded Vanity Fair post-Oscar party that attracted many A-listers, including winners Colin Firth and Natalie, co-host Anne, Justin Bieber and girlfriend Selena Gomez, nominee Jeremy Renner and music legends Mick Jagger, Steven Tyler and Madonna, who was accompanied by her daughter Lourdes.
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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