Steve’s Las Vegas Quickies:

Olivia Harrison, widow of The Beatles‘ George Harrison, says Las Vegas was the third choice for the Cirque du Soleil show “Love.” (The Mirage). She told Newsweek’s Las Vegas freelancer Steve Friess: “When George was alive, there was a plan to create it here in London. That didn’t happen, and then it was going to be in New York, and, of course, September 11 happened, and that was a very difficult time”
reviewjournal.com — News - NORM

The third annual “Las Vegas Sings for America” moves to the Fremont Street Experience at 8:30 p.m. tomorrow for an under-the-canopy TV special featuring musical performances by such local fixtures as the “Forever Plaid” lads, singer Earl Turner and, of course, host Tony Sacca. For more information, call 889-3587.

Nicolas Cage’s next thriller, the futuristic “Next,” is scheduled to film in Las Vegas July 10-14.

“Love” conquers all: England’s print media - or at least the Sunday Telegraph “ is claiming that Friday’s gala opening of “Love” at the Mirage will mark the end of one of the longest feuds in entertainment history. No, not between Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono (who appear to have settled into a sort of truce) but between Ono and Cynthia Lennon, John Lennon’s first wife. Cynthia is quoted as saying, “I’ve tried to reconcile the situation. I’ve tried to get Sean and Julian together because they are such good friends.” That’s Sean Ono Lennon, 30, and Julian Lennon, who at 43 is three years older than John Lennon was when he was killed. The two camps have been at odds, often publicly, since Lennon’s death.
Las Vegas SUN: John Katsilometes
Five venues along the Las Vegas Strip regularly feature dueling pianos - Harrah’s, Hooters, New York-New York, Paris Las Vegas and the new South Coast. Prior to the Strip, Main Street station downtown opened in 1996 with dueling pianos, which lasted about eight months. The dueling pianos theme was solidified when it was introduced at New York-New York’s Bar at Times Square in 1997. The piano party is so popular at New York-New York that a cover charge has been introduced. Harrah’s remodeled its La Playa Lounge in 2004 to accommodate a dueling-piano act, which is identical twins Kimberley and Tamara Pinegar.

Wayne Newton has met with Anthony Michael Hall and has agreed to do his film, “Life and Death in Las Vegas,” said Newton’s publicist, Trish McCrone. She added, for clarification, that Newton “will not be playing himself; he will be a fictional character who screws people out of their inheritance.”
reviewjournal.com — News - NORM

A truce has been called in the heated nightclub war between local giants Pure and Tao.

“We’ve made peace,” said Rich Wolf, one of the owners of New York-based Tao, which opened at The Venetian last September. Wolf and business partner Jason Strauss met with Pure Management Group’s Robert Frey and Steve Davidovici last week.

“It’s like a ‘Godfather’ movie,” Wolf said. “It’s bad business to be at war and good business to be friends.”
reviewjournal.com — News - NORM

Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme will be the last headline act to perform at the Stardust, Oct. 26-28.
“Forever Plaid” wants to harmonize for the armed forces, offering a two-for-one discount to active or retired military personnel Tuesday through July 9 at the Gold Coast.
reviewjournal.com — Living - MIKE WEATHERFORD
The Rio is testing a few acts as an afternoon replacement for departed ventriloquist Ronn Lucas. Today is the second day to catch Tony & Lloyd (Tony Arias and Lloyd Ziel), campy comic throwbacks to the old-Vegas lounge days.
reviewjournal.com — Living - MIKE WEATHERFORD
The 50th and final keno tournament at Stardust, which drew 180 melancholy contestants, drew to a close Wednesday afternoon. The Stardust is closing in October, and the hotel’s loyal keno players, many of whom have played regularly for more than 20 years, are said to be quite distraught.
Las Vegas SUN: John Katsilometes

Under construction at the Mirage (as evidenced by giant crimson paneling in a walkway near the Love Theatre) is the Revolution Lounge, a Beatles-themed hangout that should be finished by the end of the year.
Las Vegas SUN: John Katsilometes

Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay celebrates six years of entertainment and education by offering a summer pricing plan.  Through September 3, purchase one ticket at full price and receive a second admission for $6 after 6 pm. They’re also giving away commemorative posters with admission while supplies last.
Las Vegas Advisor - Anthony Curtis - Today’s News
The Casino Chip & Gaming Token Collectors Club, Inc. (CC>CC) opens its 14th annual convention and show today, June 28, through July 1 at the Riviera. More than 100 vendors will be displaying, selling, and trading their wares. One-day memberships, which include admission to the convention, can be purchased at the door for $5.
Las Vegas Advisor - Anthony Curtis - Today’s News

This Monday’s “Lunchtime with Ira� will feature an encore broadcast that features different guests from different shows.  Brooks & Dunn, Gary Muledeer, Betty Willis (designer of the iconic “Welcome To Las Vegas� sign), and Curtis Myles, president of the Las Vegas Monorail. “Lunchtime with Ira� is a weekly radio show broadcast live from the Las Vegas Hilton on KDWN AM 720 TALK RADIO in Las Vegas, carried nationally on Cable Radio Networks (CRN), streamed live, archived and pod cast on www.lvhilton.com, and aired on the Watchit Television Network (Watchit Media, Inc.) channels on hotel in-room television sets.

According to Jay Kornegay, executive director of the Las Vegas Hilton, “With only eight teams remaining, it’s obvious the best teams have survived the first two rounds of the World Cup. Defending champion Brazil looks the most impressive and takes on aging France this Saturday, July 1 at noon. The host country has had an impressive run and they meet traditional powerhouse Argentina Friday, June 30 at 8:00 a.m. In the other two matches, Italy will face the Cinderella of the elite eight, Ukraine, also on Friday scheduled at noon and Portugal will face England Saturday with the match starting at 8:00a.m.. All times are Pacific. The Las Vegas SuperBook is offering odds to host the Cup and Brazil remain the favorite at 2-1, followed by Germany at 3-1 and Argentina at 7-2. Ukraine is the long shot at 50-1.� Current odds are always available at the SuperBook.

Nine, count ‘em, nine Powerball machines have been installed in the casino at the Las Vegas Hilton. These wide-area progressives feature three quarter denominations and six two-cent denominations and both offer a $1 million plus jackpot.  A million plus for two cents plain?
The Las Vegas Hilton Buffet features a special Fourth of July celebration with a selection of more than 60 seasonal menu items, including Seafood Pasta Salad, Herb Grilled Fresh Catch of the Day, Southwestern Chili, Slow Roasted Prime Rib of Beef and Apple and Blueberry Pies.  Beverages include draft beer, California wine or choice of non-alcoholic beverages.  $16.99 per person plus tax Children (12 and under) $8.50. 

David Brenner will be filling in for Louie Anderson at the Excaliber Hotel & Casino from July 1 to July 13.

The Strat Presents: Sparkle & Splash Pool Party
Sunday, July 2nd, The Stratoshere pool, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.The Stratosphere Casino Hotel and Tower will present its annual citywide fireworks display and “Sparkle and Splash Pool Party� on Sunday, July 2nd. The fireworks display starts at 9 p.m. and will be 10 minutes in duration.“The Fourth of July pool party has become an annual tradition for us. We provide a great value with food, drinks and a party atmosphere on our expansive pool deck along with the most dramatic backdrop for a fireworks show in Las Vegas,� said Bobby Ray Harris, senior vice president and general manager for the Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower. The Independence Pool Party will last from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. The price of admission is $49.99 per person for those 21 years of age and older and $25 for children ages 12 to 20 years of age. Admission includes unlimited food and drinks.
http://www.thecircuitlv.com/06_26_06.htm

Casa Fuente Presents: En Fuego
Thursdays, Casa Fuente at the Forum Shops, 8 – 10:30 p.m.

Hosted for the first week’s event by the lovely ladies of Fantasy, Casa Fuente offers you a prime spot to kick-off your weekend a day early. En Fuego will be serving up $5 specialty cocktails and a selection of cigars to the tune of live DJ music. Located inside The Forum Shops at Caesars, Casa Fuente is a modern slice of Havana. From the first sip of the signature sangria and specialty mojitos to the smooth Latin music, at Casa Fuente, the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas is replaced with the relaxation of enjoying a flavorful drink accompanied by a fine stogie.
http://www.thecircuitlv.com/06_26_06.htm

Seizing the opportunity to satisfy an increased hunger for Beatles music is the Fab, which returns with a revamped lineup on July 7 at the Club at the Cannery. The band, which for 11 years has played several Vegas clubs of varying ambience, took a sabbatical a few months ago.
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Vegas Values Report for 6/25/06
The below information is supplied by Scot Krause, our roving reporter, who supplies us each week with information on the best Las Vegas promotions. It’s only available here on the americancasinoguide.com web site so be sure to come back each Monday morning to find out about the best values in Las Vegas.
http://www.americancasinoguide.com/Promotions/VEGAS-VALUES.shtml
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TONY & LLOYD GO TO RIO! (G-STRINGS AND ALL!

Famous up and down the Las Vegas Strip for their extended engagements at buffets, Mega International Superstars Tony & Lloyd are on their way to Rio for a two-day appearance in the main showroom at the Rio All-Suite Hotel/Casino. The dynamic duo who beat anorexia will appear June 28 and 29 at 3 p.m. each day. They will follow with an autograph signing in the buffet for as long as the fried foods and gravy hold out. The larger-than-plus-size comedic duo has been seen starring in events across the U.S. and the Caribbean over the past three years, yet were somehow snubbed by Emmy voters for their starring role in an episode of Fox Television’s forgettable reality show “The Casino.� They remain hopeful for a celebrity endorsement contract for Lane Bryant. Tony & Lloyd, known individually as Tony Arias and Lloyd Ziel, have been performing in Las Vegas and on stages around the world for decades, appearing with celebrities skinnier than themselves such as Kenny Chesney, Celine Dion, Jerry Lewis, Melissa Manchester, Tony Orlando and Jean-Claude VanDamme.Tony & Lloyd have accumulated a respectable list of actual, real, honest-to-god credits. For more information, grab a donut and visit www.tonyandlloyd.com right now.
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Beatles’ legacy expands
By: Thom Wise  From Las Vegas magazine The Beatles LOVE
Where: The Mirage
When: 7 p.m. nightly
Cost: $69, $99, $125 and $150
Info: (702) 792-7777 or (800) 963-9634Tony & Lloyd have accumulated a respectable list of actual, real, honest-to-god credits. For more information, grab a donut and visit right now.At some point, the Beatles become a part of your life. Perhaps you were around when they first hit American shores in the 1960s and you watched them on The Ed Sullivan Show (in black and white, no less). Or maybe you discovered them the second time around–when The White Album was reissued, or Yellow Submarine came out on DVD and you watched it over and over … and over again.Now there’s an entirely new way to experience the Fab Four’s music with The Beatles LOVE, in nightly previews at The Mirage in anticipation of its premiere on June 30.The collaboration between the Beatles and Cirque du Soleil began in 2000 with casual discussions between George Harrison and Cirque founder Guy Laliberté. Efforts to find a creative balance between the imagination of Cirque’s creators and the Beatles’ oeuvre stalled after Harrison’s death in late 2001. However, the dream never went away and the fruits of this determination can now be seen onstage, including many of your favorites: Lady Madonna, Sgt. Pepper, Fool on the Hill, Lucy in the Sky and the Octopus’ Garden. As the Beatles’ legendary producer Sir George Martin described it, there are “bits” of 130 Beatles songs in the production, digitally mixed into 27 different production numbers. He stresses the point that LOVE is not a “best of” the Beatles songbook, but rather a collective balance of 45 years of musicianship, from four men who forever changed the history of popular music. Add to that more than 6,000 speakers in a custom-built theater-in-the-round (including one in every seat back), high-definition video projections of 100-foot digital images and a youthful cast of 60 from all over the world, and you have a show that should suit the taste of Las Vegas visitors for many years to come. Or, as Martin shared: “We’d love to give some love and hope to a new generation.”

Before “C.S.I.” and “Las Vegas,” there was ABC’s “Vega$.“Aaron Spelling’s fascination with Las Vegas turned into a three-year prime-time show that was equal parts glitz and grit. “Aaron loved Las Vegas. I got the impression he wanted to live here,” film legend Tony Curtis recalled Saturday. Curtis played casino mogul Philip Roth the first season of “Vega$.”Spelling, one of Hollywood’s most prolific TV producers, died Friday at age 83 in Los Angeles.Robert Urich played private detective Dan Tanna, who chased criminals and chicks in a 1957 Ford Thunderbird. His office was in the Desert Inn, and his home featured a living room drive-through.“Vega$” was among Spelling’s assembly-line TV hits that ran the gamut from “Love Boat” to “Fantasy Island,” “Starsky and Hutch,” “Charlie’s Angels” and “Beverly Hills 90210.”Spelling and co-producer Duke Vincent named the star of “Vega$” after Dan Tana’s restaurant, one of their favorite L.A. haunts.

What is sexy?It’s an attitude. A vibe. A sense of confidence that stops short of arrogance.It is, we submit, a quality shared by these Las Vegans who we think fit the bill as Las Vegas’ 10 sexiest people.Don’t whine. We know that choosing just 10 sexy people from the mecca of sexiness that is Las Vegas is risky business. Walk into any nightclub in town at 2 in the morning, close your eyes, fling an empty Cristal bottle in any direction, and you’ll probably hit someone, male or female, who’d qualify as “sexy.”More Here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jun-25-Sun-2006/living/8141991.html
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MIKE WEATHERFORD: Even Cirque not immune to excess.
From: The Las Vegas Review Journal

The closing of “Hairspray,” combined with the news that, yes, Cirque du Soleil has an Elvis-themed show in the pipeline, isn’t encouraging for those who say the Strip is Cirque-du-saturated and needs more variety.It’s no longer impossible to envision a Strip where each of MGM Mirage’s 10 casinos (11 if you count Project CityCenter) has its very own Cirque. “If I could put my hands on 10 or 12 theaters a year, I believe I could come up with 12 distinctive shows,” Cirque’s chief executive, Guy Laliberté, said recently.But as the Beatles-themed “Love” edges toward its opening-night gala on Friday, there are signals that not even Cirque is immune from the big hurt “Love” and a big-budget rival, “Phantom — The Las Vegas Spectacular,” could put on the rest of the market.More Here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jun-25-Sun-2006/living/8090360.html
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NORM: Phantom gala is vision in red.
From The Las Vegas Review Journal

Even in a $40 million production, the most important decisions can rest on the toss of a quarter. That was the case for “Phantom: Las Vegas Spectacular,” which ended its preview period and held its opening-night premiere on Saturday at the Venetian. Because the show is so physically (and vocally) demanding, the production alternates a total of six world-class performers in the lead roles of the Phantom, Christine and Carlotta.And, of course, all those performers would prefer to take the stage on opening night.  So they flipped for it. Actually, the Phantoms (Anthony Crivello and Brent Barrett) and Christines (Sierra Boggess and Elizabeth Loyacano) were the principals who agreed to the coin toss. Taking the role of Carlotta on Saturday was Elena Jeanne Batman; Geena Jeffries Mattox stepped aside voluntarily so she could take in the opening performance with her family.

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.�Those immortal lines were spoken by Juliet in Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Romeo and Juliet. “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.�Those immortal lines were spoken by Juliet in Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Romeo and Juliet.While there may be truth in those lines when we are talking about flowers, it is not necessarily the truth when applied to slot machines.The name “Penny Slot� might be best described by a different English expression, “A wolf in sheep’s clothing.�Names can be deceiving and finding the right name for a product can be the difference between its success or failure. Part of this is due to the fact that we tend to associate mental images or feelings to words when we hear them.More Here:
http://www.strictlyslots.com/archive/0606ss/pennies.htm
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Understanding Slots
Mystery of the RNG Unlocked
by John Robison from Strictly Slots magazineThe god in the machine. That’s what Frank Scoblete calls the slot machine’s Random Number Generator (RNG) in his book Break the One-Armed Bandits. Like Zeus on Mount Olympus, the RNG is the arbiter of your fate at the slot machine. The RNG determines whether your spin will result in Megabucks, a bust, or something in between. Nothing in a slot machine is more mysterious than the RNG. Slot machine manufacturers perpetuate and encourage the mystery by revealing very few details about how the RNGs in their machines operate. But the truth about the RNG is far more mundane than any of the legends that superstitious slot players have spread about it.Before we look at how the RNG in a slot machine generates random numbers, we have to define what a random number is. Let’s try an experiment. As quickly as you can, think of three random numbers between one and 10.More Here:
http://www.strictlyslots.com/archive/0606ss/rng.htm
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Brett’s Vegas Views By Jackie Brett.

The Las Vegas Hilton has signed three of country’s top selling acts to headline during the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). They include previously announced Brooks & Dunn, Vince Gill, and Big & Rich.The Brooks & Dunn performances, Dec. 4-6, are part of “The Long Haul Tour,” presented by Toyota Tundra. Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn debuted as Brooks & Dunn in 1991 and became the nation’s premier country music singer-songwriter duo. Their latest album is “Hillbilly Deluxe,” which features the No. 1 single “Play Something Country.” Tickets range from $100 to $195, which includes a meet-and-greet.

Had a chance to visit the new Jerry’s Famous Coffee Shop at Jerry’s Nugget in North Las Vegas. It replaced the five-year-old Canal Street Café, which closed on April 23 for renovation. The 250-seat, 24-hour diner offers an updated menu with seven full pages of 140-plus entrée meals, 56 desserts and 68 beverage items.The futuristic-style restaurant combines the nostalgia of the past with the contemporary designs of the present. Known as Googie style, the layout was influenced by the 50s space-like architecture of structured shapes and extraordinary angles. Old pictures on the wall represent the founders of the property and some clients.

Las Vegas favorite Jimmy Hopper will soon return to Las Vegas for a two-week run at Mandalay Bay, July 11-15 and 18-22. Hopper has been hailed as “Performer of the Year” by the Las Vegas Review-Journal and “Entertainer of the Year” by Gaming Today. Show times will be 5:00, 6:45 and 8:30 p.m.Hopper, known for his ability to go from acoustic alternative music to performing arias with the symphonies, left Las Vegas two years ago for a national tour that has taken him from coast to coast. He is currently living in New York City, where he is working with the creators of the Tony Award-winning musical “The Lion King” on a new Broadway musical titled, “The Day There Was No More Music.” Hopper is writing the show’s music.

The Imperial Palace issued limited edition 30th anniversary commemorative casino chips on Father’s Day. Only 500 $5, 100 $25 and 50 $100 chips were commissioned. One side of the chips featured old photos showing the Imperial Palace, the hotel’s former marquee and the Flamingo Capri, the predecessor to the IP. The flip side of the $5 chip showed the front exterior of the hotel at night; the $25 highlighted the Las Vegas Monorail; and a daytime front exterior photo of the Imperial Palace distinguished the $100 check.

The Tropicana has closed two Las Vegas history nostalgia museums in the past couple years. Steve Cutler’s Casino Legends Hall of Fame Museum was there from 1999 until April 2005. Then curator Richard Burgel took over 2,000 square feet and opened his displays that closed a couple months ago. Burgel also owns the Lost Vegas Gambling Museum and Store downtown at Neonopolis.

The Las The Las Vegas Hilton is taking advantage of its third floor pool deck with a city view to throw a “Cool By the Pool” happy hour, where two-for-one drinks are served, live music with a DJ is everywhere, and Foster’s and Bacardi are sponsors. Happy hour is open to the public from 5 -8 p.m. daily.
http://www.lasvegas-nv.com/brett/index.htm
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THE MENTALIST - GERRY MCCAMBRIDGE
By Norm Johnson

First off the bat, let me be perfectly honest with you - I believe in psychics and their ability to read minds and predict things. So, when I first met “The Mentalist” at a private party held by Rich Little and his wife, Marie, I was not surprised at what Gerry McCambridge was able to accomplish. As a matter of record, I happen to actually date a person with the above abilities. McCambridge arrived in Las Vegas last July. He had a three-week contract to appear at the Rampart Casino, which was extended for 47 weeks. Like all entertainers, Gerry felt his act belonged on the Las Vegas Strip and on June 2nd “The Mentalist” opened in his own room at the Stardust Hotel.The show is a mixture of comedy, mind reading, intuition and strange predictions. It’s full of audience participation - lots of it as a matter of fact. One of McCambridge’s biggies starts with the first person he calls upon in the audience and concludes at the end of the show (lots of people between start and finish). That’s all I can say about that particular part of his show because you have to see this guy to believe that he can truly predict things. The entire 90 minutes flows very quickly and you leave with your mind not believing what you actually saw with your own eyes. He is unbelievable and very, very entertaining!McCambridge has appeared on many national television shows including “The Today Show” and “Late Night with David Letterman” to name a few. He starred in and executive produced NBC’s “The Mentalist” television special which currently airs worldwide. He was voted the World’s Top Entertainer in the area of comedy and Mentalism in 2005 by his peers.“The Mentalist” is performing at the Hypnotic Lounge inside the Stardust Resort seven days a week. Showtimes are Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday at 5 p.m. Tickets are $27.95 and may be obtained by calling the Stardust box office at (702) 732-6325, or check out his Web site at:  www.mentalist.com.
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Broadway is dark tonight.

With more misses than hits, the city’s affair with Broadway has the Strip licking its wounds. Here’s why.
By David McKee from Las Vegas City Life