T H E O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O • L A S V E G A S
planet hollywood PREMIERE ISSUE
FA L L 2 0 0 7 / W I N T E R 2 0 0 8 E D I T I O N
pamela anderson CENTER STAGE
style watch EYE-CATCHING CLUB WEAR TURNS HEADS AT PRIVÉ
peek inside ph AN INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT EARL
turn up the volume WITH GWEN, KANYE, AND MORE
Miracle Mile Shops Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino 702-735-8366 Mandalay Place Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino 702-259-0565 The Grand Canal Shoppes Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino 702-369-2736
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TRENDS Club Wear Lounging at Privé
STYLE WATCH
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PHOTO BY SETH BARLOW
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SCENE ENE NEE STEALERS STEALER STEALE STEA STEEAALERSS
MILLIONDOLLAR GRILL Flash Mouth Diamond studded dental work
WILD
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ECTOR’S CHAIR ie Magic 't try this ome
PHOTO BY STEVE GRANITZ/WIREIMAGE COM
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SHOWSTOPPERS Winning Streak
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ROBERT EARL
The Miss America Pageant's Las Vegas setting is a lucky charm for Oklahoma
The Man with the Plan An interview with the founder and CEO of Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F M I S S A M E R I C A PA G E A N T
D E N I S E T R U S C E L L O / C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
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FREEZE FRAME Sweet and Sexy The magic of Pamela Anderson
PHOTO BY ODETTE SUGERMAN/CONTOUR PHOTOS
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF PLANET HOLLYWOOD RESORT & CASINO
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P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F C E L E S T E C A N I N O / P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
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OUTTAKES What's New Around Planet Hollywood? The dish on Strip House, Koi and "Stomp Out Loud." Plus, the Opium Group moves in.
SPOILED ROTTEN 50 Fashions You Must Have Now Cruising the Miracle Mile
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DINING Hot Diggity, Dog Diggity L.A. based Pink's finds a Vegas home
THE DISH
WISH LIST
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Get lucky with your room key.
(Room Key Designs may vary. All designs are accepted for free offer.)
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Parties and Events The magic of Hans Klok featuring Pamela Anderson; Sylvester Stallone's birthday; and the Rocky Balboa premiere
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...and— ...and —action! Let Planet Hollywood magazine be among the first to welcome you to Las Vegas. In your hands is the official publication of the new Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Like a movie trailer, this premiere issue is designed to give you a taste of what’s to come as we capture the spirit of the resort, catch up with the stars and talk Tinseltown and cinema. In these pages, we tour Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and introduce you to what’s already here and what’s to come. With delectable dining at Koi, Strip House, Pink’s, Planet Dailies and Yolos Mexican Restaurant; three nightclubs from the Opium Group; shows such as “Stomp Out Loud” and Hans Klok’s “Beauty of Magic”; and the fabulous merchandise of the Miracle Mile Shops, Planet Hollywood is sure to attract an A list crowd. And who better to grace our inaugural cover than the voluptuous Pamela Anderson illusionist Hans Klok’s glamorous celebrity sidekick? The fun loving, always enchanting Anderson looks back on her life so far and tells us how her upbringing and her family have shaped the person she is today. We hope this issue leaves you wanting more, as our sequels will pack a punch. Subsequent issues of Planet Hollywood will be bigger, bolder and jam packed with celebrity interviews, star profiles and inside information from Hollywood. We’ll reveal some of the behind the scenes movie magic that brings your favorite films to life on the big screen, and we’ll talk to the stars making it happen. So grab the popcorn and prepare to be entertained. We’re just getting rolling.
inside Beauty times two. From our fashion shoot at Privé (above) to our cover girl Pamela Anderson (below), Planet Hollywood brings you the hottest in happenings.
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
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The Staff of Planet Hollywood
Transcend . Trans form . Trust the moment .
? Vanity or Sanity
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contributors
Cathy A. Campagna is a rock scribe whose work has appeared in many national and international publications. However, her passions have also led her to join the Screen Actors Guild and to write, act in and produce her first screenplay. Cathy is a native New Yorker who coordinates fabulous events for such rock royalty as Nikki Sixx, Ministry and Doro Pesch, to name a few. She can be seen in commercials as well as independent films. E-mail Cathy at chain626@aol.com.
Hilary L. Green is a writer-broadcaster from England who resides in Las Vegas. The former television coanchorperson and hotel entertainment director has an extensive background in television, radio and the entertainment business. She is a regular contributor to ShowBiz magazine and WHERE Las Vegas and has written for a number of national publications, including The Hollywood Reporter.
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Apryl Chapman Thomas has been a freelance writer for eight years. She considers herself lucky to be in a profession that allows her to meet interesting people. In addition to penning profiles, she covers health and fitness, and writes about lifestyle issues and travel destinations. Apryl has written a number of articles about Las Vegas, covering both the glamorous side and the familiar side. Incidentally, Apryl’s favorite hot dog at Pink’s is the Planet Hollywood Dog. Just hold the onions, and add plenty of jalapeños.
Sara Churchville is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in features on travel, lifestyle and the arts. Her work has appeared in numerous national and regional publications. After many happy years in Miami, Sara packed up and relocated to New York City, where she is slowly uncovering the small pleasures of outer-borough life. Sara says she aspires to someday work up the courage to face the roulette tables.
When looking at his beautiful still-life photography, you’d never guess that Los Angeles native Ed Fernandez’s first camera purchase was not made until he was 25 years old. Today Ed travels back and forth between his Miami studio—a 1922 Key West-style house that he restored—and New York City, freelancing for clients like Godiva, Dillard’s and Daytons. When he’s not behind the camera, he’s likely on one of his restoration projects: a 1989 Wellcraft fishing boat, a 1968 Camaro and two Miami-area houses. www.edfstudios.com
Bobbie Katz is a longtime entertainment writer who has interviewed hundreds of major stars and headliners. She has lived in Las Vegas for the past 15 years and loves covering the city’s entertainment scene. Bobbie was a contributor to the Los Angeles Times for nearly 13 years and writes for several publications. She is the author of three books, two about Las Vegas.
Shep Morgan is an award-winning producer and journalist who has written cover stories and celebrity profiles for some of the country’s top publications and Internet sites. He has interviewed many famous faces ranging from Johnny Depp to Jennifer Lopez for outlets including Gotham, Hamptons, Redbook and L.A. Confidential magazines; The New York Times Syndicate;
Rob Wiser is a native of New York City and a graduate of New York University. Now in Las Vegas, he writes for national magazines such as FHM, Casino Player and VEGAS. He’s also a novelist and screenwriter, with credits including the urban thriller Snipes, starring rap superstar Nelly.
TV Guide online and E! online. Shep is executive producer/writer for the nationally syndicated radio series Jeanne Wolf’s Hollywood, which also appears as a weekly column on Movies.com, and has created stories about a host of major stars for Los Angeles TV stations.
His book M.A.C.K. Tactics, which he describes as “the ultimate guide for the single guy in today’s dating world,” is in stores now. His next book, The Cheat Sheet, will be released later this year.
P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F C E L E S T E C A N I N O / P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
outtakes news from planet hollywood PLANET RISING The New Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino Goes Global in Search of the Best Dining and Nightlife STORIES BY SARA CHURCHVILLE
“The Ultimate Coffee Shop,” Planet Dailies, offers delectable dishes 24/7.
Dining ging at the new Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino may seem familiar to those who frequent New York and Miami—several of the hottest spots in those cities are set to open outposts inside the Las Vegas property. Anyone who has spent time in Miami knows that celebrities rarely make it through town without a Fridaynight stop at Privé or its upstairs neighbor, Opium; and in the late-1990s, Living Room was a must-stop for the international sophisticate. The Opium Group promises to up the ante of these popular clubs when the trio arrives at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. From New York City, fashionista favorite Koi will join the local sushi pond and steak emporium Strip House borrows a bit of double-entendre from its Vegas surroundings. But unpretentious comfort food—the very thing the original Planet Hollywood restaurant chain was built upon—won’t be abandoned at the resort as several informal dining options will be available as well. San Francisco executive chef Florence Duff brings her innovative Mexican cuisine, infused with fresh ingredients and flavors from the Pacific Rim and the American Southwest, to Yolos Mexican Restaurant. Her signature dishes: pumpkin-seed-crusted seared Ahi tuna with red mole, smoked mushrooms, spicy mashed potatoes and sautéed greens; and a slow-cooked beef shank with prune-almond and greenchile verde spaghetti. See? Contemporary. And also reasonably priced, with entrées averaging $20. Think you know your sandwiches? Not until you’ve had the Full Montagu, just one of the offerings at Earl of Sandwich. The restaurant is a meeting of the wits between the descendants of the original earl of Sandwich, John Montagu (he’s credited with the clever and now centuries-old idea of placing meat between two slices of bread), and Robert Earl, Planet Hollywood’s owner and founder. Like all the sandwiches, the Full Montagu is made to order with artisanal bread piled with fresh ingredients, a toasted congress of roast beef, roast turkey, Swiss and cheddar cheeses, mustard sauce, lettuce and tomato.
Planet Hollywood’s new eateries will cater to all tastes with outlets serving everything from fajitas and T-bones to pasta and Reubens.
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A second Earl eatery, Planet Dailies, which is being billed as “The Ultimate Coffee Shop,” offers contemporary American food 24/7 served amid designer Thomas Shöner’s carefully crafted atmosphere with overlapping wood wall panels that look as if they’re floating and plasma-screen televisions strategically placed so diners can catch breaking news, entertainment reports or sporting events from anywhere in the restaurant. With the entertainment program Extra calling Planet Hollywood home, you can catch up on your celebrity gossip and perhaps even catch a live interview with a star in the Extra Lounge. Whether you want to sip a sprightly cocktail at the new Heart Bar, try out a new sandwich, or make it a night of dinner and dancing, you won’t have to leave the resort to enjoy the best Las Vegas has to offer.
RESTAURANT HAPPENINGS
gold standard
Drink sake from a bamboo cup at celebrity haven koi.
Koi Captures Asian Culture in Design With outposts in Los Angeles, Manhattan and Bangkok, Koi has a reputation for serving quality sushi, and its other Japanese staples are prepared just left of the center of traditional: grilled lamb chops served with roasted shishito fingerling potatoes and ichimi sauce, for example, or tuna sashimi jalapeño and garlic chips. The ambience is another key element that keeps fickle urbanites returning, and it will be a major component in the new Koi Las Vegas. Designed by ICRAVE, the company that fashioned Shanghai’s Playboy Club, Koi New York and hotspot Hyde Lounge in Los Angeles—the club featured on MTV’s The Hills—Koi Las Vegas will be a study in sleekness. Bathed in golden light, shining through “fabric-coated fins” and perforated metal screens, the lounge area will feature walnut furniture, luxurious orange and red draperies, golden mother-of-pearl cocktail tables and a glimmering waterfall wall behind the sushi bar. Koi’s Asian accents include hand-carved Thai teak rosettes. Its signature drink menu: a variety of sake offerings each served in a bamboo cup.
bare bones At Strip House, It’s Naked Beef That’s Getting Dressed
Strip House is a monument to the temptations of the flesh.
In any other city, a New York strip is a steak, but in Vegas, ah, in Vegas...it’s whatever you want it to be. And Executive Chef John Schenk—who was once named one of Food & Wine magazine’s “Best New Chefs,” has cooked at The James Beard House numerous times and had his own show, Ready, Set, Cook!, on the Food Network—knows exactly what he wants it to be: a monument to the temptations of the flesh. The signature dishes will be a double-cut strip steak, a veal T-bone and a filet mignon; all can be accompanied by specialty sides, including truffled cream spinach and goose-fat potatoes. The seductive decor by David Rockwell, founder and CEO of the renowned Rockwell Group—whose mother worked in vaudeville as a dancer—will include slinky scarlet-silhouetted wallpaper, rose lighting, sultry silks and rich leathers. The walls will be lined with vintage photos of burlesque stars from the Belle Époque. Save room for the most delectable tease of the night—the peeling away of all 24 layers of the chocolate cake.
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Outtakes
MIAMI VICES With a Trio of Nightclubs, the Milon Brothers Are Bringing South Beach Flair and Star-Filled Nights to Planet Hollywood
Celebrities trust this duo to keep the crowds interesting and the hassles to a minimum; there’s no question that they'll follow the Milons to Planet Hollywood’s incarnation of their signature South Beach clubs, The Living Room, Opium and Privé, when they open in Las Vegas. François Frossard, the acclaimed designer of all the Miami clubs, will direct the decor: The Living Room will have an old-country-castle feel, with two fireplaces, faux stuffed game heads, leather, velvet and burgundy. Opium will capitalize on the warmth of the Orient with gold Buddhas, gauze netting, luxe beds and Asian lanterns. Privé will go the modern route with Lucite chairs, crystal chandeliers, mirror bars and fiber-optic lights; the occasional antique will be mixed in. The Living Room will have a laid-back cocktail and nightcap setting, while Opium and Privé will offer celebrity events in a velvet-roped VIP lounge atmosphere. All three venues will strive to reproduce the carefree vibe of South Beach, including “casting” the service staff for personality and panache rather than impeccable corporate credentials. Given the to-date flawless Milon touch, the new clubs are sure to be magnets for celebrities and their entourages.
permanent vacation
Hot decor and cold cocktails are a perfect mix for Opium Group’s venues.
South Beach has been the site of most of the Milons’ career in hospitality; they operated the original Living Room there. Ask anyone who was on Miami Beach in the late 1990s— there really was nowhere else for a postcollegiate, even somewhat sophisticated, person to go. When they opened the resto-bar Opium, the downstairs open-air nightclub Opium Garden and the neighboring inner-sanctum lounge, Privé, it immediately became the can’t-miss place to meet for all the celebrities in town: Jessica Alba, Eva Longoria, Mandy Moore, Justin Timberlake, Cameron Diaz, Wilmer Valderrama, Diddy, Jay Z...and the list goes on.
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The new Planet Hollywood Towers by Westgate, of course—a luxurious 50-story vacation ownership tower being built by Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and Westgate Resorts, the largest privately held time-share company in the world. Designed by Gerald B. Koi of Morris Architects, the new $750 million development will be located on the southeastern corner of the current property. DiLeonardo International Inc. is designing the casual-yet-sophisticated interiors, which will complement the theme of the resort complex, particularly in the color palette. The soaring glass tower with red and blue accents will house 1,200 one- to four-bedroom units, increasing the hotel’s total room inventory by 2,800. Twenty-eight luxury condos will make up the top four stories; they’ll range from 4,000 to 10,000 square feet, with sale prices starting at $4 million.
If any two people know the formula for the alchemy that transforms a space into a magical zone attracting the glamorous week after week, it’s Eric and Francis Milon of the Opium Group. For one thing, the Milon brothers are French. As we know, this gives them, by birthright, immediate access to all that is cool: Paris café style, Hôtel Costes chic, all the je ne sais quoi that makes for St-Germain-des-Prés street cred. They know how to attract both hip trendsetters and the sugar-daddy set.
What has a 14,000-square-foot lobby and check-in area, 16,000 square feet of eclectic dining options, a 3,100-square-foot fitness center, 35,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, a 40,000-square-foot elevated outdoor recreational pool area on the second level, and an exclusive Penthouse Pool on its 46th floor?
Lounge poolside in the middle of the action.
P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
The Pulp Fiction Room at Planet Hollywood
Entertain in Westgate's luxurious kitchens.
PULP FICTION Spend a night in the world of Quentin Tarantino’s cult classic
Relax in one of the sumptuous bedrooms.
You remember Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega? The two hitmen who are out to retrieve a suitcase stolen from their employer, mob boss Marsellus Wallace, in Quentin Tarantino’s cult hit Pulp Fiction. Who can forget, right? Well, you certainly won’t if you’re staying in Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino’s Pulp Fiction Room—just one of the property’s many movie-themed rooms. With movie memorabilia such as Vincent’s suit hanging in a display case on the wall, stills of John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson taken from the film and props including a plastic fast-food cup encased in a glass table, it’ll be hard to shake the image as you travel about your day. You might even want to sleep with the lights on.
The Wolf: You’re...Jimmie, right? This is your house? Jimmie: Sure is. The Wolf: I’m Winston Wolfe. I solve problems. Jimmie: Good, we got one. The Wolf: So I heard. May I come in? Jimmie: Uh, yeah, please do. —Scene from Pulp Fiction
Pulp Fiction memorabilia is encased in a glass table. 21
Outtakes
P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
Live the Celebrity Life
BY HILARY L . GREEN
Heavenly Float
The Planet Hollywood Spa by Mandara provides all the elements for a relaxing day
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MIND AND BODY
The “Ceremony of Love” treatment comes complete with rose petals and chimes in the beautifully appointed Casablanca room.
Need a day to unwind? Consider spending an afternoon at the Planet Hollywood Spa by Mandara. The 32,000-square-foot wellness center offers everything from a full-service hair and nail salon to tanning, teeth whitening, signature facials, massages, body treatments, a state-of-the-art fitness facility, and a fashion and beauty boutique.
Relax and rejuvenate in elegance at the Planet Hollywood Spa by Mandara.
Feel like royalty with one of the spa’s signature treatments. All treatments commence with a warm compress of lime oil applied to the feet to relax and cleanse, followed by a gentle body brushing with a cactus-bristle brush to release toxins, stimulate the skin and prepare the pores for treatment. In the Exotic Coconut Rub and Milk Ritual Float, a drizzle of Frangipani Monoi oil—a mixture of the essence of the frangipani flower and coconut oil—is rubbed on the body and topped off with a combination of coconut, lavender and mungbean. Next it’s on to the cradle-like float bed, where you are enfolded with soft sheets. A supporting plank is then lowered, ever so smoothly, allowing the body to float in an embrace of warm water without getting wet. It is said to feel like floating in the womb. The warmth of the water induces the body to absorb the oil, and the freedom of floating adds a deep level of relaxation. A warm shower follows, and finally the treatment is sealed with a “Well-Being Massage,” the climax of the two-hour journey. Another day, why not arrange for you and your special someone to participate in the “Ceremony of Love” treatment, complete with rose petals and chimes in the beautifully appointed Casablanca room—one of seven special treatment suites. To enhance the experience, each person may choose to have two therapists attending at the same time. Now that’s service worthy of the spa’s “Live the Celebrity Life” slogan.
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Outtakes A Celebration of Celebrity Get all the juicy gossip, or start your own, at the Extra Lounge. The laid-back lounge has several tables for you to meet and chat with friends and features a full-service bar with 14 video poker machines. You might even catch a live broadcast or an interview with one of your favorite stars. The entertainment show Extra uses the stage as its Las Vegas headquarters.
Carlos Diaz interviews Age of Love bachelor Mark Philippoussis in the Extra Lounge.
BIRTHDAY GIRL
BY STEVE WEISER, EXTRA’S LAS VEGAS BUREAU CHIEF
Jaime Pressly Sits Down for a Pre-Party Chat
Steve Weiser here, Las Vegas bureau chief for the TV show Extra. Extra is the only national entertainment show with offices right here in Vegas at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, so it’s safe to say, if it happens in Vegas, it happens on Extra! It’s approaching 11 p.m., and I’m anxiously awaiting my girl Jaime Pressly’s arrival at her 1980s themed birthday party. She’s been planning this event for over four months now, and the big day is finally here. Two hundred of her closest friends have gathered to celebrate the big 3 0! Now, I haven’t seen Jaime since her last visit to Planet Hollywood almost six months ago. For most friends, that’s not a lot of time, but in Jaime’s high octane world, plenty has changed since we last spoke. There’s been another Emmy nomination for her role on My Name is Earl. A movie she filmed in China for the past three months. And, oh...the birth of her first child! For many of us, that’s an entire decade, but for Jaime, it’s a fantastic year.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PURE MANAGEMENT GROUP
She arrives on time and, of course, in typical Jaime fashion, she’s all smiles. There are two things I love about Jaime, aside from the obvious. Sure, she’s a beautiful woman, but her at titude and humility are what keep us friends. To those who don’t know much about Ms. Pressly, she’s known as a “kick ass, take names” type of chick; but inside, she’s all heart. It’s all hugs as she arrives. The first words out of her mouth: “How’s our girl?” She’s referring to her childhood friend whom she set me up with over a year ago. “Great,” I reply. “She’s in the other room waiting for you to make an appearance like the rest of the world.” She laughs and sits down, making sure her skimpy glam rock attire covers her assets. “Nice outfit,” I sheepishly mutter, knowing I’m about to pay for my statement. “Nice face,” she replies. Confirming my instincts. Nothing like meeting up with an old friend. I look to Carlo, my cameraman, confirming we are rolling tape, and off we go.
Another Emmy nomination, a movie filmed in China, and the birth of her first child—for some, that’s an entire decade, but for Jaime, it’s a fantastic year.
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We talk about the last couple months the second consecutive Emmy nomination and how the birth of her child has put everything into perspective. Little things that used to bother her suddenly don’t matter as much. And how turning 30 is a positive rather than a negative. She’s happy to be officially out of her twenties and in the exact spot she always imagined herself to be. Surrounded by the people she loves and, just as important, surrounded by people who love her. She’s in a successful relationship with longtime friend and now fiancé, Eric Cubiche, one of Los Angeles’ most sought after DJs. Things couldn’t be better for the Must See TV star. She begins production on a new season of My Name is Earl in two weeks. The show shares NBC’s big Thursday night with ratings juggernauts The Office, Scrubs and 30 Rock. So I have to ask, “What else could you possibly want for your birthday?” In classic Jaime form, she answers, “For this interview to be over.”
IT’S SHOWTIME
Now showing:
NOISE MAKERS All That Banging You Hear, It’s “Stomp Out Loud”
Hans Klok
BY SARA CHURCHVILLE Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino Stomp Out Loud The Showroom Thursday though Tuesday (dark Wednesday), 7 p.m. $50-$110
Hans Klok: The Beauty of Magic Featuring Pamela Anderson
P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
Theatre for the Performing Arts Thursday and Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. $35-$105 Located in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
V Theater and Event Center V-The Ultimate Variety Show Nightly, 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. $64.90; VIP, $75.90; children 2-12, half price
Fab Four Mania Nightly (dark Friday), 6 p.m. $49; VIP, $59; children 2-12, $22
Mesmerized starring Mark Savard Nightly (dark Sunday), 10:30 p.m. Ages 16 and up $49; VIP, $59
It’s a long way from performing on the streets of Brighton, England, to staging a Las Vegas extravaganza in a $28 million, 1,500-seat theater created especially for your production, but Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, the creators and original performers of “Stomp,” have made the trip. And if the exuberant show is any indication, they’ve enjoyed every minute of it.
The Nathan Burton Comedy Magic Show Saturday-Thursday, 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.; Friday, 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. $34; VIP, $44; children 2-12, $17-$22
Gregory Popovich’s Comedy Pet Theater It’s hard to believe that there’s anyone who hasn’t seen at least portions of “Stomp.” Since its first New York production in 1994 (it began in Brighton in 1991, honed through a process of 10 years of creative collaboration), “Stomp” has been performed around the world more than 10,000 times, and elements of the show have often been featured in commercials, on talk shows and at televised award shows. Tin cans and garbage-pail lids are usually the first things that come to mind to describe the show, but it’s also a coming together of disparate energies through the medium of extremely supple and rhythmic dancers. Until March, there were six regular “Stomp” troupes of about a dozen performers each, three in London and three in New York, along with several touring companies. Now the show has come to the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and, like everything on the Strip, it’s a bigger, bolder, amped-up version of its former self. The new production, called “Stomp Out Loud,” features a cast of nearly two dozen, and directors Cresswell and McNicholas have created new choreography and a new supply of found sounds. “The show brings an energy, wit and exuberance that make it the perfect entertainment centerpiece for Planet Hollywood,” says Robert Earl, Planet Hollywood’s owner and founder. “Whether you’ve seen ‘Stomp’ before or not makes no difference. You’ve never seen anything like ‘Stomp Out Loud.’” "Stomp Out Loud" performs in The Showroom at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Thursday though Tuesday (dark Wednesday), $50-$110.
‘Whether you’ve seen “Stomp” before or not makes no difference. You’ve never seen anything like “Stomp Out Loud.”’
Daily (dark Friday), 3:30 p.m. $35; VIP, $49; children 2-12, $15
Steve Wyrick Entertainment Complex Aga-Boom Daily (dark Friday), 2 p.m. $27.45-$32.95
Gazillion Bubble Show starring Fan Yang Opens November 1, 2007 Daily, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Steve Wyrick: Real Magic Saturday through Thursday, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. $65.95-$87.95
Krave at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino Lucky Cheng’s Drag Cabaret at Krave Tuesday through Sunday Dinner begins at 6 p.m.; show starts at 8 p.m. $69.95
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Outtakes
love
served P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
Mark Philippoussis Talks About Courting Women on NBC’s Age of Love How did the opportunity to be on Age of Love come about? A friend told me NBC was doing a show that was like The Bachelor and needed a celebrity. He asked if I was interested. At first, I was like, ‘No, I’m not getting mar ried.’ I was engaged for almost two years, and it didn’t work out. But he said it was very casual and there was no commitment. They sent a casting crew to Vegas, and I had a forty minute meeting with them. So in the end, what attracted you to the show? They were asking me to date thirteen women at the same time and not get in trouble for it. I thought that was pretty cool. Were you aware of the two age groups—women in their twenties and forties—ahead of time? No idea. I was guessing it was a typical dating show with women ranging from their twenties into their thirties. It surprised me. It definitely showed. That was no act. So does age matter? It doesn’t. The oldest woman there was forty eight years old, and we connected. She is a beautiful woman. Often we have a perception that older women aren’t as adven turous, willing to go surfing, to go skydiving or to get on a motorbike. It wasn’t true. We did that with everyone on the show. But there were definitely differences in personalities? I think that was easy to pick up on watching the show. The older women, the cougars the ones in their forties were surer of themselves, a little more confident than the girls in their twenties. All in all, I was very lucky they got thirteen beautiful women with great personalities. What qualities do you look for in a woman? It’s very important to laugh, to make each other smile. You have to love hanging out with the person no matter what you’re doing, whether you’re hanging on the couch watching TV, doing something adventurous or just out at a restaurant. You have to love being around them.
‘They were asking me to date thirteen women at the same time and not get in trouble for it.’
Australian tennis phenom Mark Philippoussis has shown he has game on the court, but when it comes to dating, he is taking his search for the perfect match to the next level. This past summer, Philippoussis, who moved to Las Vegas to work with Andre Agassi’s former trainer Gil Reyes on a comeback, starred in the NBC reality show Age of Love. Planet Hollywood caught up with Philippoussis—just a few months before the bachelor’s 31st birthday—at a viewing party at the Extra Lounge.
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What did you learn about yourself? I feel I matured on the show. It gave me the chance to find out a little bit more about myself and what I want in my life. I’m pretty guarded. I’m a shy guy. I don’t open up completely to people I don’t know particularly well, and I definitely had to let that go. The show forced me to not be shy. What was it like watching the show each week? I cringed. I watch myself play tennis. Now I’m watch ing myself date women on NBC. I’m normally the guy watching reality shows, laughing and eating popcorn. It’s weird. Do you like living in Las Vegas? I knew this was where I wanted to be for my training to take it to the next level. That’s why I moved here. I love it here. I miss the ocean I won’t lie. Surfing is a passion of mine, and I live to be on the water. On weekends, I drive to San Diego to recharge the batteries. You’re working hard to get back on the court. What are your expectations when you return? When I go back, I will be one hundred percent. I know I have my best tennis ahead of me. It’s something I deeply believe in and what I’m working toward.
Flashback to February 1, 2006, and the Borgata Winter Poker Open. With nearly $1.2 million on the line, Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi makes two pairs, eliminating John D’Agostino and winning the tournament. The next day his second child, a daughter named Julie, is born. It was the perfect combination of the two things he cares most about family and poker. “Those were two of the best days of my life,” a smiling Mizrachi said over lunch at Planet Dailies. Talking to Mizrachi, it’s clear what his priorities are. Family first. Then poker. But the two, in fact, are inter twined. Mizrachi, 26, was born in Miami. His poker side can be traced to his mother, who was a dealer on a cruise ship, and his older brother, Robert, a profes sional poker player. Robert, who introduced Michael to the game, won a bracelet at the 2007 World Series of Poker. Mizrachi’s twin brother, Eric, also plays poker, and his younger brother, Daniel, is a magician. “Everyone has something to do with cards,” Mizrachi said, joking that his father is the only “hardworking man” in the family. “Gambling is in our blood. When I was young, I was playing for baseball cards. After I won my first cash game, I thought, ‘This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.’” Mizrachi is on top of his game. In 2006, he made 11 final tables and collected $2.3 million in prize money, earn ing him Card Player of the Year honors. He is confident to the point of seeming cocky, but his card playing backs it up. “I have great instincts. I can make my opponents make bad decisions,” he said. “Probably the best strategy is to make your opponent play the way you want them to. It’s about good hand selection, great reads and be ing aggressive at the right times.” But what about the nickname? Mizrachi chose “Grinder” as his online screen name as a teen because he wanted “something intimidating that might cause somebody to fold.” It stuck. “Everyone in the world calls me Grinder. It’s almost like I lost my first name. Someone says ‘Michael,’ and I don’t turn around.” Now Mizrachi is going all in, taking on the role as poker ambassador at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The Planet Hollywood Poker Room will feature cash games with higher entry fees and the chance to play against him in weekly tournaments. He even offers “a little schooling” in the form of lessons. The room contains about a dozen tables, including two dedicated to Chinese Poker, in which each player is dealt 13 cards to arrange into three hands two five card hands and one three card hand. “For someone to be successful in poker,” he offered, “you have to have the right tools, know your math, and have great instincts and a feel for the game, a real pas sion for it.”
Winning poker is ‘about good hand selection, great reads and being aggressive at the right times.’
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P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
Outtakes
GRINDER’S TIPS • Start in a game where people know what they’re doing. It’s going to cost you money, but at least you can learn from the experience. Start off in a $5-$10, $10-$20 game. • Figuring out the game takes time. It’s like everything else in life: Watch and learn. • Learn to read people. • Don’t show emotion at the table. • Keep stats to track how you’re doing.
To play against The Grinder visit the poker room for tournament details.
P H O T O B Y D E N I S E T R U S C E L L O / C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
top-notch ‘The mood of our property sets us apart from all the other properties.’ Robert Earl has had a longstanding vision: a center Strip property bearing the Planet Hollywood name. Now that it’s a reality, Earl talks about the resort. What was your inspiration for expanding the Planet Hollywood brand into a resort and casino in Las Vegas? I have had my eye on Las Vegas for years as the best place to expand the Planet Hollywood brand. My partner, Doug Teitelbaum from Bay Harbour Management, L.C., and I believe that Las Vegas is the great est place to do business, and the opportunity for thirty five acres in the middle of the Strip was simply irresistible. This location has to be the best in Las Vegas. Our entrance is right in the middle of all the ac tion, and we have absolutely the best views of any property on the Strip. What makes a marriage between Planet Hollywood and Las Vegas a good fit? Planet Hollywood is about popular culture and the celebration of all forms of entertainment, and Las Vegas is the new capital of enter tainment. That is what makes this a perfect marriage.
Robert Earl and Bruce Willis toast the opening of the resort.
DREAM WEAVER An Interview with Robert Earl, the Visionary Behind Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
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What sort of ambience or amenities have you brought to Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino that sets it apart from other resortcasinos on the Strip? The mood of our property, from the moment you enter the hotel lobby or the casino floor, sets us apart from all the other properties. We hired the best architects and designers to work on this proj ect and to create a mood that is both hip and frenetic. The lobby is elegant and funky, and the casino floor has retro touches along with the latest technology. We have attracted the best restaurants and nightclubs from across the United States to open here, and our part nership with BASE Entertainment has brought us fantastic shows. We also are very proud to have a show room that can be converted into a movie theater, so that we are now able to host world premiere films right here on property.
SHAPING THE PLANET
‘Planet Hollywood is about popular culture and the celebration of all forms of entertainment.’ P H O T O B Y H E AT H E R K O W A L S K Y / C A S H M A N P R O F E S S I O N A L S E R V I C E S
Even the rooms are unique. Can you explain? We are featuring memorabilia from the Planet Hollywood memorabilia collection one of the largest collections in the world. Rather than having pieces on display throughout the public areas, as many people would have expected, we are placing the memorabilia in our guest rooms and suites. Some of our suites will be tributes to a specific celebrity or film, and the guest rooms feature original pieces from a wider range of popular films. No two guest rooms will have the same pieces in them, so with each return visit, you will have a different look in your room. Because of the city’s first-class restaurants and nightlife, celebrities are visiting Las Vegas more often. How did this factor into your decisions for the property in terms of the restaurants and nightlife? We are so excited to have KOI and Strip House as our fine dining restaurants on our mezza nine level; both brands are very well supported in celebrity circles. To add to that, we have the nightclub operators out of Miami, The Opium Group, who also have great relationships with celebrities. They have The Living Room and Privé and will open another club in the coming months, all located on The Mezz. Additionally, we have two brand new concepts on the casino floor: our Mexican restaurant, Yolos, and our 24 hour operation, Planet Dailies. I am very proud of our sandwich shop for a quick bite Earl of Sandwich. The sandwiches are addictive! We also kept our two very popular eateries from the property, our award winning Spice Market Buffet and P.F. Chang’s Chinese Bistro. Who is the ideal guest for Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino? Our ideal guest is anyone who is reading this interview. We hope to attract a wide range of customers, from couples and singles looking for a weekend getaway to the groups of women coming in for their bachelorette parties. Anyone who wants to experience the best that Las Vegas has to offer great restaurants, clubs, entertainment, shopping and a very cool looking casino floor.
How would you describe the new Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino to someone visiting Las Vegas for the first time? Other than P.F. Chang’s and the Spice Market Buffet which have been remodeled there is nothing left of the old property. This was a wholesale change. We completely stripped the [Aladdin] property piece by piece so as to keep the operation going, and then slowly revealed our new look as each area was completed quite a task but, as you see, well worth it. You have already broken ground on the Westgate Towers. Tell us about the project. We could not be more excited with the mixed use project we are developing with Westgate Resorts, the largest private time share development company in the United States. The project will add over 2,500 keys to our complex as a blend of time share, hotel room inven tory and condominiums. Sales for the tower have been very strong and have significantly surpassed our expectations, which we believe is a direct result of the quality of the product being built combined with our prime location in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. Which Hollywood star, living or dead, would you most like to welcome to Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino? Steve McQueen.
Robert Earl (second from right) with Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino's Ambassadors of Sport, (L to R) Pete Sampras, Roger Clemens and Ray Leonard.
P H O T O B Y D E N I S E T R U S C E L L O / C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
How did your experience revamping the casino at the London members-only club Fifty prepare you or inspire you for Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino? Fifty was a great project to start with. The idea of taking an existing property and totally transforming it to reflect a new identity is a daunting job. At Fifty, we attracted the best nightclub operator, restaurateur and the most renowned mixologist in all of London, and the result is a new take on casinos in London. It has been a great success.
Can we expect any live entertainment or television news programming to originate from the resort? We are the Las Vegas home base for the entertainment news television show, EXTRA. For this reason, our guests will often see the EXTRA correspondents doing interviews either from the EXTRA Lounge on the casino floor or in other areas around the property. We also have been, and will continue to be, a location for filming both television shows and feature films. Our unique design has attracted Hollywood to our property. We look great on film! Will Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino cater to families, or will the emphasis be much more on “what happens in Vegas...”? Both. With our family friendly shows, our great restaurants and shopping, we will attract families and with the hip vibe of the casino floor, our new lounges, nightclubs and fine dining options we are also the place to be for anyone who wants to come to Vegas for some fun, nonstop, 21 and over entertainment. Do you envision expanding any of the other 17 Planet Hollywoods worldwide? We are expanding our restaurants. Look for new restaurants to open in India, in Bollywood. We expect to open five new restaurants in India in the next few years, along with more Planet Hollywood branded hotels throughout the world.
Pamela Anderson shares a laugh with Robe t Earl. 33
director's chair
FIGHT CLUB
Behind the Scenes with Professional Stuntman Branscombe Richmond
BY BOBBIE KATZ 34
SAM EMERSON26/MGM/CBS/THE KOBAL COLLECTION/WIREIMAGE.COM
MOVIE MAGIC
Pop! Wham! Crash! Thud! Two men are having a loud verbal argument when one man suddenly slugs the other in the jaw, sending him tumbling backward. Quickly getting back on his feet, the victim regains his stance and pummels his opponent in the face, sending him to the floor, after which he picks him up and throws him through a large glass window. Fight over. Scene over. Such an act certainly gives a whole new definition to the movie call “Roll ’em!” But more to the point, it just goes to show how a stunt and the stunt people providing the action can give a film the exact punch it needs. While stunts have been around as long as movies, the stunt industry is evolving as filmmaking moves more and more into the technological realm. According to actor Branscombe Richmond, being a stuntman is almost like being an illusionist; it involves creating the appearance of a certain action. “The two men are not really hitting each other,” Richmond explained about the scene described above. “That’s why a stuntman really has to know camera angles—because I’m going to throw a punch and the other guy’s going to have to sell it. It’s really hard to sell a good fight. There is acting involved. Although an acting background is not necessary for a stunt person, it is helpful.”
A RENEGADE CAREER Richmond, who costarred with Lorenzo Lamas in the mid1990s hit TV series Renegade, just filmed the movie Taken by Force, in which he performs stunts and participates in a barroom brawl. The movie—which stars Richmond, Frank Stallone, James Russo, Mark Gantt and Ed Lauter—is about 10 sort-of-rogue Los Angeles Police Department cops who end up heroes when they stop the Chinese Mafia from committing a terrorist act in L.A. “There will be shootouts, fights, high falls and vehicle turnovers in the movie,” Richmond said. “I’ll probably do the car turnovers, going about fifty miles per hour, and the fights.”
“A stuntman is an adrenaline junkie,” said Richmond. “There is a difference between a professional stunt person and a thrill seeker. A stuntman is a very talented athlete who has to be at the top of his game”.
Stuntman to Stardom According to Richmond, some big-name stars began their careers as stuntmen. Acclaimed director Hal Needham started out as one, and Needham’s roommate—a guy by the name of Burt Reynolds—learned the craft from him. Burt Lancaster came from the circus and dabbled in stunts before becoming an actor. “There are a lot of good, physically capable guys out there,” Richmond acknowledged. “One of the best fight guys is Clint Eastwood. Sly Stallone learned to sell a good fight, and so did Arnold Schwarzenegger. And Chuck Norris comes from a martial-arts background. Tom Cruise did a lot of his own stunts in Mission Impossible III, but he still has a stunt double because the production company and the insurance company are not willing to risk their star.”
Richmond got into the business at age 21—his father, Leo Richmond, was a stuntman—and he’s been in the stunt industry for more than three decades. He did all his own stunts on Renegade and owns the record for driving and jumping a Hummer: 79 feet. And having his dad in the business certainly helped. “I was able to have the old pros pass down their secrets to me,” he said. Richmond remembers doing his first big stunt on The Rookies, an early-1970s television series. He fell 30 feet from a second-story building onto an awning during a brawl scene. Back then, stunts were usually done by the “old college try” method. “It was, ‘I can jump off this cliff into the water—I think I’ll be fine,’” Richmond explained. In those days, he said, stuntmen basically came from two areas—the rodeo and the circus. Today, however, the industry is at the peak of its game in safety and has become what Richmond referred to as a “slide-rule industry,” meaning that the action is mathematically calculated. If a guy’s jumping off of a cliff, Richmond said, there are two divers below aerating the water with bubbles so that the stuntman is not slapping the water when he hits.
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director's chair
International Stunt School
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ZANDARA KENNEDY/INTERNATIONAL STUNT SCHOOL
GREGG DEGUIRE/WIREIMAGE.COM
So you want to be a stuntman? Look no further than the International Stunt School, where instructors go beyond industry basics. They’ll have you running through a gauntlet of exercises, so be prepared—this isn’t a walk in the park, although you may fly across one. And hopefully, you're not afraid of heights or being set on fire.
Branscombe Richmond (right) with Lorenzo Lamas
A DANGEROUS BUSINESS Richmond, who is a Native American and has doubled for actors Gregory Sierra and Michael Ansara, says that there are a couple of hundred stunt people currently working in the industry and that it’s not always easy to find work— especially for minorities, since there are so few minority actors to double. Many stunt people come from other professions and specialize in certain activities. Motor-sports drivers are often used for car chases; martial-arts experts, for fight scenes; and high divers, for scenes involving free falls. “A stuntman is an adrenaline junkie,” Richmond noted. “But he’s not one who is stupid or is going to endanger himself. Even if you’ve been doing stunts for a lot of years and they become second nature, you still have to always be on your toes to avoid injury or worse. There is a difference between a professional stunt person and a thrill seeker. A stuntman is a very talented athlete who has to be at the top of his game. No one is going to teach him anything if it’s not passed down to him by another pro.” Despite all the talent that stunt people bring, Richmond said that the uncomfortable part of the business is how computer-generated images, used in movies such as Titanic, are threatening to put stunt experts out of work. The industry holds its secrets close when it comes to aspects such as rigging fireballs and explosives. Computers have made it easy, he said, for producers to film one sequence and re-create it over and over again throughout the movie. “For the big stuff, there’s a lot of calculation involved, and the production companies really try to do those in one take because of the cost,” Richmond said. As for how many stunts there are in action films—James Bond movies, for example—the rule of thumb is one every seven minutes. “If you have a big budget, you can adhere to that formula.” So with all of the stunt people’s expertise, the computer technology and the careful measurements that go into it, how risky is this business, anyway? “It is dangerous,” said Richmond. “You may be only creating the illusion of danger but it can still get you killed. Where stuntmen get hurt is in doing the simplest things—those are what sneak up on you and bite you. Like in the barroom brawl scene, there is furniture, and windows and glass. You can get cut or trip on something on the floor, or someone could slip and really punch you in the face. You really do go through the glass window, by the way.”
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Gourmet Menu by Our Celebrity
CHEF DAVID BURKE
LAS VEGAS OPENING FALL 2007 IN THE MIRACLE MILE SHOPS AT PLANET HOLLYWOOD RESORT & CASINO ON LAS VEGAS BLVD. AND HARMON AVE. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 212.560.1682
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BY CATHY A. CAMPAGNA
Paul Wall flashes his icy grin.
WITH HIS OWN VOKAL CLOTHING LINE, SIGNATURE REEBOK FOOTWEAR, PIMP JUICE ENERGY DRINKS, A LABEL CALLED DERRTY ENTERTAINMENT AND HIT AFTER HIT ON THE RADIO, NELLY CAN CERTAINLY AFFORD TO PUT HIS “SMILE ON DA ROCKS” WITH ANY TYPE OF STYLISH, UPSCALE GRILL HE WANTS. BUT WHAT EXACTLY IS A GRILL? FOR THOSE WHO AREN’T FAMILIAR, THEY’RE DECORATED DENTAL PIECES THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR DECADES, PREVIOUSLY DONNED MAINLY BY THE MEN WHO MANAGE THE WORLD’S OLDEST PROFESSION. HOWEVER, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, TIMES CHANGE. GRILLS KEEP GROWING IN POPULARITY.
The Trend’s Starting Track In January 2006, Nelly and rapper DJ Paul Wall released the track “Grillz.” The single was a hit and brought grills to the forefront of pop culture. Wall explained how the collaboration with Nelly transpired. “My reputation as the go-to guy for grills has been building over the years,” he said. “I hooked up with Nelly to make him a new grill, and from there he had the idea for the song.” Wall and Nelly work with third-generation jewelers Kevin and Johnny Dang, who have been producing dental dazzle for Wall’s shop, TV Jewelry, since 1998. Kevin Dang said the popularity of the song “Grillz” helped boost sales of the studded mouthwear by nearly 50 percent.
Getting the Look The shop services a diversified list of clients, ranging from gangsta types to punk rockers, but it’s the hip-hop community that comes out in droves for this status-defining craze. The biggest names in the game—Grammy-winning artist Kanye West, Three 6 Mafia, Snoop Dog and Fat Joe— are literally putting their money where their mouths are. PHOTO BY STEVE GRANITZ/WIREIMAGE.COM
As with any other kind of customized jewelry, the design possibilities for grills are limited only by imagination. “Usually the customer has some sort of specific idea that they want,” said Wall. “We take it and elaborate on it from there.”
Recording artist Brooke Hogan won the Choice Grill category at the 2006 Teen Choice Awards.
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Kevin Dang said he makes grills—or fronts, as they are also called—starting at $150 for a simple 14-karat gold design, but those sported by West, Nelly and Wall himself run in the neighborhood of $30,000. Dang explained, “If you were to take just one of the certified diamonds out of Nelly’s grill, you could use it to make a $5,000 diamond engagement ring.”
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F G R I L L S B Y PA U L W A L L
wild
the dish the little
HOT DOG STAND that could
A Hollywood Legend Since 1939 BY APRYL CHAPMAN THOMAS
There are hot dogs, and then there are Pink’s famous ho dogs. And, yes, ask anyone remotely familiar with this Holly wood icon, a simple hot dog stand on La Brea Boulevard and they will tell you—Pink’s hot dogs are in a league o their own. A part of the Los Angeles scenery for more than 60 years, Pink’s legendary hot dogs have finally crossed the desert and found a new hom in Las Vegas, making residents and visitors alike wonder what took them so long. “It was the perfect alignment of interests,” explained Richard Pink, wh currently operates the family-owned business with his wife, Gloria, and his sister, Beverly. “Planet Hollywood is all about celebrities, and Pink’s serves hot dogs to—and has named hot dogs after—celebrities.”
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FUN FARE
Pink’s serves more than 400 hot dogs a day. The menu’s distinctive pink pages list 15 different specialty hot dogs, only six fewer than the L.A. menu offers. Guaranteed to satisfy any midday or late-night craving, Pink’s hot dogs appeal to just about everyone.
Alec Baldwin, William Shatner and Snoop Dogg are just some of Pink’s celebrity admirers. Baldwin and Shatner are pictured with Gloria Pink.
I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y PA U L A N D R A S
But venturing outside of southern California wasn’t a rush decision, according to Pink. “We wouldn’t have moved into Vegas by partnering with just anyone,” he said. “There had to be a connection with a group, like Planet Hollywood, that would properly promote Pink’s.”
Rock Dog. Take a bite of the Ozzy Osbourne Dog— a spicy Polish dog with nacho cheese, American cheese, grilled onions, guacamole and chopped tomatoes.
“We knew Pink’s was popular in L.A., but we didn’t have any idea about the reception the hot dogs would receive in Vegas,” said Bill Feather, executive vice president of Hotel Operations for Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. “We were blown away within the first six months after the hot dogs were added to the café’s menu. The response has been incredible.” Each Pink’s hot dog is a meal in itself. The chili dog—which uses Pink’s mother’s own secret chili recipe—is one of the most popular. Other favorites include the distinctively named dogs: the Rosie (O’Donnell) Long Island Dog, the Ozzy Osbourne Dog and the Martha Stewart Dog. “Martha Stewart actually created her own hot dog,” said Pink. “After standing in line and looking at the menu at the L.A. stand, she told us she could come up with something, and thus, the Martha Stewart Dog was created and added to the menu.” For those wondering what the domestic diva craves, it’s a 10-inch stretch dog with mustard, relish, onions, chopped tomatoes and sauerkraut, topped with bacon and sour cream.
“We knew Pink’s was popular in L.A., but we didn’t have any idea about the reception the hot dogs would receive in Vegas. We were blown away.”
—BILL FEATHER, PLANET HOLLYWOOD
PHOTOS COURTESY OF PINK'S
Pink admits that his personal favorites are the chili cheese dog, topped with guacamole, and the double-bacon-burrito dog, “an absolutely fabulous sandwich with all of the juices and flavors melted together.”
A fan of the Martha Stewart, Feather added, “We have people coming to the café just for Pink’s. Everyone is seeking out these hot dogs.” In a time when fast food is a dime a dozen, and in a town where restaurant competition is fierce, Pink’s stands out. “Pink’s is definitely one-of-a-kind,” explained Pink. “A lot of other hot dog establishments around town are chains, but Pink’s is unique. We are nowhere else but L.A. and Vegas. By not expanding our product beyond two cities, we can offer the best to our customers. You are getting the real deal at Pink’s.” Pink’s brings flavors together to make mouths water—and knows a thing or two about other blends as well. In addition to its delectable dogs, its “image and celebrity connection makes it stand out from the others,” Pink said. “Other places don’t have a combination like ours.”
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SHOPS, SHOWS AND PLACES TO GO
Steve Wyrick Entertainment Complex
F R O M L E F T T O R I G H T: C H A N E L N O . 5 P E R F U M E ; K E N N E T H C O L E H A N D B A G ; G U E R L A I N B R O N Z E R ; T E N O R I N G ; D I O R C H A U M E W A T C H
AFTER CASHING IN YOUR WINNINGS, DO YOU FEEL THE URGE TO SPLURGE? OR DO YOU JUST WANT TO BUY A FEW TRINKETS FOR THE PEOPLE BACK HOME? EITHER WAY, YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED. THE OLD DESERT PASSAGE IS UNDERGOING A $50 MILLION RENOVATION AND BY THE END OF 2007 WILL EMERGE AS THE MIRACLE MILE SHOPS AT PLANET HOLLYWOOD—A DECADENT SHOPPING DESTINATION WITH MORE THAN 170 STORES, 15 RESTAURANTS AND THE STEVE WYRICK ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX.
Exercise and retail therapy: The Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood will offer both.
The mall’s general manager, Russ Joyner, explained the thinking behind the makeover, saying the retail complex had to change to fit the Planet Hollywood image. “Desert Passage was inspired by the Aladdin concept, and it only made sense to convert the mall to fit the new theme.” So say goodbye to the old Moroccan motif. The Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood will become more modern and vibrant with new flooring, brighter lighting and even an interactive navigational system. The facelift to the exterior of the building includes people movers to improve access to the mall, while a backlit water feature along the sidewalk and a wall-mounted state-of-the-art LED video screen offers continuous streaming imagery. The existing entrances and retail locations on the facade have been ornamented with floor-toceiling glass vestibule doors, and a wider patio and terrace stretch to the sidewalk.
He may be known for stunts like making a Learjet appear out of nowhere, but earlier this year, illusionist Steve Wyrick unveiled his most outlandish feat of all: the Steve Wyrick Entertainment Complex. The extravagant four-level building features a megatheater with stadium seating— the perfect place to witness Wyrick’s “Real Magic” show. The thrills continue at the Magiq Shoppe, where patrons can learn some magic tricks of their own. Wyrick’s 33,000-square-foot venue includes the posh TRIQ Ultra Lounge, which wows with VIP tables boasting personal stripper poles and premium bottle service. The entertainment at Wyrick’s new outpost doesn’t wait for nightfall, and neither should you. Head over early to catch the afternoon performance by ventriloquist Ronn Lucas and a dinner show with crooner Martin Nievera before finding your seat at one of Wyrick’s two nightly performances.
David Saxe Productions This full production company brings to life a long list of spectacular Vegas shows, including “V: The Ultimate Variety Show,” “FabFour™ Mania,” Gregory Popovich’s “Comedy Pet Theater,” Nathan Burton’s “Comedy Magic,” “Mesmerized,” “Matsuri” and Dirk Arthur’s “Xtreme Magic.” It’s also the company behind Stripper101.com and the creator, coordinator and executor of corporate and special events, with resources including a prop warehouse, hundreds of performers, and V Theater as a venue. www.varietytheater.com
Once inside, shoppers will be dazzled by retailers including Ben Sherman, ALDO, Quiksilver, Urban Outfitters, Bakers and Marciano. And when all that walking leads to hunger pains, take a break and dine at restaurants such as Aromi d’Italia, La Salsa Cantina, Max’s Café, Blondies Sports Bar & Grill, Oyster Bay Seafood & Wine Bar, Todai Japanese Sushi & Seafood Buffet or Trader Vic’s.
Hawaiian Tropic Zone
OT O CO UR TE SY OF CH RI ST IA N DI OR
PHOTO COURTESY OF TENO
PH
Las Vegas is one of the most wondrous places on earth already; add some Polynesian waves, and nothing could be better. The Hawaiian Tropic Zone, set to open this fall, will mirror its flagship site in New York City. The heat will be on, with titillating decor that includes a two-story waterfall, a three-tier dining room, an extensive menu and a stage with a catwalk for nightly entertainment. Exotic and friendly Hawaiian Tropic models serve as both table concierges and nightly beauty-pageant participants.
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wish list SMOOTH SHAVING Believe it or not, the half-ounce bottle of Pacific Shaving Company’s All Natural Shaving Oil™ will take you through 100 shaves. The tiny bottle is perfect for travel, and the mixture of tangerine peel oil, grapefruit peel oil, aloe vera leaf juice and avocado oil is great for sensitive skin. $6.95. www.pacificshaving.com
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F PA C I F I C S H AV I N G C O M PA N Y
spoiled rotten Great buys for the gals and guys who get everything they want. P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F C E L E S T E C A N I N O / P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
TIME FOR LOVE Counting down the minutes until you see your sweetheart? Chopard’s Happy Hearts and Love watches (left and right, respectively) honor your romantic nature. Chopard, The Forum Shops at Caesars. www.chopard.com
HAUTE TOTE Gucci’s Peggy large top-handle bag in natural straw with whiteleather trim and bamboo detail is the perfect purse for the girl on the go—whether she’s into boating, the beach or baccarat. $2,350. Gucci, The Forum Shops at Caesars. www.gucci.com
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F C H O PA R D
ALL IN THE WRIST With its 40 rose-cut fancy sapphires totaling over 20 carats and just over 4 carats of diamonds, Bulgari’s Rosette collection five-row bracelet in 18-karat yellow gold is sure to turn heads. $28,900. Bulgari, The Forum Shops at Caesars. 1-800-BVLGARI or www.bulgari.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF BULGARI
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PHOTO COURTESY OF GUCCI
SPOILED ROTTEN
THE SCENT OF A MAN A casual, lively take on the original, Allure Homme Sport puts a fresh and sensual spin on the men’s classic fragrance. $45 for 1.7 oz.; $62 for 3.4 oz. www.chanel.com
SPLISH, SPLASH, STASH PHOTO COURTESY OF CHANEL
A jam-packed collection of LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics favorites, the Secret Stash contains these bath goodies—and then some: American Cream; Honey I Washed The Kids Soap; Fair Trade Foot Lotion; The Olive Branch; Sonic Death Monkey; Happy Hippy; Schnuggle; Whoosh Balm; and You’ve Been Mangoed. $259.95. www.lush.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF LUSH
SMART SHIRT Avoid wrinkles—in your look and in your travel—with Thomas Pink’s New Age Traveller shirt, made from pure two-fold cotton yarn with a special patented creaseresistant finish. Tuck your passport and your credit, debit or frequent-flier card into the three-in-one breast pocket for safety and accessibility. Available in white, pink, blue, black, yellow, Bengal stripe white/blue and Bengal stripe white/pink. $140. Thomas Pink, The Forum Shops at Caesars. www.thomaspink.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF THOMAS PINK
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Hit the road with the best rental cars on the Planet. Save up to 15% on any Avis rental while you’re staying at The Planet Hollywood Hotel.
Simply dial ext. 55488 from any hotel phone or look for the Avis counter by the front desk, and be sure to use AWD # D827700. A deal like this is your perfect excuse to get out and explore. • All vehicle types (SUVs, minivans and convertibles) generally less than one year old • Unlimited mileage • 24-hour return valet service
• Cars located on-site • Child safety seat rentals • 24-hour Roadside Assistance
For reservations outside the area, call 1-888-777-AVIS. Terms and Conditions: The savings of up to 15% applies to Avis leisure daily, weekly and weekend rates and is applicable only to the time and mileage charges of the rental. Taxes, concession recovery fees, vehicle license recovery fee, customer facility charges ($10/contract in CA) and fuel charges are extra. Optional items such as LDW ($22.99/day or less) and other surcharges may apply and are extra. Please mention AWD # D827700 to take advantage of this offer. Offer is available for U.S. and Canadian residents only for rentals at participating locations in the U.S. Offer may not be used in conjunction with any other AWD number, promotion or offer. Weekly rates require a minimum five-day rental period. Weekend rate available Thursday noon; car must be returned by Monday 11:59 p.m., or higher rate will apply. A Saturday night stayover and an advance reservation may be required. Discount valid on rentals checked out no later than 12/31/07. Offer is subject to vehicle availability at the time of rental and may not be available on some rates at some times, including some online rates at avis.com. Car rental return restrictions may apply. Offer subject to change without notice. Holiday and other blackout periods may apply. Renter must meet Avis age, driver and credit requirements. Minimum age may vary by location. An additional daily surcharge may apply for renters under 25 years old.
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Avis features GM vehicles.
avis.com
© 2006 Avis Rent A Car System, LLC
(Room Key Designs may vary. All designs are accepted for free offer.)
Show your Planet Hollywood Resort room key at Hilo Hattie for a FREE box of Hawaii's most popular candy with any purchase. It’s the only sure thing in Vegas!
Shop Hilo Hattie for the largest selection of island lifestyle and resort attire, jewelry, gifts and more, the lowest prices guaranteed, and our 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee.
Located in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet H ollywood Resort & Casino situated by the main parking lot exit adjacent t o W yland Galleries Phone: 702.733.6900 Store Hours: Sunday thru Thursday 10:00am - 11:00pm, Friday & Saturday 10:00am - 12:00am One free 4oz box of candy per person per day. Offer cannot be combined with other offers or coupons. Valid only at time of purchase. While supplies last.
wish list
bad-girl buys Ample attitude for the strongand-sexy set
GIVE HIM THE BOOT Don’t even think about crossing a girl who’s wearing boots like these Kenneth Cole front-zip, black patentleather-and-satin ones. Kenneth Cole, The Forum Shops at Caesars. www.kennethcole.com PHOTO COURTESY OF KENNETH COLE
HEAVY METAL Tough gals need jewelry that’s as edgy and sophisticated as they are, and designer Catherine Angiel delivers, melding precious metals and gems into tattoo-inspired works of art. Included in her Dangerous collection, clockwise from top left: the Celtic Bird necklace from the Brave line, in 14-karat white gold and black diamonds, $2,200; the Flaming Heart pendant from the Brave line, in 14-karat white gold and black diamonds, $1,700; and the Skull pendant from the Desire line, in 14-karat white gold with black and white diamonds. Also available in 18-karat and platinum. www.catherineangiel.com P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F C AT H E R I N E A N G I E L
PUCKER UP Playboy’s creamy “stay-the-night” formula is infused with a lip-plumping complex to keep her kissable for hours on end. Available in five shades. Playboy, The Forum Shops at Caesars. PHOTO BY ED FERNANDEZ
KISS AND TELL Yes, it’s that KISS. The rock group has ventured into the world of perfumery. The women’s fragrance, KISS Her, is a “floriental” with a wild mix of top, middle and base notes including peppercorns, orchids, leather and more. The tall acid-etched translucent glass bottle with the KISS logo comes in a box with the iconic KISS lettering, making this fragrance even more collectible. Available at select department stores as an eau de parfum spray, a shower gel, a bath splash and a body lotion; $20 to $49. PHOTO BY ED FERNANDEZ
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LEATHER, NO LACE What do you get when you combine black leather, a pair of tassels and some metal studs? Gucci’s Indy medium top-handle bag, of course. Features include a single handle, a detachable shoulder strap, an engraved Gucci script logo, tassels with bamboo detail, metal plates and studs, an inside zip pocket and a cellphone pocket. Measures 16.5" x 5.5" x 11". $1,890. Gucci, The Forum Shops at Caesars. www.gucci.com PHOTO BY ED FERNANDEZ
Located Within The Miracle Mile Shops At Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino Next To The Rainstorm
wish list
big-boy toys Because you know what they say about all work and no play
POUNDING THE PAVEMENT Zoo York will satisfy your inner “sk8r boi” with urban designs ready to be ridden into the ground or mounted on the wall as art. Clockwise from top: the Aaron Suski Pro Model skateboard featuring the photography of former New York City cabbie Matt Weber, $55; the Artist Series III skateboard with custom graphics by streetinspired artist Pete Panciera (aka “Connect”), $55; the Maker skate shoe with a low profile, a vulcanized outsole and a textured rubber ollie patch for greater strength and durability, $65; and the Skullerific Woven 100-percent cotton poplin shirt with bold, screen-printed skulls, $40. www.zooyork.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF ZOO YORK
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wish list RUNNING THE NUMBERS Track your performance—specifically distance, time, pace and calories burned—with Nike’s Air Zoom Moire running shoe. The info is relayed from a sensor in a pocket of the shoe to your iPod Nano’s headphones. Niketown Las Vegas, The Forum Shops at Caesars. www.niketown.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF APPLE
EVERYONE'S FAVORITE DROID Admit it. You love R2-D2. So bring home the Voice-Activated R2-D2 from Hammacher Schlemmer. The motorized replica responds to voice commands, navigates rooms, plays tag, dances, stands guard, answers yes-or-no questions, and replays sounds and dialogue from the Star Wars movies. 15" x 7 1/2" x 10 1/2"; 6 lbs. $119.95. www.hammacher.com PHOTO COURTESY OF NIKE
PHOTO COURTESY OF HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER
PC PILOT The Authentic HOTAS Flight Simulator sold by Hammacher Schlemmer turns your PC into the most advanced aviation simulator available. HOTAS—which stands for Hands On Throttle And Stick—is the same interface used in fighter aircraft cockpits. The size-adjustable joystick, with two eight-way hat switches, a two-stage trigger, three toggle switches and four fire buttons, progressively increases resistance just like an actual aircraft’s stick does. Also includes two three-axis foot pedals for controlling the rudder and brakes, and Microsoft Flight Sim X software simulating 18 different airplanes and 30 missions. $399.95. www.hammacher.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER
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RAISING THE PAR You’ll really have fun with this one. Golf buddy think he’s the next Tiger Woods? Switch his ball with the Remote Control Golf Ball from Hammacher Schlemmer, and watch his astonishment when his putts go everywhere except in the hole. The discreet remote control lets you control the ball’s direction within a 100-foot range. $39. www.hammacher.com
PHOTOS COURTESY OF HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER
On Anahi: Red satin blouse and black studded stilettos, Just Cavalli/The Forum Shops at Caesars. Black hot shorts, bebe/Miracle Mile Shops. Gold bracelets, Caché/Miracle Mile Shops. Vintage gold chain belt, stylist’s own. Earrings, Stash Clothing/Miracle Mile Shops. On Simona: Printed jeans, Just Cavalli/The Forum Shops at Caesars. Black blouse, Guess/ Fashion Show mall and The Forum Shops at Caesars. Stilettos, Two Lips Shoes/Miracle Mile Shops. Necklace and cuff, Caché/Miracle Mile Shops. On Thadeus: Dark denim jeans, Hugo Boss/The Forum Shops at Caesars. Raw shirt, Stash Clothing/Miracle Mile Shops. 64
a
privé party
PREPPING FOR A BIG NIGHT OUT ON THE TOWN BUT CAN'T DECIDE ON WHAT TO WEAR? FEAR NOT. THESE CAN'TMISS STYLES ARE SURE TO TURN HEADS AND GET YOU PULLED ONTO THE DANCE FLOOR. PHOTOGRAPHY BY SETH BARLOW ON LOCATION AT PRIVÉ, MIAMI BEACH
THIS PAGE On Anahi: Backless purple dress, Julian Chang. Gold belt, Just Cavalli/The Forum Shops at Caesars. Heels, Missoni, Intermix/The Forum Shops at Caesars. Earrings, CachĂŠ/Miracle Mile Shops. Gold bangles, bebe/ Miracle Mile Shops. OPPOSITE PAGE On Thadeus: Jacket and pants, Ben Sherman/ Miracle Mile Shops. Bejeweled T-shirt, Stash Clothing/Miracle Mile Shops. Ring, TeNo/Miracle Mile Shops. On Anahi: Green satin blouse, printed stretchsatin skirt and stilettos, Just Cavalli/The Forum Shops at Caesars. Bag, Cavalli/The Forum Shops at Caesars. Uno necklace, www.unoindustries. com. Bracelet, CachĂŠ/Miracle Mile Shops.
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On Anahi: Magenta halter top, Julian Chang. Dragon belt, Just Cavalli/The Forum Shops at Caesars. Necklace, Frank Casaccia. On Simona: Print halter blouse, Julian Chang. Flower ring, Intermix/The Forum Shops at Caesars.
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On Simona: Leopard dress and pink clutch; CachÊ/Miracle Mile Shops. Stilettos, Sergio Rossi, Intermix/The Forum Shops at Caesars. Uno necklace, www.unoindustries.com. Gloves, stylist’s own. On Anahi: Sequined bra, Guess/ Fashion Show mall and The Forum Shops at Caesars. Magenta corset and Tylie Malibu belt, Stash Clothing/Miracle Mile Shops. Leggings, Betsey Johnson/Miracle Mile Shops. Bangles, Intermix/The Forum Shops at Caesars. Sunglasses, Hugo Boss/The Forum Shops at Caesars. 69
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OPPOSITE PAGE On Simona: Sky jeweled top and Frankie B hot pants, Stash Clothing/Miracle Mile Shops. Stilettos, Two Lips Shoes/Miracle Mile Shops. Earrings and bracelet; CachĂŠ/Miracle Mile Shops. THIS PAGE On Simona: Dress, Ema Savahl, Stash Clothing/Miracle Mile Shops. Uno bracelet, www.unoindustries.com. Earrings, bebe/Miracle Mile Shops. On Thadeus: Embroidered black shirt, Stash Clothing/Miracle Mile Shops. Jeans, Hugo Boss/The Forum Shops at Caesars. Watch, TeNo/Miracle Mile Shops.
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freeze frame
T E MAGIC OF THE
PAMELA
Pamela Anderson Flashes Her Smile and Wit as Illusionist Hans Klok’s Assistant
BY SHEP MORGAN
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She’s as blonde, bodacious, outspoken, funny and sexy as ever. Now the irrepressible Pamela Anderson is taking on Sin City and living out a new fantasy. “I’ve always had a great time in Vegas, and my dream of being a Vegas showgirl has finally come true,” Anderson said with a high-wattage smile. Anderson, who became a hit in tiny cut-off jeans as the Tool Time Girl on Home Improvement and as a curvaceous lifeguard in a red bathing suit on Baywatch, joins famed international illusionist Hans Klok, fresh off a sold-out European tour, for the dazzling “Beauty of Magic” at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Anderson enthusiastically confessed of the opportunity, “I’m a Klokaholic.”
GREGG DEGUIRE/WIREIMAGE.COM
PHOTO BY ODETTE SUGERMAN/CONTOUR PHOTOS
STAR SNAPSHOT
THE MAGICIAN’S ASSISTANT Klok, hailed as the fastest magician in the world and the “Dutch David Copperfield,” is renowned for the speed at which he performs his amazing feats. As his celebrity assistant, Anderson isn’t hiding her own amazing assets—which have been displayed in a record-setting 11 Playboy cover photo spreads. “You know I’m not shy,” she said. “We’re in Vegas, and I’m squeezing everything I’ve got into the smallest amount of clothing I can get on.” But Anderson wants you to know that she’s a lot more than just a sexy backdrop for Klok’s illusions. “When we started, I said to Hans, ‘I want to be underwater, I want to be shackled,’” she recalled. “I started going on and on about all these tricks I wanted to do and he was like, ‘Slow down. Maybe we can start by levitating you.’ I said, ‘OK, but I want to do something scary. I want to do something where I have to be very brave.’ I’m up for anything. “I get sawed in half, so I’m much thinner now,” she added with a laugh. “I just kept my arms folded across my chest to protect my assets. A lot of the stuff Hans gives me to do is very dangerous and exciting. He has the quickest hands in magic, I’ll tell you that much. My years as a gymnast and acrobat when I was little have definitely paid off.” As for the levitating, Anderson revealed, “I had a fear of heights, but now it’s conquered.”
‘I get sawed in half, so I’m much thinner now.’
So has Anderson learned enough to pull off a few illusions of her own? “I’m planning on writing a how-to magic book,” she deadpanned, before adding, “No, I’m kidding. I’m standing right next to Hans, and I don’t know what the heck’s going on. I don’t know how he pulls it off. You are completely boggled. I’m boggled a lot. But that’s part of the fun. I’m just living the dream, and he’s doing all the work.”
THE ROAD TO FAME Anderson has lived a lot of dreams since she was first discovered at a football game in her native Vancouver, when her image—enhanced by a formfitting T-shirt—was flashed on the giant video monitor. “Everyone started screaming and yelling,” she said. “I looked at the screen and thought, ‘Oh my god, that’s me.’ And then a couple of guys grabbed me and took me down to the fifty-yard line. That’s what started it all.” Since then, Anderson has kept her eyes on the prizes of success and fame without apologizing for her blondness or her legendary breasts (never denying that they were implantenhanced) and sometimes being the first to spoof her own image. “It’s great being blonde, because sometimes people have lower expectations,” she said.
Anderson posed for photographers at the 2006 Arby’s Action Sports Awards in Burbank, California. 73
‘Love can be painful, but I wouldn’t want to live without it.’
MIKE GUASTELLA/WIREIMAGE.COM
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Anderson really got noticed baring all as a Playmate. “I was a little nervous about telling my mother,” she admitted. “But she told me she would have done it at my age. She said, ‘It’s a compliment. When you’re ninety you’ll look back and go, ‘I was on the cover of Playboy.’” She went on to score in prime time on Home Improvement, Baywatch and a string of other TV series. One of those was the animated Stripperella, for which Stan Lee created the role of stripper heroine Erotica Jones just for Anderson. Her big-screen appearances in films like Barb Wire got mostly mixed reviews, but she recently rebounded with an uncredited cameo in the smash hit Borat. In the movie, the crazy title character from Kazakhstan, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, pursues his dream of meeting the real Pamela Anderson. Off-screen she had less success, in stormy marriages to two rockers—Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, with whom she had two sons, and Kid Rock. “I’ve made mistakes with men,” she admitted. “You try not to repeat the same mistakes, because you have to break the cycle. Love can be painful, but I wouldn’t want to live without it.” Forging ahead as a single mom, Anderson suffered a new setback when she contracted hepatitis C, a potentially fatal disease. “Many people live with it for years,” she said, “and, fortunately, I’ve suffered only minimal liver damage. I’ve done some experimenting with different kinds of therapies and, so far, I guess I’m doing OK. “I’ve had a lot of pain in my life, but, you know, keep it coming,” she continued. “A little bit of pain is good for you. Everybody needs struggle. Once you overcome an obstacle, you springboard into the future. Life is not supposed to be easy. If it is, you’re probably just in denial and existing like a zombie.”
FAMILY AND CAUSES Anderson traces her self-reliant determination to her childhood growing up in the small Canadian town of Ladysmith. “They used to call me ‘STPP’—‘Stir-the-Pot Pam,’” she said. “I wasn’t afraid to speak my mind. I remember that I found a deer that my father had killed. It was hanging in a shed bleeding, and I got hysterical. He never went hunting again, and that’s the day I became a vegetarian. I still don’t eat meat, just vegetables, fish and a little dairy.” Ironically, while she’s become an object of sexual fantasy for millions, Anderson insists that as a kid she wasn’t interested in her appearance. “I was a gymnast and volleyball player in school,” she recalled. “I was athlete of the year, but I was also the most ordinary-looking
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Anderson appeared on behalf of PETA at the 2007 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, held on the campus of UCLA in Westwood, California.
person you could imagine. My hair was too long for volleyball, so I cut it myself with a pair of scissors. I didn’t care how I looked. I never wore makeup. I was a real tomboy. I guess you could say that part of me has changed.”
Filmography
YA S K Y / W I R E I M A G E . C O M
BBlonde onde and Blonder 2007 Borat Bora 2006 Stacked (TV) 2006 8 Simple Rules… for Dating My Teenage Daughter (TV) 2005 Stripperella (TV) 2003-2004 Scary Movie 3 2003 Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding (TV) 2003 V.I.P. (TV) 1998-2002 Home Improvement (TV) 1991-1997 Baywatch (TV) 1992-1997 Barb Wire 1996 Naked Souls 1995 Come Die with Me (TV) 1994 Raw Justice 1994 Snapdragon 1993
What hasn’t changed is her ‘STPP’ attitude. Anderson has been a vocal supporter of PETA’s campaign for animal rights. After discovering that she had hepatitis C, she became a celebrity spokesperson for efforts to fight the disease and also raise awareness about AIDS. “I say get tested,” she said, “and become aware that 40 million people around the world are infected with HIV/AIDS and a significant number also have hepatitis C.” But Anderson’s biggest commitment remains being a mother to her sons, 11-year-old Brandon and 9-year-old Dylan. “I arrange everything to be with them,” she said. “But the good part is I play basketball and football with them. I’m not a gym person, and I don’t diet, so they keep me in shape.”
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F D E N I S E T R U S C E L L O / P L A N E R T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
STAR SNAPSHOT
Anderson recently announced that she would skip the Cannes Film Festival premiere of her new movie Blonde and Blonder (written and directed by her brother and co-starring Denise Richards) because she didn’t want to leave her children. She later relented and made a whirlwind two-day trip to appear on the red carpet. “I think that’s what I’m most proud of in my life and my career, that I’ve been able to be with my kids so much and still be able to work and do the things that I really want to do,” she said. While Anderson is no stranger to Sin City, she confesses she’s never lost a dime at a casino. “I’m not a gambler,” she said. “I’ve never gambled. But I’ve been very lucky. I always say I’m lucky in life. I don’t like to share my luck with games and things like that. I’m a very lucky person. “My motto is, ‘Do what you want. Life is short.’ Just don’t harm anyone, and try to be kind,” she said. “I’ve done some wild things, bad things and good things. I’m glad I did, but I don’t know if I’d do them all again.”
‘Everybody needs struggle. Once you overcome an obstacle, you springboard into the future. Life is not supposed to be easy.’
hans klok ILLUSIONS IN THE FAST LANE BY SARA CHURCHVILLE How many soccer players does it take to change a lightbulb? Who knows? But magician Hans Klok’s audiences do know how many can fit into a small box: 25. That’s the number of athletes the Dutch illusionist brought out of a “tiny” box during his 1997 Rotterdam performance. Klok, who is billed as the world’s fastest magician and the “Dutch David Copperfield” for such feats as making a vanished Mercedes reappear within minutes, has brought his “Beauty of Magic” show to the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. His new and seductive assistant, Pamela Anderson, is a star in Klok’s native Netherlands thanks to her role in the internationally irresistible TV series, Baywatch. Creative Director Anthony van Laast, who choreographed “Mamma Mia!” and has worked on Siegfried & Roy’s show, is certainly responsible for much of the show’s draw as well. Anderson adds allure to Klok’s legerdemain, but with the longevity she’s shown in her career, there’s one trick he’ll never pull off: making her vanish into thin air. At least not permanently. Tickets: $35 to $105.
Anderson at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, promoting her new film, Blonde and Blonder. 75
P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F M I S S A M E R I C A PA G E A N T
showstoppers
Lauren Nelson is crowned Miss America 2007 by Jennifer Berry, Miss America 2006.
For the second consecutive year, Miss Oklahoma Is America’s Darling BY ROB WISER 76
WOMEN OF DISTINCTION
A sold-out theater packed with VIPs and screaming fans leaping from their seats and waving signs in the air. Music pulsing over a megawatt, state-of-theart sound system. A spectacular stage outfitted with colossal video screens and camera crews scrambling to capture the performers in all their glory.
miss america
travels approximately 20,000 miles per month during the year she wears the crown, raising awareness for an issue of her choosing. Lauren Nelson’s personal platform is children’s online safety.
No, U2 wasn’t in town. This was the annual Miss America pageant, which returned on January 29, 2007, to Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Thousands of fans from across the country filled the resort’s 7,000-seat theater to root for their hometown heroines and participate in the live television taping hosted by actor Mario Lopez—best known for his role on Dancing with the Stars. The panel of celebrity judges included Emmy Award-winning actress, dancer and choreographer Debbie Allen; singer and composer Michael Feinstein; Nigel Barker of America’s Next Top Model; Chris Matthews, host of the MSNBC program Hardball; and Susan Powell, host of the Discovery channel show Home Matters and a former Miss America who won the title in 1981. The judges’ choice? For the second consecutive year the pageant was won by the contestant representing Oklahoma. This time it was 20-year-old Lauren Nelson who captured the tiara, succeeding last year’s winner, Jennifer Berry. Nelson, an aspiring Broadway star, became the sixth Miss America to hail from Oklahoma, tying the state with Ohio and California for the most pageant wins. No state has won back-to-back titles since 1960, when Mississippi contestants Mary Ann Mobley and Lynda Mead accomplished the feat. Nelson was awarded a $50,000 scholarship and said she intends to pursue a master’s degree in musical theater. Nelson’s singing abilities may have been the determining factor in the eyes of the judges, as she gave a stirring performance of the song “You’ll Be in My Heart” during the talent portion of the competition. It was a moment she’d been training for most of her life. Nelson began singing as a young girl in the church choir and acted in musicals growing up. First runner-up Shilah Phillips, the first black Miss Texas, received a $25,000 scholarship. Second runner-up Amanda Kozak, Miss Georgia, received a $15,000 award. Rounding out the top five were Miss Mississippi Taryn Leigh Foshee and Miss Alabama Melinda Toole, who was also voted Miss Congeniality.
THE PAGEANT’S PAST Miss America originated in 1921 as a two-day beauty contest held on Atlantic City’s famed Boardwalk. The eight contestants that year wore wool bathing dresses with baggy tops. But what began as a beachside publicity stunt would blossom over the years into an American institution. In 1954, the pageant was nationally televised for the first time, and by the early 1960s, it was the highest-rated program on television.
Today Miss America is much more than a beauty pageant, and its winners are more than just pretty faces.
Today Miss America is much more than a beauty pageant, and its winners are more than just pretty faces. The pageant is one element of The Miss America Organization, a not-for-profit corporation that is the world’s largest provider of scholarship assistance to young women. Each year, cities across the country hold local pageants and the winners then compete in statewide pageants and ultimately send one representative to compete for the Miss America title. The 2006 pageant in Las Vegas marked the first time in its 86-year history that it was held outside Atlantic City. Organizers hoped that transplanting it to the Las Vegas Strip—a locale
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showstoppers
P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F M I S S A M E R I C A PA G E A N T
the queen of femininity “Miss America represents the highest ideals. She is a real combination of beauty, grace and intelligence, artistic and refined.” —Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce President Frederick Hickman, speaking 75 years ago; the words still resonate today.
In 1921, these bulky wool tunics and bloomers were considered “bathing suits.”
synonymous with glitz, glamour and magnificent productions—would help revitalize the event, which had been struggling with declining television ratings for years. The Miss America organization struck a deal with the cable outlet Country Music Television, which has a huge subscription base, and the 2006 telecast became CMT’s highestrated program in the network’s history. And so they returned to Las Vegas and the 2007 pageant drew even stronger ratings. The pageant’s winner makes the rounds on the talk-show circuit and appears at hospitals, charity fundraisers and countless other events during her 12-month reign. The organization notes that Miss America travels approximately 20,000 miles a month—all in high heels. The 2008 Miss America pageant, January 26, airs on TLC.
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Right: The first Jewish Miss America, Bess Myerson, was crowned in 1945. Right: Contestants in the 2007 Miss America pageant pose for photos prior to the competition.
Left: In 1921, the first Miss America, Margaret Gorman, was the only Miss America to receive a crown at the conclusion of her year’s reign.
from
from from
Located in the Miracle Mile Shops across from the Rain Storm For reservations call 702-696-9080
star sights
LUXE LONDON
For High Rollers, Jet-setters and Celebrities, Fifty Is the Place to Play
BY LINDA CHILDERS
PHOTOS OF FIFTY COURTESY OF NEIL READING
PR.
F I F T Y
While London is a virtual mecca for membersonly clubs, few rival Fifty when it comes to ambience and amenities. The brainchild of entertainment entrepreneur Robert Earl and London Clubs International (LCI), the club boasts handsome, modern gaming facilities with four floors of upscale bars and restaurants and a late-night lounge, all for members and their guests.
They have succeeded in accomplishing that goal. Later this year, Fifty will open yet another floor with poker tables and a martini-and-champagne bar serving gourmet snacks such as oysters and caviar. The new floor will also feature large plasmascreen televisions for guests to view sporting events. However, no sports bets will be taken in-house.
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“Casinos in London are all very similar— beautiful spaces, but very old-school in terms of design and interiors,” explained Earl. “With Fifty, we wanted to give London a twentyfirst-century casino, a touch of Vegas-style glamour, but with an air of exclusivity.”
GEORGE PIMENTEL/WIREIMAGE.COM
Fifty’s opulent decor by designer Jeffrey Beers and its private members-only atmosphere attracts stars like Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore and Kim Cattrall.
CELEBRITY HOT SPOTS
EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN Located at 50 St. James Street, the site of a former 19th-century gaming house, Fifty boasts a rich history. It was one of the first establishments in London to offer public gaming. Legend has it that the Duke of Wellington was a frequent visitor to the club, which in those early days catered to men only. Today, however, Fifty is attracting a mix of fine gents and ladies and celebrities who are quickly, and somewhat quietly, making the club one of the hottest nightspots in all of London. Val Kilmer, Kevin Spacey, Kim Cattrall and Demi Moore and her husband, Ashton Kutcher, have all been through the doors at Fifty and marveled at its unique design. Part of the vision for Fifty was to make it stunning and remarkable, a spot members would feel comfortable in and want to come back to again and again. (Individuals pay £750 per year for a membership.) Earl and LCI hired award-winning New York City architect and interior designer Jeffrey Beers to formulate and design the club’s look. A Beers design has become
more than just drinks The carefully designed layout of the gaming tables offers players the luxury of either being in the center of things or enjoying a more oneon-one experience.
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star sights “With Fifty, we wanted to give London a twenty-firstcentury casino, a touch of Vegas-style glamour, but with an air of exclusivity.”
—robert earl,
Fifty is quietly becoming one of the hottest nightspots in London. synonymous with sophisticated lounge environments and “event dining” experiences in New York City, Miami, Las Vegas and Tokyo. His rooms always make a statement and impress guests with wow-factor features like interactive tables and water walls.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF NEIL READING PR.
co-owner of Fifty and Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
While Fifty is in many ways a state-of-the-art members-only club with high standards of service, the architecture and atmosphere uphold the exacting aesthetic values once enjoyed by the Duke of Wellington and his contemporaries many years ago.
A FEAST FOR THE PALATE AND THE EYES Once inside, guests can savor the finest talents of the restaurant, bar and nightlife worlds. Renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is the mastermind behind Fifty’s two restaurants. Rama, on the ground floor, offers many of the same delectable dishes served at Vongerichten’s popular Pan-Asian restaurants in New York City— Spice Market, 66 and Vong, a celebrity favorite. The menu also includes a bounty of new Southeast Asian dishes that the chef created exclusively for Rama.
V offers fine cuisine in elegant, yet comfortable, surroundings. On the club’s second floor is a restaurant known simply as V, for which Vongerichten has created an incredible menu specializing in meat and fish; the dishes represent a variety of cuisines from around the world. Each restaurant offers an extensive world-class wine list featuring both New and Old World labels. When it comes to cocktails, Salvatore, on the ground floor, is the place to be. The bar is named for Salvatore Calabrese, the maestro of martinis and the king of cognacs. The author of seven books, including Classic Cocktails, Calabrese is quick to explain how bartending truly is an art form.
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“The bartender is an artist,” he said. “Think of me as Michelangelo. I sometimes even dream my creations, though a particular color could inspire me. When you’ve been in this business thirty-nine years, you see inspiration in many things.” The most exclusive beverage sold at Salvatore is the bottle of Clos de Griffier Vieux Cognac, which dates to 1788. No member has yet to sample the brandy, which sells for £1,500 per glass (roughly $2,800). It’s kept locked in a glass cabinet. For those seeking something a little less extravagant, Salvatore offers
a number of specialty cocktails, including the Spicy Fifty, a mixture of vanilla vodka, elderflower cordial, fresh lime juice, honey and red chili. And on Fifty’s basement level, Fifty Below is a late-night, elegant lounge and nightclub created by Marc Merran, the trendsetting designer behind such London clubs as Chinawhite and Aura. Guests can relax at illuminated cocktail tables with video screens that display artsy images and occasionally provide glances at patrons seated elsewhere in the club.
CELEBRITY HOT SPOTS
culinary genius Fifty’s executive chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is the celebrated master and pioneer of contemporary fusion cooking.
GAMING GALORE Those who come for the gaming can play on 15 custom-built mahogany gaming tables from 2 p.m. until 6 a.m. daily. The minimum bet is £10, but high rollers can play blackjack for up to £20,000 a hand. Three- and five-card poker and punto banco, based on old-style baccarat, are also offered at Fifty. The carefully designed layout of the gaming tables, all of which are located on the first floor, offers players the luxury of either being in the center of things or enjoying a more one-on-one experience. Fifty is truly a one-of-a-kind club with all the perks its members expect.
master mixologist When you mix and dream up drinks like Salvatore Calabrese does, you earn quite the reputation. Calabrese, who has been called “one of the world’s greatest living barmen,” has been honored with a number of awards over the decades. He’s been named Campari Bartender of the Year, is holder of the Chevalerie du Verre Galant and is national president of the U.K. Bartenders’ Guild.
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PLAYGROUNDS OF THE STARS Where the Hollywood Elite Wind Down
PA R R O T C AY A N D S H A M B H A L A R E T R E AT
When celebrities go on vacation—whether they’re hitting the beach or the slopes—they do so in style. They stay in posh pads in luxurious resort destinations across the globe, eat at the hippest new restaurants and party at the most exclusive nightclubs. Here are a few of the elegant escapes, hot and cold, where the A-listers hang ten.
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner escaped the media frenzy by sneaking off to a secret Caribbean wedding.
AV I K G I L B O A / W I R E I M A G E . C O M
CARIBBEAN ISLANDS OF TURKS AND CAICOS
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When it’s privacy they seek, the stars jet to Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos islands. It was in this unspoiled, secluded stretch of paradise that Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner exchanged wedding vows in 2005. Others fall for the peace and quiet that is Parrot Cay. Soft sand, cool ocean breezes, haute cuisine and stunning sunsets—what’s not to love? The villas at Rocky Point as well as The Residence—a five-bedroom villa with two three-bedroom cottages—are all privately owned but can be rented, butler included. And best of all, it’s just a 90-minute flight from Miami. Stars Who Visit: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, Josh Hartnett, Penélope Cruz, Bruce Willis, Oprah, Christie Brinkley.
Jessica Alba is a fan of Hawaii’s beaches.
Summer rental? Hardly. At the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, the bungalow-style rooms, with private, furnished lanais and ocean views, can run as much as $8,350 a night. But that’s pocket change for some Hollywood elite. When they’re not frolicking in the water, taking long walks along the beach or tanning on the lounge chairs set up by resort staff, guests at this exclusive Hawaiian resort can unwind with an exotic open-air massage, test their skills on the 18-hole Jack Nicklaus signature Hualalai Golf Course, or couple up and serve aces at the Tennis Club. Even pint-size travelers are royalty, receiving star treatment including milk and cookies upon arrival and plush child-size bathrobes to toss on after a day of building sand castles. Stars Who Visit: Paris Hilton, Nicky Hilton, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Connolly, Jessica Alba.
FOUR SEASONS RESORT HUALALAI
PA R R O T C AY A N D S H A M B H A L A R E T R E AT
The Hilton sisters escape to Hawaii every Christmas.
WAILEA, MAUI, HAWAII
DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/WIREIMAGE.COM
J E F F V E S PA / W I R E I M A G E . C O M
CELEBRITY HOT SPOTS
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PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT FREEMAN
star sights ASPEN, COLORADO
Hollywood’s top brass call the ultra-exclusive One&Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico, home when they dip south of the border. And can you blame them? All 172 single- or three-story “casas” have patios or balconies with ocean views and 24-hour butler service. The resort overlooks the Sea of Cortés and features a glorious spa with a stateof-the-art Fitness Centre, Pilates Studio, outdoor hydrotherapy pools and a private Watsu pool where underwater sound therapies are coupled with specialized aquatic rituals. Oceanfront yoga anyone? Stars Who Visit: Penélope Cruz, Matthew McConaughey, Enrique Iglesias, Lindsay Lohan, Eva Longoria, Dustin Hoffman, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore.
COLORADO TOURISM OFFICE/TOM ZUCCARENO
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F T H E W A K AYA C L U B
Stars Who Visit: Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, Vince Vaughn, Seal and Heidi Klum, Mischa Barton.
CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO
J O H N PA R R A / W I R E I M A G E . C O M
For high-altitude pampering and fresh powder, celebrities hunker down in Aspen. The refreshing mountain air is exhilarating, the ski runs are superb, and nothing beats a night snuggling by the f ireplace. One superhot, luxe accommodation is the St. Regis Resort Aspen. This g r a n d c hât e a u a t t h e b a s e o f A s p e n M o u n t a i n provides 24-hour access to the outdoor heated swimming pool and three whirlpools. During the summer, there are also two luxury vehicles for guests to use at their convenience. But traveling by foot is just as easy, as the St. Regis is within walking distance of dozens of Aspen’s finest boutiques, restaurants and nightclubs. Celebrity couples vacationing in Aspen are often spotted indulging in après-ski sushi at the most popular A-list hangout in town, Matsuhisa Aspen, owned by famed Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa.
Seal and Heidi Klum followed Nobu Matsuhisa to his Aspen location.
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SUVA, FIJI The Wakaya Club in Fiji has it all and then some. Scuba tank dives, p e r s o n a l fi t n e s s i n s t r u c t o r s , a n d t e n n i s a n d g o l f c o a c h e s a r e a v a i l a b l e at your whim. Of course, you’ll have to squeeze that in between the sea kayaking, snorkeling, fishing and croquet. Vale O is the penthouse property on this private island retreat. Also called the House in the Clouds, it’s the owner’s 2,000-square-foot residence. The house has its own fitness center, a cliffside swimming pool, a tennis court and sweeping 360-degree views of the entire island. But book early, and start saving. The resort only has room for 20 guests at a time, and rates range from $1,900 to $7,600 a night. Stars Who Visit: Bill Gates, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Pierce Brosnan, Michelle Pfeiffer.
liner notes
TUNES IN TOWN
Ricky Martin
Hank Williams, Jr.
THROUGH THE YEARS THE BIGGEST NAMES IN ENTERTAINMENT HAVE TAKEN CENTER STAGE AT THE THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS AND PLAYED TO SOLD-OUT CROWDS. IF YOU WEREN’T THERE, HERE’S WHAT YOU MISSED.
Shine Down
Kenny Loggins
Maroon 5
P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
Dave Matthews
“Music makes the people come together.” —Madonna, “Music” 90
MUSIC MAYHEM
GWEN STEFANI HOLLABACK GIRL
BY RYAN SLATTERY
Rising from a trap door in the floor of an elaborate stage, Gwen Stefani appeared, seated on a throne with a crown resting atop her perfectly coiffed head as if she were royalty. Stefani—whose first solo album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby., won over younger fans with its “Bubble Pop Electric” sound—is a queen of sorts when it comes to pop music. “I just wanted to make a dance record,” Stefani told the crowd three songs into her 80-minute show at the Theatre for the Performing Arts. These are the types of songs that tend to stick with you all day long after you hear them on your ride to work. With catchy singsong lyrics and addictive beats, Stefani has captured a new fan base—teenage girls were the main attendees at the show— vastly different from the days when she fronted for No Doubt.
Stefani kicked off her 14-song performance with “Harajuku Girls” as her all-Asian quartet of backup dancers, dressed like Japanese schoolgirls, danced around her. On this night, Stefani changed outfits for nearly every number. During “Don’t Go Away,” she wore a red-and-white polka-dot swimsuit and kicked around beach balls. For “Crash,” she was dressed in a black-and-white racing ensemble. The costume changes didn’t come as much of a surprise. Stefani has made it known she still fancies dressing up, and with two clothing lines—L.A.M.B. and Harajuku Lovers, inspired by the street fashions of Tokyo—you could say it was pretty much expected.
“CHAMPAGNE KISSES, HOLD ME IN YOUR LAP OF LUXURY I ONLY WANT TO FLY FIRST-CLASS DESIRES, YOU’RE MY LIMOUSINE SO ELEGANT, THE WAY WE RIDE, OUR PASSION, IT JUST MULTIPLIES THERE’S PLATINUM LIGHTNING IN THE SKY LOOK I’M LIVIN’ LIKE A QUEEN.”
Stefani, who portrayed Jean Harlow in the Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator, opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, had the crowd singing along to her popular radio hits, “Luxurious,” “Rich Girl” and “What You Waiting For?” But when she said goodnight and stepped off the stage without singing “Hollaback Girl,” you knew she was headed back to wardrobe. She returned for the encore dressed as a majorette and led a marching band. Her Harajuku Girls were clad in cheerleader uniforms. It was like a football pep rally. A fitting end for her school-age fans.
—GWEN STEFANI, “LUXURIOUS” P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
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liner notes
BARENAKED LADIES MILLION-DOLLAR BAND Just moments after stepping onstage, lead singer Ed Robertson set the tone for the evening, telling the packed house it would be a long, interesting night. He wasn’t kidding. First he shared his excitement over receiving a message in his hotel room advertising his own show, and then he joked about his favorite Vegas experience. “The house doesn’t always win,” he said with a laugh. “When Steve [Page] and I go to the buffet, the house loses.”
BY JAMIE ACEVES
The Barenaked Ladies went on to rock the night at the newly remodeled Theatre for the Performing Arts with a smooth blend of folk, pop and blues. From the opening song until the final number, some two-plus hours later, the crowd was on its feet, singing along to BNL classics. The band created a lively atmosphere, mixing things up with improvised rap, a few cover tunes and some amusing running commentary throughout the show.
As fun as it was to be a part of the spectacle—the backdrop onstage featured artwork that looked as if it were hand-drawn in crayon and colored pencils—nobody seemed to be having as much fun as the band members themselves, who at times appeared to be performing for their own enjoyment. At one point in the show, during “Pinch Me,” an overly enthusiastic fan threw some frilly purple panties onstage, and they wound up on Page’s guitar for the rest of the song. In all, the Barenaked Ladies played more than two dozen songs, including fan favorites “The Old Apartment,” “Enid,” “Call And Answer,” “It’s All Been Done,” “Brian Wilson,” “Easy,” “If I Had $1000000” and its chart-topping hit, “One Week.” Even after running through the exhausting set list, the band still had enough energy for two encores, with Robertson showing off his break-dancing skills during the night’s final number, “Alcohol.”
“IF I HAD $1000000 (IF I HAD $1000000) I’D BUY YOU A FUR COAT (BUT NOT A REAL FUR COAT THAT’S CRUEL) IF I HAD $1000000 (IF I HAD $1000000) I’D BUY YOU AN EXOTIC PET (LIKE A LLAMA OR AN EMU) IF I HAD $1000000 (IF I HAD $1000000) I’D BUY YOU JOHN MERRICK’S REMAINS (ALL THEM CRAZY ELEPHANT BONES) IF I HAD $1000000 I’D BUY YOUR LOVE.” P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
—BARENAKED LADIES, “IF I HAD $1000000” 92
MUSIC MAYHEM
KELLY CLARKSON FLYING HIGH
BY JAMIE ACEVES
From the very first song of the night, “Walk Away,” Kelly Clarkson had the audience standing and singing along with her. They never did sit back down. It was a great night for Clarkson fans as they were treated to songs from her Grammy-award-winning Breakaway album. The mainly female sold-out crowd was a mix of young and old and appeared to come from a wide cross section of backgrounds.
With hits such as “A Moment Like This,” “Since U Been Gone” and “Breakaway,” Clarkson has evolved as a musician and performer, broadening her fan base and appeal in the process. Clarkson, who has distanced herself from her American Idol beginnings, was very comfortable with the audience, talking to them about her music and movie roles she’s been offered. The 25-year-old singer, ever humble, even joked about her acting talents (anyone remember From Justin to Kelly?). “You have to have a few drinks before you watch my movies,” she joked, adding that after being offered one movie role, she thought about asking, “Have you seen me act?”
“I’LL SPREAD MY WINGS AND I’LL LEARN HOW TO FLY I’LL DO WHAT IT TAKES TILL I TOUCH THE SKY AND I’LL MAKE A WISH, TAKE A CHANCE, MAKE A CHANGE AND BREAK AWAY.” —KELLY CLARKSON, “BREAKAWAY”
Clarkson mixed things up with a few costume changes, performing two of her songs—including “Gone”— in a wedding dress. Other highlights from the evening included a beautiful rendition of “Because of You” while seated at, but not playing, the piano, and an a cappella version of “Beautiful Disaster.” Clarkson finished the evening with the exceedingly popular “Breakaway,” a song co-written by Avril Lavigne, amid a shower of roses. After the show, Clarkson stayed to greet fans and sign autographs on a night when she proved she has indeed learned to fly.
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liner notes
FUSION
EAST-WEST ENTERTAINMENT
BY RYAN SLATTERY It was one of the biggest rock shows ever televised in China, and it took place on a stage live in Las Vegas during NBA All-Star Week as part of the city's Chinese New Year celebration. Fusion, a two-day concert event at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, had fans singing along with some of the most popular performers and DJs in the music industry. Fusion’s Asian Night featured Taiwanese pop star A-Mei, rockers Mayday and the Shin Band, and the evening’s headliner, Jackie Chan—yes, that Jackie Chan. The actor, famous in America for his movie roles in Rush Hour, Shanghai Knights and Around the World in 80 Days, is hugely popular as a singer in China.
The following evening, on American Night, rapper Lupe Fiasco kicked off the party. Next, Gnarls Barkley came onstage to the Austin Powers theme song, with his band members dressed as the film’s characters—frontman Cee-Lo as Dr. Evil. Gnarls Barkley performed a quick set that included a cover of the Violent Femmes’ “Gone Daddy Gone” and their catchy megahit, “Crazy,” which tore up the charts in the summer of 2006. Kanye West capped off the festival with an electric set that lasted until early the next morning, showing the millions of viewers in China that Vegas does indeed know how to party.
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MUSIC MAYHEM
JAMIE FOXX
UNPREDICTABLE
BY DAVE SURRATT Fans of Jamie Foxx were extra-stoked by the time their hero hit the Planet Hollywood stage. On the way there, many, no doubt, were stuck in the bumper-tobumper gridlock, so once they were finally inside the theater they were ready to party. You see, traffic around the Strip is never unimpeded, but that Friday night happened to be when Las Vegas was hosting NBA All-Star Weekend, and by 8:30 p.m., the scene at the Tropicana Avenue and Koval Lane intersection couldn’t be called “traffic” because it looked more like an overbooked demolition derby: vehicles pointing in every direction, no hand-waving cops in sight, and stoplights that went back and forth from red to green—providing a festive touch.
Somehow, a capacity crowd eventually managed to enter the theater and, hallelujah, spirits were high. Sharply-dressed show goers in the 20- to 70-year-old demographic (that Oscar Foxx won for Ray did grab the attention of a few old-timers) went nuts when he finally came out in jeans, packing an arsenal of jokes. Britney, Paris, O.J. and Sinbad (Sinbad?) all took hits while the laughter rolled. Soon, funny gave way to honey, as Foxx slipped into a white suit and crooned R&B numbers from his latest release, Unpredictable, sending a few front-and-center female audience members into Beatlemania-level fits.
“GIRL GET COMFORTABLE WE BOUT TO DO SOMETHING YOU NEVA DONE BEFORE BABY NOT THE USUAL TONIGHT WE GETTIN UNPREDICTABLE.”
Dollar bills rained down like confetti at one point. After a brief stint on the piano, Foxx sang “Build You Up.” The singer was just a guest on 50 Cent’s studio version of the song, but in concert Foxx laid it out himself, with special attention to the line, “Before I be your buddy in bed, let me be your best friend.” They say the squeals could be heard as far away as Hoover Dam.
—JAMIE FOXX, “UNPREDICTABLE” P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
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liner notes
KANYE WEST
WALKING THE LINE
BY RYAN SLATTERY Whether you love him or hate him, there is no arguing the fact that Kanye West puts on a great show. He’s cocky. He’s brash. He’s unpredictable. And onstage, he’s one heck of a performer. West, of course, is no stranger to controversy. The outspoken producer-turned-rapper has provided his share of sound bites over the years. From his “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” comment during a live benefit for the victims of Hurricane Katrina to a Rolling Stone magazine cover with a picture of him portraying Jesus and wearing a bloody crown of thorns, West’s actions have landed him not only on MTV but on CNN.
However, West’s show at the Theatre for the Performing Arts was a memorable one for reasons you might not expect. For a performer whose loose tongue and off-the-cuff comments have often garnered more attention than his songs, West was rather humble and sincere. On this night, he even showed a softer side. During his performance of “Roses,” West called his cousin Kim, who at the time had just lost her mother days earlier, onto the stage and dedicated the song to her. He told the crowd, “I flew her in so she could have a good time,” and then turning to Kim, said, “I’m here for you. It’s gonna be OK.” It was a touching moment in what was otherwise a typical West performance. The nearly two-hour show started with West strutting onstage wearing a white suit and huge sunglasses. From there, it was just hit after hit from his two multiplatinum albums—The College Dropout and Late Registration—including “Diamonds,” “All Falls Down,” “Gold Digger” and “Jesus Walks.” West even invited fans onstage to dance during an extended version of “Brand New,” proudly exclaiming, “We don’t usually do this, but what the hell.”
“WE AT WAR WITH TERRORISM, RACISM BUT MOST OF ALL WE AT WAR WITH OURSELVES.” —KANYE WEST, “JESUS WALKS”
Yes, it was just that kind of night.
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a-list
AROUND THE PLANET You never know whom you might bump into at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Here we rewind to just some of the events, parties and premieres that brought celebrities to the property.
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STARCATCHER
planet hollywood: unveiled With the ick of a switch, the lights came on, and the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino became a reality. Leading the resort's lighting ceremony was none other than actor Bruce Willis, a longtime friend of Planet Hollywood CEO Robert Earl, who earlier in the day held a star-studded press conference to announce his restaurant and nightclub partners.
P H O T O S B Y H E AT H E R K O W A L S K Y / C A S H M A N P R O F E S S I O N A L S E R V I C E S
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a-list cake and candles Sylvester Stallone celebrated his birthday at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, surrounded by his closest friends.
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rocky returns to the ring Sylvester Stallone and the cast of Rocky Balboa celebrated the film’s release with a premiere party in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood’s Heart Bar.
P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
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a-list america's got talent NBC’s hit series searched for talented individuals to be on the show, filming episodes at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.
P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
sopranos party Lorraine Bracco, who played Tony Soprano’s therapist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi, on the HBO hit drama The Sopranos, hosted a viewing party at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino showcasing Bracco Wines.
PHOTOS BY DENISE TRUSCELLO
COURTESY OF
P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
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a-list hollywood obsessions For ďŹ lm admirers, sports fans and history buffs, the Hollywood Obsessions store in the lobby of Planet Hollywood is a must-see, with all sorts of movie props and autographed sports and political memorabilia.
PHOTOS BY KEN ISRAELSON/CASHMAN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
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magic man
D E N I S E T R U S C E L L O / C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
D E N I S E T R U S C E L L O / C O U R T E S Y O F P L A N E T H O L LY W O O D R E S O R T & C A S I N O
Illusionist Hans Klok, pictured here at the “Beauty of Magic” premiere on June 2, has been called the world’s fastest magician and the “Dutch David Copperfield.” You can catch his show, featuring Pamela Anderson, at the Theatre for the Performing Arts.
P H O T O S B Y H E AT H E R K O W A L S K Y / C A S H M A N P R O F E S S I O N A L S E R V I C E S E X C E P T W H E R E I N D I C AT E D
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HOLLYWOOD HOTNESS Matt Damon Thinks He’s Sexy. When Will People Magazine? Known for their on-set prank-playing, Ocean’s pals George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon have been ribbing each other for years. And it doesn’t look like it will let up anytime soon. On a press junket to promote the summer blockbuster Ocean’s 13, Clooney and Pitt made sure Damon didn’t forget how sexy they were; both have been named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive twice. Clooney currently holds the title. “I worked hard for that one,”
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George Clooney (center) was named People’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1997 and 2006, while Brad Pitt (right) took the title in 1995 and 2000. Matt Damon (left) has yet to capture the crown.
Clooney told David Letterman on The Late Show, of receiving the 2006 honor. “I felt bad for Matt Damon, because he really wanted it. He campaigned hard for it, but he came up short. Matt is on People’s sexy list, so he’s like the runner-up in a Miss America contest.” Damon’s response? “I’m going to get a bigger war chest going,” he told the Daily Mirror. “George said I was close this year, but I ran out of money for my campaign, which is why he won.”
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