Mariah Carey gets Icon treatment at Tao
SOON after Mariah Carey told a standing MGM Grand Garden audience, “I have always felt like an outsider,” she was in the middle of a massive party at Tao Nightclub at The Venetian.
The Billboard Icon Award winner was the toast of the scene, greeted with balloons spelling ICON and welcomed by Jennifer Hudson, who presented the award. Hudson and Taylor Swift were among the superstars who went nuts for Carey in her medley during the Billboard Music Awards show. Carey swung through her hits, including “Always be My Baby” and “We Belong Together.”
Carey was joined by her boyfriend, Bryan Tanaka, and several friends. This week, she doubly announced that her “All I Want For Christmas” show and “The Butterfly Returns” would be back at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
Madonna with her X
Madonna debuted her “Medellin” single during the BMA show, reportedly laying out $5 million for the full production with special guest Mamula. She later hit Beauty & Essex at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, where she and her party were presented cupcakes frosted with M and X, for the new album, “Madame X.”
Abdul’s ‘lightning’ moment
A friend of Paula Abdul’s is saying the pop superstar and inspired groover still was stunned a day after her show-closing finale: “She hasn’t made this big a splash since ‘American Idol.’ ”
Abdul’s lighting-in-a-bottle medley at the BMAS arrived just hours after her “Forever Your Girl” residency at the Flamingo was announced.
During her performance, which started with a tapdance segment, Abdul threw her top hat at fellow dance great Julianne Hough .The hat struck Hough in the neck as Abdul sashayed past, seeming not to notice, as the audience roared.
On Thursday, Hough posted a photo of herself on Twitter wearing a neck brace and saying, “The result of the honor of being hit in the neck by @Paulaabdul’s flying hat!
I love you, Babe!!” Abdul responded, “You know it was with love.”
The solution: Top hats at the merch table during the Abdul residency …
Diplo packs Encore
Wynn Las Vegas resident headliner DJ Diplo sold out Encore Beach Club at the BMAS official after-party. He has extended his series with Wynn Nightlife through 2021.
Halsey showed up for a medley of “Closer,” “Eastside,” “Bad at Love” and “Without Me.” Lil Jon, Bazzi, Tori Kelly, Ross Lynch, Rocky Lynch, Chantel Jeffries, CNCO, David Dobrik, Lovelytheband, Tye Sheridan and Kyle and Michael Trewartha of Grey were among the name-checks on the scene.
Angel’s room
Criss Angel has announced he is opening a “Mindfreak”-themed exam room at Cure 4 The Kids medical facility on 1 Breakthrough Way.
Angel has long been an advocate for childhood cancer treatment, as his 5-year-old son, Johnny Crisstopher, ended a series of chemotherapy treatments in December to fight a rare form of leukemia.
(FWIW, we far prefer Angel in his charity mode, rather than his Cirque-trashing mode.)
The unveiling ceremony was set for Thursday afternoon, and Angel was to be joined by his partner, Shaunyl Benson; Johnny Crisstopher; and Cure 4 The Kids CEO Annette Logan-parker. The “Mindfreak” exam room joins Gwen Stefani’s themed room at Cure 4 Kids headquarters. Stefani showed off her room in March.
Vegasville!
By lucky coincidence, I followed famed producer Jeff Beacher into the men’s room at the Billboard Music Awards show. It gave me a chance to ask about reports that he was on Fremont Street about five weeks ago, reviewing the old “Fear The Walking Dead Survival” space at the base of Slotzilla.
He was there. The man behind Beacher’s Madhouse is up to something downtown, believe it.
Beacher’s most recent Beacher’s Madhouse club didn’t take hold at MGM Grand, but downtown might be a more inviting climate for his next madhouse (lowercase). Potential cast members are all over FSE.
What works in Vegas
A show that keeps chugging along: “Marc Savard’s Comedy Hypnosis,” notched show No. 3,333 on Thursday night. Savard, a major Edmonton Oilers fan, opened at V Theater at Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood on Feb. 4, 2007.
“The mind responds really well to 3s,” Savard says. “Hypnotists say things in 3s. Let your body be, ‘limp, loose and lazy.”
Hey that’s easy …
Also, Savard says, “Three is the number of time. It represents Past, Present and Future — 3,333 shows represent where I have been, where I am now, and a reference point to where I’m going to go.” It’s also the favored number for famed Musketeers, Stooges and Amigos.
So, this …
“Puppetry of the Penis” marked its fourth anniversary at Erotic Heritage Museum last month. A success! Cirque should buy that show, too.
The Review-journal is owned by the family of Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson. Las Vegas Sands operates The Venetian.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His Podkats! podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/ podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal. com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @Johnnykats1 on Instagram.
Thursday’s show: Las Vegas resident James Holzhauer, 34, won his
21st consecutive game, adding $80,615 to increase his total to $1,608,627.
In the form of a question: Daily Doubles: Final Jeopardy:
Single-game earnings: Holzhauer holds the singlegame record with $131,127 and has the 11 highest daily totals in the 35-year history of the game show. Thursday’s haul was the 10th-highest one-day total in “Jeopardy!” history.
Chasing Jennings: Ken Jennings, of Edmonds, Washington, is the all-time regular play earnings leader with $2,520,700, winning 74 consecutive games in 2004. Holzhauer is second with $1,608,627.
Next show: 7 p.m.
Friday, KLAS-TV, Channel 8.
Source: ▶ As of 9 p.m. Thursday:
1. Caesars says comp cuts will help offset wage increases
The company said it expects to offset $80 million in increased labor costs this year with recently announced corporate level layoffs involving finance, legal and marketing positions, and offering fewer giveaways.
2. First in the state,
Las Vegas approves marijuana lounges
The Las Vegas City
Council voted to permit lounges where people can consume marijuana, making the city the first in Nevada to allow such businesses.
3. Odds, props for
2019 Kentucky Derby
Game Winner has emerged as the 4-1 favorite to win the 145th “Run for the Roses” on Saturday, and bettors are taking notice.
4. Las Vegas local wins over $100K jackpot at Strip resort
A Las Vegas Valley resident waltzed out of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas a big winner after hitting a jackpot worth $102,225.56 on a Five Play Draw Poker machine.
5. ‘Jeopardy!’ star given key to the Strip
James Holzhauer was recognized as a goodwill ambassador for Las Vegas for his donations to the community during a ceremony at the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign. As of 9 p.m. Thursday:
1. Las Vegas Stadium canopy truss install timelapse
Over the next few weeks, construction crews will lift 22 65-ton canopy trusses into place around the rim of the highest points of Las Vegas Stadium, some
120 feet above the ground. 2. Placing stadium trusses a precision job
Crews have begun placing the 26 65-ton stadium canopy trusses around the highest points of the 65,000-seat, $1.8 billion Las Vegas Stadium.
3. Strip gets smacked with cold front
Showers drenched the
Las Vegas Valley on Monday dropping the temperature from a high of 85 degrees to 65 degrees.
California Fantasy 5
5, 11, 23, 33, 37
Winners: One (Chatsworth) Jackpot: $71,281
Arizona Fantasy 5
3, 6, 20, 24, 25
Winners: None
Jackpot: $54,000