On Friday April 15th, we had our first SHOWBIZ cocktail party of the year at the Stirling Club, with old friends and some new. Robin Leach classed up the joint and had a good time catching up with a few of the cast members of “Absinthe.” This unique show is certainly making an impact on the strip, as I noticed party members buzzing when the Gazillionaire, Penny Pibbets, and the dizzyingly beautiful Melody Sweets walked into the room, not an easy feat in a town where people can be a little jaded. The members of the new show “The Australian Improv Comedy Group,” Grand Davies, Lisa Ricketts, and Scott Hall-Watson attended their first SHOW BIZ party with us, and we loved talking to them because as funny as they are onstage at the V Theater in Planet Hollywood, they are just as funny and charming in person. It was also great catching up with Sandy Hackett with his partner in life and business, wife and co-star Lisa Dawn Miller. With The Rat Pack now at the Riviera and their gorgeous brand new website boasting a new music video of “Mack the Knife,” they are raging full-boar into the future with many bookings this summer as well as the Vegas show. Dancer Tala McDonough from The Matt Goss Show was receiving accolades for the unique costumes and burlesque dancing she does in Matt’s show at Caesar’s Palace, and Dori Bonilla, the sexiest burlesque dancer in the West from “Sin City Comedy” also showed up looking like a million dollars. Dori has a new company, “Dori’s Shoes,” which makes the very first pair of full functioning high-heeled ballet slippers. Smart and sexy, what a very nice combination! It was so great catching up with one of our favorite Brits, The hilarious promoter, Sam Ratcliffe, and her husband Jim D’Arrigo, the finest sax player, bar none. He can be seen opening Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack show with his magnificent sax solo, as well as other shows in town. What great people! It was nice catching up with Vegas exec Arnie Cope, formerly of the Luxor, who now is in charge of wrangling the European market for Las Vegas, and doing a great job of it. Keep them coming Arnie! The high energy and adorable Chris Phillips of Zowie Bowie stopped in to raise a glass to friends and said he is so very happy to be performing “Vintage Vegas” with Marley Taylor at The Green Valley Ranch Hotel on Sunday nights, as well as their regular performances at Red Rock. So many shows, so little time, but we are committed to seeing every single show on the strip! Greek God John Katsilmetes and his Goddess/side kick, Trish McCrone seemed to be having fun and making people laugh all afternoon. Kats is one of the quickest witted people I have ever met, and just down right adorable. Not to mention that he is a great writer and has social skills to die for. Trish has slipped perfectly into the role of his radio co-host in “Kats with the Dish” which is on the air every Friday night interviewing local headliners and visiting Las Vegas entertainers. At one point, I looked over at the bar and saw Todd Fisher, Dusty Ebsen and Sandy Hackett at the bar talking and realized that all three were children of three great entertainers, Debbie Reynolds, Buddy Ebsen and Buddy Hackett. It was great seeing three old friends catching up with each other and having fun. Tanja Popovich, our resident “pow pow” girl, is always adorable and funny, one of our very favorite girls in town. She lights up a room with her positive energy! “The Blue Man Group” is another show that represents themselves in full force, and always entertain everyone with their personalities. They just held auditions for the touring blue men and reported that they had a great turnout and hired some wonderful new talent. Clearly, this high-energy show strikes a chord in people all over the country, it is packing rooms from coast to coast and shows no signs of letting up. Extraordinary pianist Joey Singer tickled the ivories for all of us throughout the day and gave that added ambiance we look for when we throw these Intimate gatherings. Cees and Cathy de Kok , those sexy Vampires from “Bite!” Surprised us coming out in the daytime, so it was a good thing we had the lights dimmed and the garlic hanging at the Stirling Club. We also loved hosting Father Charlie with us (sipping coca cola) who is always there to save our souls in a city that really needs him! The Mirage’s Terry Fator was represented by his fun assistant Randy Hendrickson. Kirvin Doak was beautifully represented by Michelle Wilmoth, and Producer Seth Yudof was having fun entertaining in different corners of the room. Paul Campanella from the “Mob Experience Museum” at Tropicana also came by and we were happy to have him! Stratosphere’s Entertainment Management Chris Townsend and Drew DiConstanzo were so great to make time to stop by. Welcome guys! Roman Peek and Gina Payton from Blue Man Group Sales and Marketing also came from the office, they do a wonderful job for that show. I was so very happy to meet Producer and Choreographer Joanie Spina who is involved in the new show launching in June called the “Magic of Paris,” having been a fan of her work in so many shows over the years. Joanie is a beautiful Soul. Magician Stephane Vanel and puppeteer Anthony Rais also from the new show “The Magic of Paris” looked like they were enjoying themselves catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. Arian Black kept the magic theme going by stopping by and saying hello! Where Magazine’s Stanley Paprocki, Tickets and Tours. Kala Johnson and Stephanie Simmons, Of course, I have to mention my incredible partners in fun and crime, Hypnotist Marc Savard, who brilliantly mesmerizes hundreds of unwitting folks nightly at the V Theater at Planet Hollwood, and Andy Walmsley, who was fresh in from LA on the set of “The Biggest Loser,” one of the many hit shows he designs for. And of course, yours truly, Catherine Hickland. Blessings,
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