Archive for January, 2011

Freebie Fun: Flamingo’s Fabulous Fans Giveaway

This blog loves it some free Las Vegas stuff, so here’s today’s Vegas freebie delivery device: The Fabulous Fans Giveaway.

This free-to-enter giveaway is exclusively on Facebook, and up-for-grabs is a two-night stay in the ultra-slick Go Rooms at Flamingo Las Vegas, dinner at Margaritaville and tickets to Donny & Marie, including a VIP meet-and-greet.

We have personally both “meeted” and “greeted” Donny and Marie, and they are a blast (as is their hilarious, memory lane-tacular show).

Flamingo giveaway

Thank you, Interwebs, for giving us more ways to get free stuff in Vegas.

Exclusive insider bonus: If you win the Fabulous Fans Giveaway, this Las Vegas blog will also personally throw in free parking in the Flamingo self-parking garage for life! Do we hook you up, or what?

So, just to go the Flamingo page on Facebook, “Like” the page and find the “Sweepstakes” link on he left-hand side of the page, then click the “Enter Now” button.

This giveaway ends on February 25. Enter, already.

Posted on January 31st, 2011 by sroeben  |  2 Comments »

Questions You’ll Never Hear From a Chippendales Guy

1. “It’s chilly in here, can I just keep my shirt on?”

2. “Do you think people will get the wrong impression if I get nipple rings?”

3. “I want this, too, but can we just take it slow?”

4. “Do these pants make me look fat?”

Chippendales

Bonus Chippendales fact: There are no actual guns available at this gun show.

5. “Why do people laugh when I say we have great deals on our show packages?”

6. “You’re here because of the choreography, right?”

7. “Would you help me lift this couch?”

8. “How do I get started on eHarmony?”

9. “Is it just me, or are bow ties a little…nerdy?”

10 “What’s my motivation?”

Catch the Chippendales male revue, bow ties and all, at Rio Las Vegas. Find out more.

Posted on January 31st, 2011 by sroeben  |  2 Comments »

Louie Anderson Shows Off His Hot Dog at Pink’s

Vegas regular Louie Anderson unveiled a new hot dog named in his honor at Pink’s inside Planet Hollywood on Jan. 27.

Louie Anderson

Usually, we're uncomfortable around men extending index fingers covered with latex gloves, but we'll make an exception for Louie Anderson.

The beloved funnyman took orders, made the new Louie Dog (topped with mustard, sauerkraut and onions) for fans and talked about how a portion of the sales of the new dog will benefit the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, a local nonprofit.

Louie Anderson

Insider tip: This blog doesn't love sauerkraut and onions, so here's the way around them. Order the Louie Dog and hold the stuff you don't like. Proceeds still go to charity.

What, we’d miss out on a chance to talk to Louie Anderson? We even snagged some exclusive video.

Amidst the levity of the Louie Dog launch, Anderson spoke candidly about having two brothers who were homeless, one reason this cause is close to his heart.

Also in attendance were two beneficiaries of the programs provided by the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, James and Jordan (below).

Louie Anderson

Sharing the love via free Louie Dogs: James, Louie and Jordan.

James Roberts’ (left, above) first exposure to Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth was when he himself was homeless. He got a spot in the organization’s Independent Living Program (providing shelter and other support services), graduated high school, went into the Army Reserves and has returned to Vegas to work on staff at Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth helping other homeless youth.

Jordan (above, right) is currently in the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth program and will soon be attending UNLV.

Louie Anderson

When you're in Sin City, it's always a good idea to use a condiment. Yes, we went there.

Find out more about Pink’s Las Vegas and Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth.

Posted on January 28th, 2011 by sroeben  |  No Comments »

How Do You Pronounce “Nevada,” Anyway?

When you’re in Vegas, oh, and you will be, make sure you pronounce our fair state correctly, please! Here’s a handy video to clarify this sometimes confusing linguistic dilemma.

Posted on January 28th, 2011 by sroeben  |  No Comments »

More Holly Madison News (Not Our Fault)

Look, this blog doesn’t make up the news, we just report it. We admit, however, we tend to like when the news relates to Planet Hollywood’s Peep Show star Holly Madison.

The de facto mayor of Las Vegas has confirmed she’ll appear (Mar. 4) at the opening of the new Sugar Factory American Brasserie, a new restaurant, store and nightlife extravaganza (Chateau Nightclub) at Paris Vegas.

Holly Madison

Holly Madison says, "There's a sucker born every minute." See what we did there?

Now, back to our regularly-scheduled, much-less-visually-appealing blog nonsense.

Posted on January 28th, 2011 by sroeben  |  No Comments »

Fans Get Jason Statham Fix at “Mechanic” Premiere

It was a star-studded red carpet event at Planet Hollywood for the premiere of “The Mechanic,” a new action film starring Jason Statham, Ben Foster and Donald Sutherland.

On Jan. 26, Statham made a flashy entrance in front of Planet Hollywood and The Miracle Mile Shops, driving a sporty red car we do not entirely know the name of.

Jason Statham

Jason Statham just made you swoon. Admit it.

Statham was later joined on the red carpet by the movie’s director, Simon West, Peepshow star Holly Madison and her “Holly’s World” co-star Laura Croft.

Randy Couture

This is "tough guy" Randy Couture, who we're pretty sure we could beat at arm wrestling. (Actual results may vary.)

Also on the red carpet were Flamingo Las Vegas magician Nathan Burton, Statham’s “The Expendables” co-star Randy Couture, former NSYNC member (and guest host of The Price is Right Live at Bally’s) Joey Fatone and other people we kind of recognized but forgot to take notes about.

Holly Madison Jason Statham

Holly Madison recently began moonlighting as a correspondent for the entertainment show, "Extra." Here, she interviews Jason Statham in Planet Hollywood's Extra Lounge.

Due to our uncanny ability to multi-task, we not only managed to capture photos from the premiere, but also this ineptly-edited video. Join us on the red carpet, won’t you?

The red carpet was followed by a screening of “The Mechanic,” which, we are so relieved to say, was pretty darned good, otherwise we’d have to just mumble something about, “Well, that certainly had a beginning and end.”

Statham fans will love this touching drama about Statham’s character, King George VI, overcoming a stammer just in time to deliver a history-making speech. Or maybe we’re thinking of something else. Whatever. Guns were fired. Knuckles were unleashed. Fireballs ensued. Great fun.

Check out our exclusive photo gallery.

Movie Premiere at Planet Hollywood

Posted on January 27th, 2011 by sroeben  |  No Comments »

Chateau Nightclub Opening Nears at Paris

There’s so much buzz about the opening of the new Chateau Nightclub at Paris Las Vegas, we feel like we just tripped over a hornets nest.

Here’s a look at the interior of this much talked-about addition to the Vegas nightlife scene.

Chateau Nightclub

Is it wrong to want to have relations with this decor?

Chateau is slated to open Mar. 5, and will feature a 10,000-square-foot terrace that overlooks the Strip.

We got an exclusive (translation: poorly focused and composed) photo of the progress being made at Chateau. You can even see make out the VIP cabanas taking shape.

Chateau Paris Vegas

Yes, this blog got signed releases from all of these people. Ahem.

Chateau Nightclub will also boast six, count ‘em six, bars. Now, do we have your attention?

Let’s have a look at another poorly-composed exclusive!

Paris Las Vegas

We waited 14 hours to take a photo with no cars in it. The things we do for you.

Follow Chateau on Twitter for all the latest scoop, or find them on Facebook. The club already has a Web site, too, of course.

Read more about Chateau Nightclub in Vegas Seven magazine.

Posted on January 26th, 2011 by sroeben  |  No Comments »

Louie Anderson to Unveil New Dog at Pink’s

Comedian, author and former game show host Louie Anderson will make a special appearance at Pink’s at The Miracle Mile inside Planet Hollywood on Jan. 27 (10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.) to launch the new “Louie Dog.”

louie_anderson

"Louie Louie, oh no. Me gotta go...to Pink's." See what we did there?

The beloved comedian will take and fill orders, with proceeds from the sale of each Louie Dog going to the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, a local nonprofit.

The Louie Dog is topped with specially-made yellow mustard, sauerkraut and onion. Definitely not pictured below.

Pink's hot dog

This blog likes its Pink's dogs old-school, thanks.

Anderson said his first choice would be to top his dog with deep fried onion rings, but opted for a healthier choice, sauerkraut.

Louie Anderson performs at the Louie Anderson Theater at Palace Station.

Find out more about the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth.

Posted on January 26th, 2011 by sroeben  |  No Comments »

Jason Statham Premieres “Mechanic” at the Planet

Chiseled action star Jason Statham will be on-hand tonight (Jan. 26) at the Planet Hollywood resort for the premiere of his new action flick, “The Mechanic.”

Jason Statham

Sorry about the Jason Statham photo. We are a Las Vegas blog, not a paparazzo.

A portion of Las Vegas Boulevard will shut down for a “motor stunt” to be performed by Statham prior to the premiere. We have been rooting around for details about this “stunt,” but so far, from what we hear, it may involve “Statham driving a car.” See? We get scoop!

Statham’s “grand entrance” will be followed by a red carpet featuring a slew of notables, none of which are likely to get as much attention from this blog as Holly Madison. There, we said it.

Best line from the trailer: “Some jobs need to look like accidents.” Unlike writing a blog for a living, where this version would be more accurate: “Some accidents need to look like jobs.”

We bumped into Jason Statham at our last Planet Hollywood premiere for “The Expendables.” Read all about it.

Get tickets for the premiere at the Total Rewards desk at Planet Hollywood. Find out more. We also hear you can get a free ticket when you purchase a drink at Strip House or Koi at Planet Hollywood.

Let’s blow some stuff up!

Update: We just found this interview with “The Mechanic” co-star Mini Anden. Worth a look.

Posted on January 26th, 2011 by sroeben  |  No Comments »

A New Outpost for Discount Show Tickets in Vegas

Taking its cue from the all-access, 24-hour Buffet of Buffets deal (unlimited access to seven great Vegas buffets), the All-Stage Pass has been creating some buzz of its own.

This affordable pass (just $99) delivers all the shows you can consume in a 48-hour period. The deal includes 17 shows up and down the Strip at a variety of Caesars Entertainment hotels.

Previously, All-Stage Passes had to be purchased at the Planet Hollywood box office. Now, a convenient, sultry, buff, buxom, leggy (actual results may vary) booth has been opened to spare you the trek.

Discount Show Tickets

Yes, buxom! (Sorry, guys, it's a marketing thing. Go with it.)

The new discount ticket booth is located in front of Bally’s Las Vegas, pretty much the half-way mark of the Strip. At the moment, only All-Stage Passes can be purchased at the “Cheap and Easy Ticket Sin Shack” (we just made that name up), but plans are in the works to offer individual show ticket deals in the future.

One caveat. This sign appears on the side of the Ticket Taj (again, made up name).

Pepsi proudly served

Don't get your hopes up.

We have confirmed that Pepsi is not actually sold in the booth. (We think it means Pepsi is sold at the shows and in the hotels where the shows are.) Sorry. While the guys in the booth had a good laugh when we ordered a diet Pepsi, we suspect that joke might be getting a little old at this point, so maybe just skip the idle chit-chat if you stop by. Remember, your 48 hour clock starts ticking at the time of purchase, so have a plan in place.

The $99 price applies to Total Rewards members (the Caesars Entertainment player loyalty program that’s free to join), and it’s $119 for non-members.

The new discount ticket booth is open 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. each day.

Read more about the All-Stage Pass.

Posted on January 26th, 2011 by sroeben  |  1 Comment »

Joey Fatone Returns to “Price is Right” at Bally’s

Former NSYNC member and “Dancing with the Stars” contestant Joey Fatone is scheduled to again host The Price is Right Live stage show at Bally’s Las Vegas, Jan. 25 through Feb. 5.

We caught him during his last stint at Bally’s, and he seemed perfectly suited to his hosting duties, keeping things lively with his affable personality and self-depricating humor.

Joey Fatone

Joey Fatone clearly loves this gig, so he's back!

Fatone will enlist audience members to play for their chance to win thousands of dollars in cash and prizes. The show features such fan-favorite games as “Plinko,” “Cliff Hangers,” “The Big Wheel” and the popular “Showcase.”

A highlight of the show? The hilarious video clips from the “The Price is Right” TV show, including contestants chasing longtime host Bob Barker and others jumping down the aisle while experiencing, well, tube top malfunctions. ‘Nuff said.

Find out more about “The Price is Right Live,” a fun, fast-paced show and one of the few in town where a hefty chunk of the audience goes home with cash and prizes.

Price is Right Live

What, this whole blog post had to be about Joey Fatone? Get past it!

Posted on January 25th, 2011 by sroeben  |  No Comments »

Penn Shows Support for Fellow Magician, Paul Vigil

One of the great things about members of the Las Vegas entertainment community is that they are often so supportive of their fellow performers.

We caught Harrah’s bamboozler Mac King at the final show of Lance Burton. Flamingo headliners George Wallace and magician Nathan Burton turned up at the opening of “Vegas: The Show!” at Miracle Mile inside Planet Hollywood. Rita Rudner turned up for the first Matt Goss show at Caesars Palace. The list goes on and on.

The other night, we bumped into Penn Jillette, the more talkative half of Rio’s Penn & Teller, at the show of another mind-blowing magician, Paul Vigil.

Penn Jillette and Paul Vigil

Some objects are taller than they appear. Penn just happens to be a giant.

Penn seemed as impressed by Vigil (pronounced “vee-hill”) as the rest of us in attendance. Hey, it’s no mean feat to deceive a master deceiver!

Vigil’s cerebral show, billed as “theatrically artful deception,” is free and he performs at King Ink inside The Mirage on Wednesdays and Thursdays (a formal show, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.) and Fridays and Saturdays (close-up format, 7:00 p.m. to 10 p.m.). Check him out on Facebook or his official site.

Also in attendance were Penn’s wife Emily, and Penn & Teller keyboard tinkler, with a following in his own right, Mike “Jonesy” Jones.

Here’s today’s bonus jazz hook-up, by the way. You can get Jonsey’s newest music CD free (we do love us some free) at his official site.

Mike Jonesy Jones

Longtime Penn & Teller collaborator, musician Mike "Jonesy" Jones. We don't love having our photo taken either, by the way.

Add Penn & Teller and Paul Vigil to your list of must-see magic shows in Sin City. We definitely have a new addition to our list of the Best Free Shows in Las Vegas. Take a look at the rest of our picks.

Posted on January 25th, 2011 by sroeben  |  2 Comments »

What Could Make This Blog Do Karaoke?

This blog hates karaoke, no two ways about it.

Bonus factoid: “Karaoke” comes from two Japanese words, “kara” meaning “we would prefer,” and “oke,” meaning “having an icepick jammed into our ear.”

But now McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon, inside Rio Vegas, throws a wrench into the works with its “Ultimate Karaoke Tuesdays.” Check it out.

Karaoke Tuesday at McFadden's

Curse you, McFadden's!

Oh, that’s right. The evil geniuses at McFadden’s are offering up free drinks for a song on Tuesdays. We’ll get you for this, McFadden’s, mark our words!

Posted on January 25th, 2011 by sroeben  |  No Comments »

Today’s Gambling Term You Probably Didn’t Know

As we’re wandering around our favorite casinos, we often encounter things that make us wonder, “What’s that thing called?”

Recently, this little baby on a craps table caught our eye.

craps table paddle

Yes, we were tackled by security for taking this photo, but they were exceedingly polite about it.

Happily, one of the friendly craps dealers at Paris Las Vegas was happy to answer our inquiry.

The gadget used to push cash into the money box slot is called a “paddle.” Now you know!

Posted on January 25th, 2011 by sroeben  |  No Comments »

Free Vegas Wallpaper, Valued at $21,000

Oh, yes, you read that headline right. This blog is hooking you up with a $21,000 value. First, here is the most lovely photo of the The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace we’ve taken all week.

Forum Shops at Caesars Palace

If you're excited, think about how excited we are, since we took this photo!

Bam! Click here for a larger version.

So, here’s the hook-up. We just valued this amazing photo at $21,000 and we’re going to provide it to you for free!

Here is this wildly under-valued photo in various convenient, computer wallpaper-sized formats:

800 by 600
1024 by 768
1280 by 1024
1600 by 1200

Enjoy, and don’t say we never gave you anything. Ultimately, we are a Las Vegas blog, not a free thing giver-awayer.

Posted on January 24th, 2011 by sroeben  |  2 Comments »