
With all the struggles that 90-minute, trimmed down versions of Broadway shows have battled in Vegas -- sometimes failing in the war -- it's nice to see that
'Mamma Mia!,' which never compromised on its two-and-a-half-hour running time and intermission is still rocking on strong. In fact, the ABBA hit song-based musical just celebrated its 4th year anniversary at
Mandalay Bay, and our Nevada Senator
John Ensign even gave the cast a Senatorial proclamation.
I joined the cast for the birthday cake celebration at the nearby
Border Grill. Of all the 'Mamma Mia!' versions running around the world, the Vegas production still remains the most profitable and the most attended.
Carol Linnea Johnson,
Vicki Van Tassel and
Robin Baxter play the lead trio, and all are close friends off-stage too. Carol's husband,
Don Burroughs also works on the show. 'Mamma Mia!' has been extended through to August '08 when it will probably move from Vegas to Toronto with a new show taking its place. For now it won't be the Broadway production of
Billy Joel's musical "Movin' Out" although
Frankie Valli's "Jersey Boys" might make the Strip this fall. Says Carol: "Audiences love to see the real friendship of our three characters." Robin added: "That friendship is the heart of the show but there's something for both young and old. Vicki summed up: "People leave us singing and dancing with joy and none of us get tired of singing those hits."

The night I went to see the show it was another packed house that dished out thunderous applause and standing ovations for the performances. Abba's infectious music and unique sound are still chart-winners after all these years and the show is still that big fat and adored hit that runs successfully and contrary to all the rules of Vegas theater.
MAGICALLY FREE
What a unique week for sexy
Carmen Electra. The former 'Baywatch' babe won the official divorce from former rocker husband
Dave Navarro on the very day LUXE LIFE broke
the official news of the new magic show she'll star in at
Planet Hollywood with Dutch illusionist
Hans Klok. But it's her appearance here this weekend that's raising eyebrows.
You really don't expect to see a Hollywood mainstream personality playing Grand Opening celebrity host for a new topless club, but come late tomorrow she'll cut the bra-and-panties red ribbon at the new Men's Club here which features not one but two top gourmet restaurants, sandwiched in-between the silicone of the bouncing babes. It's a profitable personal appearance for 34-year-old Carmen, who will use the payday for her legal fees in the divorce case. Carmen and 39-year-old Dave, former Janes Addiction guitarist, will split their assets and personal belongings per a pre-marital agreement and each has agreed not to provide financial support to the other in the amicable settlement. A far cry from their 2003 marriage on MTV's reality series 'Till Death Do Us Part.'
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

Expect to see another rocker,
Tommy Lee ringside at tomorrow's
Pride Fighting Championships because he such a supporter and fan! Pride 33 is billed as the Second Coming because its only the second appearance in the USA of the mixed martial arts showdown.
Caesars Palace is a sponsor, although the event will be held at
Thomas & Mack. Meantime, Caesars the past few days has hosted the public training, weigh-in and workouts for headline fighters
Wanderlei "The Axe Murder" Silva and
Dan "America's Best" Henderson billed as two of the most dangerous men in the world. Other participating fighters are
Hayato "Mach" Sakurai &
Kazuhiro Nakamura,
Takanori Gomi &
Kazuo Misaki. The first Pride Fighting Championships event in the U.S. took place here just five-months ago with a sellout crowd.
Dan Henderson won "The Real Deal" and, is known as one of the classiest fighters in the business and a former member of the U.S. Olympic wrestling team.
45-DAY POKER BINGE First let me advise that
Jon Bon Jovi,
Big & Rich and
Jay Leno have teamed up for superstar performances on April 5 at a charity gala that will kick off the Vegas Grand Prix. The fundraiser will be at the
Bellagio with drivers from the debut race event and the monies will go to our favorite cause here,
Keep Memory Alive. Now to the cards ... Poker started up in the fast lanes last night when the Vegas Grand Prix Poker Championship began its 45-day run at
Binion's Gambling Hall downtown. Each day satellite winners will qualify for the Everyman Main Event to be held race week, Monday, April 2, through Friday, April 6, in the world-famous Benny's Bullpen, the original home of the World Series of Poker. The highlight will be the celebrity poker event Saturday, April 7, also being held in Benny's Bullpen, benefiting Vegas Grand Prix charities and featuring celebrities from the entertainment and poker world. It will be broadcast live at
pokernetcast.com. Such professional poker players as
Patrik Antonius,
Robert Williamson III,
Marcel Luske and
Hoyt Corkins are already in for the $10,000 buy-in. During the final race week, the tournament will accommodate up to 1,000 players daily, potentially making it the largest field ever to play downtown Las Vegas. The Vegas Grand Prix is a three-day festival of speed and entertainment being held April 6-8, 2007 that will encircle the heart of downtown Las Vegas. The weekend will feature rock concerts, an impressive Easter egg hunt and culminate in the internationally televised 2007 series opener for the Champ Car World Series roaring right through the downtown streets!
STRIP SCRIBBLES

The
Studio 54 nightclub at
MGM Grand has suddenly become hot all over again, and we've got the photos to prove it.
L.L. Cool J isn't known as "Mr. Love" for no reason. The ladies with him love him and the ladies who aren't with him try to be! So he hosted a "Ladies Night Out" party at the club and the women went wild. ...
Flavor Flav got a similar reaction when he co-hosted a party there arriving with an entourage of 70 friends! ... My 90210 pal
Ian Ziering was at the
Magic Johnson party too. ... The night before, Magic had co-hosted another celebration with basketball star
Allen Iverson, newly signed to Denver. ...
Jared Leto's alternative rock band
30 Seconds to Mars will have the planets all aligned tomorrow night with a party they'll host at
PURE nightclub inside Caesars Palace.
PERSONAL NOTE Many Vegas stars are turning out tonight for my producer friend
David Saxe at his
V Theatre in the Desert Passages at Aladdin/Planet Hollywood. Entertainer
Gordie Brown, comedian
George Wallace, and magician
Nathan Burton lead the charge with a benefit show as a fundraiser to help battle Lou Gherig's disease. David knew first hand the devastation, as he watched his own father's muscles become progressively paralyzed. Please lend your support so that the ALS Nevada Chapter can continue to assist patients. David's star-studded show is just one of the weekend highlight attractions that we refer affectionately around here as ...
ROBIN'S ROYAL RUNDOWN Fri Feb 23 - Forever complaining she's on the D-List, comedienne
Kathy Griffin, who'll be a surprise guest with me on one of the last 'Fame Game' episodes, will show she's really an A-list star at Mandalay Bay.
- Tall enough to play in the NBA comedy king
Brad Garrett returns to the Mirage.
- The man who taught the world to sing,
Barry Manilow entertains at the Hilton through tomorrow night.
-
Paula Poundstone is another comedy star with a unique outlook on life and she shows it on arrival at Boulder Station.
- We'll pick up
STYX for some old-fashioned rock and roll sounds at the Luxor.
- Still going strong after all these years are
The Smothers Brothers who entertain up at the Suncoast this weekend.
- Fight champion
Floyd Mayweather will celebrate his 30th birthday at
JET Nightclub in the Mirage while Laguna Beach TV star
Stephen Colletti celebrates his magical 21st birthday with a star-studded blast at PURE in Caesars Palace.
-
CineVegas continues its screening series of high profile indy films with two films tonight at the Tropicana Cinemas: 'The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes' and 'Jonestown-the life and death of Peoples Temple.'
Sat Feb 24 - Longtime friends,
Ashford & Simpson, who aren't seen often enough in Vegas, are live at the fifth anniversary celebration of Fitzgerald's Casino being held at the Cashman Theater downtown. Ain't nothing like the real thing baby -- and they still prove that point perfectly!
- The
Pride 33 battle dubbed the Second Coming is a furious fight frenzy at Thomas & Mack.
Sun Feb 25 - The
Oscars shine in Hollywood but our local Arthritis Foundation throws an official authorized fundraising dinner at the Rio with a big-screen live-feed from Tinseltown.
- Everyone plays harder in Vegas and that slogan also applies to the tennis stars fighting it out from today through March 4 in the Vegas Tennis Channel Open at our
Darling Tennis Center.
MONDAY'S TEASE We'll have all the intimate deliciously decadent details of the Big Playmate of the Year sleepover that's taking place at the
Palms on Monday hosted by ALL 12 of the titillating 2006 Playmates!!! It'll be a feast of flesh in the
Fantasy Tower where naughty nighties and sexy sleepwear will be de-rigueur! Plus a front-row KO report from Floyd Mayweather's 30th birthday bash at JET nightclub.
Also Pop-ular in Vegas Right Now:
- LUXE LIFE: David Copperfield Interview
- LUXE LIFE: Shaq Moving to Vegas?
- LUXE LIFE: Britney Bald Before the Shave?
- LUXE LIFE: Toni Braxton Gets a Star
- Dry Heat: Old School Vegas
- AOL Vegas: Hoff in Vegas