By Robin Leach · December 15, 2008 · 5:35 PM

The Light Group

2009 Miss Nevada Georgina Vaughan is all by her lonesome at the Bank.

* Congratulations and Happy 21st Birthday wishes to beautiful blonde Miss Nevada 2009 Georgina Vaughan. She had a soiree fit for a queen at the Bank in the Bellagio. The buxom beauty, who will compete in Donald Trump’s Miss USA beauty pageant next April at Planet Hollywood, partied alongside an entourage of lovely ladies. The sexy servers laden with sparklers presented her with a two-tiered birthday cake.

* Country music superstar duo Big & Rich took over the VIP section of the Bank at the Bellagio with 18 members of their touring entourage and security. It was quite a sight when the DJ spun their smash crossover hit “Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy” to see all 20 of the guys dancing atop the raised banquettes!

Light Group

Ne-Yo.

Light Group

Lady Gaga just dances at Jet.

* R&B artist Ne-Yo was at Jet nightclub in The Mirage to watch pop-dance diva Lady Gaga perform three songs -- as the two performers are going out on tour together next spring. The East Village performance artist sang three songs: “Beautiful Dirty Rich,” “Poker Face” and her now-Grammy-nominated hit “Just Dance.” She put on her trademark crystal sunglasses and one-piece leotard decorated with couture origami crystals. Needless to say the frenzied crowd went goo-goo for Gaga! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!) At the end of her set, she executed a perfect dive right into the audience before her backup group rescued her and carried her off to a dressing room! Watching the high-jinx were funny foul-mouthed comedian and Hollywood’s toastmaster Jeffrey Ross and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Jamie Sharper.

* "Fantastic Four" actor Chris Evans and Kyle Howard of "My Boys" filmed a TV commercial for Las Vegas tourism at Lavo inside the Palazzo, and then stayed on to enjoy dinner and dancing before wrapping up the night at sister nightspot Tao at The Venetian next door. Also at Lavo was Oakland A’s slugger Frank Thomas dividing his drinks between Veuve Cliquot champagne and cabernet sauvignon! Also at Tao were Maxim calendar cover girl Sonia Vera celebrating the release of her 2009 calendar and Chicago Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster with friends in a separate party.

* Live frontman Ed Kowalczyk performed an acoustic set to a sellout crowd at the Palazzo’s Sportsbook Bar & Grill. While staying there in a luxury suite, the singer dined at Sushi Samba, where he discovered the delights of unfiltered Kamouzumi Nigori Ginjo sake. He loved it so much that he had bottles of the tonic sent to his green room at the concert, more while he watched O.A.R.’s show, more to his suite and then some to Lavo, where he unwound the rest of the night.

Nick San Pedro / PUBLICITY photo

Derrick Barry as Britney Spears

* Britney Spears won’t be appearing here on New Year’s Eve, as previously rumored, but her famed impersonator Derrick Barry will when he joins Grammy Award winner Hex Hector to lead the midnight countdown at Krave in the Miracle Mile at Planet Hollywood. Incidentally, inside the balloons dropping there at midnight will be tickets for Britney’s April concert at MGM along with tickets for Cher’s show at Caesars Palace!

* Philadelphia Phillies star Chase Utley, the second baseman who led his team to a World Series crown this past season, was at a VIP table in Tryst at the Wynn.

*Part-time Las Vegas resident Michael Jackson shocked crowds of shoppers and trailing paparazzi during a holiday shopping spree in Los Angeles. He wore a Zorro mask under his matching Indian-style headdress and matching blue tunic. He dressed his children in the same style! One of my old British reporter colleagues said it was the perfect way to draw attention to himself, and it was obvious he wanted to be seen and not go anonymously about his Christmas shopping.

* Strip surveillance: The Ting Tings, Carolina Liar and Franz Ferdinand, all in for a weekend Vegas concert, picked LAX nightclub at the Luxor to unwind on the VIP stage. … NASCAR Sprint Cup series driver Brian Vickers was engrossed in an intense dinner conversation at the Cathouse in the Luxor with Vegas native Jamie Little, who is the NASCAR pit reporter on ESPN. … Comedy actor Kevin James spent the weekend at a Palms Place condo in the Palms and enjoyed dinner at Iron Chef Kerry Simon’s Simon restaurant there. … Bareback riding champ Josi Young, in town for the 50th Annual Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, partied with friends last night at Jet in The Mirage.