By Robin Leach · January 7, 2009 · 4:07 PM

Denise Truscello

Michael Jackson.

* Pop royal Michael Jackson has apparently given up on plans for jump-starting his career with a permanent show here in Las Vegas. He’s moved out of town, and overnight reports from Los Angeles say he’s leased a Bel Air gated estate for at least 12 months. The whopping annual rental of $1.2 million gives him a mansion in the style of a French chateau and comes with 12 fireplaces, 13 bathrooms, a wine cellar and tasting room, a theater and seven bedrooms -- just about the perfect size for Michael and his three kids.

The property was one of the most expensive homes listed for sale in 2008, according to real estate experts, but was taken off the market after Michael signed the $100,000-a-month lease. It’s believed that Michael’s real estate dealings with Las Vegas Hilton owner and Station Casinos investor Tom Barrack of Colony Capital provided him with sufficient monies for the Bel Air mansion. Colony and Michael entered into a joint venture when the pop star moved to Vegas and surrendered title to the Neverland Ranch to develop the 120 acres of Santa Barbara land.

* I've got an update from yesterday’s report on the debut of the weekly industry party at the new XS megaclub in the Encore. Turns out that by the time dawn’s first light broke, more than 4,300 revelers had walked through its doors. There were so many people trying to get access to XS that Metro Police report that three lanes of traffic on the Strip were in total gridlock from the resort’s entrances on Wynn Way all the way back to the Fashion Show and Palazzo intersection. Among the celebrities in attendance were UFC fighters Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture and Forrest Griffin, actors Dennis Haskins, Obba Babatunde and Anthony McKay, Joe Jackson (patriarch of the Jackson pop music family), magician David Darkstone and former NBA player Jerome Williams.

* Kid Rock spent an hour in the Imperial Palace Auto Collections, having met owner Rob Williams last year at a car auction in Lapeer, Mich., so he decided to swing by the center-Strip showcase while he was performing at the Palms. The rock rapper also hit Drai’s After Hours inside Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall at center-Strip.

Scott Harrison/Retna/www.harrisonphotos.com

Carmen Electra.

* Sexy, pint-sized powerhouse Carmen Electra shopped up a storm at the Palazzo shops and purchased several items at the Annie Creamcheese vintage boutique.

* Legendary rocker and ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons was at Frankie’s Tiki Room drinking Bud Light while his friends sipped on the signature Kahiki Kia cocktail, a blend of coconut run, banana liqueur and pineapple juice. Billy loved the place so much that he went to the nearby Las Vegas Premium Outlets and purchased pajamas from Brooks Brothers as a gift for the bartender. Before they left Frankie’s a second time, the group purchased two dozen of the collectable signature tiki mugs.

* Paris and Nicky’s proud parents, Kathy and Rick Hilton, and their sons, Barron and Conrad, dined at Lavo in the Palazzo on two consecutive nights.

* Actress Mena Suvari, dressed in shiny black leggings, and her fiance Simone Sestito returned to Lavo a second time for Mediterranean menu specialties, including Greek salad, eggplant parmigiano and sea bass -- sipping only on iced tea and espressos with dinner. Next door at Tao in The Venetian for a second consecutive night was comedy star David Spade, who brought actress Nicollette Sheridan with him in a group of friends but sipping martinis intimately alongside each other. Sitting nearby was "The Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane, who was joined by eight friends, including actress Danielle Panabaker, who will be starring in the upcoming "Friday the 13th" remake. Also at Tao was actor Efren Ramirez from "Napoleon Dynamite."

Erik Kabik/Retna / www.erikkabikphoto.com

Travis Barker.

* One of the biggest events of the week is when tattooed drummer Travis Barker, formerly of Blink 182, partners with his friend DJ AM, real name Adam Goldstein, for a live performance. It’s the first show of the New Year in Las Vegas for the pair who narrowly escaped death from a fiery plane crash last year. It’s also their first time back at LAX in the Luxor since June.

* Aaron Lewis, lead singer of Staind, hung out at Carey Hart’s Wasted Space in the Hard Rock Hotel with friends after his two Vegas performances.

* Somehow the very pregnant Jenna Jameson and her beau, Tito Ortiz, made it onto the dance floor at Blush, where the fighter guarded her protectively from anybody dancing too close for comfort. Also there were BMX pro Kevin Robinson dancing atop a banquette, basketball legend Robert Horry, baseball all-star Jason Giambi and poker pro Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari.

Find Robin Leach's full blog and updated coverage of the celebrity scene in Las Vegas at Vegas DeLuxe.com.