Friday, March 28, 2003 | 4:38 a.m.
Happy Birthday, Celine. Diva Las Vegas turns 35 today.
She will probably not spend the day going over the reviews from the East and West Coast papers that skewered "A New Day ... "
The feeling from this transplanted New Yorker -- the land where sports fans boo peanut vendors and critics blast Mother Nature if it rains -- is that the pans will not make much of a difference.
Celine and her creative ensemble are not critical faves. The big city media's fawning accolades are reserved for Pina Bausch, Steve Reich, Matthew Barney, Philip Glass or any other avant garde artist whom might in fact be extraordinarily talented, but who most of the Middle American ticket-buying public has never heard of.
I think it is safe to say that very few of the people who have bought the 150 million Celine discs sold follow the lead of either coasts' Times -- New York or Los Angeles.
"A New Day ... " is a typical Vegas show in many ways, though a more lavish and expensive version. As long as you approach it with the right attitude, 'I'm in Vegas! We're having fun! Woo Woo!' you can't help but enjoy it.
Meanwhile "A New Day ... " choreographer Mia Michaels tells VegasBeat that her contract runs out April 15. She will likely head back to New York, she said, and look for a Broadway show to choreograph.
Michaels' industry credentials are solid following her Celine effort.
She is also mulling an offer from Franco Dragone to stick around awhile and work on the new show he is putting together for Steve Wynn's Le Reve.
Penn and Teller will lead the 13th annual AFAN (Aid for AIDS of Nevada) AIDS Walk.
The April 26 event kicks off at 8 a.m. at the corner of Harmon Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard.
"Penn and Teller bill themselves as a couple of eccentric guys who have learned how to do a few cool things," AFAN Executive Director Tiffany Hesser said. "Well, this is one of the coolest in my book."
Last year's walk drew 3,000 participants and raised more than $200,000.
VegasBeat was passing by The Colosseum box office Friday at Caesars Palace and decided to make some inquiries.
First we asked for some Celine tickets. "I am sorry sir, but they are sold out through the end of May."
Then we asked about Jerry Seinfeld tickets. He plays The Colosseum May 2 and May 3. Tickets are $75 to $150.
Lots were available, including $150 tickets in the center part of the orchestra pit. Almost nothing has been sold in the less-expensive mezzanine levels, either.
Like milk? Got an urge to let the world know?
The "Got Milk?" ad campaign is coming to Las Vegas to look for fresh faces. At the same time, Rolling Stone magazine and MTV are having a Battle of the Teen Bands with local rockers Happy Go Lucky and a group called Veno Dark Skin.
They are fronted by Vince Williams, who moved to Las Vegas less than a year ago from Oberlin, Ohio.
The musical showdown and milk sipping takes place at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Boulevard mall.
Maybe Las Vegas can't get a professional major league sports franchise, but the city is the first stop on the World Poker Tour.
The series of 13 nationally televised tournaments debuts at 7 p.m. today on the Travel Channel with the Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic.
The $1.5 million World Poker Tour championship -- also at Bellagio -- is the series finale.
Another nightclub is taking shape behind the temporary construction walls on the mezzanine above the Forum Shops at Caesars restaurant Chinois.
It'll be called OPM (the usual acronym for Other People's Money), and is looking to open around Memorial Day.
"Le Tricolore" -- the French flag -- is no longer flying at Paris Las Vegas.
The Stars and Stripes now waves solo, next to the unadorned flagpoles where the blue, blanc and rouge flag used to fly.
Oh, puh-leeze.
What is next, throw a giant bedsheet over the 460-foot faux Eiffel Tower?
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