VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: During break, Dion to be a lounge act

Monday, Jan. 26, 2004 | 10:23 a.m.

Some would call it a Titanic decision.

Celine Dion plans to spend her vacation time at home instead of going to see fellow Caesars Palace headliner Elton John perform on her stage at The Colosseum next month.

Diva Las Vegas met with a select handful of local media after being presented with the 2004 "Woman of the Year" award from the Nevada Ballet Theatre on Saturday night.

When VegasBeat asked Dion if she had plans to see John, she said she planned to use her time off from "A New Day ... " to record music in two languages, to make charity appearances, to be a wife and mother and to rest.

Dion said she did not plan to see John or any other Las Vegas shows.

"I prefer to stay home, in my pajamas," she said.

However, later we ran into Dion's husband, Rene Angelil, on the Caesars casino floor. He said that he and his wife were big fans of John and would make every effort to see The Red Piano shows, which John debuts Feb. 13.

Dion was distinctly pro-Las Vegas in her remarks to a power crowd at the gala dinner and to VegasBeat before and after the show.

"We're very proud to make Las Vegas our home," she said to a packed Palace Ballroom after accepting her award.

And when we say it was a power crowd, that is no exaggeration. Among those applauding Dion were Daniel Van Epp, president of the Howard Hughes Corp.; Harrah's honchos Jan Jones and Claudine Williams; Wells Fargo President Kirk Clausen; Maj. Gen. Stephen Wood, commander of Nellis Air Force Base; Larry Ruvo; Sandy and Roger Peltyn; Dr. Paul Stewart; former Sen. Richard Bryan; VEGAS mag Publisher Michael Carr; developer Ron Boedekker; state Controller Kathy Augustine; Vegas.com Prez Howard Lefkowitz; Frank Fertitta; Drs. Parvin and Ted Jacobs; Cartier CEO Stanislas de Quercize; Nevada Ballet Theatre boss Nancy Houssels and artistic director Bruce Stievel; Carolyn Sparks; and Caesars Palace President Mark Juliano, whose wife, Jacquel ine, was the evening's honorary chairwoman.

The most entertaining segment of the evening was Clint Holmes doing a "West Side Story" medley while seated with Dion onstage.

Also, Holmes and Sheena Easton sang a killer rendition of "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" kid crooner Billy ("One Voice") Gilman sang his hit and Neil Sedaka sang some of his old hits.

Fellow entertainers in the crowd enjoying the show were Vera and Robert Goulet, Phyllis McGuire, Jill and Tony Curtis and Pat Morita.

Taking a third

Angelil and Dion's son, Rene-Charles, turned 3 on Sunday and they are celebrating his birthday today.

"At his age, he doesn't really mind what day it is celebrated," Dion said. A party at a local Chuck E. Cheese is on the agenda, with a Bob the Builder theme.

Angelil and Dion also said they were researching schools for their son to attend in the fall.

Staying power?

Will Dion stay beyond her three-year commitment to Caesars?

First, she said, she'll see if Caesars asks her to continue. That seems like a no-brainer, as she sells out The Colosseum five nights per week and was rated by Billboard as the second-largest-grossing act in the nation in 2003.

"We're not bored here, or with the show," she said.

Dion also might be in Las Vegas to welcome in another child. She said she and Angelil might give it a try.

"And I quite like it when we give it a try," she cracked.

Award ... she wrote

Plans are already being made for next year's NBT "Woman of the Year" dinner. It has asked Angela Lansbury about her availability.

Dress to impress

Maybe we've watched too much Joan Rivers on the red carpet, but the first question we asked Dion at a private reception in the Forum Tower penthouse at the start of the evening, was, "Who are you wearing?"

In her short black dress, simple slingback shoes and matching diamond earrings and necklace, Dion looked absolutely stunning when she entered the palatial suite to meet guests who had shelled out $25,000 for the privilege.

"It is Chanel," she told VegasBeat, waving her hand across her dress. "But that is only because Cartier doesn't make clothes. But (it) did make these," she said, pointing to her $30,000 Asian Wish necklace and matching $25,000 earrings.

New Holmes

Holmes was the star of the show, but even he would agree there were at least two equally -- if not more so -- talented people in the room at the opening of his spectacular new Harrah's show on Friday night.

One was Holmes' mother, Audrey Holmes, 88. She is an opera singer and absolutely destroyed the crowd when she belted out a few bars at her son's prodding.

The other star was Holmes' musical director, Bill Fayne -- also a classically trained opera singer. He, too, earned a thunderous round of applause after he sang.

Also, how did Las Vegas TV news go off on Friday night? Holmes' audience was rife with television faces, including Casey Smith, Ron Futrell, Nate Tannenbaum, Janine Gil, Polly Gonzalez, Ben Correa, Colleen May, Alicia Jacobs and Heidi Hayes.

Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt was at a snug center booth, sitting next to radio host Dennis Bono.

Congratulating Holmes at the afterparty at The Range Steakhouse: Bernie Yuman, Robin Leach, Kelly Clinton, Ruby Mazur, Mac King, Marlene Ricci, Jeff Beacher, Frank Marino, Lance Burton, The Scintas, Curtis, McGuire, Williams and Harrah's General Manager Tom Jenkin.

VegasBits

"View"-er: Star Jones was at Dion's "A New Day ... " performance Friday night ...

Racers: TV host and former Oprah Winfrey sidekick Dr. Phil McGraw supped with his son and four others at Charlie Palmer Steak (Four Seasons) on Saturday night. Early Sunday, Dr, Phil was out at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway participating in the Richard Petty Driving Experience. NASCAR star Jeff Gordon was on hand to offer some tips. Part of their day was videotaped, to be shown on Dr. Phil's show next month ...

Fox-ers in the house: "Married With Children" star David Faustino and "Beverly Hills 90201" alum Tiffani-Amber Thiessen both made the scene at Rain (Palms) on Saturday night.

From Sun wires

Walters to step down: Barbara Walters, who has interviewed scores of the famous and infamous in a legendary television career, said Sunday she will step down this fall as host of the ABC newsmagazine "20/20" after 25 years.

Walters, 74, will do about six interview specials a year for ABC News, including her annual pre-Oscar show. She'll also stay as executive producer and co-host of the daytime talk show "The View."

Gates to be knighted: Britain will give an honorary knighthood to Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates in recognition of his contribution to enterprise in Britain, the government said today.

Because he is not a British citizen, Gates, 48, cannot use "Sir" in front of his name, but he can put the letters KBE after his name. The initials stand for Knight Commander of the British Empire.