Scott Harrison / Retna
Paris Hilton at the Maxim Hometown Hotties finalists’ party at Wasted Space on Aug. 29.
Monday, Aug. 31, 2009 | 6:38 a.m.
Paris Hilton and Doug Reinhardt at Wasted Space on Aug. 29 during the Maxim's Hometown Hotties party.
Jason Priestley and his wife, Naomi, were at Tabu at MGM Mirage on Aug. 28 for Priestley's 40th birthday party.
Shannon Elizabeth hosts a NFL Fantasy SuperDraft party at LAX on Friday, Aug. 28, 2009.
"Beverly Hills 90210" actress Anna Lynne McCord hosted at Wet Republic at MGM Grand on Aug. 30, 2009.
"Jon and Kate Plus 8" father figure Jon Gosselin at Wet Republic on Saturday Aug. 29.
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Stacy Keibler July 27, 2009, at Tabu Ultra Lounge in MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Actress Kathy Kinney played Mimi Bobeck on "The Drew Carey Show" for nine years.
What looked like a relatively-quiet pre-Labor Day Weekend turned out to be anything but subdued.
Stacy Keibler kicked things off Thursday night at Jet by hosting the kickoff of Fantasy Football SuperDraft Weekend in Las Vegas.
Shannon Elizabeth kept the fantasy alive the following night at LAX while her fellow Fantasy Footfall femme Molly Sims added to the steam of dream girls on Saturday at Pure.
Flo Rida and Gary “Baba-Booey” Dell’Abate of “The Howard Stern Show” were also there on Saturday night.
Elizabeth was there, too, and put in a repeat SuperDraft appearance.
"Friday Night Lights" star, Scott Porter, was also in Las Vegas this weekend and was first spotted on Friday in the audience during the 10:30 p.m. performance of "Peepshow" at Planet Hollywood.
Roger Clemens was also at PH on Friday, and had dinner at Striphouse. Piers Morgan and Mickey Avalon were also at the restaurant that night.
"Beverly Hills 90210" fans got both a throw-back and a reality check on Friday when one of the show's stars, Jason Priestley, turned 40. The former heart throb celebrated the milestone birthday with a party at Tabú Ultra Lounge at MGM Grand.
Joining the former star at his party were his wife, Naomi, his parents, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" actress Kristy Swanson and "CSI: Miami" actor Max Martini
Another, far younger “90210” star, Annalynne McCord was also in town this weekend. The so-called “90210” new class actress hosted Wet Republic’s Daylife Sundays pool party on – you guessed it – Sunday.
Friday night saw an ensemble cast of so-called “improv all-stars” at The Mirage. Part “Drew Carey Show,” part “Whose Line is it, Anyway?” the lineup was Drew Carey, Kathy Kinney, Ryan Stiles, Chip Esten, Jeff Davis, Sean Masterson, Julie Larson and Laura Hall.
While Carey needs no memory-jogging or explanation, Kinney played “Mimi” on “The Drew Carey Show”; Stiles had roles on both of Carey’s previous projects; Esten, Davis, and Hall appeared on “Whose Line" and Masterson and Larson had a guest spots on “The Drew Carey Show.”
Carey got a jump-start to his Las Vegas weekend Thursday night with an impromptu performance at the Ovation lounge at Green Valley Ranch. Carey was in the audience at the Lon Bronson All-Star Band show when he decided to go up onstage. The "Price is Right" host took center stage to sing backup as the band performed the Monkees' 1966 hit, "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone."
The following night, Carey's rag-tag crew of comedians performed the first of two totally-scheduled 10 p.m. shows in the Terry Fator Theater at the Mirage.
Also on Friday, retired New York Knicks player-turned-children’s charity champion, Jerome “JYD” Williams, hosted a fundraiser kickoff party at the Hard Rock Hotel.
The event was the first of a handful of charitable function JYD helped organize this weekend in support of local Boy Scouts of America, After School All-Stars, The Center at UNLV and the Make-A-Wish-Foundation.
The fundraising action continued on Saturday with a car show at South Point Casino and collection of star-studded rally car drives.
In addition to JYD himself, other guests expected at Friday night’s pole position party included Golden State Warrior point guard CJ Watson; Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Dave Riske; former Toronto Raptor and Chicago Bull, Chris Jefferies; and retired New Jersey Net and Dallas Maverick, Ed O’Bannon.
Also at the Hard Rock on Friday, New York-based metal vets Dream Theater hit The Joint while P-Funk legend, George Clinton brought his soul-flavored psychedelic rock to the hotel’s poolside “Friday Night Live” concert series.
Clinton hit the casino floor after the show and reportedly tried his luck at both roulette and slot machines before calling it a night.
TV's "One Tree Hill" star Chad Michael Murray was also in town this weekend and celebrated his 28th birthday on Friday at Tao with a group of friends, which included his girlfriend, Kenzie Dalton.
The party enjoyed a range of the bistro's specialties, including sea bass, lobster wontons, yellowtail jalapeno, and spicy shrimp rolls, before moving the party upstairs to the nightclub.
Also at Tao on Friday were Ryan McPartlin ("Chuck") and Thad Luckinbill ("The Young and the Restless"). The small-screen stars and a handful of male friends had dinner in the main dining room before heading upstairs where they partied in a VIP skybox.
Murray, McPartlin and Luckinbill returned to Tao the following afternoon when they reemerged on the roof to catch some rays at Tao Beach.
Murray had dinner next door, at Lavo, later that night. The actor blew the candles out on a special birthday cake, then kept the birthday celebrations going in the second-floor nightclub.
Meanwhile, McPartlin stopped by First Food and Bar on Saturday night and had some of the restaurant's semi-famous, mini-donuts as a late night snack.
Mickey Avalon returned to Privé once again for a yet another night of so-called “hip hop and debauchery” on Friday after his previously-mentioned dinner at Striphouse.
Privé’s other go-to guests, Dirt Nasty, Andre Legacy and Andy Milonakis were at the beleaguered Planet Hollywood nightspot on the following night. (The club’s fifth and final unofficial resident guest, Jermaine Dupri, had the weekend off, apparently, but will be back on Friday.)
Paris Hilton was also at Privé on Saturday as part of a double-duty night of partying in Las Vegas. The socialite first stopped by Wasted Space at the Hard Rock, where she and boyfriend Doug Reinhardt celebrated with the Maxim Hometown Hotties finalists. The reality starlet and heiress then headed over to PH where she danced atop the DJ booth.
Scott Porter returned to Planet Hollywood on Saturday and joined Hilton and the others at Privé as he celebrated his 30th birthday.
Another star celebrating a birthday on Saturday – or would have celebrated a birthday tomorrow – was fallen music icon Michael Jackson. Though the King of Pop died last month, a range of personalities congregated at the Pearl to mark what would have been MJ's 51st birthday.
Local acts including Terry Fator, Human Nature, members of “Jersey Boys,” Holly Madison and the cast of “Peepshow,” “Phantom” performers and the Sirens of TI participated in the charity event.
Earlier that day, “Jon & Kate Plus 8” patriarch Jon Gosselin served as the summer’s most curious and controversial pool party host at Wet Republic.
Gosselin further tarnished his reputation and relationship with the press that afternoon and refused to give any interviews.
As the scandalous reality show father figure heated things up at MGM Grand, Kanye West’s girlfriend, gutsy and gorgeous Ford model Amber Rose, heated things up in a very different (and far sexier) way at Tao Beach.
Also seen soaking up some rays at Tao Beach that afternoon was Sacramento Kings forward Kenny Thomas.
While Rose lounged in a cabana and nibbled on sushi and other snacks with her brother, Antonio Hewlett, she was surprised later that afternoon when her superstar boyfriend appeared.
West wasn't expected at Tao Beach on Saturday but the rapper made a special trip for his hottie's rooftop pool party and flew in for the occasion.
The couple had dinner at Lavo later that night, then checked out the scene at Tao nightclub after dinner, where they had a VIP skybox waiting for them.
Earlier that night, actor Andrew Keegan took in the 7 p.m. show of "Blue Man Group" on Saturday.
Melissa Rivers was also at the show, and was seen with her boyfriend, children, and smart-talking mother, Joan Rivers at First Food and Bar that night.
The group reportedly enjoyed Philly cheesesteak dumplings and burgers before the matriarch joined them for a glass of wine.
The elder Rivers performed in the Venetian Showroom from Thursday through Saturday and will return for a second stint later this week, on Sept. 3 through 5.
"Saturday Night Live" and "30 Rock" funnyman (and once a member of “The Second City Live” at Flamingo Las Vegas), Jason Sudeikis, was also in town this weekend, and was spotted at the late performance of "Peepshow" on Saturday.
Rob Iler, who is perhaps still best known for his role as A.J. Soprano from the notorious HBO series "The Sopranos," was also in Las Vegas this weekend, and was seen having dinner at Yellowtail on Sturday. Joined by a group of friends, the actor hit the Bellagio blackjack tables before hitting The Bank later that night -- and reportedly arrived at the club $500 richer for his efforts.
Meanwhile, countryman Toby Keith put in an appearance off the Strip on Saturday and entertained audiences at Red Rock Resort.
And finally, magician Criss Angel popped by his newly renamed namesake lounge, Criss Angel Liquidity, at Luxor after the late showing of his show, “Believe.” The illusionist was also at Circus-Circus earlier that afternoon, where he signed autographs for fans at his so-called "Mindfreak Superstore."
Angel enjoyed a few shots of Patron and posed for pictures with fans at Liquidity before heading into his go-to nightspot of choice, LAX.
As the weekend came to a close, Angel's fellow Luxor headliner, Carrot Top, was spotted off-site as he enjoyed a round of raging Cajun Mary cocktails at Society Café at Encore with a female friend.
Melissa Arseniuk writes about Las Vegas entertainment and celebrity events. She can be reached at 702-948-7823 or by e-mail at [email protected].
