All-star Strip lineup turns out for Mike Huckabee’s Fox News shows

Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

Wayne Newton and Kathleen Newton at the grand opening of his Once Before I Go at the Tropicana on Oct. 28, 2009.

By Robin Leach (contact)

Thursday, May 20, 2010 | 11:39 a.m.

Mike Huckabee

Mike Huckabee.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who might well make another presidential run in 2012, hosts two Fox News TV specials being taped today at The Venetian Showroom, and an all-star Strip lineup is turning out for them.

As of last night, confirmed guests include Harrah’s headliner Rita Rudner; Wayne Newton, who has returned from filming in Maine; The Mirage headliner Terry Fator; Monte Carlo impressionist Frank Caliendo; the casts of Phantom -- Las Vegas Spectacular and Jersey Boys; Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons; and The Venetian/Palazzo Chairman Sheldon Adelson.

I will do on-camera introductions for both shows and sit on a panel with Rita and Terry to discuss the Las Vegas economy and how we will rebound. We’ll also record an audience Q&A with Mike as the moderator. I’m told the producers and the governor himself have been following Vegas DeLuxe for the past month, and you’ll see a screen shot of our daily site on the show.

The two 60-minute shows will air in weekend primetime slots worldwide next month. With the same number of viewers as Oprah -- more than 4 million -- Mike has consistently been the No. 1 weekend news channel show on all networks since it began more than 18 months ago. While staying here at The Venetian, he watched Terry’s show at The Mirage and dressed up as Cher in a sketch where Terry sings as Sonny and Cher!

My old pal legendary TV producer Woody Frazer from Good Morning America and Entertainment Tonight when I worked there for its first three years told me: “The concept of the show is to have civil, thoughtful conversations with newsmakers, opinion leaders and advocates. Serious topics are discussed, but Gov. Huckabee seeks to inject humor into the program.

“He’s welcomed such guests as Jon Voight, Oliver Stone, Dan Rather, Kelsey Grammer, Willie Nelson and Michelle Obama. His approach to the interview is to treat his guests as he would wish to be treated and to engage in an in-depth discussion with his guests while showing the respect a guest should be afforded.”

We’ll have a full behind-the-scenes photo feature and interview with Mike in our report right here at Vegas DeLuxe tomorrow.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.