Robin Leach

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'Fantasy' star fights to keep kids and return to Luxor show: Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009; “I was devastated. I can’t let my life be crushed and ruined, but I thought it was over. I feel like I am in a living nightmare.” That’s how Fantasy star and former Baywatch beauty Angelica Bridges described the emotional roller coaster she’s been on the past 48 hours.
Siegfried & Roy to attend weekend charity dinner: Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009; It’s the return to magic that some said would never happen. Even the surgeons and medical specialists said illusionist Roy Horn had died, not once, but three times, on the operating table.
'La Cage' to end two decade run at Riviera: Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009; On Monday night, the cast and crew of the female impersonator show "Evening at La Cage" at the Riviera were notified by owner Norbert Aleman that he regrettably was being forced to shut down the long-running production.
Siegfried & Roy reunion performance scheduled for '20/20' special: Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2009; More than five years after last appearing onstage at The Mirage, Siegfried & Roy are in rehearsals for their much-anticipated reunion and farewell performance. An official announcement is expected that the legendary illusionists will appear in a special hourlong, prime-time installment of the ABC News program “20/20,” to be recorded live at the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute’s Keep Memory Alive “Power of Love” benefit gala, scheduled for Feb. 28 at the Bellagio.
Roy Horn defies doctor’s orders and takes part in annual Santa race: Robin Leach participates in the walk with famed Las Vegas illusionist; Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008; Not only did injured illusionist Roy Horn defy his doctor’s orders twice, but he also doubled the distance he walked over last year in today’s Great Santa Run in downtown Las Vegas
STRIP SCRIBBLES: Biden’s family picks pasta and parmignon: Monday, Oct. 27, 2008; *Tattooed chef and DJ Steve Martorano played host to Sen. Joe Biden’s family when they visited Café Martorano at the Rio for the best Italian food from Philadelphia. I was enjoying the new menu and tackling the eggplant, mozzarella, tomato tower stacks when the Democratic vice president nominee’s son Hunter along with the senator’s younger brother, Frank, popped in for pasta, pepperoni and parmignon -– and everybody was so KO’d with the fabulous food they even posed for this exclusive Luxe Life photo!
Inside Angel’s crammed diary as Believe Countdown reaches Day 7: Friday, Oct. 24, 2008; There are just seven days left on our countdown to Criss Angel’s world premiere of his new Cirque du Soleil Believe magical mystery show at the Luxor. Just how much work goes into a $100-million production as it gets ready to be unveiled to the theater-going crowds? Just how fit does the star have to keep himself for the rigorous twice-nightly performances?
Holly reveals Halloween secret as Angel Believe countdown reaches Day 8: Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008; It’s definite -- and it’s exclusive news on Day 8 of our Criss Angel countdown! Girls Next Door star Holly Madison will be back for his world premiere Believe show next Friday on Halloween! She’ll walk the red carpet at the Luxor with her Playboy co-star Bridget Marquardt as her “date” -- before joining Criss after the show at his celebration party! Holly herself told me the news when I joined her on the outdoor patio at the new LAVO restaurant in the Palazzo after her dinner with Palms hotel tycoon George Maloof -– and before she went off to meet up with Criss after one of his preview performances
Criss Countdown – Day 9: Tickets selling as well as Love, new illusion added to finale: Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008; Day 9 of our countdown, and we can accurately report that ticket sales for Mindfreak magician Criss Angel’s new Believe show are selling equal to the rival blockbuster Cirque du Soleil/Beatles show, Love spectacle at The Mirage -– and ahead of the competing KA stunner at MGM Grand Grand.
Criss & Holly back together, spotted at Cathouse: Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008; Magician Criss Angel and Hugh Hefner's former No. 1 galpal, Holly Madison, were back together again early this morning (Tuesday). It was a late-night pre-dawn reunion at the Cathouse lounge in the Luxor where the Mindfreak star has the world premiere of his new Cirque du Soleil show Believe in 10-days time! CLICK HERE for our daily countdown to the Oct. 31 opening.
Criss Countdown — Day 10: Believe performance features a true hangout for Angel: Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008; Our Criss Angel countdown begins today. There are now just 10 days to go before the October 31 world premiere- and every day as our countdown clock ticks closer to Halloween Eve we’ll have one more fascinating story to report. Here’s our first: Twice-nightly during each performance of Believe, the Mindfreak magician faces a highly dangerous unknown. It’s not a trick. It’s not an illusion. It’s a century-old Houdini escape that requires the skill of a superb stuntman! Criss is trapped into a straightjacket, and then hoisted out over the audience until he’s hanging upside down 60-foot directly above them in the middle of the Luxor Theater.
More injuries for Dancing With the Stars cast revealed at celebrity-studded party: Monday, Oct. 20, 2008; op-prince Lance Bass should have walked the red-carpet at the Blush boutique nightclub -- but instead, the Dancing with the Stars contestant was in a hospital emergency room being treated for a windpipe injury sustained in a kickboxing accident. DWTS co-host Samantha Harris gave me the exclusive news at the first anniversary celebration party of the boutique Wynn nightclub hosted by Dom Perignon champagne and Esquire magazine.
Strip Scribbles: DJ AM recovering, tonight’s tip: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008; *LAX nightclub partner Adam Goldstein – DJ AM – is really back on recovery road after his escape from a fiery plane crash. He returns to the stage for the first time tonight after the burn center treatments when he opens for hip-hop mogul Jay-Z’s launch tour at the Hollywood Palladium. Adam will open for Jay-Z at a number of unspecified gigs on the multi-city tour.
Robin Leach:Luxe Life: What's your story? If you are a celebrity in Vegas, Robin Leach wants to know.; Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008; *LAX nightclub partner Adam Goldstein – DJ AM – is really back on recovery road after his escape from a fiery plane crash. He returns to the stage for the first time tonight after the burn center treatments when he opens for hip-hop mogul Jay-Z’s launch tour at the Hollywood Palladium. Adam will open for Jay-Z at a number of unspecified gigs on the multi-city tour.
Playboy Mansion scandal revealed: Holly admits she didn’t run security check on twin replacement, spills secrets about Mindfreak magician dates: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008; Girls Next Door star Holly Madison wants former boyfriend, Hugh Hefner, to do all the talking about their recent split -– and her decision to leave the Playboy Mansion for her own condo. However, she did confirm that she would still be showing up in the next season of their hit TV reality series.
Sneak preview of new Hard Rock lounge grabs the governor: Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008; With Nevada's fiscal picture in freefall and looking darker by the moment, our divorce-fraught Gov. Jim Gibbons has been burning the midnight oil, including at nightclubs here on the Strip! First, he was up-close to the octagon when he hit the $800-a-ticket celebrity zone of the UFC fight at Mandalay Bay and then turned up at Tao nightclub’s dance floor in the Venetian.
J-Lo gets married again and Celine Dion grabs a Strip vacation: Monday, Oct. 13, 2008; Actress-singer Jennifer Lopez brought singer husband Marc Anthony to Vegas to celebrate his 40th birthday -- and they wound up renewing their marriage vows in a 3:15 a.m. exchange of vows in their penthouse suite at Caesars Palace.
Hef says procreation problems led to breakup with Holly, rebounding with Playboy ‘twin-pack’: Friday, Oct. 10, 2008; Playboy king Hugh Hefner might have saved his now-busted seven-year relationship with Girls Next Door favorite Holly Madison -- if she’d become pregnant. In officially confirming his split with the 28-year-old blond beauty, he admitted yesterday (Thursday): “We tried to have a baby earlier this year and it didn’t work out. She became very depressed, because although I planned to spend the rest of my life with her I wasn’t going to get married again.”
Carey celebrates Cannon’s birthday bash: Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008; Pop's reigning royal showbiz couple, Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon, were still rocking early this morning at PURE nightclub in Caesars Palace. Luxe Life has the first red-carpet arrivals of the happy twosome from our through-the night photographers Scott Doctor and Erik Kabik.
Holly says she’s lonely after splitting from Hef: Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008; Hugh Hefner, 82 and his 28-year-old longtime girlfriend, Holly Madison have called it quits -- and the blonde bombshell who stars on Girls Next Door confirmed it late yesterday on her My Space blog. Luxe Life had reported early yesterday that she'd first revealed the bust-up on Monday night while being stalked by paparazzi cameramen at a Hollywood restaurant.
Holly and Hef are ‘no longer’ she says: Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008; Girls Next Door star Holly Madison admitted late last night (Monday) that she and 82-year-old Hugh Hefner have apparently called it quits. The 28-year-old blond beauty who has been recently linked with Mindfreak magician Criss Angel here in Vegas, was "ambushed" by paparazzi video and still cameras as she left a Los Angeles restaurant. She was out with two friends for dinner and didn't celebrate Hef's second-year anniversary of his Palms Playboy club here.
Angel talks with preview audiences about the ongoing changes at Believe as Halloween approaches: Friday, Oct. 3, 2008; Each night of previews -– I repeat, previews -- for Criss Angel’s new Cirque du Soleil Believe show see new illusions being added and perfected with adjustments to the running times of the woven scenes. The last few days have seen distorted and misunderstood reports about the illusion driven show and Criss has gone on record admitting that the previews are a challenging and necessary difficult part of the production process. He’s also firmly convinced that it will be 100 percent ready for its proper and full Halloween premiere!
Angel fans, Luxor execs on Cloud 9, too: Monday, Sept. 29, 2008; After the debut preview performance of Criss Angel’s new Believe show I wrote a report on the first-night crush of fans.
Angel on “Cloud 9” as Believe opens to staggering sales: Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008; Tickets for Mindfreak magician Criss Angel’s new live show are “disappearing” even faster than some of the incredible illusions he performs. Cirque du Soleil officials told me at the Luxor last night (Friday) as the curtain went up on the very first preview of Believe that they’ve sold a mind-boggling $5-million worth of tickets right out of the gate!
After all these years, Donny & Marie suitably entertaining: Friday, Sept. 26, 2008; You know how there are Stones people and Beatles people? Letterman people and Leno people? There was a time, many years ago, when the world was divided between Osmond people and Jackson 5 people. I was with the Jackson 5 people; I could not stand the Osmonds. The reason I was with the Jackson 5, why I would have been happy to kink my hair into a Tito-esque Afro if not for the cost, was because the Jackson 5 were far more fun/cool than the Osmonds.
Believe it: Angel-Madison pairing might have left Hef out: Friday, Sept. 26, 2008; Criss Angel’s back-to-back weekend Vegas nightclub dates this month with Hugh Hefner’s No. 1 Girl Next Door may have triggered a “broken romance” for the Playboy King – and accelerated “crashed dreams” of a wedding for blonde bombshell Holly Madison. Whatever has happened has certainly created dramatic changes in the lives of them all.
Tonight’s tips on the Strip: Minus 5, Foo Fighters: Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008; It’s the cool opening day for the Minus 5 "winter wonderland" lounge at Mandalay Place, where everything is made from ice, so go and chill out....
Strip Scribbles: Events this weekend in Vegas: Friday, Sept. 19, 2008; *Former NFL superstar linebacker turned movie actor Brian Bosworth dined at the swank Dos Caminos mod-Mex restaurant in the Palazzo and talked about a new slot machine he’s making and promoting. The former University of Oklahoma and Seattle Seahawks sports great was with singer Anita Bryant’s husband, Charlie Dry, from Oklahoma, who is involved in gaming interests there. They told me the new slot machine will be unveiled early next year and it shows the often radical-hairstyled Brian at full-speed on the field.
Exclusive: Backstage interview with Criss Angel as Believe is moved to Halloween: Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008; It’s just two days after Cirque du Soleil officially moved the opening of Mindfreak magician Criss Angel’s show back to a definite Halloween Eve premiere on Oct. 31. I sit in the star’s dressing room backstage at the new Luxor theater. Criss is stretched out on the floor, having just eaten a small filet mignon and vegetable dinner after rehearsals. He has an hour before a massage and another full run-through of the new Believe show. He’s relaxed, in a fun mood and fully at ease revealing for the very first time secrets of the new $150-million illusions. He promises later to give me a full backstage tour, and to introduce some of the cast and show me the costumes. He moves to sit side by side with me on his leather couch -and my tape recorder is switched on:
Hating magic shows, Believe director Denoncourt took on ambitious Angel-Cirque project: Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008; Serge Denoncourt is Believe’s co-writer and director, and although he has 80 major productions on his resume, at age 18 he was planning on a medical career. But then he decided to audition for a college theater program, was accepted and on his 1983 graduation decided to become an actor. Four years later he directed his first piece and from that point on he was cooked on the behind-the-scenes creativity and challenges.
Exclusive: Angel’s new TV contract signed, sealed – and will be delivered: Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008; “Loyal” fans of Mindfreak magician Criss Angel can breathe a deep sigh of relief. Luxe Life has officially learned and exclusively confirmed that the illusionist has had his top-rated A&E cable show renewed by network executives.
Exclusive: Believe previews extended, opening now set for Halloween: Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008; Luxe Life can officially confirm that the Cirque du Soleil $150-million Criss Angel spectacular Believe has moved its gala premiere to Halloween, Oct. 31. Previews will go ahead to start Sept. 26 as we reported after a third staging delay moved the originally hoped-for August dates. The premiere had been reset for Oct. 10 last time around.
Star Survelliance: Kittens settle into Cathouse: Friday, Sept. 12, 2008; *Hef’s favorite Girl Next Door beauty, Holly Madison, was sipping champagne with Playmate of the Year Sara Underwood at Kerry Simon’s CatHouse restaurant and club in the Luxor.
Star Surveillance: Alice Cooper plays at SushiSamba: Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008; Rocker Alice Cooper treated members of his band to a “birthday”-styled party at the new SushiSamba hotspot in the Palazzo –- and members of the Skid Row group joined the party for Latin American-Japanese food treats followed by mojitos and caipirinha and saketinis in the adjoining SugarCane ultra lounge. ….
Dancing With the Stars hero parties with Olympic medal winner; first photos of star fashions: Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008; It was an all-star turnout at Tryst, the Steve Wynn nightclub, when pro dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy from Dancing with the Stars partied with a glittering crowd, including Tim Hutton, an Olympic silver medal winner in Beijing, as a member of the United States Olympic water polo team. Maks has been choreographing new routines being added to the Franco Dragone "Le Reve" water-themed spectacular at the Wynn Las Vegas. He posed for photos with fans, including cocktail server Angie Feliciano.
Star Surveillance: Montel shuffles into Hard Rock Hotel: Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008; Television talk show host Montel Williams took time out on his Vegas visit to play poker at the new hedonistic ultra-luxurious Poker Lounge at the Hard Rock Hotel …
Gossip grab bag: Britney to open VMAs, Criss Angel scores big, David Spade becomes ‘daddy’: Friday, Sept. 5, 2008; Exactly as Luxe Life revealed more than a week ago, pop-princess Britney Spears begins her career comeback Sunday night when she kicks off the MTV Video Music Awards live from Los Angeles. It's exactly a year ago that she experienced a dramatic meltdown and wrecked her own performance at the VMAs, which were broadcast here from the Palms. Britney, who vacationed here last week at the Mirage on the anniversary of the disastrous show, won’t be dancing or singing this time around. Britney is nominated this year for Best Female Video, Best Pop Video and Video of the Year for "Piece of Me." She’s previously been nominated 16 times but never has won a Moonman award.
Strip Scribbles and weekend events in Las Vegas: Friday, Sept. 5, 2008; * Singer and music producer Akon was at the Hard Rock to introduce his new artist, Asher Roth, who gave an exclusive debut performance in the Body English nightclub party. Akon joined in for a few songs, which had the crazed crowd burst into cheers and applause. Afterward, Akon and Asher invited guests up into the Octagon area for photos with the duo for an hour. Earlier, Akon and Lady Gaga surprised the poolside revelers when they hit the stage performing Lady Gaga’s hit "Just Dance" and Akon’s hits "Locked Up" and "Dangerous." Kip Winger, of the American metal/hard rock band Winger was at Carey Hart’s Wasted Space lounge and he grabbed the mic for yet another surprise performance.
Charlie Sheen celebrates a birthday, Criss Angel seen with Holly Madison — again — as stars party: Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008; The nightlife experts who have propelled Tao at the Venetian into the nation’s largest grossing nightclub and restaurant operation are about to launch their newest amazing entertainment attraction. Lavo will open in the neighboring Palazzo resort on Saturday next week, but already it's been invaded by a slew of celebrities. When I was there for the “soft-opening shakedowns,” I spotted actor Adrian Brody, party actress Tara Reid and gossip blogger Perez Hilton. On my way out, in came Paris Hilton with Benji Madden, Nicky Hilton with David Katzenberg, Wilmer Valderrama with Michelle Rodriguez, singer Katy Perry, actress Christina Milian, nightclub queen Amy Sacco, movie mogul Brett Ratner, rocker Deryck Whibley, comic Marlon Wayans and basketball great Lamar Odem. Now this was an ordinary night and there was no red carpet.
Will Hef marry Holly or is she making magic with Criss Angel?: Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008; Secret plans are underway for "a wedding in the Playboy mansion" on the new next season of Girls Next Door but mystery swirls around just who is getting married. Naturally the assumption is that Hef himself will tie the knot with longtime galpal Holly Madison, who became No. 1 in the three-pack of beauties who make up the headline stars of the MTV series.
Strip Scribbles and highlights for the holiday weekend: Friday, Aug. 29, 2008; *Congratulations to our beloved hometown hero, Tony Curtis, who was honored this week by the Turner Classic Movies cable channel with a 24-hour marathon of his more than 100 movies, including The Defiant Ones, which won him a 1959 Academy Award nomination. It's all part of his 83rd birthday celebrations, which will see his "American Prince Memoir" being published in mid-October. It's been a two-year collaboration with respected sports author Peter Golenbock, and Tony is hoping that he’ll be able to visit Budapest, Hungary, where his parents grew up, when he makes the European leg of a book-signing tour in London at Harrods famed department store, and Paris. He’ll also be signing copies here, New York and San Francisco.
A magician with a mission, Jeff McBride opens first close-up ultra lounge: Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008; It's one of the most stunning and incredible illusions you can imagine. Acclaimed magician Jeff McBride rolls up his sleeves to his shoulders to prove there is absolutely nothing there at all. Then hundreds of playing cards individually appear from his fingertips, pour from his mouth and race from his arms and elbows. He then flicks them at Guinness Book of World Records speed so fast they actually bounce off the floor and land perfectly in a pile 30 feet away. It's not just mind-boggling -- it's mind-numbing.
Star Surveillance Partridge rolls into Social House: Monday, Aug. 18, 2008; Another reality star called Vegas home for another 48-hours. Hills hottie Audrina Patridge from MTV hit the Social House Asian-themed restaurant at TI. She and friends dined on the patio ordering up assorted sushi rolls, kobe sliders and sake. They then all enjoyed late night Grey Goose vodka cocktails at the Mist bar and lounge while at TI. Next night she played hostess there at the new Christian Audigier nightclub … A-list actor Leonardo DiCaprio feasted at Brand Steakhouse at the Monte Carlo resort casino. He sampled almost every item on the menu ranging from the king crab scampi, Kobe beef carpaccio, the sea bass, the salmon, a filet migon to a veal chop plus almost every side dish imaginable including the lobster mash potatoes, asparagus and lobster bisque soup. There was no explanation at all for the gargantuan meal but more amazing was that he still had room for the baked alaska for dessert! … Playboy cover model Sara Stokes celebrated the release of Playboy's August issue with her own party at Torrid in the Hawaiian Tropic Zone at Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile. Sara happily autographed copies of her latest cover and posed for photos with fans ...
Star Surveillance: Garrett Stacked at Mirage; View is Good at Bare Pool: Monday, Aug. 18, 2008; A regular customer, comedian Brad Garrett, returned to the Stack restaurant in The Mirage yet again for his favorite signature items on the menu …Actress Megan Good basked in the sun at the Bare Pool Lounge in the Mirage, joining Janelle Perry and Kamela Brewer from the hit TV show Sunset Tan. Watching the action at the topless optional pool while chilling on the VIP deck was superstar Leonardo DiCapario …
Strip scribbles: Vegas calendar shoot, Criss Angel grabs ratings: Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008; * Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is such an avid fan of Vegas that he approved his sexy team of dancers to shoot their annual calendar here. It was three intensive days of shooting, and Luxe Life had the first exclusive look at the gorgeous ladies on location. They also hosted Jet nightclub’s first annual Club Bling Ball at the Mirage after dining next door at Stack restaurant and bar. Joining the dancers, who put on their own shaking "groove thing" in the VIP booths, was New York Knicks basketball star Stephon Marbury -- all enjoying the Moet Chandon champagne into the wee hours.
No life-threatening stunts, but Angel ready to fly into the danger zone in Believe: Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2008; Even before Mindfreak magician Criss Angel escaped from the dynamited building in Florida last week, he’d promised his mom that he wouldn’t risk his life any further on death defying stunts! Well, that, too may have been a magical trick because Luxe Life has learned there will still be dangerous illusions in his new Believe show that launches for Cirque du Soleil this fall at the Luxor.
Exclusive interview with Criss Angel moments after miracle escape: Thursday, July 31, 2008; Minutes after his amazing unorthodox escape fraught with unexpected dangers and difficulties, Mindfreak magician Criss Angel told me: “I had no desire to die. I will never forget the worst moment of this escape -- and it's something I will never want to discuss -- but for the first time fear took over the adrenaline. I had trained so hard for this demonstration. I was physically, mentally and spiritually ready, but also knew anything could go wrong. We were live in full view of everybody -- and things did go wrong. But the magic is that I got out alive from an imploding building. Failure was not an option as I told you earlier."
Criss Angel has 210 seconds to escape before dynamite explosion: Wednesday, July 30, 2008; A major storm is apparently moving into the Clearwater, Fla., area this afternoon. Police have notified members of the media that they will be moved from a 300-feet safety zone back another 200 feet as an additional precaution from falling debris. The explosion will go ahead as planned despite expected heavy downpours, thunder and lightening -- even though it may cause additional problems for the stunt helicopter pilot waiting above the rooftop for the illusionist.
90210 star among celebs taking celebrations to the Strip: Wednesday, July 30, 2008; It was a double celebration for Hollywood newcomer AnnaLynne McCord on her visit to Vegas. She celebrated her 21st birthday at the hot nightclub Pure in Caesars Palace -- and also the great news that she’s joining the cast of the new Beverly Hills, 90210 series.
Tonight’s tip on the Strip: Tuesday, July 29, 2008; Dripping in bling, rapper Doug E. Fresh will star and sing at VH1 hip-hop honoree Mr. Freeze’s “influence” party at Studio 54 in MGM Grand … We are the Arsenal and So Long Davey! perform at Revolution in the Mirage … Black Violin will show classical instruments can be hip-hop, too, at Blush boutique nightclub in the Wynn … I’m betting that Palms hotel tycoon George Maloof won’t call it quits with the Duck Finale party at his new Palms Place pool deck. Its been such a success with visiting VIPs like Jamie Foxx and Samantha Ronson he just has to continue duck-hunting pool parties through August!