Red Carpet Report: Gwen Stefani, ‘Drumline Live,’ Benghazi heroes, The Killers, Tinashe
Singer-songwriter and NBC’s “The Voice” coach Gwen Stefani has confirmed that she’ll sing at “The Power of Love” Gala here April 27. The Keep Memory Alive fundraiser for our Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health is honoring tennis champion and Las Vegas resident Andre Agassi and business mogul Ron Perlman this year.
Jon Bon Jovi also will perform at the glittering event, and Gwen is hoping that fiance Blake Shelton will have a break in his “Doing It Country Songs Tour” to jet here for “The Power of Love” fundraiser. Rumors have started that Ron, who owns Revlon, may have the cosmetic giant’s model beauty, Cindy Crawford, as one of his celebrity guests.
BANG THE DRUM
The real star of “Drumline Live” that opens a two-night run at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts tonight is Don Roberts, a high school band director with top credits for a hit movie and stage production. His band at Southwest DeKalb High in Georgia performed at the 1996 Olympic Games and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1997.
It led to the 20th Century Fox film, for which he wrote the precision drills, rehearsed the band and trained actors on instruments. That led to him creating “Drumline Live,” which spotlights top marching band performances from Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country. Don says that although the movie is fun, nothing beats seeing the live performances.
WARM WELCOME
Thousands of furniture folks, from designers to retailers, have jammed World Market Center for the semi-annual Las Vegas Market Week of Winter 2017 that wraps today. Everything from beds, lamps, tables, chairs, glassware and drapes are on display by companies from as far afield as Taiwan, in all 3,700 resources from 1,000 exhibitors on 42 floors of three buildings.
Donny and Marie Osmond’s Home Collection was on display. I was impressed by the Christopher Guy showroom with trademark high-back throne chairs. The Las Vegas designer and manufacturer with stores in Australia, Canada, China, Italy, Dubai, Hong Kong, Mexico, Singapore, Turkey and America has had his furnishings featured in film and television.
During the week, he unveiled his design apps to the public and interior decorators. He told me, “My work is about passion, style and beauty, but, above all, it’s about the love for what I do.” He has the best business card: a mini version of the last airmail letter his mother wrote to him from Bournemouth, England, where my parents lived. Las Vegas Summer Market is July 30-Aug. 3.
STAR SURVEILLANCE
Singer and dancer Tinashe was a surprise guest at Britney Spears’ “Britney: Piece of Me” at Axis at Planet Hollywood on Wednesday. After writhing onstage for “Slumber Party,” the duo, in the third photo, held hands and strutted down the runway together. In the audience: Bravo’s “Vanderpump Rules” stars Stassi Schroeder, Ariana Madix, Brittany Cartwright, Kristen Doute, Scheana Shay and Katie Maloney-Schwartz celebrating Brittany’s birthday.
The Killers, in the second photo, don’t hold grudges. When Jesse Garon, the official Elvis of Las Vegas, owned Art Bar on Main Street Downtown, his employees had to refuse our hometown rockers admittance because they couldn’t produce ID. Jump forward to Wednesday, and the band recruited Jesse to film a promo video with them for a July 8 concert at Hyde Park in London.
Lisa Henson, CEO of The Jim Henson Co., will visit Friday for a luncheon at Las Vegas Country Club to kick off Vegas PBS’ 24/7 kids channel. She also will visit Channel 10 PBS for a Q+A.
John “Tig” Tiegen and Kris “Tanto” Paronto, American heroes from the Benghazi clashes, dined at Andiamo Italian Steakhouse at The D Las Vegas. The men are best known for saving more than 30 American lives in Benghazi during an attack that left four Americans dead.
After dinner and meeting fans, Tig and Tanto joined The D owner Derek Stevens and wife, Nicole Parthum, in the first photo, for drinks at Longbar. While in town, the men also were spotted at Hyde Bellagio with Tyson Beckford. Our thanks for your service!
