Celine Dion performs Sunday at Caesars Palace after an infection caused her to cancel six shows. This Sunday, she'll give her 500th performance of "A New Day," and she'll donate $1 million to local causes. Photo by The Associated Press
Sly Stallone is humbled.
Sugar Ray is about town.
Reba McEntire is back in Vegas.
With a health scare behind her, Celine Dion is thanking her lucky stars as she counts down to her 500th performance of "A New Day" on Sunday at Caesars Palace.
It's an even bigger day for 10 local charities. Dion is donating an anticipated $1 million in ticket revenue to the local causes.
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Dion returned to the Colosseum stage April 26, after missing six shows because of a viral infection that left her with a scary case of vertigo from labyrinthitis.
"The doctor said it could last from a week to six months," her husband-manager Rene Angelil said Thursday. "Luckily, it only lasted a week. She felt like she was rocking in a boat. She's fine now, but they (doctors) scared us."
News of the setback, first reported here Sunday, had far-reaching concerns for Dion's international following. Caesars was bombarded with queries from ticket holders concerned about whether Dion would be able to perform.
Dion said in a statement that she's helping the charities because "the people of Las Vegas have been so good to us since we moved here." She previously made a $1 million-plus donation for victims of the tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.
For information on specially priced tickets for Sunday, call 1-877-4-CELINE or visit www.ticketmaster.com, keyword "Celine Dion."
IN HIS ELEMENT
Sylvester Stallone will be floored tonight.
The creator of the "Rocky" franchise said he's humbled that the Boxing Writers Association of America is presenting him with the first BWAA award for lifetime cinematic achievement in boxing.
He'll be on hand for the organization's 81st annual awards dinner at Mandalay Bay.
"These guys are real purists, very dedicated to their sport, and the fact they see fit to honor the philosophy of 'Rocky' is, well, I don't know a word that wouldn't come off as self-aggrandizing," Stallone said by telephone from Los Angeles.
He's deep into editing his seventh ''Rocky," which comes out in December.
Stallone said he's never been more committed to realism in the ring.
"The only thing fake is me. This is as real as you can get without ending up comatose."
His climactic fight scene with Antonio Tarver was filmed at Mandalay Bay in December during the weekend of the Bernard Hopkins-Jermain Taylor showdown.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Wynn Las Vegas confirmed Thursday that Eric Klein is out as head chef of the SW Steakhouse. Replacing Klein, a former top sous chef at Wolfgang Puck's Spago in Beverly Hills, is David Walzog, who also oversees Country Club Grill at Wynn. ...
Groundbreaking at the $650 million Palms Place condominium, hotel and spa is today at 1 p.m. It kicks off a weekend unveiling of the theme suites at the Palms' Fantasy Tower and a block party Saturday.
MAY I RECOMMEND ...
Country star Reba McEntire launched her multiweek deal at the Las Vegas Hilton this week. She's back June 7-11 and 14-18. For ticket information: 732-5755.
SIGHTINGS
Singer R. Kelly, attending the 10:30 p.m. performance of KA (MGM Grand) on Wednesday. ...
Freestyle motocross star Mike Metzger, on the patio at Sushi Roku (Forum Shops at Caesars) on Wednesday night. ... Boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard at ghostbar (Palms).
THE PUNCH LINE
"Once again there was 100,000 people in the streets today. Not immigrants, but SUV owners walking to work." -- Jay Leno
