Anderson rings in new year her way

Pamela Anderson rang in a brand new year without her husband and sized up 2007 as a year of "insanity."

Rick Salomon was absent during Anderson's three-hour New Year's Eve hosting appearance at Pure Nightclub at Caesars Palace.

Anderson, who filed for divorce Dec. 14 but told her fans "we're working things out" in a Web site posting three days later, arrived about 10:30 p.m. with a group of 15 men and women.

She appeared to be drinking orange juice.

Spies told Vegas Confidential that one of the men in the group was Jesus Villa, a former Cirque du Soleil performer/acrobat in the Las Vegas show "Zumanity." The 5-foot-5-inch Villa had been linked romantically with Anderson during her unattached days.

He recently spent two weeks in Beijing working on choreography for the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics.

Anderson, 40, married Salomon, a Hollywood producer and high-stakes gambler, on Oct. 6 in Las Vegas while performing in "The Beauty of Magic" with illusionist Hans Klok at Planet Hollywood Resort.

In a Dec. 31 posting on her site, PamelaAnderson.com, she wrote: "2007 was an interesting year for me. What's the definition of insanity?

"This is the year I do everything I wanted to do -- my way. I have so many great projects -- for the environment -- for animals.

"I'm going to be proud of every single day -- and make sure I do not veer from the path."

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Chef Kerry Simon, one of the co-owners of CatHouse Loungerie at Luxor, says there is no way Paris and Nicky Hilton would have been barred from the grand opening event Saturday. Simon, responding to Monday's item here that Mischa Barton wanted the Hiltons blacklisted from the red carpet and the club, said "if that request happened, and we are not aware of it," it would have been a deal killer because of his long friendship with the Hiltons. Barton, 21, was to co-host the event with Simon but withdrew after her DUI arrest in West Hollywood. ...

During his concert at The Pearl (Palms) on Monday night, Kanye West sang "Hey Mama" and dedicated Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" to his late mother, Donda West, his one-time manager. She died Nov. 10 in Los Angeles after cosmetic surgical procedures. ...

Oh, to be a fly on the wall for this power lunch at Gardunos Mexican restaurant at the Palms on Monday: Rapper West; music producer and "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson; Neal Schon from Journey; Hilton exec Ken Ciancimino; legendary music producer Kevin Shirley; and Zoe Thrall, director of the Studio at the Palms.

SIGHTINGS

At The Bank (Bellagio) over the weekend: Leonardo DiCaprio and fashion model Bar Refaeli, apparently back on again. Also in the house: tennis star Andy Roddick. ... Jeff Beacher's Oompa Loompas swarming around Kobe Bryant at N9NE Steak House (Palms) on Saturday before Bryant and his wife headed for the Kanye West concert at The Pearl. West hosted an after-concert party Monday in a Sky Villa suite at the Fantasy Towers inside the Palms. Attendees included NBA players Grant Hill, Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire and Jalen Rose. ... At Poetry (Forum Shops at Caesars) on New Year's Eve: mystery-man high-roller Reginalld Thomas, tossing $100,000 in $1 bills into the crowd throughout the night. Also there: NFL players Steven Jackson, Marcus Stroud, Jonas Jennings and Eddie Drummond; former NBA player Gary Payton and Rapper E40. ... Paris and Nicky Hilton, hosting Monday's New Year's Eve party at LAX nightclub (Luxor). Also there: Anna Nicole Smith's former boyfriend/photographer Larry Birkhead, DJ AM and actress Ashley Leggat. ... At Pure on Monday: Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson, New England Patriots linebacker Junior Seau and MTV reality star Justin "Bobby" Brescia. ... Music star Avril Lavigne and husband Deryck Whibley of the rock group Sum 41, hosting Monday's New Year's Eve party at Privé nightclub (Planet Hollywood Resort). Attendees included: Rappers Lil Jon and Too Short, singer Robin Thicke and "Dancing With The Stars" professionals Kym Johnson, Cheryl Burke and Edyta Sliwinska. Burke arrived with her boyfriend, Matthew Lawrence. The two met a year ago at Planet Hollywood Resort. Johnson, Lavigne, Whibley, Burke, Sliwinska and Lawrence dined at Koi restaurant (Planet Hollywood Resort) earlier in the evening. Thicke and Lil Jon dined at Strip House (Planet Hollywood Resort). ... Kevin Federline, hosting Monday's New Year's Eve celebration at Tangerine nightclub (Treasure Island). Also there: Denver Broncos tight end Daniel Graham and former NFL running back Jamal Anderson.