SHOOTING STARS: Miss USA pageant returns to Planet Vegas
The Miss USA pageant may culminate with the crowning of a new beauty queen, but the telecast's audience stretches far beyond U.S. borders.
Viewers in “about a hundred countries” will tune in to scope out the U.S. competition, notes Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe organization, which also stages Sunday’s Miss USA pageant at Planet Hollywood’s Theatre for the Performing Arts. (The pageant goes live on NBC at 4 p.m. — to the East Coast — but airs here on a tape-delayed basis at 7 p.m.)
And that international audience played a role in the decision to bring Miss USA to Las Vegas last year, Shugart says.
Not only is Las Vegas “a unique location,” but “everyone in the world knows it,” she points out.
And, after spending most of the month here, everyone in the pageant knows it too.
“They’re all exhausted,” Shugart says of the competitors, who have been running around town experiencing a variety of very Vegas attractions, from Treasure Island’s pirate battle to the new Mirage volcano. (Lance Burton even sawed reigning Miss USA Crystle Stewart, pictured at right, in half during a recent Monte Carlo show.)
“We added a day or two to the schedule” to capture the additional activity, Shugart says, along with an additional high-definition camera crew to capture the action.
“There’s so much to show on so many locations,” she explains, noting that the show’s opening nine-minute segment “is all around Las Vegas.”
The Vegas flavor continues during the actual pageant, when contestants will wear “pseudo-showgirl outfits” and descend a stair-bedecked stage.
“Hopefully, nobody will trip,” Shugart says. “Or maybe that will be our YouTube moment.”
Quick hits: Jay Leno doesn’t have much time left as a late-night TV host (Conan O’Brien takes over the “Tonight Show” host’s chair in June), but he’s still scheduled to hit the Strip Tuesday to joke with pedestrians, according to Clark County film permit information.
Other productions taking out permits to shoot this week range from “Misdirection,” a documentary about young magicians, to “The Totally Cool Travel Show,” geared to kids.
‘Running’ down: Local filmmaker Marko Sakren’s latest feature, “Running 4 President,” wraps up post-production this month, following a soundtrack recording of the Palo Verde High School band and choir scheduled for today.
Sakren also plans to shoot small character bits this week; if you’re interested in participating (and you’re nonunion), e-mail your resumé and contact information right away to casting@r4pmovie.com. (Or you can fax the information to 242-5807.) All kinds of characters (even kids) are welcome, according to the filmmaker.
‘Big Brother’ wants you: CBS’ voyeuristic reality series “Big Brother” winds up a nationwide open casting call with two weekend sessions in Southern Nevada, both scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday — one at Chapman Dodge. 31275 E. Sahara Ave., in Las Vegas, the other in Henderson at Chapman Chrysler Jeep in the Valley Auto Mall, 930 Auto Show Drive.
If you’re at least 21 years old, a U.S. citizen and willing to give up your privacy for a shot at the show’s $500,000 top prize, check out the eligibility requirements and download an application at www.cbs.com/casting.
Wild weekend: Las Vegas’ 48 Hour Film Project rolls this weekend, kicking off between 6 and 7 p.m. Friday at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
More than 50 teams will compete to make the best short over the weekend. (Completed projects are due by 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Palms’ Brenden Theatres.)
It’s the “biggest year yet,” reports Las Vegas coordinator Angela Abshier, who notes that “some of the best (teams) of years past are in and some new talent with great resumés” have joined the local competition. “Even a group or two from L.A. promising big-name talent.”
The CineVegas film festival will provide judges for the competition; screenings will take place April 22 and 23 at Brenden Theatres. (And, speaking of film festivals, the winner of the Las Vegas competition will go to the 2010 Cannes film festival.)
