Hot Happenings
by Bobbie Katz

She’s Finally Seeing the Light
Celine Dion fans al over the world are anxiously awaiting the superstar’s return to the stage after a two-year hiatus during which she gave birth to her son, Ren Charles. When it happens at Caesars Palace on March 25, 2002, they will discover that, like the title of her latest smash album, “a new day has come.”

What Dion has done in the past and what she will be doing at Caesars is, in reality, like the difference between day and night. Instead of touring the large stadiums of the world with her concert act, for three years the global recording artist will be the centerpiece of a permanent Cirque du Soleil-like show featuring 70 artists, musicians, dancers, and a vast array of characters. The show will run for three years in a brand new 4,000-seat showroom.

“The way I am, when I do something, I want to do it all the way,” Dion told me, admitting that doing the show is a scary thing for her and that she will be nervous at first. “I have been in show business for 20 years and hav acomplished a lot of things. As some point, though, you want more from yourself - you want new things and more things to come out of you.”

Reaching Out for the Good
Engelbert Humperdinck, who put on a stellar performance at the MGM Grand in July, put out his hand for charity and pulled in a wonderful honor while he was in town. Engelbert is a longtimes supporter of Las Vegas’ 20 Reach Out, the organization that helps children with pediatric AIDS. On July 23 he received a proclamation from Clark County in honor of his raising over $100,000 for Reach Out over the years. His fans have pitched in and raised a ton of moner also. Besides possessing one of the most incredible voices on the planet and putting on an incredible show, Humperdinck has long been known for his contributions to charity all over the world. In fact, there is a strong rumor around that the Queen of England may knight the British entertainer in the very near future.

Beating His Tom-Tom
The star who takes in more ladies’ underwear in a single show than Fredericks’ of Hollywood stocks in a week, is very excited about the take-off of a new venture. Tom Jones told me that he is working on a new album being produced by Wyclef Jean, formerly the lead singer of The Fugees. All the songs, save one (a Bob Seeger tune), are originals co-written by Jones and Jean. Jones has never compised his own music before and is actually, for the first time in his career, spending time in the studio, involoved in the entire recording process. The good news is that the 12-song CD will be released in the U.S. and Jones will be back at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas starting October.

It’s Magic
Magic’s favorite odd couple, Penn & Tellerm recently inked a two-year deal with the Rio which will have them performing in the 1,500-seat Samba Theater through September 2004. Quipped Penn: “We thought we bought a tie share in Brazil but this is een better.”

The Mirage has become the home for Las Vegas’ latest afternoon magic show. Darren Romeo, called “The Voice of Magic” because he sings everything from Broadway to pop while he is performing his illusions, opened a long-term run at the hotel at the end of May. Romeo is the protégé of Siegfried & Roy; the first time the duo has lend their talent and expertise to a newcomer in the business.

This story was first published in the October - November 2002 issue of Gambling Times Magazine.

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