In an anticipated announcement today, Luxor President Felix Rappaport confirmed less than an hour ago what LUXE LIFE first reported earlier this year: TV star and famed illusionist Criss Angel will be starring in a Cirque du Soleil production slated to launch at the Luxor in a little more than a year during summer 2008.

All secrets were revealed as to the subject of this newest Cirque du Soleil show announcement today as casino execs and media entered the Luxor Theater today for the special announcement. The backdrop had logos for the Luxor, Cirque du Soleil and Criss Angel's trademark Circle A, reminiscent of an anarchy symbol. This will be the sixth resident show in Vegas joining Mystere, O, Zumanity, Ka and LOVE with an Elvis-based show opening at MGM Mirage's City Center when that is completed before the decade's end.

For the first time in his magic career, 'Mindfreak' star Criss Angel was forced to halt a dangerous Houdini-styled escape. Medical and safety officials stopped him from being lowered, while manacled with handcuffs, metal chains and foot restraints, into the shark and stingray filled seawater aquarium tank at the Silverton late Saturday night.

Just 24 hours earlier, while rehearsing the stunt without being lowered all the way to the bottom, he almost failed to break free. Safety divers rushed to assist and Criss wound up severely cutting his back on the rocks in the tank. It was a rush to the surface for air while simultaneously avoiding the sharks and stingrays!

It's now official that Cirque du Soleil will present 'Mindfreak' magician Criss Angel in a $100-million+ magic spectacular as first reported in LUXE LIFE. The news is imminent and a countdown of just four days has begun.

LUXE LIFE has learned that invitations will be issued to TV crews and journalists within 24 hours to meet at the Luxor on Thursday, Mar. 15 at 2PM for the actual announcement with Cirque executives from Montreal and Luxor president, Felix Rappaport, along with other MGM officials also in attendance.

Its a double bonanza weekend for Criss because he also got the news that his top-rated A&E series 'Mindfreak' has just been renewed for a fourth hit season and he has with just three more weeks of programs to film for the current season where has has been based at the Luxor for the filming of the new series.

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Tool drummer Danny Carey underwent surgery last night for a torn bicep that he injured last weekend. Although tonight, he's reported to be "recovering well," the band has had to postpone its March 15 and 16 shows to be held at the Pearl Theater in The Palms.

The band had hoped to kick off their entire North American tour to coincide with the opening weekend of George Maloof's new concert venue, Pearl. It's not known immediately if George will try to find another group to open the theater on those dates or wait until Evanescence plays on March 17, but Tool has to postpone its entire tour plans. Tool promises to reschedule the Palms visit and hope to announce the new dates shortly.

Popular and controversial comic Carlos Mencia will have two shows the following Friday, March 23.

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Hotel mogul Steve Wynn made good on his $8-million promise this afternoon to shut down his 'Le Rêve' theater at his namesake casino and give it a total environmental redesign and bring it back to life with VIP indulgences!

The dramatic move follows Steve's falling out with show creator Franco Dragone, who was responsible for the Celine Dion success at the rival Caesars Palace.

Steve and wife Elaine decided Le Reve was " too dark and foreboding" and needed an overhaul and new direction. He has subsequently brought in a new team of choreographers and technical designers to give the musical its new look. In previous LUXE LIFE interviews with Steve he never fl;inched about tackling the difficult issues head on.

'Le Rêve,' French for 'The Dream' did redefine both the traditional theatrical experience as well as the venue in which it occurs. Inspired by the casual elegance of the resort it calls home, the Le Rêve Theater environment will be completely remodeled with a warmer palate, the most luxurious seats on the Las Vegas Strip and a VIP Indulgence Package complete with champagne bottle service and live, behind-the-scenes video monitors," said a Wynn spokesman.

I've learned the restyled Le Rêve Theater interior will be designed by Mark Fisher and Roger Thomas. I was told, "The surroundings will be soft and warm with rhythmic decorative flourishes inspired by Art Nouveau floral motifs that introduce elements of beauty and sophistication. Shadows and echoes of exquisite reds and golds fall across this 'theater of tomorrow' as if in a dream, where the audience is never more than a few rows from the spectacle."

Accordingly, 'Le Rêve' will go dark during the $8-million renovation period starting March 6. When the show reopens on April 5, the 1606 seats, cut back from the existing 2087 there now, will provide a more comfortable and luxurious space for the entire audience. Luxury fabrics, plush chairs and a warm blend of cocoa, bronze and deep red colors will complete the feeling of elegance and style.

For those craving the ultimate in luxury, the VIP Indulgence Package will offer an evening of extravagance with complimentary champagne bottle service, chocolate covered strawberries, generously-scaled lounge seating with extra-leg room and private video monitors providing up-close imagery and live glimpses of behind-the-scenes during the show.

In addition, VIPs will experience the prestige of exclusive opportunities at Wynn Las Vegas with a "Privileged Access" pass for dining and entertainment on the day of the performance. The VIP Indulgence Package is generously priced at just $159 per person and is limited to less than 100 seats per show making you feel like a high roller!

'Le Rêve' offers breathtaking performances in an intimate aqua theater-in-the-round. With seats no more than 12 rows from the stage, the theater provides an intimate setting which allows the audience to escape reality and let their provoked imagination lead the way. The show features aerial acrobatics, provocative choreography and artistic athleticism. Live music and elaborate special effects immerse the audience into a world of fantasy, adventure and intrigue. 'Le Rêve' was created by Dragone, whose signature brand of visually stunning and innovative entertainment is at the core of the production.

All of these while Spamalot readies for open at the Wynn. Stay tuned to LUXE LIFE for updates as they develop.

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This morning, there will be an official confirmation of the exclusive story LUXE LIFE broke last week that international illusionist, Hans Klok, known as the 'fastest magician' on the planet, will team up with film and television star, Carmen Electra. They will star together in 'Faster Than Magic,' a new show at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. I've learned that we'll see them for the very first time together onstage with preview performances starting April 18!

There will only be five preview performances at just a mere $35 per ticket and then the magician returns to wind down his current sold-out European tour. Then they will return on May 12 to begin regular performances when his concert dates on the Continent conclude. Promoters believe that the inexpensive and unique launch will be sufficient word of mouth buzz to establish the unknown magician instantly as being on the level of Siegfried and Roy!

"If you're a magician, the place you want to perform is Las Vegas," said Klok this morning from his Amsterdam base. "Now, with the creative team in place, bigger illusions than we've ever had, and the addition of superstar Carmen Electra, we're ready to bring our spectacular show to the most exciting entertainment city in the world."

'Faster Than Magic' also marks Carmen's Vegas stage debut and she promises some sultry surprises. "I've been approached many times to perform in Las Vegas and it's always been a dream of mine to do that," said Electra late last night. "But it had to be the right show at the right time with the right people. When I had the chance to see Hans perform, I was blown away and knew that this was the right show."

Robert Earl, CEO of Planet Hollywood International and co-chairman of the soon-to-be-launched revamped casino commented, "Its an unbeatable combination for our new resort: she's stunning and he's absolutely amazing. Our new Planet Hollywood is all about the world of entertainment and offering our guests the hottest talent from around the globe," Earl stated. "This exciting collaboration between Carmen Electra, a Vegas icon, and Hans Klok, one of Europe's most dynamic talents, is a great way to start."

After performing his first magic trick at the age of 10, Hans went on to win a number of magician championships including the European Youth Magician Champion Trophy, the Tommy Cooper Trophy and first prize at the Grand Prix of The Netherlands. Although fairly unknown here in America, he did make his Las Vegas debut way back in 1994 and has appeared on NBC's 'The World's Greatest Magic' which was filmed at Caesars Palace in 1996 and 'The Masters of Magic' on ABC. Headlined throughout Europe as the 'fastest magician' in the world and "The Dutch Copperfield," his live stage shows have been selling out large arenas throughout Europe and Asia for the past 10-years.

Carmen, recently seen in the film 'Epic Movie,' is also the new face of Max Factor. She has also released a DVD series about the new fitness craze, 'Aerobic Striptease' and formed her own dance troupe ensemble, the "Bombshells," a contemporary burlesque cabaret act. In May, she releases her first book, 'How to be Sexy,' to teach women that a solid understanding of one's inner-self is the core behind feeling sexy.

'Faster Than Magic' is being created a top team of international entertainment professionals, including Creative Director Anthony van Laast, who choreographed the musical 'Mamma Mia' and helped Siegfried and Roy create their show at The Mirage. The production company is Stage Entertainment, known in Europe for presenting spectacular shows that last year earned over $724-million with over 14 million ticket sales!

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LUXE LIFE has learned that we can all expect the official announcement tomorrow that the new entertainment centerpiece at Aladdin (soon to be Planet Hollywood) is 'Stomp Out Loud' -- a new show from Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, the creators of the original, international sensation, 'STOMP.'

"It's a great fit for the rock-n-roll transformation Planet Hollywood CEO Robert Earl is turning into a reality from the Aladdin," I was told.

It's now pretty certain that previews for the show will begin March 24 and a celebrity-studded VIP grand opening set will follow mid-April. Tickets should go on sale shortly.

With 18 performers, 'Stomp Out Loud' will feature a cast that is double the size of the original production of 'Stomp.' The action will take place inside a new, $28-million, 1,500 seat theater specifically created for this production. With one balcony, it may be the most intimate theater of its size in town, and the action takes place throughout the theater. As soon as guests enter the lobby, they'll be immersed in the world of 'Stomp Out Loud' -- its music, dance and comedy exclusive to Las Vegas.

'Stomp Out Loud' is the second entertainment spectacular LUXE LIFE has learned in the past seven days that is going into the new Planet Hollywood resort and casino. Earlier this past week we broke the exclusive news that Dutch high-speed illusionist Hans Klok will team with sexy Carmen Electra for a new magic show there too. Hans and Carmen met for the first time on Friday for the weekend in Los Angeles where they also shot their publicity photos that LUXE LIFE will share as soon as possible.

'Stomp Out Loud' is produced by BASE Entertainment ('Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular'), Columbia Artist Theatricals, LLC ('Dirty Rotten Scoundrels'), Schuster Entertainment, Inc. ('Shockheaded Peter,' 'Oleanna,' 'Vita and Virginia), Marc Routh Productions ('The Producers,' 'Hairspray'), Richard Frankel Productions ('The Producers,' 'Hairspray'), in association with Yes/No Productions.

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New York newspapers this morning are reporting that Michael Jackson left it too late to get front-row celebrity seats for Sunday's All-Star NBA game. Michael hasn't confirmed the story, but we can tell you that court side on Sunday you will see singers Christina Aguilera, Jay-Z, Nelly and actors Penny Marshall, Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler.

While on the subject of Michael, I must set the record straight. Reality TV Magazine totally misquoted and mis-represented my recent LUXE LIFE Michael Jackson story about his dinner with 'American Idol' creator Simon Fuller. Then Access Hollywood went one step further, without checking the truth with me of their meeting. Their reports of Michael appearing on American Idol were promptly denied by Michael's publicity lady and branded my story as "inaccurate." As a result, reports all over the Internet this morning are swarming that Michael won't appear on a specially-themed 'American Idol' episode as I had allegedly written here at LUXE LIFE.

For the record, I never ever reported that Michael was being wooed by Simon to appear on 'American Idol.' I never even wrote a hint of that! I accurately reported and photographed the meeting between the two men as "we have several ideas we are exploring. We have many balls in the air and we'll see which one is the best for everybody."

Access Hollywood and Reality TV Magazine, and as a result various other news services, reported I said Michael would appear on 'American Idol' -- and that has now been denied. I never ever said it in the first place!

In a stretch of limits for even online-tabloid sites, it was Reality TV Magazine that in fact admitted they "exclusively put all the clues together and is predicting that a Michael Jackson theme week and appearance is in the works for 'American Idol.'"

LUXE LIFE is not sure how clues can be pieced together exclusively, but reporting predictions as facts will exclusively lead to false rumors.

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My friends in guerilla gossip have confirmed this morning what I broke exclusively yesterday; Carmen Electra will headline a new magic show on the Strip. But here are the full details I had to hold until now.

UPDATE Feb. 21: Click here for a photo of the couple.

Carmen will be teamed with the self-proclaimed fastest magician in the world; a Dutch illusionist named Hans Klok. "He's on the on the scale of Copperfield with a full, night-long production show," a Vegas magic expert told me. "His performance style used to be very Pendragon-esque. He's appeared a couple of times on American TV magic specials, but has never played here except for a few magic conventions. He specializes in extraordinary big-box illusions and is known as the fastest magician in the world for the speed of his transformations. He'll become the next Siegfried & Roy rolled into one! He'll feature Carmen because nobody's ever heard of him here outside of magic circles."

The decision for Carmen and Hans to star at the Aladdin/ Planet Hollywood was made by an almost uncanny, and eerie, coincidence as former Aladdin magician Steve Wyrick opened his own theater downstairs in the hotel's Desert Passage shopping center. His new theater is a lifelong dream and a $35-million investment. Klok and Carmen, ironically, will perform in the theater upstairs that he used to work in.

The show's director will be Anthony Van Laast. He was the director of the original Siegfried & Roy show at the Mirage. Laast, who is British, was awarded an MBE (Member of the British Empire) from Queen Elizabeth for his contributions to world theater.

Klok (left) is one of the entertainment world's leading stage magicians. He regularly performs with some of European showbusiness' biggest names and is renowned for the speed and agility of his illusions. In addition to several TV appearances, his 'Magic Impossible' shows toured 60 cities throughout Europe and he became an official ambassador for UNICEF. His 'History of Magic' show was the first ever tour of China where he performed at 64 venues in 8 weeks to an audience that totaled more than 200,000. Now he's bringing his new magic show "Phenomenon" to the Strip with Carmen. I'm reliably told that Carmen will have her own feature act as part of the incredible illusions show, but she will also participate as Han's assistant and take part in several of the amazing tricks.

Steve Wyrick has just started previews of his new magic show with a grand opening set for next month. Next week Hans and Carmen will be here in Vegas for a preview of their excitement and then the battle between the two magicians really gets moving! Steve has $35-million at stake and Hans has to win name recognition almost immediately.

Expect Vegas magic to be kicked up a notch instantly. All this comes as Cirque du Soleil is days away from officially and finally confirming their new $110-million spectacular at the Luxor with 'Mindfreak' magician Criss Angel. And there's no rest for the rest of the Vegas Magic community. David Copperfield continues his six-month annual set of engagements at MGM, Penn & Teller remain the resident show at the Rio, Lance Burton still wows them at Monte Carlo and The Amazing Johnathan is master of the macabre at Sahara.

Abracadabra; who makes who disappear?

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It appears as if Mayor Oscar Goodman and Greg Anthony are a 'thumbs up' closer to bring an NBA team to Las Vegas.

Just as first reported exclusively here two days ago in LUXE LIFE, NBA Commissioner David Stern has performed a 180-degree pivot when he told Mayor Goodman to draft a proposal to bring an NBA team to Vegas. Stern announced the news today at a Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel.

The next steps for Mayor Goodman are to lobby the NBA team owners in town during the All-Star festivities over the next couple of days and then get the proposal completed in time for the April 23rd NBA owners' spring meeting so Commissioner Stern can deliver the proposal in person as promised.

Vegas Confidential's Norm Clarke confirmed the LUXE LIFE story, but added an element of intrigue surrounding the oft-rumoured move of the Sacramento Kings to Las Vegas. Mayor Goodman and Commissioner Stern sat at the same table as the Joe, Gavin and George Maloof, fueling conversation that it will be the Kings that move to Vegas.

The Maloof brothers, who own the Kings, also own the wildly popular Palms Resort & Casino here in Vegas which includes the new Fantasy Tower and Playboy Club. Speculation about the family consolidating their major business interests into the same market would seem to make sense, but the Maloofs are adamant about keeping their team in Central California.

George Maloof has repeated on several occasions that the family's desire is to keep the Kings in Sacramento even though the voters rejected tax measures to fund an arena.

As reported in LUXE LIFE, local sports hero, Greg Anthony, is hoping to lead a group effort to buy a team and bring it here to Vegas. Greg played basketball at Rancho High School in Las Vegas before becoming a UNLV, NBA and now ESPN star.

Stay tuned to LUXE LIFE as the story develops.

Sexy Carmen Electra has signed to star in a new magic show on the Strip, and the sizzling actress will be in Vegas next weekend, after the NBA All-Star Game, for the big announcement.

Now, unknowingly, she's about to find herself center stage in the spotlight of a furious feud! Our LUXE LIFE scoop will instantly set off a major explosion with the fireworks reaching stratospheric levels.

First, I'll be reprimanded by all involved that I should never have revealed the news in advance of the official confirmation. Secondly, although I know the name and identity of the magician and have his phenomenal photos, I'll hold that for just a few days more because, thirdly, I don't want to start or be blamed for the ruckus that's certain to explode when I tell you where he will be presenting Carmen and his super-sized, incredible illusions.

No, this has nothing to do with Criss Angel's new upcoming $110-million Cirque du Soleil show at the Luxor or David Copperfield's incredibly successful ongoing shows at MGM (By the way watch for our exclusive Copperfield interview next week). But this murky mystery of Machiavellian proportions involves complicated leases, monumental monetary investments and an incredibly awful coincidence of opening dates. Sorry to be so chronically confusing, but this little teaser alone will probably start the fierce fighting. I promise you everything -- including the identities of all involved -- before the conjurer's cauldron boils over!

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