Britney Spears in more innocent days
CineVegas tossed a glittering soiree at the Palms Place Pool last night to celebrate their glorious 10th Annual Film Festival.
It was a blow-out!
Scantily-clad showgirls dazzled the well-heeled guests with mesmerizing fire displays, smartly-attired caterers offered up delectable finger foods (the pastries were divine; a zillion calories, at least!) to the high-spirited party-goers, and a popular DJ revved up the mood with an eclectic mix of scintillating sounds.
Given the high profile nature of the event, it's evident why Lifestyle's reporter Robin Leach slipped in unnoticed to take notes from the sidelines.
Dennis Hopper, meanwhile - with Fest Prez Robin Greenspun in tow - circulated the exotic pool patio and delighted film buffs with his down-to-earth accessible demeanor.
"He's so cool," one young dude gushed to his pals.
Bill Pullman - who attended a screening of his new project - "Your Name Here" - escaped my radar initially.
But when I scouted the landscape for news tidbits, I spied the casual handsome actor posing with fans for photos and streaming videos.
The Big Buzz?
Britney Spears made an entrance with little fanfare.
My new paparazzi buddies tipped me off that she jetted into town yesterday morning and was happily ensconced in a condo upstairs at the Palms. Rumors persisted that high-profile Hotelier - George Malooth - planned to take the young pop icon under his wing and launch her career in a fresh new direction.
The tony elite were pretty reserved in her presence, but a few of the guys found it difficult not to steal a glance or two in her direction (myself included).
Ms. Spears was fairly low-key, and mingled and mixed a bit, although somewhat aloof at times (unless she kicked up her heels a bit after I departed for more relaxed climbs, like a warm comfy bed!).
Wouldn't you be in her designer shoes?
After all, across town, Kevin Federline was being honored as the "Father of the Year" by Prive Nightclub at the Planet Hollywood Resort.
My shutterbug pals dashed over to cover the heart-warming event for their agency shortly after they snapped up a handful of shots they were pining for on the red carpet earlier.
Speaking of parents, Mimi Rogers appeared on the red carpet with her young daughter, Lucy.
The gracious film star was looking fabulous in a sparkly understated party dress that turned heads.
Ms. Rogers noted that she was at Paramount Studios that morning working on a couple of episodes of a popular new show and that in the next few months a few independent films she's featured in will be released as well.
When I asked her if she found the Indie projects good for exploring and experimenting with her craft, the response was a definite yes.
Her young one is quite pretty, with wide luminous eyes, and porcelain skin.
Immediately, I surmised one day she'd be modelling or pursuing an interest in ballet or dance; after all, she has the beauty and physical stature for both artistic pursuits.
Believe it or not, the likable kid wants to be a chef!
What kind of food does she like to cook?
"Italian," she responded to my querie with a touch of passion in her voice.
When I asked if she was interested in boys yet, she was a bit shy about discussing the subject. But, happily noted that her favorite celebrity is George Clooney. And, after her mother prompted her a little, she admitted that her all-time favorite actor is Cary Grant.
Ah, the young lady has great taste in men, eh?
A handful of local Vegas performers turned up to bask in the glow of the event, natch!
Nathan Burton, the magician, was thrilled that the Casino where he's performing just installed a wide-screen image on the outside of their entertainment complex, touting his dazzling Magic extravaganza which has been reeling the fans in.
Burton was inclined to tease that in the future he'll be unveiling a new segment for his show featuring 100 bodacious show girls. But, the cad was tight-lipped about the specifics.
Guess I'll have to snap up a ticket and catch one of the shows!
A number of filmmakers were making the rounds at the pool party, too. Being the great promoters that they are, many of the up-and-coming auteurs were inclined to pump hands, and excitedly chat about their projects, with the specific aim of rustling up some interest.
An engaging young director - Jonpaul Lewis - will be screening his three-minute film titled - "Jack the Ripper" - in a segment of shorts on June 17th and 18th.
The tale focuses on a suspect most historians are unfamiliar with who allegedly escaped to America.
That's all the info I can disclose, folks!
You'll have to check out the novel teaser for a proposed full-length feature, yourself!
Also, Gary Sax at Triathlon Pictures, noted that he may have a project in the works about women in sports. I'll keep you posted on that one, which appears to be marketable, in my estimation.
Three of the showgirls hired for the event were wearing what amounted to a lot of colorful paint!
A make-up artist spent about three hours adorning their nubile sentient beings with eye-catching erotic body art which left little to the imagination.
Of course, I posed the obvious question. Are you wearing a cup?
"A pastie," one of the ravishing beauties laughed.
And she confessed, it was held in place with a little bit of American magic: glue!
The ladies have worked in various shows around town and are all single, guys!
"It's hard to be married in the business'" the one dancer confided.
Hear that, Britney?
A younger Lucy trots red carpet with dotting Mom Mimi Rogers