Jackson Figure Damaged At Vegas Tussaud's

I had reached out to Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in Las Vegas to see about using the Michael Jackson figure in some publicity photos for "Las Vegas Celebrates The Music of Michael Jackson," our upcoming charity tribute concert. We had actually changed our minds about this idea, but the Tussaud's folks got back to me to day to say we could if we wanted to.

In the process, there was some news: The MJ figure is actually "off the floor" until at least tomorrow because ... someone broke his arm.

Amy Helton, the museum's spokeswoman, assured me that it was unintentional, that a guest accidentally did it on Monday and that these things do happen.

"I have three or four figures off the floor at anyone time because they have a scratch on them or they have broken figures or things like that," Helton said. "It certainly wasn't deliberate. They're sturdy figures, but sometimes they get manhandled a little too much."

The MJ figure at Tussaud's (at Venetian) was a place for grieving fans to pay respects in the days after the King of Pop's death. All Tussaud's around the world that had MJ figures placed him out front for non-paying guests to visit him and leave mementos. He remained out front until last Tuesday's memorial, when they returned him to a place inside. Cards, letters and a guestbook are being sent to the Jackson family; other items like stuffed animals are being donated to charity.

Jackson has, not surprisingly, been among the most asked-after figures in the past week since he came back inside. The perennial top favorites are Barack Obama and Elvis Presley, Helton said. Obama shouldn't get too comfortable, though. His popularity is subject to political winds, as was George Bush's when I took my mom and sister last year and saw people taking all sorts of lewd photos with 43. See?

A Cool -- as in FREEZING -- Video

Yes, this is a bit promotional. But it's also pretty fun to watch -- the folks at Minus 5, the frigid bar at Mandalay Bay, have created Lion King ice sculpture. I just got an email that they'll be unveiling an Oscar Goodman ice sculpture, too, next week. I don't know if they keep these sculptures around or what. Is Minus 5 going to become an icy version of Madame Tussaud's?



Also noteworthy is that this video was produced for 702.tv, a new Vegas video site from the Greenspun Media Group folks that received a load of hype in today's Las Vegas Sun. I haven't had the time to really explore it, but I will do so soon.

Those Two Questionable Tussauds Statues

So more than one of you believes that the tuxedo'd guy that I couldn't ID at Tussaud's the other day was Michael Crawford based partly on the Phantom mask he's holding. I agree that's a clue and perhaps you're right, but here' s the side-by-side comparison of the two and if it is Crawford, it's a terrible version of him.


Easier to believe is that the other unidentified statue, which was near the Elton John placard despite there being no Rocket Man to speak of in the vicinity, was Jon Bon Jovi. Here's the side-by-side on that one.


Thoughts?

Show is UP: Ritaville

May 29: Rita Rudner

Rita Rudner is having another important career moment. The comic has a new book out that’s both funny and surprisingly emotional and she’s recently become the first Vegas comedian to star in a PBS special to air in June. Rudner, whose girly voice and wry battle-of-the-sexes observations continue to pack ‘em in nightly at the Harrah’s Las Vegas resort, joins us live this hour to catch us up on all of her activities.

In Banter: The s*it really flies at Panoram Towers, revisiting Manilow, notes from Tussaud's and SATC is coming to Vegas, sort of.

Links

Get tix for Rita Rudner’s show at Harrah’s here
See Rita Rudner’s website here
See the info about Rita’s PBS special here
See Steve’s Madame Tussaud’s pictorial here
The site for Ethel M’s chocolate tour is here
Listen to Steve’s inspiration, Terry Gross, here
Miles’ starter kit for new Erykah Badu enthusiasts is here

A Day Amongst The Real Fakes

I know, I know. It's totally tasteless. And probably unoriginal. But so what? I was playing tourist! There I am at Madame Tussaud's wax museum at the Venetian with Siegfried, Roy and, presumably, Montecore.

It was really a fun time over there Monday with my niece, Courtney, and my mother. Some of the wax figures were startlingly accurate, like these of Bette, Sammy, Lar, Tiger, Simon, Ryan, Bugsy and Hef...







I say Hef should BE so lucky!

Here I am with Air Jordan and, beneath that, just for comparison's sakes, with Yao Ming back in Changchun, China in 2001 when, for USA Today, I became the first American reporter to profile him.


I do wonder why George Washington seems so pissed...


...but maybe it's because Courtney's heart belongs to Lincoln?


I have no idea who these two are supposed to be, although the first one was next to the Elton John sign, but there was no Elton John to be found.


And here are some of the more questionable likenesses. Angelina looks fine, but what happened to Brad? And Jackie looks great, but JFK looks like an insurance salesman...


And Meryl? Julia? Oprah? WTF?


Near the end of the tour, they have patriotic figures. I assume it's standard to have the current president next to a podium. God only knows what visitors did to Clinton at the height of the Lewinsky scandal, but it was notable that virtually everyone did something to insult President Bush. See?


And there's a sign-out book as well where folks are asked their favorites and least favorites. Notice the consistency with which Bush was rated as their worst favorite.


But, all in all, a fun time. And, FYI, I discovered that if you are buying Blue Man Group tix anyway, you might as well go buy them at Madame Tussaud's and you'll get free entry to the museum. That's worth about $20-$24 a person.