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April 28, 2009

NFL players and NBA retirees party on the Strip

Bon Jovi played the Hard Rock's recently-opened Joint on Friday and went down in history as the first act to not sell out at the new venue.

However, Jon Bon Jovi and guitarist Richie Sambora made up for the handful of unsold seats with a plethora of grandiose rock star poses spread across their nearly two-hour set.

Sambora later hit the tables at the Hard Rock and tried his luck with a few hands of Black Jack.

Jon Bon Jovi working up a sweat on the treadmill at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino's gym in Vegas on Friday morning ahead of his sold-out show.

Kenny Chesney hanging out with Bon Jovi in the green room along with model and television host Leeann Tweeden at the Hard Rock on Friday night. Following the high energy concert, bandmates Richie Sambora and David Bryan were seen playing blackjack among a crowd of adoring female fans as they sipped on water while their song "Bad Medicine" was playing overhead.

NFL players and NBA retirees party on the Strip Britney Spears, Marissa Miller and Kato Kaelin also seen in Las Vegas

Star sightings got an early (though somewhat C-list) start this weekend.

"One Tree Hill" star Antwon Tanner kicked things off at LAX, where he enjoyed Belvedere cocktails in the club's VIP area.

Meanwhile, Bishop Gorman grad and former New York Giant, Grey Ruegamer, hosted a party at Rok Vegas in support of his charity, Ruegy's Readers.

Fellow footballers from the Giants, Packers, Cowboys, Raiders and Patriots also showed up and showed their support for the free agent's very-worthy cause.

Over at Planet Hollywood, former UCLA Bruin Ed O'Bannon, along with a handful of NBA retirees – All-Star SuperSonic Spencer Haywood, one-time New York Knick Jerome Williams, Chicago Bulls' former player and assistant coach, Michael Brown, and two-time Portland Trail Blazer, Tracy Murray – celebrated Haywood's 60th birthday at the grand opening of the Basketball Hall of Fame's Hoop Hall Experience.

Celebrity hairstylist Michael Boychuck and America's favorite houseguest, Kato Kaelin, also stopped by.

Kaelin recently extended what was supposed to be a two-week stint with "Tony n' Tina's Wedding."

His second term as "celebrity wedding crasher" with the production began on Friday.

Also at PH on Thursday, Elizabeth Berkley, who played "Jessie" in the classic late '80s and early '90s hit after-school show, "Saved by the Bell," took in the resort's new adults-only spectacle featuring Kelly Monaco and Mel B, "Peepshow."

Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Marisa Miller made a trio of appearances at the Mirage on Friday as she kicked off the resort's 20th anniversary weekend.

The Maxim magazine "Hot 100" list-topper first bared her assets at Bare pool lounge, then hit Rhumbar at 5 p.m., where she signed autographs for about 100 fans.

Dressed in a chocolate brown Lloyd Klein dress and Christian Louboutin heels, Miller also took the time to smile for the camera and pose for pictures with fans.

Later on, she finished the night at Jet.

Jermaine Dupri, meanwhile, made his first of two Vegas appearances this weekend at Privé where he spun a guest DJ set.

Over at the Palms, DJ AM, a.k.a. Adam Goldstein, made his resident Friday night DJ debut at Rain following a poolside party thrown in his honor. He hadn't played in Las Vegas since he left his post at Pure earlier this month but when Mandy Moore's ex resurfaced at Rain, he sounded much the same: Decade-transcending mash-ups with plenty of top 40 in between.

Bon Jovi played the Hard Rock's recently-opened Joint on Friday and went down in history as the first act to not sell out at the new venue.

However, Jon Bon Jovi and guitarist Richie Sambora made up for the handful of unsold seats with a plethora of grandiose rock star poses spread across their nearly two-hour set.

Sambora later hit the tables at the Hard Rock and tried his luck with a few hands of Black Jack.

Back on The Strip, Tennessee Titans defensive back Cortland Finnegan and a large group of friends partied at Pure. Finnegan and friends enjoyed Belvedere vodka and Malibu rum during their time in the club's VIP.

The group really enjoyed themselves – so much so that they returned to the club the following night for a second round of all-night fun.

Meanwhile, "Heroes" stars Milo Ventimiglia (who recently returned to the market after splitting from his co-star Hayden Panettiere) and Masi Oka heated things up at Lavo. British actor Ben Chaplin joined them on their Friday night boys night out.

Also at Lavo were "Rush Hour" director and "Prison Break" producer, Brett Ratner, Pauly Shore, and Tera Patrick's husband, Evan Seinfeld, who joined the club's partners, Noah Tepperberg and Jason Strauss at their table.

Next door, former "Bachelorette" stars Jeremy Anderson and DeAnna Pappas enjoyed both dinner and dancing at Tao. "Big Bang Theory" star Kunal Nayyar was also eyed inside the nightclub.

Jorge Garcia from "Lost" hosted the evening's festivities while simultaneously celebrating a friend's bachelor party.

He and a dozen friends started the night with dinner at the hotspot's Asian bistro, where they reportedly ordered Kobe beef and sushi before hitting the club.

Garcia returned to Tao on Saturday, where he took in the poolside scenery at Tao Beach during the afternoon before heading over to Lavo for dinner on the terrace. After their Strip-side meal, the group headed upstairs to party in the adjoining nightclub.

Actor Dash Mihok also had a rather legendary Tao and Lavo-filled weekend and was seen at Tao, Tao Beach, and Lavo in an entourage that at times reached 30 buddies strong. The gigantic group had dinner at Lavo on Saturday, and Mihok apparently picked up the entire tab.

Britney Spears hit the stage at MGM Grand on Saturday night as her much-anticipated "Circus" tour made a stop in Las Vegas. Spears said very little during the 85-minute performance but changed outfits at least a dozen times, which made up for the lack of dialogue.

After the show, Spears threw herself a party in a Palms Place penthouse. Though it started late (12:30 a.m.) and ended early (3 a.m.) guests included her manager, Larry Rudolph, Phil and Gavin Maloof and members of the Pussycat Dolls.

Over at the Hard Rock, things went country on Saturday as another, very different "circus" tour – Kenny Chesney's "Sun City Carnival" tour – rolled in. Lady Antebellum and a fairly intoxicated but very fun Miranda Lambert opened for Chesney.

Spotted amongst the crowd was Alice In Chains bassist Mike Inez. (See also: Random.)

Inez was also eyed before the show eating dinner at the Hard Rock’s Mexican restaurant, Pink Taco.

While Chesney was recently given a key to the Playboy Club he picked Ghostbar as his place to party the night before his show.

He and a group of friends were seen at the Palms nightspot on Friday evening enjoying the view from a VIP table.

Back on The Strip, the Pussycat Dolls, who opened for Brit-Brit, headed to Pure for a post-show party on Saturday night.

Before hitting Caesars, however, Jessica Sutta, Melody Thornton, Ashley Roberts, and Kimberly Wyatt stopped by Privé at Planet Hollywood for the official post-Circus party.

After a brief post-show mini-bash, the quartette of starlets headed over to Pure where they joined their fellow Doll, Nicole Scherzinger, and the group's creator, Robin Antin.

The group spread out across two VIP tables and was treated to Sugar Factory lollipops between rounds of Grey Goose cocktails and Moet Champagne.

Also taking in the scene at the club at Caesars Palace was former "American Idol" contestant Katrina "Bikini Girl" Darrell; Cortland Finnegan and his entourage of Belvedere and Patron-drinking friends; recently-engaged comic book artist Jim Lee and his fiancé; System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan; and former NBA player Antoine Walker, who spent the night drinking Grey Goose and Patron.

Pauly Shore, Masi Oka and Milo Ventimiglia followed their Tao and Lavo-filled Friday with a night at the Palms on Saturday.

Shore was spotted enjoying a late night snack and glass of wine with a friend at the N9NE Steakhouse lounge. The funny man ordered rock shrimp and spice crusted big tuna before heading up to the Playboy Club, where he was joined by his manager and two friends.

The small group spent the night drinking Ketel One vodka and posing for photos with fans.

Oka and Ventimiglia also partied at Playboy Club on Saturday, and also drank Ketel One, too.

Also at the sexy Fantasy Tower casino-club was Seatle Seahawks wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh Jr. Joined by his wife and two friends, Houshmandzadeh Jr. was said to have had a relatively quiet night, enjoying a couple rounds of drinks.

Ryan Seacrest, Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell, and Jermaine Dupri were spotted on The Strip on Saturday amongst the capacity crowd at XS. Paris Hilton stopped by the glittery and golden nightspot, too.

Before heading out to XS, however, Hilton and her boyfriend, "Hills" star Doug Reinhardt, had dinner at Lavo. The heiress' sister, Nicky Hilton, and comedian Jeff Beacher joined them at the Italian eatery.

Former "Dancing with the Stars" contestant Stacy Keibler also enjoyed an evening meal at Lavo, but headed over to Tao post-dinner to party the night away. The Hilton entourage also followed suit.

The popular Venetian destination was also actress Jamie King's party place of choice as she celebrated her birthday on Saturday night.

Along with her director husband, Kyle Newman, and a collection of family and friends, the birthday girl had dinner in the bistro before heading up to Tao Beach to celebrate under the stars in a VIP cabana.

Later that night, she went inside and partied with the Hiltons at their table.

Meanwhile, boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and a group of friends kicked back in one of the club's VIP sky boxes.

The following day, King returned to the Asian-themed multiplex to soak up some post-party sun at Tao Beach.

Dressed in a full-length black Cynthia Vincent sundress with a summery floral print, King and her sweet tooth were given both birthday cake and frozen yogurt to enjoy.

Actor Jsu Garcia and singer/songwriter Nat Sharrat also stopped by her cabana to say hello.

As the afternoon heated up, King shed the sundress and laid out in a pink bikini. After catching sufficient sun, she returned to her cabana for a massage, then headed indoors for dinner at Tao's sister restaurant-club, Lavo.

Nicole Scherzinger also went to Tao Beach for some day-after r&r on Sunday, shading her black bikini-clad bod with a sheer back cover-up while sipping margaritas and mojitos.

Though you couldn't tell from looking at the slender and sexy singer, she also enjoyed several of the beach club's culinary offerings: sushi, crispy rice and tuna, and sea bass fish and chips were all sent to the Pussycat Doll's cabana. Scherzinger reportedly finished it all off with an oversized fortune cookie.

Carmen Electra also came to Las Vegas to celebrate her birthday this weekend. She and her hubby, guitarist Rob Patterson, celebrated both her birthday and the launch of "Daylife Sundays" season 2.0 at Wet Republic on Sunday afternoon.

Electra walked the blue carpet at 3 p.m. wearing a flowing blue pattered sundress and sleek aviator-style shades. She told the Sun that said she planned to hit some of The Strip's best strip clubs, including OG's Olympic Gardens, after the pool party.

Meanwhile, turntable heavyweight Steve Aoki spun a sun-drenched set over at the Hard Rock's adults-only pool party, Rehab.

While the weekend may be over, the B- and C-list fun hasn't come to a halt quite yet: VH1 star and R&B singer Ray J will host Privé tonight.

Posted by riesambo at April 28, 2009 12:50 AM