Using her delightfully outlandish humor, comedienne Rita Rudner is branching out once again and adding talk show host to her long list of credits that already includes her own hit show at New York-New York and a book called "Tickled Pink." On Jan. 27, her new 30-minute, syndicated talk show called "Ask Rita" made its debut.

The show is similar Bill Maher's former "Politically Incorrect" program. The difference is Rudner invites four guests, two men and two women, to help her discuss people's personal problems instead of political issues.

The legendary rock quartet of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood, better known as the Rolling Stones, will return to Las Vegas on Feb. 8, bringing their extended 2002/2003 World Tour to the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The Rolling Stones, working closely with the design team responsible for the sensational sets and dramatic effects on previous tours ("Steel Wheels," "Voodoo Lounge," "Bridges to Babylon " and "No Security"), will feature a significant set of classic Rolling Stones hits as well as new songs. Tickets are $125, $250 and $350 plus service charges, call TicketMaster (702) 474-4000.

The Warner Brothers themed restaurant, WB Stage 16, with its popular Jack's Velvet Lounge will close on Feb. 14, after three years of being in business at the Venetian in the Grand Canal shopping area.

The nightclub scene in Las Vegas has been booming with no end in sight. In fact, two more clubs, one at the MGM Grand and another at the Forum Shops, will be joining the unprecedented club lineup that just a few weeks ago added the Latin themed Sevilla at Desert Passage.

The MGM Grand's Tabu Ultra Lounge will open at the very end of this month in the 7,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by the Family Feud Slots area. This 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. club is being designed to combine the elements of sophistication, fashion and flashing imagery. The music will be a mix of classic lounge sounds and European vocals.

Opm, a Wolfgang Puck project, is expected to open in late April at the Forum Shops connected to Caesars Palace. The 10,000-square-foot project taking over the upper level of his Chinois restaurant will include the bridge that goes to FAO Schwarz and a VIP room. The hours will be 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The multi-talented actor and comedian Howie Mandel will perform his comedy special at the MGM Grand's Hollywood Theatre from Feb. 13-19 at 9 p.m. Tickets are $52 plus service charges, call 1-800-929-1111 or 702-891-7777.

Mandel's career has encompassed virtually every area of entertainment including television, film and stage. He recently starred in "Crown Heights," a film based on a true story about racial tensions between Hasidic Jews and African-Americans, debuting on SHOWTIME in Spring 2003. He also starred in the award-wining NBC drama "St. Elsewhere" and produced and created the Emmy Award-nominated children's series "Bobby's World."

"The Tonight Show" host, Jay Leno, will perform his stand-up comedy act at the EFX Theatre in the MGM Grand at 9 p.m., Feb. 7-8 and Feb. 21-22. Tickets are $60 and $70 inclusive, call (800) 929-1111 or (702) 891-7777.

Leno is now in his 10th season as host of the Emmy Award-winning late show. Touted as one of the nicest and hardest-working people in show business, Leno has appeared in hundreds of comedy shows around the country over the past 20 years and remains passionate about performing in front of a live audience telling jokes.

The reigning American Country Music Top Vocal Group, Lonestar will appear at the Las Vegas Hilton, Feb. 14 and 15, at 10 p.m. Tickets are $25, $35 and $45 plus tax, call 1-800-222-5361 or 702-732-5755.

Lonstar's first four studio albums have sold more than seven million copies. The award winning band recently concluded its "I'm Already There Tour" in New Orleans after stopping in more than 90 cities throughout the United States. This year, Lonstar will release new material for the group's upcoming "Greatest Hits" album and continue touring.

Caramel is a new sophisticated lounge replacing the Allegro Lounge at the Bellagio. It is a relaxed, elegant yet high-energy atmosphere where one can sip on signature chocolate and caramel-coated martini glasses while listening to enjoyable live music. The decor includes beautiful hand-blown glass sculptures and opaque marble tables. This perfect pre-show or late-nigh venue offers a light menu.

Mist is a new cool, hip nightspot lounge setting at Treasure Island. It replaces the Hideaway Lounge with an intimate, casual neighborhood bar atmosphere making a perfect place for listening to music or watching a sporting event on an oversized plasma television.

The hours of operation for Caramel and Mist are Monday through Friday, 4 p.m. - 4 a.m., plus Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 a.m. Both lounges are brought to you by the creators of LIGHT, the nightclub at Bellagio, which is coming up on its one year anniversary.

Tito Puentes, Jr., son of the Tito Puentes, will be guest starring in "Bravo" at the Sevilla through Feb. 8, while bombshell Charo takes time out to honor a previous commitment. Sevilla is the new Spanish steakhouse and Latin Nightclub located at the Desert Passage inside the Aladdin.

Show times are nightly except Monday and cost $96, $106 or $116 with tax and gratuity included. The 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday cocktail shows are $65, $75 and $85 including tax and gratuity. There is also a cocktail only option where you sit in the balcony during the dinner show and the charge is $65.

The Stardust has started FREE Friday night jazz concerts in the resort's 920-seat Wayne Newton Theater. Groups scheduled on the jazz series include: Lawrence T featuring Sid the Kid on Feb. 7; Calvin Brooks on Feb. 21; Will Donato on Feb. 28; Nicolas Brooks & The Players on March 7; Turning Point on March 21; Sometin' Smoothe on March 28; Jim Spot on April 11; and Boy Katindig on April 25.

The 349-room, nine-story Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, will open on Feb. 11. It's destination golf and spa resort located 17 miles from the Las Vegas Strip on the shores of the largest privately-owned lake in the Southwest. The resort is an integral part of the Mediterranean -themed MonteLago Village scheduled to open this spring.

TOP OF NEXT COLUMN

An auction featuring vintage memorabilia from around the world will have over 1,000 items on display and for sale at the Rich Penn Country Store and Advertising Auction Event, Feb. 21-23, at the famed Auto Collections at the Imperial Palace. The preview of the auction times begins at noon on Friday. Admission is by catalog only, which costs $25, and admits two persons to the event and the auto gallery. For information, call 1-800-800-2981.

Jim LeBoeuf & the Natural will end the band's 3 year afternoon run at the Riviera on Feb. 9.

Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. will be the primary sponsor of driver Larry Foyt this season in NASCAR's Winston Cup Series. The two-year sponsorship deal has Foyt driving the No. 14 Harrah's Dodge Intrepid for A.J. Foyt Racing, the team owned by the 25-year-old rookie's father and racing legend.

Long considered the "Wedding Capitol of the World," folks will be lining up like crazy to tie the blissful knot or renew solemn vows in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 14. The town's wedding chapels abound offering wedding packages and choices galore.

For example, Treasure Island offers four wedding packages ranging in price from $599 to $2,999 in a chapel that can seat up to 65 guests. The Elegance package includes amenities such as a complimentary bridal bouquet and groom boutonniere, photography package, personalized music, champagne toast, and a half hour access to the chapel to the Enchantment, featuring a storybook ceremony on the H.M.S. Britannia, limo service to the courthouse (to pick up the wedding license), a video of the ceremony, a champagne breakfast for two and a Salon / Spa package.

The MGM Grand is offering a weekend two-night stay in a Celebrity Spa Suite with a whirlpool. It's available for two package dates: Friday, Feb. 14 through Sunday, Feb. 16, for $799 per couple and Thursday, Feb. 13 through Saturday, Feb. 15 for $599 per couple, call (800) 929-1111, (702) 891-7777.

This getaway includes an airport limo pickup, a half dozen long-stem roses, champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries in your room and dinner at one of two award-winning restaurants -- NOBHILL, the best of San Francisco cuisine from Chef Michael Mina, or Craftsteak, the new steakhouse from Chef Tom Colicchio that celebrates the craft of cooking with natural ingredients.

The MGM Grand's Forever Grand Wedding Chapel is also offering a special Sweethearts Package on Valentine's Day only for $729, call (702) 891-7984. This deal includes the wedding chapel, minister, pianist, a 12-rose bouquet, a boutonniere, a special gift, an amenity basket with a bottle of champagne, two flutes and two spa products, a photography package with 12 4x6 photos in an album, and a souvenir wedding certificate and holder.

When Celine Dion launches her show, "A New Day," on March 25, at the new 4,000-seat Caesars Palace Colosseum and begins a three year contract, her new album "One Heart," will also be released. The album will have the single, "I Drove All Night," a song originally recorded by Roy Orbison in 1988, and then a year later by Cyndi Lauper. The song is also the centerpiece of Chrysler's new "Drive & Love" ad campaign.

Craftsteak, MGM Grand's newest restaurant, was named "Best New Restaurant" in Las Vegas at the 2003 Epicurean Awards sponsored by "Las Vegas Life" magazine. This is the second consecutive year that an MGM Grand restaurant was bestowed this honor. NOBHILL received the same award in 2002 proving MGM Grand has established itself as a formidable dining destination.

In celebration of the Chinese New Year, the Palms has released a limited edition "Year of the Ram" gaming chip available in $8, $25 and $100 denominations. The chips feature the ram from Chinese astrology. The number eight is a Chinese lucky number which explains the unusual $8 chip denomination.

Crystalix will engrave a two-dimensional or 3-D likeness of anyone into a block of high quality crystal. The person whose image is being engraved does not need to be present. Crystalix can work from a photo emailed or handed to them. The outlet is on the second level retail walkway at the Tropicana, call 702-739-2479 for more information.

The Venetian's $250 million expansion includes a new, 1,000-suite hotel tower that has been topped off. When completed in about six months, the added rooms will make the Venetian the third largest hotel in the world with 4,049 suites. The standard luxury suite in the new tower will average over 700 square feet and have nine foot six inch ceilings.

The new hotel tower will overlook a lavish pool deck reminiscent of a Venetian garden and feature a swimming pool, three spas, ornate gazebos and five fountains. The new tower will be home to a new restaurant concept and have the Venetian's first wedding chapel, a 2,500-square-foot multiplex arrangement that can seat up to 200 guests or be separated into three smaller chapels.

The expansion will also have an additional 150,000 square feet of meeting space bringing the resort's grand total to nearly 1.9 million square feet including the Sands Expo Center. The added space will include three new ballrooms: The Bellini, The Titan and The Veronese, all named after great painters.

The 2002-2003 Nevada Ballet Theatre Season is incorporating opening night celebrations at three of renowned Chef Gustav Mauler's off-Strip restaurants. The exclusive pre-opening affairs start at 5 p.m. with a special menu designed for the occasion. All dinners are $75 per person with a portion of the proceeds going to the ballet group.

Dinner on Feb. 21, before "Vivaldi to Pink Floyd" will be at Spiedini in the JW Marriott property located in the northwest part of the valley. The "Salute to Richard Rogers" event on April 5 will feature dinner at BullShrimp in the Green Valley Ranch resort. "Peter Pan" on May 16, will begin at Sazio in The Orleans.

For the month of February, Sixties Mania, a free show at the Castaways located on Boulder Highway, remembers the superstars of the sixties. The show has been presented throughout the world. It is showcased in two parts, with part one centering on the early British groups and American stars, and part two presenting a tribute to the Sgt. Pepper Beatles era and the Woodstock - Flower Power period. Shows are at 8 and 9:30 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, in the Windjammer Lounge.

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