by Jackie Brett Send Me E-mail

Jeff Hobson's Money And Madness Show opening at the Excalibur in the 400-seat Merlin's Theatre will incorporate outrageous comedy stunts while giving away cash. Presented by Dick Foster Productions, the new show replacing Catch A Rising Star will be performed nightly Saturday through Thursday at 10 p.m. with an additional performance on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $29.95 plus tax, call 702-597-7600. The show will contain adult themes and language so no one under the age of 18 will be admitted.

New owners have purchased the defunct Moulin Rouge property on Bonanza Road for $12.1 million and have entrepreneurial plans to build a $200 million casino and entertainment complex on the 15-acre site. The property sitting in a redevelopment area will begin construction the third quarter of this year and the grand opening is slated for December 2005.

Some of the lofty plans to restore the Moulin Rouge's luster include a 500-room hotel with 20 corporate suites nearby, a 40,000-square-foot, two-story casino with 1,000 slot machines, 40 table games, a sports bar, a 500-seat showroom, an upscale bar atop the hotel and a Motown Café. Additional plans include a nine-screen movie theater, a 117,000-square-foot events center, and a planned 9,000-square-foot community center.

The Moulin Rouge sign is an integral part of the attractive rendering unveiled at a recent VIP / press gathering. An arsonist set a fire that ravaged the property last May. The Moulin Rouge was opened originally in 1955 and was the first racially integrated casino in Las Vegas. The property has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places for more than 10 years.

The House of Blues at Mandalay Bay has opened a lavish new ultra-lounge called OBA. The music hall has renovated its third floor into a plush atmosphere with intimate booth seating, mood lighting, attentive bottle service and a private elevator access. Some of the best local and national DJs are spinning the tunes.

OBA currently has the lounge open from 11 p.m. - 4 a.m. on Sundays and Thursdays and until 6 a.m. on Wednesdays. On Monday mornings from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m., OBA hosts a new after-hours, following up where "Godspeed" in the Foundation Room leaves off. In addition, OBA is open during select HOB concerts. Admission is $10, call 702-221-2583 for information.

The new exhibit at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art is "Claude Monet: Masterworks from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston." This is considered one of the most comprehensive and ambitious exhibits to visit the gallery since it opened in 1998.

The display exposes a semi-retrospective on the life of the French Impressionist painter spanning his entire career from the 1860s to the early 20th century.

Included in the exhibit are several of Monet's most famous works, including "Camille Monet and a Child in the Artist's Garden in Argenteuil" (1875), "Grainstack" (1891), "Rouen Cathedral Facade" and "Tour D'Albane" (1894), "Water Lily Pond" (1900), and "Water Lilies" (1905).

The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art has extended its hours to accommodate more visitors. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets for this special exhibition are $15 per person and $12 for students and seniors over age 65.

World renown comedian, best selling author and artist, Jonathan Winters will participate in a public meet and greet and preview of his paintings and drawings at the Art de Vignettes Fine Art Gallery at the Fashion Show mall on Feb. 11 between 5 - 7 p.m. and Feb. 12 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

This will be the artist's first exhibit in Las Vegas in over 30 years. Art de Vignettes will feature 16 acrylic on canvas paintings, 20 pen and ink drawings, and five limited edition signed prints never before available through March 2004. An exclusive selection of his work will be on display and available for purchase indefinitely. Winters style of painting is abstract, with a surreal and primitive combination. He studied art for over two years at the Dayton Art Institute. For information, call 702-734-3202.

Lots of rumors and newsy items are flying about different shows.

Voluptuous superstar Pamela Anderson told radio host Howard Stern that she is planning on being a part of Elton John's upcoming show, "The Red Piano," opening Feb. 13 - 22, at Caesars Palace in The Colosseum. She's suppose to be doing a stripper-pole routine.

The Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" is reportedly the big production show that will take over the Siegfried & Roy Theatre at The Mirage.

A new afternoon revue, "All You Can Dance," is scheduled to open Feb. 14, in the Ovation Theatre at the Desert Passage mall. Shows will be daily at 2 and 4 p.m.

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