Yesterday afternoon I went to auditions for the Crazy Horse topless revue at the MGM Grand. There had been 50 women originally involved in the auditions and the process had whittled those contestants down to seven for the event that media were invited to witness. The celebrity judge was Dita Von Teese, and it was her first time seeing the finalists.

Each woman danced for a few moments, and the entire audition took less than an hour.  Here is a photo of Dita and the chosen after the winners were announced at Tabu at MGM last night: Krystle Richeson (blond), Dita Von Teese, Elena Lee Rodriguez (black hair), Polina Volchek and Kara McKinney (curly hair).

Right after these auditions both Dita and the two judges from Crazy Horse were sure Elena would be picked; all were ecstatic about her auditions. Of the remaining winners, one will be told she needs to lose some weight. Yes, I am being serious. All three judges agreed that right now she is too big, but her other merits as a performer and dancer allow the weight issue to not hold her back at this stage. What was amazing is that all three judges were able to talk knowingly about the "big" girl while I had no idea to which of the women they were referring. These were all professional-caliber dancers in great shape. Look at the photo and see if you can guess which winner needs to drop a few pounds before becoming a Crazy Horse dancer? I don't know the answer. It was so obvious to the judges; they never had to say her name.

I expressed my amazement to Dita that any of the women needed to be thinner and she replied: "This is show business and it is not nice and it is not easy. I would be too heavy to be a Crazy Horse dancer." The two Crazy Horse executives immediately tried to tell Dita that this was not the case. They told Dita that she was tiny and that she was thin, both true, of course. But Dita was having none of it, because she was right as well. She does not have the body type that matches the rigorous conformity of a Crazy Horse dancer. "What they do, I can't do," Dita explained. "I could never dance like those girls either. I had to find another approach." 

I bet you didn't know that Tom Jones does a great cover of Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life." Tonight Jones is appearing at the MGM Grand where he is far more likely to perform "What's New Pussycat?" I would love to go see Tom Jones, but the few times I've asked for review tickets, I've been turned down. Tom doesn't need a concert review; everyone already knows his songs and when to throw underwear. Unlike so many of his peers, he remains a major draw here and his stints in town almost always sell out. Maybe it is because he plays Las Vegas far less than people think. Jones only does a few stints at the MGM each year.

Neil Diamond is at MGM Grand tonight and Black Eyed Peas are at Mandalay Bay. Where would you rather be?

It will be slim pickings this New Year's Eve. Matchbox 20 (at the Hard Rock) and Goo Goo Dolls (at House of Blues) with the big show being Kanye West at the Aladdin. It looks like among the major venues in town who will have nothing going on December 31: Hilton Theatre, The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, MGM Grand Garden Arena and The Mandalay Bay Events Center. December 31 is a Saturday night and so I am a bit surprised or maybe that is the issue (people might need more attractions to come here for a New Year's Eve that fell on a Tuesday). But it seems that New Year's Eve in Las Vegas--at least if it lands on a weekend---has become enough of a draw that casinos no longer feel the need to book a big name.