Vegas magazine turns the page with help from the Kardashians, Goss, ‘Pawn Stars’

By John Katsilometes

Sunday, June 20, 2010 | 1:24 p.m.

When Vegas magazine launched seven years ago, the site on which Encore and Wynn Las Vegas stand was the shuttered and partially demolished Desert Inn.

I got a great room rate that night.

But Saturday night the scene was freshly opened Surrender nightclub at Encore, and the event was the seventh birthday of Vegas magazine, our Greenspun Media Group's Niche Media glossy sister pub. The anniversary cover is a shot of the Kardashian sisters — Kourtney, Kim and Khloe — and two of the three walked the red carpet prior to Saturday's party.

Reportedly feeling flu-ish, Khloe Kardashian Odom didn't attend, her illness falling on the two-night anniversary of the Lakers' and her husband Lamar's NBA Finals victory over the Celtics.

A wrap around the party, which was a humdinger:

• On the carpet, the sisters said posing for the cover in revealing attire with each other was a more, um, seamless process than a solo shoot. The reason is, they are honest with each other when the look looks wrong. "We're brutally honest with each other," Kourtney said. Two covers were considered, one in all-white and another in all-black and summer white won out. ... Though she's recently been linked (in published reports, anyway) to Portugese soccer star Christiano Ronaldo and more recently Cowboys wideout Miles Austin, Kim Kardashian says she is steadfastly single. "I'm too much of a workaholic," to enter into a relationship, is her reason. Check back on Valentine's Day, I guess. ... Caesars Palace headliner Matt Goss has lugged his acoustic piano back onstage at the Gossy Room at Cleopatra's Barge; he played it at the Palms and many fans have missed that segment in the new show. ... No fedora for Goss on the carpet. Sort of odd seeing him absent the topper. Caesars sells these Gossy-inspired hats in its gift shop for $68 apiece. ... After the pilot and premiere episodes of "Holly's World" have aired, Holly Madison sidekick Laura Croft has been criticized by some viewers for her "smoky" voice. "It's not smoky, it's called a Southern accent," says Croft, a native of Jacksonville, Fla. ... Pauly Shore made his way halfway up the carpet but turned back before making it to my stretch of fabric, which is too bad. I could have mentioned to him I saw his father, Sammy, at Stirling Club on Thursday night. Where the conversation would have unwound from there is anyone's guess ... "Pawn Stars" figures Rick and Corey "Big Hoss" Harrison and Austin "Chumlee" Russell continue to rocket to international fame, glory, and choice seats in fancy restaurants. The latest: Rick Harrison's rescheduled appearance on "The Late Show With David Letterman" is expected to be booked for July or August. Big Hoss and Chumlee are headed for "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno sometime in mid-July. ... Rick Harrison was disappointed his appearance didn't come off Thursday. He said he's a big Letterman fan dating to the show's years at NBC. He remembers the famous Velcro Suit episode, when Letterman hopped on a mini-trampoline and hurtled himself into a Velcro wall. Harrison then offered, "I'm dating myself here." That makes two of us. I remember the Velcro Suit, the suit of sponges, the suit of magnets and Letterman being lowered into a glass bin filled with water while wearing a suit covered with Alka-Seltzer tablets. These were all from Letterman's inspired NBC era. ... Hopefully, Letterman is a "Pawn Stars" fan. That could be a great interview. He had the guys from "Mythbusters" on once and clearly was giddy at talking about the show. ... Chumlee was wearing $125 gold Nike sneakers and oversized shades for the nighttime party. He's such a star. ... Alizma was wafting through the crowd, and it has been many months since we've seen the bubbly violin-playing triplets at a big Vegas party. They are toning down the wackiness these days, but still are sufficiently wacky. ... Ran into William Metropulos, who is bringing the tavern apparatus known as Smart Bar to Tropicana. This is a booze vending machine of sorts, described (by its own staff) as the world's first totally self-contained portable bar. This machine helps bartenders pour drinks fast and with great precision, though it does nullify any "flair" bartending performances, unless the bartender uses Smart Bar as a pommel horse. ... I learned something fascinating about S.P.I. founder Adam Steck's personal grooming routine. You'll have to tune in to "Our Metropolis" on Tuesday at 6 p.m. on KUNV 91.5-FM to find out what it is. Steck's shows include "Human Nature," "Thunder From Down Under," "Frank Marino's Divas Las Vegas" and Amazing Johnathan.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.