Clooney, Gerber at controls of Halloween bash on Las Vegas Strip
George Clooney and Rande Gerber were the Strip’s co-pilots Saturday night. Their aircraft was Aria, specifically the new Catch restaurant and nightspot.
The two friends, confidants and business partners moved their Casamigos tequila company Halloween party — famous for its revelry in Los Angeles — to the new hot spot for a full-scale Halloween festival. Clooney and Gerber donned pilot costumes and, along with Gerber’s wife, Cindy Crawford (dressed as a ’70s-era flight attendant), effectively took flight in Las Vegas.
Clooney and Gerber have dabbled in business before in Vegas — including the Las Ramblas resort concept on Harmon Avenue, west of Hard Rock Hotel, in the mid-2000s. But today, they’re focused on tequila.
“This is the only alcohol I drink, because it’s just so smooth,” Gerber, himself a smooth operator, said in a side conversation, “This is the only interest I have right now.”
Gerber also launched Whiskey Sky at Green Valley Ranch in 2001 and Cherry at Red Rock Resort (later renamed Crimson) in 2006.
Casamigos co-founder and The Summit in Summerlin visionary Mike Meldman joined the adventure, which lasted past 2 a.m. The party overtook the Aria main lobby, where Catch is located. Expect MGM Resorts International to continue the build-out in that expansive, fancy area.
Also around the room: Kendall Jenner, Austin Stowell, Joey Fatone (in an unnerving drag costume), Jermaine Dupri as a minion, JB Smoove, Gelila and Wolfgang Puck, supermodel Karolina Kurkova and Archie Drury, Marlon Wayans, DJ Steve Aoki (as a zombie DJ) and Devon Aoki.
DJ Cassidy opened the live-performance section of the party, followed by a performance by Nas and an unbilled DJ set by Jenner.
The restaurant was themed with Casamigos’ familiar black brick walls and lined with black-sparkled glitter barrels. It was dark and loud, and the food (especially the crispy chicken sliders, veggie king rolls and lobster mac and cheese) was outstanding.
Friday, Catch Hospitality Group partners Mark Birnbaum, Eugene Remm and Tilman Fertitta welcomed The Chainsmokers, Floyd Mayweather and Dupri into the restaurant’s uber-VIP unveiling. They were joined by such boldface-worthy celebs as model (and “Chippendales” at the Rio guest host) Tyson Beckford, New York Yankees star Giancarlo Stanton, “The Hills’” Frankie Delgado, poker personality Rick Salomon and the Vegas Golden Knights’ William Karlsson, Alex Tuch, and Malcolm Subban.
Casamigos was acquired by Diageo in 2017 for $1 billion. Clooney subsequently promised he and Gerber were staying with the company and that the brand operates independently of Diageo. The company just launched its mezcal line, and all of the company’s products are served — and were served this weekend — extensively at Catch.
Angel’s finale
Before he opens his new show at Planet Hollywood Resort for previews Dec. 19 , Criss Angel took care of a final bit of business at Luxor on Sunday night. He closed “Mindfreak Live,” after a decadelong run at the pointed resort.
He looked back on that period with “a lot of mixed emotions,” he said in a chat in his dressing room before the finale. “Cirque gave me this incredible opportunity, an unparalleled opportunity, to have a show at the Luxor,” he said. “But it’s no secret, when it started, it wasn’t my show. I was a character in a Cirque show. It was a great show, but it wasn’t a great show for Criss Angel.”
A few years into the run, Angel and Cirque agreed to put “Believe,” the original Luxor production, squarely in Angel’s hands, and he has helmed “Mindfreak Live” to the finish line. Angel said he was most proud of his work over the past decade in raising money and awareness for pediatric cancer, as his 4-year-old son, Johnny Crisstopher, has fought a rare form of leukemia almost since birth.
Angel says he will bring his HELP (Heal Every Life Possible) charity event to Planet Hollywood in 2019, with the ambitious goal of raising $5 million. As he said before taking the stage for his Luxor finale, “When you see your own son suffering, and children like him suffering, from cancer, that’s far more important than doing magic tricks.”
Christmas puppet action
Terry Fator is developing a new character for his Christmas production, which opens Nov. 23 in his eponymous theater at The Mirage. He teases that his new puppet is patterned for a living superstar, male, and “has an unexpected twist.” I can confirm it is not Chubby Checker. More to be revealed …
Cool Hang Alert
Louise Goffin is playing The Space at 8 p.m. Sunday. Goffin comes from legendary lineage, as the daughter of Carole King and Gerry Goffin.
Based in LA, the singer/songwriter/instrumentalist has been introduced to the Vegas entertainment community by the great jazz singer Michelle Johnson. Jeff Neiman will join on piano on a few songs, with Vin A of the Bronx Wanderers, Jolana Sampson, Sarah Hester Ross, Michael Shapiro, Stephanie Sanchez and Johnson as guest singers.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.