‘America’s Got Talent’ continues Las Vegas ties

With the Strip looming as the ultimate goal of many "America's Got Talent" contestants, it's no wonder the NBC variety competition boasts a definite Vegas vibe.

Las Vegas-based magician Landon Swank joins other Top 10 hopefuls Tuesday and Wednesday for tapings in Hollywood; last season's big winner, Las Vegas-based singer Michael Grimm, also is scheduled to perform.

"America's Got Talent" cameras may even return to Las Vegas this week; show officials took out a film permit in case they want to capture sixth-season footage along the Strip.

Magic man: It's all magic, all the time, at Criss Angel's new magic-themed website, magicplace.com.

Which means it's all shooting, all the time.

With "two shows a day, every day" posting on the site, "we shoot four or five days a week," Angel says.

Much of that production takes place around town; Angel recently joined "Believe" sidekick Mateo Amieva and comedy magician The Amazing Johnathan for a candid camera-style "Psych" sequence. Other recent magicplace.com guests range from Luxor comedian Carrot Top to former Monte Carlo headliner Lance Burton.

The website's debut last month proved so popular, with 240,000 hits a minute, that "after 12 minutes, we had to shut everything down" and "convert to a larger system," Angel reports.

"It's an incredible amount of work" to provide the website's programming, Angel says, and while "it's not something I imagine to happen overnight," he revels in "the freedom to create" -- and the freedom to make the decisions.

In the past, with "Mindfreak" and other TV ventures, Angel had to deal with network officials. Now, he says, "no one tells me no."

Good works: "The Ethical Hedonist" has done the ethics. Now it's time for the hedonism, as the upcoming Travel Channel International series continues its Vegas visit.

Last week, host Bob Kelly concentrated on Las Vegas' more serious side, joining Habitat for Humanity on a construction project, reports producer-director Camilla Andersen. Also on the itinerary: a visit to the Springs Preserve and an interview with Pat Mulroy, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

This week, however, Kelly's expected to go for the good times, including a scheduled visit with former mayor (and current mayoral spouse) Oscar Goodman.

In addition, "our host Bob hopes to try and check out if it's possible to see Vegas on bicycle," Andersen notes. The big question is whether he'll be able to see anything with all the sweat pouring into his eyes.

Quick hits: A variety of TV projects are expected to roll into town this week, from a BBC show devoted to 1950s "Googie Art" to "Brooklyn Crew," which is scheduled to follow its 11-member female cast as they experience Las Vegas nightlife through Tuesday.

Also in production: a second season of History's "Pawn Stars" spinoff, "American Restoration," now rolling at Rick and Kelly Dale's new downtown location on Commerce Street, which is attracting customers who watch the show's regulars working in their shops, according to Kelly Dale. And the local feature "Little Monsters" is expected to continue shooting over the weekend on the UNLV campus and a Henderson residence.

Las Vegas-based Levy Production Group is scheduled to tape an interview with Rio regular Penn Jillette for TV Guide's "Urban Legends." And, catching up from last week, the "Shaq All-Star Comedy Jam" was expected to catch comedian Corey Holcomb in action interviewing downtown visitors.

Carol Cling's Shooting Stars column appears Mondays. Contact her at (702) 383-0272 or ccling@reviewjournal. com.