Congratulations to Rafael Nadal and Venus Williams, who both won Wimbledon.

Nadal, who hails from Spain, beat Roger Federer in five sets for the title; he is widely known as one of the best clay court players in the world.

Venus Williams later beat her sister Serena for her fifth Wimbledon title; she is now the top-ranked female player in the world, according to the Women’s Tennis Association.

Celebrity divorces have been making headlines lately, and the ladies are discussing the hot topic of relationships in the public eye.

Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook have been commanding attention, as some of the more scandalous aspects of their relationship have been made public in their ongoing battle for custody of their children. Apparently Cook has engaged in some questionable sexual activities, including pursuing a relationship with an 18-year-old woman, which some feel has made him a target for media scrutiny.

New York Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez is also in the midst of a sloppy divorce; he and his wife have both been romantically linked to other celebrities, including Madonna and Lenny Kravitz. The rumors, which have been vigorously denied by some parties, are causing the rift between them to grow deeper and more gossip-worthy.

Whoopi feels that people should be honest in their reasons for wanting to leave a relationship, and should avoid using the media to attempt to manipulate their partner into a settlement. Sherri, meanwhile, thinks that the children are the people who truly suffer in such tumultuous times.

Celebrity couple Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have been expecting a child; earlier today, the two welcomed a baby girl named Sunday Rose Kidman Urban.

Sunday Rose is the first child for the couple, although Kidman has two adopted children already with her former spouse, Tom Cruise.

Although the ladies of The View are taking a vacation after a week-long broadcast trip to Las Vegas, viewers can catch up on missed episodes.

The reruns include some of the more popular episodes, including guests Michelle Obama, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Mike Myers.

Magician Lance Burton performed some sleight-of-hand entertainment on The View, including sawing Barbara Walters in two. Burton’s interest in magic began at age 5, after seeing Harry Collins perform in Louisville, Kentucky.

Burton now performs a live show at the Monte Carlo Tuesdays through Saturdays; he recently celebrated 12 years at that venue, though he’s been in Las Vegas for 26 years.

Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney Kardashian, stars of the reality television show Keeping Up With The Kardashians, spoke on The View about their lives in the spotlight.

The sisters have grown up in the spotlight; their father, the late Robert Kardashian, was part of the OJ Simpson defense attorney ”dream team.” The reality show, which is now the highest rated program on the E! network, invites viewers into the Kardashian household, which now includes their stepfather and former Olympian Bruce Jenner.

The sisters shared their roles and personalities; as expected, Kim was named the sweetest sister, though the other two say that she is the one who needs the most protection and counseling. Khloe was called the sensitive, yet no-nonsense sister; she runs the women’s section of her family’s clothing store, while Kourtney runs the children’s department.

Although the sisters have been romantically linked to a number of male celebrities, the three agree that they have different tastes in men and they aren’t competitive with each other.

Bette Midler continued speaking with the ladies of The View about how her personal life is unfolding in Las Vegas.

Midler’s had an exciting year so far: her daughter, Sophie von Haselberg, recently graduated from Yale University. In another twist, Midler recently received her wedding photos from the Elvis impersonator who married her 23 years ago in the famed Caesars Palace.

Midler’s latest project, a CD called Jackpot – The Best Bette, debuts in August, and contains a selection of her popular works, as well as some unreleased material.

Bette Midler stopped by The View to talk about the offer she couldn’t refuse. Caesars Palace, where the ladies have been guests for the week, invited Midler to perform a permanent show called The Showgirl Must Go On. The offer was well-timed, as Midler no longer wanted to tour with a show. She says that she relates to one of her characters, “The Oldest Living Showgirl,” and is glad that she can entertain without the demands of traveling.

Midler says that The Showgirl Must Go On is the same as her old show, and includes the characters and jokes that her fans have grown to love. Still, she says that the show at Caesars Palace is a more feminine show, complete with feathers, glitter, and of course, beautiful showgirls.

Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain shared his love of the band, ABBA; he says that although ABBA has enjoyed unparalleled success, people still view their fans as tasteless.

Two of the stars from the hit MTV reality show, The Hills visited the show to discuss their new-found celebrity, as well as how accurate reality shows truly are.

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are two of The Hills‘ four main characters; the two are now pre-engaged, and plan to continue their relationship through another formal engagement, and ultimately to marriage.

When asked how real the show is, Pratt responded that it does depict their lives as they unfold. The producers map out certain events and important locations, and the characters are tracked by GPS devices, but their interactions and situations are not scripted or planned.

In addition to her filming duties, Montag has also designed a line of clothing with Anchor Blue called Heidiwood; it caters to young women in their teens and 20s who are interested in fashionable and affordable clothing.

Guest Wayne Brady has recorded his debut CD, called A Long Time Coming, which will be on sale on September 16. The CD includes some of what Brady calls “old soul” (such as his cover of Sam Cook’s “A Change Is Gonna Come”) and original material, like his debut single, “Ordinary,” which he performed for the audience.

Brady also hosts a game show called Don’t Forget The Lyrics; he revealed that although he initially was hesitant to become involved with the show, he now appreciates the fact that, as the host, he is able to perform for the contestants and viewers.

Wayne Brady, a lifelong actor and comedian, appeared on The View to talk about his hit Las Vegas show, Making It Up. Brady performs the improvisational entertainment show at the Venetian Hotel, and says that the majority of the show changes nightly, as he tries to accommodate all audience requests and suggestions.

Brady cited the improvisational comedy aspect as the most difficult element of the show, but displayed his range of talents by singing a rendition of “Sex Machine” for the audience.

Vegas.com states that Las Vegas’ service-based economy relies heavily on tips. As such, it provides information about who, when, and how much to tip.

Sherri says that she learned from speaking with hotel staff that one should not wait until departure to leave a tip for room cleaning staff. She says that the staff may rotate, and the tip left at the end may not be divided among everyone who worked in the room for the length of the guest’s stay. Instead, a smaller daily tip ensures that each person receives the gratuity for his or her day’s work.

When in the casino, Whoopi tips the dealer if she wins a table game, while Joy thinks that such tips are optional.

The showgirls of Donn Arden’s Jubilee! are celebrating 27 years of Las Vegas entertainment. The ladies, who typically perform topless at Bally’s, were covered for their appearance on The View.

Barbara called Arden’s show reminiscent of the nightclub experience that her father, Lou Walters, created in his Latin Quarter clubs.

Comedienne Rita Rudner made her appearance on The View this morning to promote some of her latest projects. Her book, entitled I Still Have It…I Just Can’t Remember Where I Put It: Confessions of a Fiftysomething, shares some of Rudner’s reflections on aging. She told Barbara that the worst part of being 50 is being 54, while the best part is that people who have dyslexia think that she’s 45. Still, Rudner, who recently adopted a daughter, says that there are some benefits to being an older mother, despite the fact that young children have seemingly boundless energy.

Rudner says that she likes Las Vegas because it’s a “small town with the best of everything.” Her performances from Nevada have been recorded on DVD, and was released today on the compilation, Live From Las Vegas.

]]> http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/2008/06/25/guest-rita-rudner/feed/ http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/2008/06/25/guests-cirque-du-soleil/ http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/2008/06/25/guests-cirque-du-soleil/#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:50:08 +0000 judith http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/?p=498

Cirque du Soleil contortionists wowed the crowd with their demonstrations of agility and creativity, as they performed a piece from O, their hit show at the Bellagio. Although parts of the complete show take place underwater, the artists brought the same grace and splendor to The View stage.

Cirque du Soleil fans can enjoy circus theater in multiple ways; some of the shows, such as O, are permanent and remain in one city for their entire run, while other shows, like the popular Kooza, travel and can be seen locally.

Pop star Jessica Simpson is branching out: she says that she’s always wanted to sing country music, and is embarking on that journey with her upcoming album, Come On Over. The title track from that CD has already been successful, crowning Simpson the ‘Highest Charting Debut Solo Artist’ on Billboard’s Country Singles Chart.

Simpson is also active in other areas; her designer shoe line is highly sought after among the ladies of The View, and will likely be joined in popularity by Fancy, her perfume line that is scheduled for release in August.

Jessica Simpson’s personal life is also hectic, as she’s dating professional football player Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys. In addition, her sister Ashlee recently got married and is expecting a child.

Barbara Walters will be signing copies of her memoir, Audition, at the Forum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas from 1pm until 3pm today.

The book has topped several bestseller lists; fans in the area will have the opportunity to meet the media mogul.

Gans demonstrated his talents by performing songs he arranged specifically for the co-hosts; he sang as the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis duo in his song for Whoopi, and as Nat King Cole for Joy. He also did his impression of Rod Stewart for Elisabeth, sang as Stevie Wonder and Clint Eastwood for Sherri, and performed as Frank Sinatra for Barbara.

Danny Gans has been called the greatest celebrity impressionist on the Las Vegas Strip. He does over 100 impressions in his show at the Mirage, and has been voted Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year for 11 consecutive years.

Gans recalled some highlights of his show, including performing an impression of Regis Philbin while the host was in the audience; Gans also named opening for George Burns as one of the best encounters of his professional career.