Viva la raza! (Photos by Scott Harrison | Retna)

This is conclusive proof that South and Latin America have some fine-ass women. The last 10 Miss Universes? Puerto Rico, Panama, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico again, Venezuela back-to-back and now, Miss Mexico Jimena Navarrete. It’s enough to make us want to update our passport and move down south.

After Navarrete was crowned at Mandalay Bay by judges including Bret Michaels — in his finest, formal bandanna — the afterparty moved to LAX at Luxor. Today’s Natalie Morales was in on the action with judges Chazz Palminteri and Criss Angel, plus The Roots, who Jimmy Fallon must have let out of his basement for a day. Other judges at the pageant were Chyna Phillips, skater Evan Lysacek, Jane Seymour, Niki Taylor, Sheeila E., Tamron Hall and Billy Baldwin, greatest of all the Baldwins.

By Jason Scavone

Can we face the peril? No, it’s too perilous.

Angelica Bridges replacement in Fantasy at the Luxor will be Lorena Peril, which would be a completely awesome name for a Bond girl. She’s an international woman of mystery and danger, foiling Russian plots and insidious terrorists in her sparkly underthings! Actually, we think we may have just found a new show for NBC’s fall lineup. We, uh. We have to go. Click for more words and pictures »

By Jason Scavone

Why does he always look so angry? Wonder if this is what Ja Rule would look like even if he was eating cotton candy.

Well, we can cross off at least one place on the list of “Locations You Will Not Find 50 Cent Tonight.” Ja Rule hits the stage at LAX inside Luxor to gravel-voice his way through a few tracks. It’s like Tom Waits has something to say about thug life. Click for more words and pictures »

By Jason Scavone

Gavin DeGraw may be the long-lost Wahlberg brother.

It’s weekends like this that make up for all those Valentine’s Days you spent drunk-dialing your exes.

For the single, and, presumably, ready to mingle, fret no more over your normal weekend routine of drinking big bucketfuls of rejection or desperately hoping the guy with the Porsche and magnum of Champagne isn’t married.

The Luxor hosts Singles in Sin City, starting tomorrow with a welcome party at T&T from 9 p.m. to midnight. On Saturday, things move poolside with DJ Morse Code, water gun fights, beer pong and flip cup from noon to 5 p.m. while Brett Young plays at Liquidity. At 9 p.m., Gavin DeGraw takes the stage at LAX — and if none of that gets the job done for you, there’s a Last Chance Brunch at 11 a.m. Sunday at T&T. Room packages are available, or net an all-access pass for $20. Click for more words and pictures »

By Jason Scavone

As always, we defer to Faster Pussycat.

Restaurant begone! CatHouse at Luxor is leaving the door wiiiiiiide open for an enterprising TGIFridays to swoop into the now-vacant bordello-themed restaurant game. The Kerry Simon-helmed restaurant won’t be a part of the barley-two-year-old operation anymore as the ultralounge takes over the entire 7,000-square-foot space starting this weekend. Great. Now where are we going to get our steak with a soupcon of hooker in the air?

By Jason Scavone

FINALLY, someone’s giving us the chance to see this woman naked.

Let’s review Angelica Bridges’ career arc for a moment: Baywatch, Playboy, role as Red Sonja on TV, more Playboy, more Baywatch, Fantasy at Luxor and now Playboy again. This is the kind of resume they should be teaching in business school. (Note: Our idea of business school is the one where the high-powered CEOstress lets down her hair and unbuttons her blouse before writhing on her desk. To be fair, we did attend the David Lee Roth School of Economics. Go Blue Cannibals!)

Bridges yesterday used a Luxor suite the way God intended: To shoot her third Playboy pictorial. The issue will come out this summer. Now if you’ll go excuse us, we’re going to go patrol the halls of the Luxor just in case we happen to “stumble” on any more Playboy shoots. Why no, we don’t mean throw open doors to suites and scream “Ah-HAH!” Whatever gave you that idea?

By Jason Scavone

If you can turn Gene Simmons and a flannel shirt into a working prop, you win. (Photo by Erik Kabik | Retna)

Carrot Top — whose tagline for his new ad campaign, “Worth the trip,” may as well be called “This is a show” — is looking for a few good props. The national contest will award the winner a trip for two to the Luxor, dinner for two and two tickets to the show. Just make sure you’re thoughtful with your entries.

“One more thing, no puns,” Carrot Top said. “I don’t want to see a shoe with a horn in it and have it called a shoehorn.”

That’s … that’s just stunning. But anyway, the mailing address for your props and all the boilerplate is here. Deadline is May 1. But, we’d hate to say we were just going to make fun of this without doing anything to contribute, so here are three ideas we’ll totally let you use if you want to go through the work of making an actual prop. You’re welcome! Click for more words and pictures »

By Jason Scavone

Oddly enough, after two year’s, we’re still not tired of this at all. (Photo by Melissa Reese | SpyOnVegas.com)

It’s been two years of bordello-themed goodness already. CatHouse at Luxor marks its second anniversary tonight, which means the Coquettes should be in rare form. It also includes an open vodka bar for the ladies until midnight. Of all the 2-year-old classy-whorehouse-themed clubs, it’s our absolute favorite. Click for more words and pictures »

By Jason Scavone

Now if only science can figure out a way to stack them even higher. (Photo by Erik Kabik | Retna)

It’s not even a fair fight. If you had to choose which two people you want to see stacked on top of each other, the Thunder From Down Under dudes do not stand a chance. Yet there they are, taking in the girls of Fantasy tonight at Tacos & Tequila at Luxor during human rooster fighting for their Mischieve Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Dear God. A professional topless dancer riding another professional topless dancer or two beefy dudes wrasslin’ each other. Not even close. Click for more words and pictures »

By Jason Scavone

Why, that skeletal senorita is borderline indecent. You can practically see her sternum.

The cure for the Halloween Hangover? A fistful of candy corn and Dia de los Muertos. Sugar skulls always get the job when it’s time to take the pain awyay. Tacos & Tequila at the Luxor knows you’re probably still wearing last night’s costume anyway, and offers the $1,000 Deadliest Dressed costume contest from noon to 5 p.m. during brunch. Dos Caminos inside Palazzo has their own Day of the Dead brunch going on. Leftover candy corn, sugar skulls and tequila. That’s a solid recipe right there.

• Cherry at Red Rock does costume contests for sexiest, scariest, most creative, best couple and best group costumes.
• Fangoria’s Trinity of Terror film festival features George Romero, Bruce Campbell, Corbin Bernsen and Malcolm McDowell. Day passes $20, weekend passes $50.
• Howie Mandel is at MGM Grand’s Hollywood Theater..
• The Bank has Bad Boy Bill.
• Wasted Space at the Hard Rock Hotel brings in the Genitorturers, Kil Jaden and Drug Adicts
• Lavo at The Palazzo does Vice Vice Baby.
• Body English does a Sunday School costume party.
• Revolution Lounge at The Mirage has Closet Sundays with DJ Dave Aude.
• Zowie Bowie does Cufflinks and Cocktails at Brand inside Monte Carlo.
• Krave does Sindaze.
• Christian Audigier the Nightclub has Sunday Funday.
• Rockhouse holds Sin City Sundays with DJ Sincere.
• Blue Martini at Town Square holds house:kitten Sunday.
• The Thunderbird Lounge (1215 Las Vegas Blvd.) does its gay night, Club Skittles, with DJ Sam.
• The Bunkhouse holds Sunday Schoolin’ with Mikey VIP.
• Divebar has White Rhino and the Sunday Night Hula Party.
• The Beauty Bar holds Suede Sundays: All Smiths/Morrissey and dark ‘80s.
• Cheyenne Saloon brings in Clockwork Hero and the Rock DJ Coalition at 8 p.m.
• The Double Down features The China White Motors and Uberschall.
• Premier welcomes Brokencyde, Kill Paradise, The Ready Set, Watchout! There’s Ghosts and Streetlights to Satallites.

By Jason Scavone