By: Susan Wloszczyna

Getting Burlesque off the ground wasn't exactly an easy task for Steven Antin, whose only other feature-directing experience was a straight-to-DVD thriller with Angie Harmon.

For one, he had to convince Christina Aguilera that his musical fantasy was the right vehicle for her long-in-coming film debut, a decision the pop star is more than pleased about.

"I immediately connected to Steven from the beginning," she says. "There's a lot to take on with a musical, but he definitely had a vision going in that spoke to me. He eased me into the process."

Even more daunting, he had to persuade Oscar-winning super-diva Cher to come out of semi-retirement as a big-screen actress for her first movie musical ever as the owner of a financially strapped Sunset Strip nightclub.

"Her manager loved the script but said: 'You know how hard it is to get Cher to commit. She is very dubious.' " He sent it to her anyway, as did mega-mogul David Geffen, a mutual acquaintance of Antin and Cher's.

"We had a meeting at her house and I begged her to do it," Antin says. "She said, 'This character is me. I can do this with my eyes closed.' "

But then she said no. Twice. Even after seeing Antin's office walls plastered with storyboards and reference material, which led her to call him "the most prepared director I've even seen."

The third time proved the charm. "Once she was on board, she was fully committed," Antin says of Cher, whose songs include a new Diane Warren ballad titled You Haven't Seen the Last of Me. "She was there 16 hours a day in 4-inch heels. It was a dream come true to me, saying 'Action' and giving Cher direction. A dream and a little scary."

It is a dream that former actor Antin, 52, who was one of Jodie Foster's attackers in 1988's The Accused, had been thinking about for 15 years or so, ever since he worked with choreographer sister Robin's burlesque troupe that would later evolve into the singing group the Pussycat Dolls.

His wish was to revive the old meaning of burlesque that came out of Victorian-era England instead of what it turned into in 20th-century America.

"People think burlesque shows are rooted in some overtly sexual striptease with G-strings and pasties," he says. "But originally it was parody entertainment meant for the middle classes that was provocative, funny and always based in comedy. That's not to say the movie isn't really sexy. But it's PG-13 sexy."

Antin, who also wrote the script with some input from Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich) and Diablo Cody (Juno), has no problem with comparing Burlesque with its racy costumes and bawdy humor to the likes of Cabaret, Moulin Rouge!, Gypsy, Flashdance and Chicago.

Just don't bring up the notorious 1995 Vegas trash-fest Showgirls.

"Burlesque really couldn't be further away from that," he says. "We are not objectifying women. We are empowering them. They hold all the cards."

ET's Mark Steines joined a host of A-listers including Cher, Michael Douglas and Harrison Ford as the American Film Institute honored Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols with its annual Life Achievement Award in L.A. on Thursday night.

Cher said Nichols gave her some unforgettable advice on the set of 1983's 'Silkwood': "He said you have to risk looking like an ass. You have to put it all out there because you never can be great unless you're prepared to look stupid… He was so wonderful to me."

Douglas, last year's AFI Life Achievement Award recipient, joked: "The American Film Institute in particular, when you look at the roster of people you're surrounded with, obviously they set the bar kind of low last year." He added, "Now we're getting back up to where it should be: someone like Mike Nichols."

Ford, who was accompanied by Calista Flockhart, said of Nichols, his 'Regarding Henry' and 'Working Girl' director, "He runs a real classy show."

Nichols, who in 1968 won the Best Director Oscar for 'The Graduate,' told Mark: "Something like this, you look back and you remember everything that happened, all the people and all the fun you had and all the laughs you had… it's a nice way to make a living."

Mark also dished with Candice Bergen, Natalie Portman and more stars! "The 38th Annual AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Mike Nichols" airs on TV Land on June 26.

The Singer-Actress Conjures an Exotic Residence above Los Angeles

I am a Buddhist,” says Cher with characteristic self-deprecation, “who should always be in after-school detention.”

Indeed. And it is precisely that irrepressible mix of spirituality and spunk that makes the singer-actress’s spectacular new duplex, perched high above Los Angeles, as gloriously original as its owner.

“My houses,” she muses, “are passions.” They are also decorative barometers of the current state of her never-boring, ever-expanding consciousness. “I’ve played around with Buddhism for years,” continues the actress, a devotee of the American Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön (“a genius in Sheldon Leonard’s body,” she quips). “As corny as it sounds, the soul of the universe, everything that I need, I can find in its practice.”

So it wasn’t surprising when, snapping up two floors and 4,000 square feet in one of Los Angeles’ hottest buildings, Cher turned to friend and interior designer Martyn Lawrence-Bullard to help her conjure up “something ethnic, spicy and romantic”—albeit in creams, ivories, whites and buttery beiges. “Though I loved collecting Gothic and can spend hours drawing with every shade of Pantone pen, I prefer a neutral palette, especially in my bedrooms, because the colors are so easy to live with.”

Read more in our July issue, on newsstands now.

By: Brian Scott Lipton

Additional information has been released regarding the 37th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, which will be held on Sunday, June 27 in Las Vegas and aired on CBS-TV. Regis Philbin will host the ceremony.

A tribute to the long-running TV series American Bandstand and host Dick Clark will feature appearances by Cher, Barry Manilow, Jay Leno, and Simon Cowell, among other stars.

The event will also feature performances from some of Las Vegas' hottest acts, including Wayne Newton, Cirque du Soleil, and Blue Man Group.

As previously reported, PBS led all networks with 53 nominations, followed by ABC with 51 and CBS with 45. Of individual shows, General Hospital led the pack with 18, followed by The Young and the Restless (16), Sesame Street (14), One Life to Live (13), and As the World Turns (13).

Stage veterans who were recognized for their work on daytime dramas include Bradford Anderson (General Hospital), Ricky Paull Goldin (All My Children), Brian Kerwin (One Life to Live), Michael Park (As the World Turns), Marnie Schulenberg (As the World Turns), and Bree Williamson (One Life to Live).

Nominated for their work in animated series are Ed Asner (Word Girl), Eartha Kitt (The Wonder Pets), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Arthur), and Amy Poehler (The Mighty B!).

In addition, the hosts of The View -- Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elizabeth Hasselbeck, and Sherri Shepherd -- were nominated as Outstanding Talk Show Host, and Wayne Brady was nominated as Outstanding Game Show Host for Let's Make a Deal.

Las Vegas dog lovers went dog wild Sunday.

Fetching the highest bid of the day at The Animal Foundation's 7th Annual Best in Show at the Orleans Arena on Sunday was a plaster cast "show" dog covered with Swarovski crystals and donated by Caesars Palace headliner Cher.
The Cher dog went for $6,100, almost half of the 12,000-plus raised from the "show" dogs donated by local celebrities and productions. The winning "show" dog featured the autographs of Cher and legendary fashion designer Bob Mackie, who helped design it.

Another $10,000 came from a raffle for a black and white diamond brooch.

The "Jersey Boys" dog, which sported a suit and tie and multicolored sequins on the lapel, brought $1,000.

Emcee Terry Fator purchased a special-needs German shepherd named Rebel and bid against himself to raise more money for the shelter.

The Best in Show winner was a 1-year-old boxer named Odie, who went for $350. All of the 40-some dogs were adopted.

Across town at the Coachman Restaurant, 3240 S. Eastern, the Puppies on the Patio brunch attracted 67 diners and 48 dogs. The lucky dogs ate free, wolfing down their choice of filet mignon or chicken served with rice and carrots.

Chip Lightman, co-owner of the restaurant, said he's paws-itively delighted with the turnout for the 4-week-old promotion and plans to continue it indefinitely. Several of the canine clientele showed up dressed to the nines, including birthday boy Sparkle and Star, owned by KVBC-TV, Channel 3, entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs.

By Robin Leach

Cher has revealed that when her contract ends at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace, she has decided to go on tour again! The 63-year-old superstar entertainer and actress showed up last night in Hollywood with Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner for the TCM Classic Film Festival’s screening of A Star Is Born and the after-party at the lounge hotspot Kress.

Cher, who wore jeans with a silver snakeskin jacket, has a new album set for release this year in two versions: one with 14 tracks and a deluxe edition with 19 songs. The debut single “Already Been There” will be launched at the World Music Awards. Her new film Burlesque with Christina Aguilera and Julianne Hough is due for release this Thanksgiving.

Cher's upcoming movie, Burlesque, has been nominated for a "Best Feature Feature" NewNowNext Award from MTV Networks' Logo channel. The most unique awards show on TV, NewNowNext Awards (NNNA) is about discovering today what will be trending next year. Fans can vote for Burlesque below or via Twitter by including the hashtag #futureBURLESQUE in any of their tweets.

Vote for the best celebs, TV shows & movies

Crooner Brian Evans, one of the creators of “The Maui Celebrity Series," was seen shopping with legendary superstar Cher at Whaler’s Village on Maui in this March 28th photo.

Evans, glued to the phone, discussed the series with Cher and her companions.

“Cher is an obvious pop culture icon, and having her appear at the series would be a major thrill for an island that has always adored her,” says Evans. Evans would not elaborate on the conversation.

Evans is the opening act for such stars as Jay Leno and Joan Rivers. Having a home on Maui, Evans created the monthly series along with friends Arman Zajic and Andrew Biltz. Evans is in discussions about making the show a reality TV show.

“It’s a great concept,” says Evans. “With all the nonsense on reality TV, exposing Maui to millions, following the producers around the island while we put together the show, following the stars on activities and the actual concert seems a no-brainer,” he says.

William Shatner, Roseanne Barr, and Paul Rodriguez have already attended the monthly series with full performances. Comedian David Spade joins Evans on April 30th, and tickets for that event are now on sale at www.groovetickets.com or by calling (808) 856-7973.

Evans is currently recording his major label debut as one of the new “big band crooners,” and is co-creator of “Horrorscope” with friend Ahmet Zappa, aimed at being a graphic novel, and according to The Daily Variety, a major motion picture. The theatre, which only has a capacity of just 680, has become the talk of the island. CNN and USA Today have already covered the events.

CHER has a go at walking on water as she tries her feet at the sport of paddle-boarding.

The singer, 63, had trouble keeping her balance and ended up in the sea off the Hawaiian island of Maui.

A source said: "It was hard at first but once she got in the swing she was away."

To read the instructor's blog who taught Cher to paddle board, click here.

Christina Aguilera says she counted Cher as a mentor during filming for Burlesque

CHRISTINA Aguilera says Cher has "embraced" her and became a mentor to her during filming for their movie, Burlesque.

In an interview in this week's OK! Magazine, Christina Aguilera revealed she has felt completely at ease with Cher while she filmed her big-screen debut, Burlesque.

Christina says the pair, who star together in the movie about a small-town girl who flees home and starts working in a burlesque club in LA, got along very well on set.

She said: "She’s [Cher has] embraced me with open arms, it’s meant the world. She’s been very much a mentor to me, but we get together and it’s like we’re old girlfriends, we’ll talk and talk. I really adore her."

And the yummy mummy, who gave birth to son Max two years ago, says the dance routines for the film were enough to banish any remaining baby weight she may have kept on.

She added: "I feel I’ve never danced before in my life until this movie, even though I have done since I was six! It’s gotten me into shape. Any baby weight I had was gone by the time we started shooting."

By JOAN GALLER

EWING — “Cher” strutted her glitzy stuff and “Prince” pranced up a storm, delighting a multi-generational crowd of close to 400 at the third annual “Runway to Runway” Sunshine Foundation benefit hosted by PEAC Health & Fitness.

Young and old delighted in performances by Cher impersonator Steven Andrade and Prince impersonator Frank Moore, the finale in the talent showcase which included a parade of fashions.

The recorded music was pure Cher, lip-synced to perfection by Andrade, who was stunning in his transformation as the pop prima donna, wearing wigs of platinum blonde, brunette and shockingly red tresses with appropriate costume changes.

Andrade’s Cher took the cake for the knockoff Bob Mackie costumes of sequins and satin, and for his stunning long legs in sexy high heels.

Moore, decked out as Prince, sang and danced his first number with two female backup singers and later jumped off stage into the audience to cast some of his sparkle directly into their faces and upheld cameras.

Afterwards, Cathy DiCostanzo, president of the Sunshine Foundation, praised the great show and PEAC’s efforts and continued support.

“This evening is truly a labor of love by many wonderful people who have donated their time and talent to make many children’s wishes come true,” DiCostanzo said. “We’re going to Disney World on May 4.”

PEAC’s owner, Michael Briehler, said he was pleased with the turnout of nearly 400 for the event.

Andrade and Moore donated their impersonation services to help the Sunshine Foundation, Briehler noted.

“They’re friends of mine, and they did this without asking for a dime,” he said.

Special guests included two beauty queens, Chenoa Greene, Miss New Jersey USA 2010, and Erica Szymanski, Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2010. The Master Singers from Ewing High Choir opened the program, which featured the Philadelphia Passion Lingerie Football Team, several other local singers, and models for the fashion show.

Before the talent segment started, the crowd inspected items donated for the silent auction — original art work, jewelry, gift baskets, entertainment, dining out and wine certificates, sports memorabilia, including an autographed Philly Flyers hockey stick — and feasted on a buffet of pasta, chicken, stuffed mushrooms, salads and pizza, all donated by area restaurants and stores.

They also bid on some big prizes, including a week’s stay at a time-share condo in Costa Rica and a two-day cruise.

After the show, some in the crowd posed for photos with Cher and Prince, another revenue booster, and everyone stopped at the dessert table to sample cookies, cherry cheesecake, cupcakes, fresh fruit, coffee and bottled water before heading out the door.

Bob Parsons, the founder and CEO of Web-hosting company GoDaddy.com, paid $8.72 million for a Balinese-style house on Hawaii’s Big Island that was built by singer-actress Cher and went to a auction last month. Located at the Four Seasons’ Hualalai resort, the property includes a main house and four one-bedroom bungalows. Cher bought the property in December 2004 for $2.9 million and last year began building the house but never lived in it.

Chaz Bono and his partner Jennifer Elia spent an evening out with Cher on Wednesday. The trio took in an art exhibition at the Kantor Gallery on Melrose in Los Angeles.

The show featured an art piece by Elijah Blue Allman, son of Cher and musician Gregg Allman, and brother to Chaz. The show, Step and Repeat, is being curated by Shayna Gaffen and Niels Kantor and runs from February 24 – April 9, 2010.

Elijah Blue’s canvas is titled Johnny-Come-Lately, an acrylic panel measuring 144 x 84 inches.

Cher, Anne Hathaway, Selma Blair, Melanie Griffith and a host of other celebrities were all in attendance at Quentin Tarantino's party at La Vida in L.A. last night, February 9, 2010.







Photos courtesy of Zimbio.

Filming continues on the set of Burlesque in Hollywood, CA on February 8, 2010.

By Matt Donnelly

Can't we all get along a little less?

Don't get us wrong, we love good vibes among star casts -- especially the cast that upcoming "Burlesque" boasts: Christina Aguilera, Cher, Stanley Tucci, "Twilight" hunk Cam Gigandet and Kristen Bell.

"Entertainment Tonight" got the first sit-down with the bunch, currently shooting the project in Los Angeles, and it seems even the film's headlining divas are playing extremely nice.

Cher plays Tess, a club owner whose burlesque troupe is rescued by the talents of Aguilera's Ali, a small-town girl who hits Hollywood in pursuit of her dreams.

"The other day we were hamming it up so badly ... ," Cher said of a group scene. "She was hot, she was really up there, her game is good."

Likewise, Aguilera and her young counterparts have the expected reverence for the 63-year-old.

"I love Cher," Aguilera gushed. The young wife and mom respects Cher for being "a woman who has done everything before anyone did it."

"Heroes" actress Bell, her normally blond 'do a nearly jet-black mane, says the legend is everything she expected and more.

"You don't get to be more of an icon than she is, and there are very few people who have that status. She so delivers in every way," Bell said.

No screaming or sabotaging of costumes? No tears or measuring of trailers? Let's hope there's plenty of drama on screen!

Mark Steines of Entertainment Tonight goes behind the scenes of the upcoming film 'Burlesque' and speaks to its stars Cher, Stanley Tucci and Christina Aguilera about their experience in making the film.

The 62nd Annual Directors Guild of America Awards were held on January 30 in Los Angeles.

Cher presented Norman Jewison with the guild's Lifetime Achievement Award for his career in film.

"The studio heads maybe have all the power, but we've got the glory," he said. "And when you receive the lifetime achievement award like this, it makes you very nervous, like maybe you're going to fall off the perch or something."

The 83-year-old filmmaker accepted the award surrounded by his family, including his four grandchildren.

Cher said she would have gone to the moon to present Jewison with the honour.

"He has changed my life," said the "Moonstruck" star. "I love him so much."

Kristen Bell says working with Cher has been like a "dream come true."

The actress is currently shooting the movie Burlesque with the music legend.

"She's so cool and such a great actress," Kristen gushed at the Hollywood premiere of her new release When In Rome.

"It's just kind of surreal to even talk about it - I love her!"

Talking about the film they both star in, she said: "It's about a burlesque club and Christina Aguilera plays a girl who moves from a small town and wants to perform there.

"Cher owns the club and we play best friends, I'm her lead dancer and Christina sort of comes in between the two of us and I'm not very happy about that!"

The actress joked about being star struck when she first met Cher for filming.

"I could talk but I was definitely having to take a breath and going 'I'm in a room with Cher right now', but she's so personable and down to earth, it's not really what you expect, she's very easy to be around."

Cher has sold a Hawaii home she designed, but never slept in, for $8.7 million, reports AP. Concierge Auctions, the firm responsible for the sale, had estimated Cher's three-quarter-acre property that overlooked the Pacific Ocean, was worth between $8 million and $12 million.

Located in the Hualalai Resort, the 8,800-square-foot Balinese style residence features a gated center courtyard leading to the main residence. It includes a master wing, great room, kitchen, dining room, outdoor living area, and infinity pool with spa overlooking the resort's golf course.

by TJ

The 67th annual Golden Globes celebrated the best in film and television tonight (January 17) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, but music fans were all abuzz over two divas presenting together.

The ageless ultimate diva Cher took the stage with the budding diva Christina Aguilera to present the awards for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture and Best Original Score. The two also took the screen time to shamelessly promote their movie, Burlesque, which will be in theaters November.

by Lauren Beale, Los Angeles Times

Between performing in her lavish Las Vegas show and making movies, Cher still finds time to pursue her other passion: designing and decorating houses.

The star's latest project is an 8,821-square-foot luxury compound she just completed in Kona, Hawaii, which she plans to sell at auction Jan. 18.

Although this is the first time the singer-actress has attempted to sell a residence by auction, she used the process to bring top dollar for the contents of her Malibu, Calif., house in 2006, when she ended her Gothic Revivalist phase.

"I had just a great time," Cher said of the Sotheby's-Julien's Auctions event, which raised about $3.5 million, more than two times presale estimates. So when Concierge Auctions proposed selling her newly built resort home, she thought she'd give it a shot.

The 3/4 -acre property at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, on Hawaii's Big Island, overlooks the ocean and the Hualalai Golf Course. A traditional island front gate leads to a courtyard and the main residence, with its great room, dining room, kitchen, expansive master bedroom suite and infinity pool.

"You're into the house before you get to the house," she said of the configuration. Grass with travertine paving stones and palms, as well as the sounds of water, set a tranquil ambience.

"I tried to just build it to have a welcoming feeling," Cher said.

Off the garden courtyard are five bungalows: three one-bedroom, one-bathroom guest suites; a two-bedroom, two-bathroom guest suite, and a detached media center with a bar. Together they have 6,600 square feet of space "under air," to use the local housing market terminology.

But it is the open-air living space and the access to the outdoors through pocket doors that captured Cher's imagination.

"Every single room gives you the free feeling of when you go to Hawaii, a vibe," she said. "You want to be outside; you just really want a roof."

Walls of doors open to the courtyard, linking a living room, kitchen, dining room and bedroom to the outdoors. There's even an alfresco shower. "I tried to make at least some part of every room outside," Cher said.

The spaces mimic their inside counterparts, she explained, but are freer and "much more fun."

The swimming pool wraps around the master bedroom suite of the main house. A sunken ledge at the edge of the pool is large enough to hold chaises, so sun bathers can dip their toes in the water.

The actress, who by her own estimate has owned 18 homes, seems moonstruck by the design process.

"I'm a Taurus, and every place I've ever gone and set foot I've thought, 'Ooh, it would be nice to have a house here. I'd like to design a house here.'"

She involves herself in the details, "from finding the property to putting the last flower in the vase on the table," she said. "I like picking out the palm trees, going to the stone yard, figuring out which colors are going to go best."

In the Hawaii house, she expresses her recent penchant for light earth tones and Balinese and Moroccan influences. She first experimented with this design direction at her Sierra Towers condominium in West Hollywood, Calif., and is using it to redo her Malibu home, too.

The Oscar, Grammy and Emmy winner paid $2.9 million for the Hawaii site in 2009 and is selling it completely furnished without ever having lived in it.

"You basically take your luggage and move in," said George Graham, chief executive of Concierge Auctions. "Get someone to do the shopping for you, and you can be barbecuing that night."

Unlike a traditional sale, in which the seller pays a commission to a real estate agent, the buyer will pay a 10 percent premium, which is the industry standard. There will be no minimum opening bid, and Cher's property is set to be auctioned along with two other houses and two home sites. Details of the auction and all the properties are available at www.CherHawaiiAuction.com.

Only registered bidders bringing $250,000 in certified or pre-wired funds can vie for the entertainer's house, which the auction house expects to go for between $8 million and $12 million.

The house next door sold in September for $1,584 per square foot of living space, and local luxury listings range from $5 million to $29 million.

The final bid on Cher's property must satisfy the confidential seller's reserve price, and escrow will close in 30 days.

In the meantime, the film star is working on Screen Gems' "Burlesque" with Stanley Tucci, Peter Gallagher and Christina Aguilera.

And she already is looking to Montana for her next potential home project. Cher, 63, used to own two places in Aspen, Colo.

"Then it became a place I just can't go anymore because of the paparazzi," she said.

Now she's hoping to find or build a place with a "cabiny" feel.

"I want a little ranch with mountains and trees," Cher said, "and a little river running through it."

Pairing up for the day’s filming, Cher and Kristen Bell were side-by-side shooting scenes for “Burlesque” in Los Angeles on Friday (January 8).

With both ladies in chipper moods, the “Moonstruck” star gave a warm embrace to her “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” actress co-star while the cameras rolled.

With filming having gotten underway the previous day, “Burlesque” also stars Christina Aguilera, Cam Gigandet, Eric Dane, Peter Gallagher and Julianne Hough.

Due out November 24, 2010, a synopsis of the Steve Antin directed film “Burlesque” tells: “A small-town girl ventures to Los Angeles and finds her place in a neo-burlesque club run by a former dancer.”

Enjoy the pictures of Cher and Kristen Bell on the set of “Burlesque” (January 8).

by TJ

Cher and Christina Aguilera gave the paparazzi a double dose of diva while shooting a scene for their new movie, Burlesque, in Hollywood yesterday (January 7).

Burlesque, which also stars Kristen Bell, Julianne Hough, and Stanley Tucci, is expected to land in theaters in November.

Of Christina’s debut acting role, co-star Tucci said in a recent interview he heard that the 28-year-old singer is “wonderful.” (He doesn’t start filming until this month.)

See more pictures from the set below:

Christina Aguilera's New Year's resolution isn't new at all.

"To continue having the best life ever" is her resolution for 2010, she said while hosting a New Year's party at Tao Las Vegas Thursday. "I paved the way for the work this year [2009].

Her 2010 is shaping up to be extremely active, with a new album on the way and her movie [Burlesque], costarring Cher, set to be released. The two of them will also be presenters at the Golden Globes on Jan. 17.

"The album is done, the movie I'm [still] filming," she said. "Doing film is a whole different animal … The schedule is grueling, but it's been really amazing and an incredible learning experience."

Of all the moments in 2009, the one that most sticks out, she noted, was seeing son Max, who turns 2 Jan. 12, celebrate Christmas – which she considers the highlight of the year.

"That was the best memory, his face and seeing his everything come to life with Santa," she says. "It was really amazing."

GLOBAL ENTERTAINER CHER GETS BALI (Ind.) SCHOOL LIBRARY IN HER NAME THRU SUPPORT OF NEW NON-PROFIT 'THE WORLD IS JUST A BOOK AWAY'; ORGANIZATION ATTRACTS PROMINENT NAMES TO CAUSE

INTERCONTINENTAL BALI RESORT PARTNERS WITH TWIJABA ON LIBRARY

WHAT: Non-profit organization The World Is Just A Book Away (TWIJABA)--which supplies books, and builds libraries and schools for children in developing countries--partnered with the InterContinental Bali Resort to open a school library in Bali, Indonesia, on Friday, Dec. 18, named for the worldwide entertainer Cher. The 'World Is Just a Book Away-Cher Library' is TWIJABA's first one in Bali. The Resort was intent on refurbishing the school and asked TWIJABA to do the library. Only a year old, TWIJABA opened its first 10 libraries in Sidoarjo, Ind., in June 2009, and a dozen more PLUS a mobile library will be opened there, as well, later this month.

CHER, adding to her list of humanitarian efforts, has offered her support to The World Is Just a Book Away, based on her belief in the importance of reading and books. For the libraries opened in June in Sidoarjo, Indonesia, many prominent people who also support the organization's mission had libraries named in their honor, including Muhammad Yunus, Queen Noor Al-Hussein of Jordan, Jane Goodall, Desmond Tutu, Yo-Yo Ma, Miep Gies, Shirin Ebadi, Lois & Buzz Aldrin, Fess Parker, and the late actress Natasha Richardson.

The mission of The World Is Just A Book Away (www.JustABookAway.org) is to bring hope--in the form of books, libraries, and schools--to thousands of children in developing countries. The program was launched in Sidoarjo, site of the mudflow disaster that displaced more than 60,000 people and destroyed many schools. The libraries introduced the idea of loaning non-classroom books for recreational reading. The libraries also have educational DVDs for on-site use.

2009 TWIJABA results:

** 10,000+ children will have access to books

** 20,000+ books will be provided to children

** 22 "The World is Just a Book Away Libraries" will be built

** 1 Mobile library serving an additional 28 schools will be launched

WHO: The World Is Just a Book Away is the passion of Founder/CEO James J. Owens, assistant professor of clinical management communication at the USC Marshall School of Business Center for Management Communication in Los Angeles. An expert in his field, James has extensive international business experience in England, France, Germany, Africa, and Saudi Arabia for companies, including Louis Vuitton, Coca-Cola, Agfa-Gevaert, and Bain Consulting. He is editing an anthology with more than 70 of the world's most prominent people. The proceeds from this book will support TWIJABA. James promotes the organization's vision of "a world in which all children have access to books, a quality education, and hope for the future." The newly name Chairman of the TWIJABA Board is Emilio Diez Barroso, Chairman and Founder of NALA Investments, LLC, and entertainment industry mogul.

Cher is a force across all areas of entertainment, is a worldwide performer, and humanitarian. Singer-songwriter, actor, director and record producer, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globe Awards and a People's Choice Award for her work in film, music and television.

The Intercontinental Bali Resort is blessed by an endless stretch of white sand beach overlooking the tranquil waters of Jimbaran Bay. The Resort features 418 guest rooms in three unique levels of accommodation. The property embraces a 14v hectare tropical landscape that is a blend of indigenous flora, waterways and stone statues reflecting the island's artistic heritage. There are six swimming pools, Planet Trekkers children's resort, a fitness centre and plenty of recreational activities to keep guest occupied throughout the day. Spa Uluwatu is a dedicated healing and beauty facility for individual sessions, while the exclusive Villa Retreats promises indulging spa packages for couples. A superb choice of restaurant venues makes every dining experience and adventure in culinary excellence. (www.interconti.com)

INFO: For additional information, please visit www.justabookaway.org.

What’s better than a one-of-a-kind gift that also gives back? That’s right, not much! This holiday season give your favorite Cher fan an unforgettable gift: An autographed iPod by Cher which includes a playlist personally selected by her and a gift card to purchase the songs on iTunes.

For the second year running, an impressive star-studded group has rallied for Tonic's Celebrity iPod Auction, benefiting Music Rising, a nonprofit works to support the Gulf Region’s rich musical heritage from replacing destroyed instruments to rebuilding music education programs to re-opening the historic Preservation Jazz Hall in New Orleans.

Help keep the lifeline going with the purchase of this hot little piece of music memorabilia — your contribution will go a long way. Auction proceeds all go to Music Rising to support artists who live in and around the city. Don't forget that our country's musical landscape was crafted there thanks to the true American musical art forms: jazz and blues. Supporting Music Rising is like breathing life into a critical part of our country's cultural history.

And, there’s nothing wrong with indulging your own holiday wishes, especially when 100% of the proceeds goes directly to a good cause.

Come read more about the auction at Tonic! A good news site that strives to make social activism easy.

To bid on the autographed Cher iPod, click here.

After building a house on Hawaii's Big Island but never living in it, Cher is auctioning off the property.

Concierge Auctions, which is marketing the property located at the Four Seasons' Hualalai resort, anticipates bids between $8 million and $12 million. There's no minimum bid, but there's an unpublished reserve price that must be met. The singer bought the 0.76-acre property in December 2004 for $2.9 million and began building the house last year. A gated courtyard leads to the main house, which comes with an infinity pool overlooking the fourth hole of the Ke'olu Golf Course. The singer declined to comment.

The main house is flanked by four one-bedroom bungalows and a detached media room. The property will be auctioned on Jan. 18. Since May 2008, the 63-year-old singer has had a Las Vegas show at Caesars Palace.

The resort, on the Big Island's northwest coast, counts brokerage pioneer Charles Schwab and computer mogul Michael Dell among its residents.

Pop Icon Holds After Party for Cast & Crew at Pussycat Dolls Lounge at PURE Nightclub

LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwire - December 2, 2009) - Last night (Tuesday, Dec. 1), Cher and her talented team celebrated their 100th show at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. After the show, the cast and crew enjoyed a performance by the Las Vegas Pussycat Dolls during a private event inside the Pussycat Dolls Lounge in PURE Nightclub at Caesars Palace. All were seen clapping loudly during the dolls' 20-minute routine. Along with lots of food and drink, a Cher logo-inspired cake was served in honor of their milestone.

Known for giving fans more than they expect, Cher continually reinvents the show to keep it fresh and leave fans wanting more. Talented director and show choreographer Doriana Sanchez brings Cher's visions to life using 16 dancers and aerialists, state-of-the-art video, and ambitious set designs. Audience members will also see Cher's signature lavish costumes, which were designed by world-renowned fashion icon Bob Mackie, and vintage footage spanning Cher's five decades long career.

Cher plays at 7:30 p.m. four nights a week on Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday (dark Monday, Thursday and Friday). Tickets in December and through May 2010 are available and can be purchased by calling 1-866-510-CHER (2437) or online at Ticketmaster.com keyword "Cher." Tickets may also be purchased in person at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace Box Office open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. For groups of 20 or more, call 702-731-7208.

For more information on Cher at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace visit cher.aeglive.com or www.caesarspalace.com.

Cher demands the spectacular for her show; design icon Bob Mackie delivers
By Jerry Fink

In an emergency, Cher calls Bob Mackie, the renowned fashion designer who has worked with almost every major celebrity in Hollywood during his 40-plus year career.

“She was bored with the old costumes in her show (at Caesars Palace) and wanted some new ones,” Mackie says from his office on Park Avenue in New York City. “They added a whole big new production number to the show and I did them all, probably 24 or 25 costumes, something like that.”

The new costume for the finale is typical Mackie and Cher — eye-popping, revealing, memorable.

Fans can check it out when Cher returns to the Colosseum on Thursday.

Cher and Mackie have known each other for 42 years, first meeting in 1967 when Cher was a guest on “The Carol Burnett Show.” Mackie designed costumes for the variety show.

“Cher and I got on very well,” Mackie says. “I ended up working on different television specials with her and when her own show came on the air (“The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour”) in the early ’70s, they asked me to do her clothes. It was a delight to do. She has a beautiful body and she was so young and so much fun.”

Perhaps the most memorable costume Mackie designed for Cher was the outlandish outfit she wore as a presenter at the 1986 Academy Awards ceremony — one that involved an enormous American Indian-inspired headdress, black stretch pants, bejeweled loin cloth, knee-high black leather boots, bare midriff and a cape.

“It was her thumbing her nose at the Academy for not nominating her that year,” Mackie says. “Actually, it isn’t accurate to say ‘thumbing her nose.’ She had been doing a lot of dramatic things and she just wanted people to know that she was back. She hates to dress up like a housewife in an evening gown. She wants to be herself, and that was herself.”

The two worked together on the memorable costume.

“We sat down on that one,” says Mackie, who has been called the Sultan of Sequins. “She wanted to look kind of Indian, American Indian. She looks very American Indian — actually she looks any number of ways, Middle Eastern. She’s one of those incredibly charismatic people that anything she puts on, you never lose her. You can put a blond wig on her with 40 others with blond wigs and she stands out.”

He describes Cher as “eccentric, but very honest and straightforward and says what she thinks. She likes to dress up and enjoys the reactions she gets from her fans.”

Mackie has done all of her costumes for the show at Caesars, deleting some and adding others over the past year and a half.

“She’s sort of developed this personality people come to see and it’s important to maintain that over the years,” he says. “They expect her to dress up and she doesn’t disappoint them.”

She isn’t as easy to please as she once was.

“For somebody who has worn everything in the world by this time, she has things she’d like to have and not have,” Mackie says. “When I first met her she was happy with anything I did but nowadays she’s a little more selective since she’s worn it all. We have to push a little harder and make it more interesting, also more interesting for the fans.”

The 69-year-old fashion designer has won seven Emmy Awards and been nominated for an Academy Award three times. He attended Pasadena City College and Chouinard Art Institute.

Mackie says has no hobbies outside of his work.

But he keeps busy. Over the summer he did the costumes for a musical based on the Steven Spielberg movie “Catch Me if You Can.” He appeared recently on “Project Runway.” And there is the QVC channel, where he has been selling his products for the past 17 years — appearing on the sales channel once or twice a month.

He’s been in demand for decades, designed gowns and costumes for everything from Broadway shows to movies to television. In the past 18 months, he has designed costumes for tours by Tina Turner, Pink and Mitzi Gaynor.

“With Tina Turner, it’s all about the legs and being able to move,” he says. “She’s such a dynamic performer. Once she steps on that stage, she never stops. During her last tour she changed costumes many, many times during each show. She was off like a minute. Her changes are very quick. She’s going to be 70 in November and is still going strong. She’s amazing.”

Mackie has designed for some of the most glamorous celebrities in the world. One of his favorites is Carol Burnett.

“I designed for many years on Carol Burnett’s show,” he says. “That was really fun. I got to do musical productions, comedy — a lot of things, and I got to meet so many people. She is certainly one of my favorites. I think of her as one of my family members.”

By Tara Hall
  

Cher is seen above arriving at LAX from her trip to Doha, Qatar, where she attended the charity auction, Reach Out To Asia’s (ROTA), 3rd Gala dinner.

By: Joyce C. Abaño

DOHA: Around $20m was raised during the charity auction at yesterday’s Reach Out To Asia’s (ROTA) 3rd Gala Dinner, a celebrity-studded affair, with members of the royal family in attendance. The amount raised included the $9.3m from the auction revenue, and the rest were from the ticket sales, sponsorships and donations.

The total of last night’s auction exceeded the 2nd Gala Dinner’s $11.25m. Guests during the event, which was held at the centre gallery of the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), witnessed performances from colourfully-dressed children from Cambodia and a special performance by British singer Cat Stevens.

The Cambodian children were students from a music school in Cambodia that ROTA is supporting. They danced, sang and performed on traditional Cambodian instruments.

Lavishly prepared tables, which cost $60,000 for VIPs and $6,000 for other guests, included delicate china set up by the Four Seasons Hotel. There were around 480 seats for the dinner.

The Gala Dinner was graced by the presence of the Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and H H Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned. The ROTA Gala Dinner was conceptualised by Heir Apparent H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in November 2005 and guided by ROTA’s chairperson H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani.

The ceremony was also attended by Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani.

The event brought together some of the world’s known faces, global philanthropists and celebrities which included German royal HRH Princess Corinna Sayn Wittgenstein, Sir Bob Geldof, singer Cher, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s wife Cherie Blair, celebrated artist Sacha Jafri, Lorenzo Quinn, Hollywood actor Josh Hartnett, Paul Green, Alex Ferguson and Egyptian actor Adel Emam. Al Jazeera’s Riz Khan was the Master of Ceremonies during the event.

A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Sir Bob Geldof, who has left an indelible mark on the global landscape through his charity initiatives.

A diamond necklace, inspired by the Sheikha Mozah, was the centerpiece of the Sotheby’s directed auction. It was inspired by “antique Victorian jewellery with an Oriental spirit, Her Highness wanted a multipurpose jewel to suit the multiple lives of modern women.” An exclusive Middle East Bespoke Edition Rolls-Royce and a unique Arab Horseman Statuette donated by Cartier were among the items which drew interest. Adding a flavour to the evening, Jafri created a piece of original, live artwork at the Gala Dinner. The painting drew inspiration from Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic space flights, the MIA and the children supported by ROTA.

Since its inception four years ago, ROTA has completed the construction and renovation of 88 schools, provided educational opportunities to more than 14,200 students annually, trained more than 1,111 teachers each year, created over 532 jobs, set up voluntary network in Qatar with over 800 volunteers, organised trips to six volunteers and eight local events, and signed 21 partnerships.

By: Andy Propst

Academy Award winner Cher will use proceeds from some ticket sales of her December 8 and 9 performances of her show, Cher at The Colosseum, to benefit Nevada Public Radio.

Cher's latest spectacle is a state-of-the-art extravaganza recounting the highlights of her remarkable 43-year career, with more than a dozen new Bob Mackie costumes. Cher won an Oscar for her work in Moonstruck. Her other film credits include Silkwood, Mask, and The Witches of Eastwick. In 1982, she made her Broadway debut in Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean.

Special ticket pricing of $200 is available for current Nevada Public Radio members, while listeners of News 88.9 KNPR and Classical 89.7 can purchase tickets for $225 each, which includes Nevada Public Radio membership. The benefit tickets must be purchased through Nevada Public Radio.

For further information or to purchase tickets, visit www.knpr.org or www.classical897.org.

North Stafford man with cancer gets the red-carpet treatment in Las Vegas and the chance to meet his "crush"--Cher

By CATHY DYSON

Tom Moore wanted a last hurrah, a chance to get away from the death sentence he's dealt with all year.

The 53-year-old is in the last stage of pancreatic cancer, and he and his wife, Kay, thought a trip to Las Vegas would be just what the doctor ordered.

They'd celebrate Tom's life and Kay's 50th birthday. They'd hit the slot machines and poker tables, and make some memories with family members and friends.

And maybe, they thought, just maybe, they'd meet Cher. Tom, who lives in North Stafford, has seen the superstar in concert and owns all her albums.

"I've had a crush on her since I was a kid," he admitted.

On a lark, Kay subscribed to a Web site to get contact information for celebrities. A few weeks before their trip last month, she e-mailed, asking if Tom could meet Cher in Vegas. She briefly explained his situation and sent a link to the Web site that chronicles his illness.

Kay hoped for five minutes of Cher's time, but she and Tom hit the jackpot instead.

Cher's agent called, offering VIP tickets to her sold-out show at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

A few days later, the agent called again, asking if the couple would like to stay in a suite at Caesars Palace--on Cher's dime. And, the agent mentioned, a limousine would be waiting for them at the airport.

As the trip drew nearer, the Moores got a package from the celebrity. It included an autographed photo book with images from her Vegas performance, a Christmas tape and CDs of the Sonny and Cher Show.

Once in Vegas, Tom and Kay had seats about 20 feet away from Cher during her 90-minute show, which Tom called "phenomenal."

Then, they got to meet her backstage.

When Cher saw Tom, she rushed across the room, put her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek, saying she was so glad he'd made it, Tom said.

He was glad he was able to talk. He was afraid he'd just stand there, blubbering.

"I had to tell her I had a crush on her, that it was no different today than yesterday," he said. "I told her she was beautiful, because, oh my gosh, she was."

And the 63-year-old Cher, with straight blond hair and the figure of a teenager, had the heart to match her good looks, the Moores said.

She spent about 10 minutes, taking photos and talking about their trip.

She asked if Tom liked the show. She mentioned she had recently lost a good friend to cancer. She told Kay not to cry, when Kay got teary-eyed as she tried to thank Cher for what she'd done.

"She said, 'Oh, we rock 'n' rollers, we never cry,'" Kay said.

Kay wishes they had taped their time with Cher so they could remember everything that was said.

Tom suspects he won't forget any details.

"Time is running out for me, very fast, but having a wonderful family and friends--and to add this Cher experience--what more can a man ask for?" he said.

Cher didn't provide a comment for the story because she wanted the focus on Tom, said Talia DeMartino, an entertainment coordinator with AEG Live in Las Vegas.

"Cher did this basically to do something special for a fan and does not want any recognition," DeMartino wrote in an e-mail.

The Moores said meeting Cher--and renewing their wedding vows in a Las Vegas chapel--were the highlights of their much-needed vacation. For four precious days, Tom didn't mention the word "cancer" or have to think about its devastation.

He found out in January that the pain in his stomach was caused by a large tumor on his pancreas. It's wrapped around an artery and vein, and is too large to be operated on or treated with radiation, the doctors told the Moores.

Tom, who served three years with the Marines and 10 years in the Army, went through weekly chemotherapy treatments from April through September. Then, his numbers showed the chemicals weren't working.

Hospice has been called in, and Tom is trying to finish what home improvements he can, with limited strength. He's worried most about Kay, his wife of 23 years, and how she'll deal with the loss.

"I've led a blessed life," he said, trying to keep his eyes open through the pain and fog of medicine. "I've met the love of my life, I've traveled the world and served the greatest country on earth."

Then, as Kay patted his knee, Tom added: "I've had a good life, a very good life."

By Robin Leach

It was back in March 2003 when international singing star Celine Dion officially opened The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, and now the official 5 millionth guest has just made it into the record books.

When Jason Hernandez turned up at the box office with his friend for Cher’s show, much to his surprise and excitement, he was promptly upgraded to front row seats and an invitation from Cher herself to meet backstage for the commemorative photo and presentation!

By Brian Scott Lipton

Broadway veteran Stanley Tucci has joined the cast of Burlesque a contemporary musical film, directed and co-written by Steven Antin, according to Variety.

As previously reported, Academy Award winner Cher will play Tess, a former dancer who struggles to keep her neo-burlesque club open and gives a young singer (to be played by pop singer Christina Aguilera) a chance to shine.

Tucci last appeared on Broadway in Frankie & Johnny in the Clair de Lune and is reportedly set to direct a revival of Lend Me a Tenor on the Great White Way in Spring 2010.

By ANTHONY BARBOZA

Subject: Cher
Date: November 1987

Location: Los Angeles

Published: The New York Times Magazine

"The New York Times Sunday Magazine called me and asked me to shoot Cher in Los Angeles. At the time, I was living between New York and L.A. because my wife, Laura Carrington, was working on the soap opera 'General Hospital.'

"The Times sent my portfolio to Cher's agents with mainly black people in it. Cher's agents sent the book back, and said, 'Do you have more with white people than what's in your book?' The Times said, 'This is who we're sending and that's it. Take it or leave it.' They backed me up. So they said, 'OK.'

"We arrived at Cher's house at 9 a.m. It was right near the famous Beverly Hills Hotel. I brought with me a black assistant from California. The house was shaped like a pyramid with the top of the pyramid cut off with glass on top so that the light comes through. I said to myself, 'Wow, this is a big house.' I eventually noticed that there was a house behind her house, which was a gym.

"We were greeted at the door and we stepped into a beautiful, giant living room with the light coming in from the top, with all of these couches and stuff. We put our equipment down while Cher was upstairs. At that time, we were downstairs with her makeup and hair people. Someone told me that they had told her that there's a Rastafarian downstairs (laughs).

"The assistants came downstairs, looked at me and went back up, so they must have told her that. Eventually a guy comes down and says, 'Cher wants to see your lighting, because if she doesn't like your lighting she's not going to do the shoot.'

"So I did a Polaroid, and there was beautiful lighting in there, and I combined it with my strobe lighting. They took the pictures to her and, soon after, a guy came down and said, 'We love it, we'll shoot.'

"Now, at this point, I'm nervous as hell, I don't know what to think. So she comes down and the first thing she came down in was a pair of jeans, so I shot her on a couch and she loved the Polaroids I was taking. After she got to meet me, she just loved me. We shot from 9 in the morning and stayed until almost 9 at night. We were there all day. After the first shot she said, 'You know, there's plenty of food in the refrigerator, just help yourself. Whatever you want, Tony, whatever you want.'

"For the second shot, she had me go upstairs with her, where she had an unbelievable amount of clothes in a closet as big as her bedroom. I picked out another outfit and we went down to shoot her in that. It was a sexy-looking outfit, like something she'd wear on stage.

"We had a great time together. She was really wonderful to work with. She was so sweet and mellow. I was shocked that we had stayed so long. It took a long time to do the makeup and stuff, but she was very gracious. So after the shooting was over, we were sitting and talking and I mentioned to her that, 'Your people didn't want me to shoot you because they wanted a portfolio with more white people in it.' But she said that she didn't know anything about it.

"These were the last shots Cher took before she won an Academy Award in February of 1988. After that, she stopped doing photo sessions for magazines, sending them to buy the pictures from me instead. One of the photos ran on the cover of Ladies' Home Journal, but they were sold around the world through a stock agency, Contact Press Images. I got $250 to do the shoot and wound up making more than $30,000 from the sales of the photos.

By Sandra Barrera

A railing in the backyard of Kenneth David Lee's Encino home sports the monogram of the celebrity couple who once lived there - "S" and "C."

For Sonny and Cher, the '60s modern-style home that boasts a stunning hilltop view of the San Fernando Valley was just a way station on the road to fame, fortune and the more rarified air of Holmby Hills. Novelty aside, all that was incidental to Lee when the veteran architect decided 2 1/2 years ago to buy and remodel what was a partially fire-ravaged shell and make it his family's home.

"Anyone else would have torn down the house and I thought that was just a bad thing to happen, because it's a really decent '60s house and it just seemed to me that it would be better to save it," he says.

Furnished with an assortment of iconic pieces and witty art, the house now stands as an artifact of modernist '60s architecture, while at the same reflecting the kind of spacious interiors and sustainable design practices people have come to expect in today's market.

With support from his landscape architect daughter, Lee embarked on a seven-month remodel, working around the original footprint of the house with the exception of adding a frosted-glass storefront entryway and a 500-square-foot detached studio, both of which are accessible through the front courtyard.

"That was actually the genesis of the idea, that you'd enter into the house from a courtyard and reclaim this concrete driveway," says Lee, who was hired as the general contractor and architect by the couple who owned the house at the time, to deal with the insurance company and remodel after the fire.

The house lay in ruin from a garage fire that took out half of the structure. What wasn't gone was charred. Before construction had begun the couple announced they were selling the house as is.

So, Lee bought it.

One of the first orders of business was going ahead with the front courtyard in an area that used to be the curving cement driveway.

The area was enclosed to a small patio, complete with a drought-tolerant garden, dry riverbed and lively koi pond, with steps leading across it to Lee's studio.

"What was amazing about the front is there wasn't a bug or a bird, and as soon we put in the pond and a few plants there were dragonflies and frogs and hummingbirds and flies," says Catie Lee Casazza, who, at 28, is the younger of Lee's two daughters. "It's really become a whole ecosystem that didn't exist here before."

Though the courtyard sits on the street, it affords the Lees privacy from prying eyes given all the home's many glass panels. Yet from the moment visitors walk through the front door they are pushed toward the view.

Originally, the interior didn't take advantage of the home's sweeping vantage point. The bedrooms on one side of the house were separated from the master bedroom on the opposite side of the house by a series of walls.

But Lee resolved to open up the center of the house by reorganizing the sequence of space and creating a light-filled great room to accommodate dining and entertaining. The gourmet kitchen, with its impressive Sub-Zero Pro series refrigerator, is an extension of the airy space, although it can be closed off from the dining room with sliding doors.

In the master bedroom, Lee converted a closet into the master bath and put in a fireplace and spacious walk-in closet.

"His design approach to this house was taking the bones of it and making it function as a home again, and not necessarily change everything but readapting it," Casazza says.

"That is really critical. Why remodel for the sake of remodeling if it adds nothing to the house," adds Lee, who stands on the restored original wood deck next to his daughter as she recalls how they butted heads over the pool, which now features a raised spa with spillway.

Casazza wanted to rip out the pool, with its scalloped corners, and replace it with a smaller, rectangular version.

Lee insisted it stay.

"His comment was, 'It works! Why take it out?' " she says.

Still, the house has its share of dramatic redos in the interest of energy efficiency.

Lee retrofitted the roof with 54 solar panels and fully insulated the house, which he also equipped with Low-E windows, a tankless water heater and energy-efficient furnaces. The pool is solar heated and its pump boasts a high-efficiency motor.

In the yard, low-water rotor sprinkler heads and a WeatherTrak irrigation system that schedules watering by satellite based on local weather conditions, contributes to the overall effectiveness of the green upgrades.

Even the koi pond pulls double duty.

"The koi pond cools the studio whenever the afternoon breeze blows across it," Lee says. "Those kinds of things really help make it as energy-efficient as is reasonable."

Though Lee has made many changes to the home, it was equally important to him to keep its history alive.

It was after their first big hit, "I Got You Babe," in 1965 and before "The Beat Goes On" that Sonny and Cher occupied the single-level, flat-roof home in the hills, according to "Hollywood Songsters: Allyson to Funicello," by James Robert Parish and Michael R. Pitts. Lyndon Johnson was in the White House, the Vietnam War was escalating and the Summer of Love was on the horizon.

And Sonny and Cher were the hottest couple in rock, considered "morally subversive" in some conservative communities, in the words of Bruce Eder of the All Music Guide.

"I don't know if it's urban myth or not, but there are several people who've claimed Cher, apparently wearing nothing but her hair, would come down the waterslide waving to the neighbors," Lee says, sounding amused.

A rare glimpse of that spirit can be found in the 1967 musical comedy "Good Times," part of which was filmed at the house.

The thick shag rug and beaded curtains seen in that monumental flop are long gone. And the only signpost linking this home to Sonny and Cher is the monogram on the railing.

As Lee puts it, "How could you get rid of it?"

By Robin Leach

In a rare interview, Caesars Palace superstar headliner Cher has revealed some secrets about her life away from The Colosseum stage when she’s living here in Las Vegas. She says she’s never been a gambler, so we’re not likely to run into her at the slot machines or blackjack tables, but she admits that she’s been to the gun range for target practice using automatic rifles and a 9mm pistol!

Cher also says we will find her on the tennis court taking lessons or hiking in the Red Rock Canyon trails where she sings along with Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger and Hall & Oates on her iPod!

In an interview for Caesars Player magazine, Cher confirms our earlier story that she will act opposite Christina Aguilera in the movie remake Burlesque after she’s filmed The Drop-Out with Johnny Knoxville, a comedy about a college student who moves in Cher’s character in the older woman-younger man story.

Cher even admits that she’s planned out her life after the Caesars Palace run ends in 2011. It will include a new album.

She says: “When people ask ‘how long are you going to do this?’ my answer is, ‘That’s like saying to Picasso when are you going to stop painting -- you’ve painted enough. You always have things to accomplish. Pursuing your dreams is as important as having them. I’m sure I’m not going to fade away. I don’t know if I want to be in Montana raising horses, but I want to be doing something -- something physical as I pop off.”

Cher returns to The Colosseum on Sept. 19 with a run through Oct. 11 and again on Nov. 19 with a run through Dec. 20.

By Lauren Beale

Now that the interiors are redone, Cher has put her ocean-view Malibu estate back on the market for $41 million.

The singer-songwriter-actress had listed the home at $45 million in August, but withdrew it in early May while the work was going on, according to her listing agent, Robert Kass of Hilton & Hyland, Beverly Hills.

The Italian Renaissance-inspired house, which Cher built in 1999, has seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a theater and a gym in 13,126 square feet. It sits on 1.7 acres of bluff top with a tennis court, an infinity pool and a guesthouse.

The updated look is "light, Zen, bright, beachy and beautiful," Kass said. Unfortunately, we can't see it. The Oscar, Grammy and Emmy winner, who keeps busy a concert schedule in Las Vegas, is not releasing any photographs.

The reason for this relisting has been the subject of media speculation elsewhere. When I saw the withdrawal in May, I thought it might have sold, as sometimes large sales are sometimes withdrawn before closing to divert attention from people like me. But calls then and now tell the same story: It has a fresh face now and a nearly 9% price reduction.