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Too Good To Be True

Remember the days when you could walk up to a celebrity, shake their hand, ask for an autograph and pose for a picture? Unfortunately, those days are mostly gone, but not at Madame Tussaud’s at The Venetian. In a city where celebrity sightings are common, your friends and family will never be the wiser. A-list celebrities, sporting legends, political heavyweights and historical icons relive the times, events and moments that made them famous and notorious.

In a society obsessed with CGI and 3D, Madame Tussaud’s offers a truly interactive experience, and its features and many wax figures are only seen in Las Vegas. Hugh Hefner waits for bunnies like you to join him for a glass of champagne. Ever want to squeeze J Lo’s backside?  Now’s your chance, you’ll even make her blush. Mix some tunes for Bono, get judged by Simon Cowell, play guitar with Jimi Hendrix, putt with Tiger Woods and dunk with Jordan and Shaq. There are no velvet ropes and no security guards. Kiss, touch, squeeze and photograph until your heart’s content.

With 14 locations in America, Asia, Europe and Australia, Madame Tussaud’s has blended history and celebrity for more than 200 years and still remains popular and fascinating to millions of visitors. Madame Marie Tussaud began molding wax in Paris in 1777 with her first creation, Voltaire. Starting out as a travelling exhibition in the early 19th century, Tussaud brought ordinary people face to face with extraordinary public figures they’ve only read about in the newspaper. In 1835, Madame Tussauds’ exhibition found a permanent home in London at the Baker Street Bazaar and later moved to its present site in Marylebone Road in 1884. In 2000, Madame Tussaud’s arrived stateside and opened its first US attraction in Las Vegas. The attraction was so popular, that the attraction expanded to New York, Washington DC and the very hub of entertainment, Hollywood.

No model has ever been paid to be sculpted in wax, most enjoying the opportunity to be immortalized. Each model sits for approximately two hours and is crafted using techniques pioneered by Marie Tussaud. The avatars take four months to finish but are well worth the uncanny likeness.

But back to Las Vegas. Why should you visit TODAY? The exhibit opens with a room full of current pop and movie stars including Britney and Justin, together again, Cameron Diaz sexy in sequins, Johnny Depp dashing in denim, and royal couple Brad and Angelina. More music industry greats populate another section starring Snoop Dogg, James Brown, Fergie, and Katy Perry. With a trippy vibe including disco ball and lights, guests are encouraged to join the figures in a fun duet.  A quick trip through the dark hallways of Scare! features wax and real actors designed to make you jump out of your skin. Next, a tribute to new, and old, Vegas. Get your picture taken in the casino with Bugsy and Robert DeNiro, see headliners Blue Man Group, Wayne Newton, and a beautiful Celine Dion. Elvis is a given, decked out in a black jumpsuit and scarf. American legends Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne and Martin Luther King Jr. are forever frozen in time at the height of their careers in the “God Bless America” section. Always had a crush on George Clooney? Toss on a wedding dress, grab a bouquet and pose for a wedding picture in a faux chapel.

Don’t miss your Vegas chance to hobnob with the world’s elite! Located on the moving walkway between The Venetian and Sephora, Madame Tussaud’s is tons of fun and fantasy for your entire party.

By Christina M. Parmelee