Earlier this month Britney Spears announced her much-hyped Las Vegas residency with a drama-filled late-night chopper landing in the middle of the desert, but that may be as big as the actual show gets, a Spears source tells Confidenti@l.
Spears starts her two-year stay for “Britney Spears: Piece of Me,” at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on Dec. 27, and will (hopefully) complete 48 concerts per year for a $15 million payday.
But the “Toxic” singer is already having issues with the venue, specifically the stage’s size and shape. She says it’s too small for her and is demanding to know where the pyrotechnics will be, our source says.
The singer, who’s used to selling out arenas, has been assigned to perform in the old “Peepshow” quarters, once home to Holly Madison and rapper Ice-T’s wife, Coco Austin. But the same tiny stage is reportedly still in place and is clearly meant for a much smaller production.
“When Celine Dion came to Vegas, they built her the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, and that was a production just for her,” says our source. “When Britney was announced, they barely touched the stage. She’ll be on the same stage as Holly was with a pole. Producers think Britney can make do with two balloons and a feather boa.”
Our source adds that Spears is especially disappointed with the lack of theatrics, mostly because she’s worried that the simple set will draw attention to any possible lip-synching. Spears’ spokesperson has denied she’ll just be moving her pretty lips and says she’s been in vocal training for months.
“There is a new set, but they have not gone all out,” says our tipster, who has been in touch with Spears this week. “It’s like Britney unplugged, and Britney literally cannot be unplugged.”
We’ve also learned that after Confidenti@l revealed Spears may lip-synch her way through Vegas, staff at Planet Hollywood were given a “cheat sheet” of canned answers to give fans and clients if asked about her performance, another source tells us.
“Everyone connected with this production is freaking out because there is so much at stake,” said the source. “The purpose of the cheat sheet was so staff could be economical with the truth if fans were to question them about Britney lip-synching.”
The show’s director, Baz Halpin, who has designed tours for Katy Perry, Pink and Taylor Swift, referred us to Spears’ camp when we asked about her issues with the set.
Halpin told Billboard he’s been working on the set for four months, and that the “level of detail in this show is ridiculous.”
Spears’ rep says the singer is “very happy with the stage and the venue.”
“It is actually bigger than previous stages she has performed on. The venue will be groundbreaking,” he said.
PHOTOS: BRITNEY SPEARS: HER MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS
ANGELINA’S WITH A NEW BAND
For the second time this year, Angelina Jolie is showing off a brand new gold band on her left ring finger, sparking rumors that she and fiancé Brad Pitt got hitched. While out and about with kids Knox, Zahara, Pax and Shiloh in Bondi Beach, Australia, the “Unbroken” director wore two gold bands instead of the massive engagement ring given to her by Pitt in the spring of 2012. Not that we were expecting an invitation, but we would have appreciated a save-the-date.
COSTAS STARS AS SPORTS SUB
Big spenders and sports legends came out to see Brian Williams and got Bob Costas instead on Monday night.
Williams was slated to host the 28th annual Great Sports Legends Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria, but was pulled away by his day job as it became clear NBC would need all hands on deck to cover the government shutdown.
Costas said he got the call about 3 p.m. Monday to host that evening’s dinner, benefiting the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis. Longtime sportscaster Costas was more than up for the job.
“There are 1,300 people at the Waldorf,” said Costas in his opening presentation. “If you’ve been here before, you know that half of them get introduced.”
He then went on to introduce honorees, including former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, Queens-bred two-time NBA champion Kenny Smith and Queens-born philanthropist Stewart Rahr, who made a surprising $2.2 million donation to the cause.
Also attending were super-jocks Terry Bradshaw, Dave Winfield, James Worthy and Gary Stevens.
ROLE HAS GOOD CHEMISTRY
Teetotaling “Kill Your Darlings” star Daniel Radcliffe tells Confidenti@l his past struggles with booze don’t compare to the chemical experimentations of beat poet Allen Ginsberg, whom he plays in the new film. “Allen particularly was almost scientific about the way he used all that stuff,” he told us at the Cinema Society and Johnston & Murphy premiere. Radcliffe says he didn’t need chemical assistance to get through late-night cram sessions studying Ginsberg’s writing either: “I mean, I’m up all night most nights anyway, just, you know, panicking.”
PHOTOS: BROADWAY IN THE BUFF
BRIEF APPEARANCE FOR COOPER
There’s no need for real bathing suits when you’re built like Bradley Cooper, 38, and his 21-year-old model girlfriend Suki Waterhouse. The lovebirds were spotted taking a dip in the ocean off Hawaii over the weekend, where Cooper is set to film “Deep Tiki” with director Cameron Crowe. The actor did the world a favor by showing off his abs in cargo shorts, while Waterhouse skipped a bikini for a tank top and briefs.
KIM ON THE LOOSE
Surrounded by all that high fashion in Paris, we’re surprised Kim Kardashian couldn’t find a shirt that buttoned before leaving the house. The new mom, in France for Fashion Week, showcased her cleavage in an double denim ensemble to meet friends at La Société restaurant on Tuesday. Cleavage is all the rage in the City of Light — earlier this week Miranda Kerr showed up at the Stella McCartney show in Paris wearing a deep-plunging dress that showed off her lady lumps.
YOU, TOO, CAN BE SITTING PRETTY
Some celebs are immortalized on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Model Carol Alt is getting a bus seat. On Monday, the former supe will be inducted into Gray Line New York’s Ride of Fame after she cuts a ribbon unveiling a double-decker bus. A press release states the 52-year-old Queens-born beauty will “be honored with a permanent seat.” In years to come, that tour bus seat will be honored with thousands of big Midwestern bottoms.
THE TAO SHOWS GOOD GAINS
TAO downtown is wasting no time in establishing itself as a New York nightlife game-changer, by recruiting nightlife impresario Nur Khan to join as creative director. Khan, who counts Sway, Hiro and Kenmare among his successes, will oversee the impressive downtown lounge of the new Meatpacking District restaurant as well as continue his duties at Electric Room next door. The downtown lounge was the place to be Saturday as Noah Tepperberg, Jason Strauss, Marc Packer and Rich Wolf hosted the grand opening.
POSITIVE CAMPAIGNERS
Elizabeth Hurley, along with Estee Lauder, kicked off Breast Cancer Awareness Month Tuesday at Bloomingdale’s, where the beauty company unveiled the new 2013 BCA campaign: “Let’s Defeat Breast Cancer. We’re Stronger Together.” Hurley’s been helping Estée Lauder with the charity for years — the company gave the 48-year-old “Austin Powers” actress her first modeling gig when she was 29.
BECKS APPEAL
Oh no, David Beckham was dangerously climbing things clad only in his underwear. Thankfully, he was hanging from a hook in case he took a spill in his skivvies. The daddy of four was running around on a rooftop for his new H&M ad, which was shot in East London.
PHOTO: DAVID BECKHAM GETS 'VICTORIA' TATTOO: CELEBRITY INK
A LITTLE DRINKING AND ‘SHOOTING’
Piers Morgan sent out a private invite on joining him and British GQ editor Dylan Jones at the Carlyle Restaurant on Wednesday, where the duo will host a cocktail bash for Morgan’s new book, “Shooting Straight: Guns, God, Gays and George Clooney,” a diary account of his life in the United States.
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