Las Vegas, December 4, 2006 – Other than the weird hairdos, there were no big surprises at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards on Monday. Denise Richards, the one with the biggest hair, played supermom amidst the raging rockstars. We glimpsed her hanging around backstage and called her into the press area, but a rep told us, “She’s already in her slippers. She’s not coming back there.” Richards also reportedly skipped the myriad after parties, and instead flew back to her kids in L.A. (Of course, Britney Spears out-mommed Denise by not even coming to Vegas for the awards.)

Kenny Chesney was a bit tired clutching his awards, and he claimed he’d been out late the night before. Mary J. Blige made like a diva, walking backstage in sunglasses and a fur wrap, and vamping up a storm for the cameras before handing the accessories to an aide, and posing some more. Mary earned the right, taking home nine awards! Carrie Underwood seems so far unaffected by her astounding success, laughing and juggling her five statues.

Courtney Love was glamorous; Janet Jackson is almost disturbingly buff and 80-year-old Tony Bennett still shines..