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Erik Kabik/Retna/ErikKabik.com
Criss Angel at the Boys & Girls Club of Las Vegas on Dec. 21, 2010.
Published Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011 | 2:38 p.m.
Updated Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011 | 8 p.m.
To borrow a phrase, the whole thing has kind of freaked my mind.
How it was that I ushered in the New Year with Criss Angel, I mean. How it was that I turned KatMobile II over to a parking attendant at Angel’s grandiose estate, which he has dubbed Serenity at Sun City Anthem, to ring in 2011 in high style. There are closets in this manse that are larger than some apartments I’ve rented. At Serenity, you are met by a giant pool outfitted with a set of stools sitting underwater next to an open fireplace (or, “fire effect” in this context) overlooking a staggering view of the Las Vegas Valley.
Criss Angel at the Boys & Girls Club of Las Vegas on Dec. 21, 2010.
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The glass-paneled wall separating the living area to the pool opens fully for indoor-outdoor recreating. Nailed to the walls of Serenity are life-size crucifixes (I joked that it shows the Passion of the Criss) and the martini- and olive-inspired artwork by the inherently whimsical artist Michael Godard.
Oh, and you are met by Godard, too. The artist himself. At least you are on New Year’s Eve. Very engaging guy.
It’s a cool experience to be invited to such an event, no question, and Angel played gracious host to the dozens of well-wishers on New Year’s Eve. Among them were many of his friends and colleagues from the Las Vegas entertainment field: the dependably dangerous Amazing Johnathan; a fit (and retired, he says) Lance Burton; fellow Luxor headliner Carrot Top; and “The Mentalist” Gerry McCambridge.
The terrific cast and production staff of “Believe” were on hand, too, and Angel toasted them about 30 minutes before 2010 ebbed away, thanking them for their hard work and dedication in helping push “Believe” to its 1,000th performance last month.
And while making my way around this scene, I could not help but think of David Byrne’s line from “Once in a Lifetime” -- “Well, how did I get here?”
I would not have thought this sort of party/summit with Angel would have been likely even 6 months ago. As anyone who reads this column regularly (and God help you if you do), I have not been a fan of Angel’s show, or of Angel himself, since he unveiled “Believe” at Luxor in October 2008. I saw the show a month after it opened, and I didn’t like it, recognizing it as a clumsy, disjointed attempt to merge Cirque du Soleil and “Mindfreak” on a Las Vegas stage.
Whenever I’d see an entertainer perform some sort of routine trick onstage -- like a juggler working with a ping-pong ball, an orange and a bowling pin -- I’d say, “This is more magic than you will see in all of ‘Believe.’ ” As a show host, I found Angel to be pretentious, to the max, and felt “Believe” had become Cirque’s Achilles’ heel.
This attitude went on for quite a while, and it seemed there would be no other way to write about Angel than to knock him and his show. But during this time, Angel was doing what a true professional does -- working on his craft.
The changes he has made in “Believe” are pronounced and effective. Absent now is the storyline centering on rabbits, and how they have been sacrificed unfairly in the name of entertainment. Banished is the creepy funeral scene. Also gone is the confusing wedding segment, which should have been titled “Wha-A?” In fact, there is no story thread at all, as Angel pushes out about 40 illusions in rapid succession (he disappears and reappears about a dozen times in the upgraded “Believe”).
For better or worse, Cirque’s influence is largely absent. The great entertainment company is still on the marquee, but the show today is more centered on Angel than when it opened. He reaches back into the tricks of his youth, such illusions as pulling a string of razorblades from his mouth (a trick that went awry years ago during a birthday party performance for Brooke Shields and sent a bloodied Angel to the hospital). He is suspended upside down over the audience in a straitjacket and works his way out in 10 seconds.
Angel, too, has become a better navigator of the show, eliciting the support of the comic usher character Maestro to add badly needed brevity to the banter onstage. That move alone has helped smooth out the show, as Maestro brings a classic, self-mocking, John Belushi-type attitude to “Believe.”
Angel has essentially taken over and made “Believe” a show about magic, and as such it is far better than it was when it opened. A cynic would say, “That’s damning with faint praise,” but Angel has gone back to the work shed and rebuilt a show many observers thought would have been long dead by now. Good for him.
And when it came time to mend fences in the field, Angel made the move, asking if I’d like to see the improved version of the show. I was surprised, to put it mildly. As I told him, I would not have invited me back to see his show or shared a burger or anything else after some of the stuff I’d written about him. But I did go back to “Believe” in November, and I liked it way better than the show I saw in November 2008.
When I met with Angel after the show, he said only that he wanted a clean slate. It’s obvious he wants to change the trajectory of how he is treated in local media, and you can’t fault that. He’s clearly worked hard to make “Believe” a show that can sustain what are, reportedly, strong audience counts for the long term.
I respect all of that, honestly. It’s been a raucous ride with Mr. Angel, but as the fireworks blasted over The Strip in far-away Las Vegas, I wished him and his great staff nothing but good fortune in the New Year.
Life is too short to feel otherwise.
Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.
Thanks for the pictures. That's about all that I find interesting about Mr. Angel.
Who needs him? I got a Chris Angle handy dandy magic kit for Xmas, now all the girls are after me.
His show at the Luxor is one of the worst out there! It is a rare night when people sit thru the entire show. The best magic he could perform is to disappear from the Strip.
Well, I learned 2 things today: being a terrible excuse for a magician apparently pays very well and money doesn't buy taste.
"When I met with Angel after the show, he said only that he wanted a clean slate. It's obvious he wants to change the trajectory of how he is treated in local media, and you can't fault that. He's clearly worked hard to make 'Believe' a show that can sustain what are, reportedly, strong audience counts for the long term."
Enjoyed the article, Mr. Katsimoletes.
But you are trying to make a train wreck of a person and his absolutely horrible show into something it is not.
To prove my point, go to yelp dot com, type in "criss angel believe" and "las vegas, nv." It will call up comments by regular people who have attended this show. As of today, there are 239 reviews. On that site, they grade the shows they attend. Criss Angel Believe is ranked at one and a half stars right now. Out of a maximum of five. This show has never, consistently in the past two years, even reached anything close to average in entertainment value.
Comment after comment about how horrible this show is, how people felt they were ripped off, that the show held no entertainment value, was not worth what they paid for, and that Criss Angel has not one single bone in his body that is able to entertain anyone.
To add to it, EVERYONE that works up and down the Strip NEVER, EVER recommends this show to any tourist. Because we want people to enjoy their tourist adventure in Las Vegas. So they will come back. Again and again. Not run away screaming and vowing to never return. Criss Angel Believe at the Luxor provides as a deterrent and would be the very last show to be recommended to anyone. Not even to people you don't like.
And, from all indications, ever since Criss Angel has been in this town, his behavior has bordered on the criminal. He threatened to blind a reporter once, making obscene gestures at TV cameras and trying to influence judges during a beauty pageant, used inappropriate language during one of his shows (that even enraged fellow entertainers on stage) and cussed at another reporter during another show...while children were in the audience. And that last gimmick would have gotten ANY entertainer fired in Las Vegas. Any entertainer except Criss Angel.
Why? Because Cirque du Soleil knows this is a horrible show but they seek to recoup their $100 million dollar investment. By taking it out on the paying public. And providing a substandard show.
Knock it off, Mr. Katsilometes. You're misleading people.
I have always been one to say let the past stay in the past. What behavior one person has displayed a few years ago doesn't mean they are that way now. I for one am looking forward to seeing Believe in March when I venture to Las Vegas. I have been a fan of his show since Season 1 on A&E as well as countless others.
haha anyone with the name Goo goo dolls knows what good entertainment is. LMFAO. Seriously.
Mred, yer prolly a fat guy in a basement.
allaroundtown is probably a puss face.
sandy_astroglide ha and the images I get in my head from that sign in name. A hooker maybe?
ColinFromLasVegas - so that was a pretty indepth few paragraphs about your dislike for someone who has more going for them than you do.
Just wanted to make a shout out to all these jerks. LOL
I LOVE CRISS ANGELS ENTERTAINMENT. I can't wait to make the trip out to Vegas to see it live.
I felt completely ripped off after the Chris Angle show! And I have enjoyed all other circus shows I've been to.
Thank you so much for writing this article and for giving Criss/BeLIEve a second chance! I have been a fan of Criss Angel and of BeLIEve since the premiere in 2008, and have seen the show a number of times, the most recent being October 2010. Criss has worked so hard on the show and that hard work is finally starting to pay off!
Hopefully others will come to the same realization as you - that Criss is a hard worker, decent guy, and great magician who deserves recognition for what he has done in the world of magic.
Thanks!
--Jessica
I can't BELIEVE what people say! lol If you haven't seen the show for yourself as of recent then you cannot comment on it. Criss Angel's show is extremely good! I want to reference the person from Vegas that references YELP! firstly YELP is garbage. I wrote some good reviews on many shows and they never get posted. They only post the negative! So it's not a good resource. In addition most of those reviews were before the revamp of the show. I saw the show in September before it was completely finished with Criss Angel's MindFreak theme and it was good then. He has added many illusions and is getting ready to polish off even another one being added by month's end. Criss is only a human being and he should be given credit where credit is due. Be happy for his success. He really is a down to earth and humble guy! Yes he has a bad boy image and he is very good looking, but that doesn't automatically make him a bad person! Of course he curses but who doesn't?!? Heck isn't Las Vegas "SIN CITY" if you want happy merry kid friendly shows go to Disney World. Vegas is a playground for Adults! I just think it's funny that you are making comments on a show that you haven't even seen. If everyone on YELP told you to go jump off the Verrazano Narrow Bridge would you??? I love Criss Angel and all the positive he does for charity! Give a guy who has worked really hard to make it a break!
I agree with those who recall the negative reaction to the original version of "Believe." I agree, because I was one imparting that negative reaction. But my point in this piece was to give Criss Angel credit for his diligence in working on the show to make it far better than what it used to be. If you recall the original version of "Le Reve" at Wynn Las Vegas, you'll know that there have been instances in these productions where the stage show struggles early before changes are made to improve the performance. This is what has happened, in my opinion, with "Believe."
I also give Criss credit for his efforts to invite someone who has been very harsh to him in print a chance to clean the slate, to use his term. I respect him greatly for that. If you don't agree with that, fine. That's your business. Me, I choose to understand that all relationships -- personal and professional -- can evolve.
"Sprocket"...bring your money and go see the 'Angel' show. Just dont forget that you can't get a refund after.
Sharkfairy11 says: "If you haven't seen the show for yourself as of recent then you cannot comment on it."
I'm trying to save people money. Bad is bad is bad is bad. Quit shilling to get people to go to Criss Angel's show. Because it is a guaranteed fact they will go only once...perhaps even stay for the whole show and not walk out in disgust.
Sharkfairy11 says: "I want to reference the person from Vegas that references YELP! firstly YELP is garbage."
That would be me who commented. Yelp is not garbage. Yelp is a service where people who see shows comment on them. By saying Yelp is garbage you are saying just normal everyday people are trash also.
Sharkyfair11 says: "I wrote some good reviews on many shows and they never get posted."
Point taken. They get rid of old reviews and post new ones. But that STILL does not disprove that for an entire two years of this show, it has not even reached an average entertainment rating score.
Sharkyfair11 says: "They only post the negative! So it's not a good resource. In addition most of those reviews were before the revamp of the show."
No, they don't post only the negative. The reason you think that is because the incredible volume of bad reviews are just over 90 percent. The good reviews pale in comparison to the sheer magnitude of comments that delineate the show is horrible.
And, if you actually paid attention, Yelp keeps the reviews fresh. Everytime I have looked, the most recent ones are anywhere from one to two weeks back. The revamp of the show happened WAY before those reviews. And they are STILL bad reviews by paying public.
Sharkyfair11 says: "Of course he curses but who doesn't?!? Heck isn't Las Vegas 'SIN CITY' if you want happy merry kid friendly shows go to Disney World. Vegas is a playground for Adults!"
Criss Angel cultivates a "bad boy" image. That's his gimmick. And he plays that to the hilt. To play up to a fan base.
But that is the ONLY thing he has. He plays that 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Why? To cover up his abilities that he lacks talent to carry a professional Las Vegas show at all. The TV show he does CANNOT match up with stage presence. He ain't got it. And he proves his limitations every single night.
And yes, Las Vegas is Sin City. And yes, it's an adult playground, but only because you have to be 21 to gamble.
I'm sorry, but you just CANNOT cuss in front of children in an audience. It is totally and completely unprofessional. Any other entertainer would have been fired. But since Criss Angel is a headliner and their main attraction for money, he gets a pass...a free ride. Slap on the wrist. Don't do it again. And that is Cirque du Soleil's fault. For getting in bed with this idiot. They're stuck with him.
He don't belong on the stage in a casino show room on the Las Vegas Strip. Period. I'm just calling it like it is and trying to save people money.
For Mr. Katsolimetes: I appreciate your forgiveness on trying to wipe the slate clean and give Criss Angel another chance. And it's commendable to possess this trait to try to evolve and get beyond what has happened before.
I truly do enjoy your articles and will continue to read.
But I still stand by my conviction and disagree with you wholeheartedly.
Criss Angel has no ability to build up any kind of rapport with a paying audience, has not one iota of stage presence, cannot transpose his camera angle tricks he does on his TV show before a paying show room audience on the famed Las Vegas Strip, clearly cannot put together a show that flows and wows an audience (even after re-vamping it) and lastly, his so called "bad boy" image he pays attention and continually cultivates WAY more than trying to work to improve his talent and his show. And he has not improved his show for over two years now. TWO YEARS! How much longer is it going to take? How many more tourists does he need to anger because of his under achievements? The answer so far is that his total inattention to perfecting a substandard show or improving himself at all...is on display every single night at the Luxor.
I stand by my comments. To prove it, ask any worker along the Strip. The show is horrible. Even other entertainers get up on stage and offer snide remarks and jabs at Criss Angel's horrible show.
Intervention by Cirque du Soleil. Money poured into it. Re-vamping. None of this has worked. And still excuses are thrown out there.
All of this overlooks the main problem: The guy standing front and center displays his total inadequacies. And he does it nightly.
It seems like everyone always has excuses for Criss Angel. No wonder he don't have to speak up to anyone. He has everyone else (including Cirque du Soleil) making excuses all the time and imploring people to take a chance and go see the TITANIC sink.
I've only heard negative revues about this show, not ONE good thing said about it. If the show has changed so much now it's good, GREAT! God knows the Luxor needs the revenue. I'm surprised to see the show stick around so long. Usually if something is a FLOP, it doesn't stick around too much. Look at the failed 'HairSpray' in the same spot. It seems that showroom is cursed. Mr. cocky, chip on his shoulder, aka Cris Angel, needs to be nicer and kinder to people. A jerk is as a jerk does. Giving away free games to the Boys and Girls Club, which you probably didn't pay for out of your own pocket, won't whitewash the walls of past ill deeds. How about building a Cris Angel play center, in one of the poorer neighborhoods, and give all of the kids goth clothes and eyeliner so they can be like their idol!?
Colin from Las Vegas,
You seem like one who really enjoys hearing himself babble on and on and yet no where did I see that you have actually been to the show yourself. I feel that I am very capable of judging for myself if a show is good or not without relying on so-called "reliable" review websites. Same goes for jdmlasvegas. If you haven't seen the show for yourself, please don't try to influence me. Sounds like the only ones with chips on their shoulders are the two of you. The is a saying, " Opinions are like a**holes, everyone has one and 9 out of 10 of them stink." I am still planning on coming to Las Vegas in March and yes, I still plan on buying tickets to his show. This is my first trip to Nevada. The only thing that would make me want to run screaming back home would be if I ran across you two little rays of sunshine. I would hate to think everyone on the Vegas strip had the same sour disposition that you two display.
ColinFromLasVegas, I appreciate your passion, and your endurance ...
How does Angel live in Sun City Anthem? Don't you have to be 55 to live there? Also, I thought it was rather douchy for him to donate magic tricks to some kids school recently instead of like, um, money. Probably unsold magic tricks from his magic commercials.