Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

Jerry Lewis nabs NAB honor; ‘Pin Up’ marks anniversary by doubling up the bombshells

Jerry Lewis

Christopher DeVargas

Jerry Lewis poses for a portrait in his Las Vegas home Wednesday, May 8, 2013.

Claire Sinclair + Sabina Kelley

Claire Sinclair (Nice in white) and Sabina Kelley (Naughty in red) rehearse for Launch slideshow »

Notes from across the scene in VegasVille in a week topped by a comment from a gentleman, who seemed about 70 years old, sitting next to me with his wife at Thursday’s early performance of “Zumanity” in New York-New York.

As the show’s expertly choreographed cage-fight scene between characters wearing black briefs and red pumps kissed to culminate the scene, the guy turned to his wife and said, “Did they have to do that?”

I turned to them both and said, “Yes. In this show, such activity is mandatory.” But he and his wife seemed to have a good time and even seemed on their way to an ever better time.

Onward:

• Jerry Lewis is in some celebrated and varied company as he accepts his National Association of Broadcasters Distinguished Service Award on April 13 at Westgate Las Vegas. Previous recipients of what is a hall-of-fame-styled, lifetime-achievement award include Bob Schieffer, Michael J. Fox, Mary Tyler Moore, President Ronald Reagan, Edward R. Murrow, Bob Hope, Walter Cronkite, Oprah Winfrey and Charles Osgood.

• Claire Sinclair and Sabina Kelley are sharing the stage and the starring role in the upcoming, weeklong series of shows marking of the third anniversary of “Pin Up” at the Stratosphere. Sinclair and Kelley “co-headline” from Thursday through April 6, and Kelly returns to the role solo April 16-19.

Sinclair, the 2011 Playboy Playmate of the Year, has been the show’s central figure and MC since it launched in March 2013. Kelley was brought in last July as the first and, thus far, only swing performer to host the show.

As Stratosphere VP of Entertainment Matt Mascali says, this co-headlining presentation is a hint of more collaboration between the two stars in the production. The plan is for Sinclair and Kelley to appear together occasionally, and producers are planning some holiday-themed tweaks to the show in the winter.

The show will be a hit with the two performers onstage the same night, but as Mascali reminds, “It’s still Claire’s show.”

• Wednesday’s performance of BBR’s “Alice, A Steampunk Concert Fantasy” at Vinyl in the Hard Rock Hotel is to be spiced by a familiar Las Vegas performer in an unfamiliar role.

Eric Jordan Young will perform as the Red King, the character played by a rotating series of guest stars. Young is the second male to play the Red Queen/Red King role; Curtis Goodman blazed that trail previously last year.

The Red Queen moment has become a highlight of the production. Others to play that role, and add their singularly inventive spin on the character, have been Sinclair, Kelley, Skye Dee Miles, Jaime Lynch of “Fantasy,” Lora Kelsey of “Zombie Burlesque,” Carol-Lyn Liddle of “Raiding the Rock Vault,” and, last week, Michelle DiTerluzzi of “Vegas! The Show.”

Young, also late of “Vegas! The Show,” is still seeking a befitting venue for his “Shakin’” show, which was a great effort that did not draw the audience it deserved at Sin City Theater in Planet Hollywood. Whether playing Ernie the Janitor, Sammy Davis Jr., Sonny Bono or the Red King, Jordan always rises to the assignment. This should be fun.

• The book is titled “Gene Simmons Is a Powerful and Attractive Man: And Other Irrefutable Facts.”

You might have deduced that this is not a hit piece against Gene Simmons.

Click to enlarge photo

Gene Simmons of KISS wants the crowd to sing louder as the band begins their residency at The Joint on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas.

Rather, the tome is an homage to the legendary bassist and co-founder of Kiss, written by Christina Vitagliano, who operates Kiss By Monster Mini Golf on Harmon Avenue, across from the Hard Rock Hotel.

As would be expected, given this tight business and personal relationship between the two, Simmons has authorized the use of his image throughout the book and also wrote the foreword. The entries are a list of groovy factoids, which are largely invented, about Simmons. Examples: “When Gene Simmons plays Scrabble, everything spells Gene Simmons,” “Gene Simmons taught Godzilla how to breathe fire,” and “MC Hammer said, ‘U Can’t Touch This.’ Gene Simmons did, and now MC Hammer works at Subway.”

The book is boosted by great illustrative work by Corey Marier and Craig Marier. It is on sale now at the store, and will be offered for purchase Saturday at the third anniversary of Kiss By Monster Mini Golf. The marking of that event will be highlighted by a visit from current Kiss guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer at 11 a.m.

Too bad Simmons won’t be on hand to play a round at the glow-in-the-dark golfing attraction. He’s known to play it (wait for it) balls out.

• Quick reminder that column favorite Restless in Vegas is back at Mob Bar in Downtown Grand tonight and Saturday at 9 p.m. (doors at 8:30 p.m.). The rock trio that spins Las Vegas-tinged classics like “Luck Be a Lady,” “It’s Not Unusual” and “Mac the Knife” is another act looking for a home. Admission is free at these performances, which are unlike any treatment you’ll see of Vintage Vegas entertainment.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWiththeDish.

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