Submitted photo

Gordie Brown, currently directing traffic at Golden Nugget.

By Robin Leach · March 27, 2009 · 2:26 PM

*Check out this story with all its accompanying photos at VegasDeLuxe.com.*

Comedy impressionist Gordie Brown returns home to the Golden Nugget downtown tonight after a lengthy stint as Celine Dion’s opening act on her Taking Chances world tour. He confided that if she ever gave up singing, she could become an impressionist, too! Her impersonation of Cher is apparently right on target, along with Annie Lennox and even Elvis!

But the two Canadian entertainers aren’t about to take that duet on the road. And Gordie wants to make it clear that comedy is the key word despite the fact that at one point in his show, he fires rat-a-tat-tat 40 modern-day impressions in less than 40 minutes!

His VIP party and red carpet gala premiere this evening is a homecoming because he began his string of Strip appearances at the Golden Nugget in the first place. Gordie and I talked yesterday as he prepared for tonight’s big opening:

Robin Leach: How does it feel to be coming back home to what was your first home in Vegas?

Gordie Brown: It actually feels brand new because of the theater being totally different. The hotel is giving me tremendous support there, and it feels great to be back. They just about changed everything. They put in somewhere around $7 million worth of new furnishings and decorations, chairs and seats that are very comfortable. The inside looks like Donald Trump designed it. (In the voice of The Donald) “Everything needs to be burgundy and gold. Gold just like my hair. If it’s not right, you buy it.”

RL: Have you refigured the show and added new material, changed it around for your homecoming?

GB: Yes. You know the show is always something that will always be evolving because I am always evolving. Definitely the show is going to be different from last night. Every day is different, and every night is different.

RL: You were away from Vegas for eight months on Celine’s tour?

GB: Well, I was pretty much in every city in North America, including Canada. We stepped away and went to Puerto Rico. I saw every arena where basketball and hockey is played, so it was great. Every show pretty much ran 15,000 to 20,000 people. I think our largest was for 21,000 people. But every show was a sellout, so now I can claim I sold out every show. It was the first time I’ve played arenas that size.

RL: What was that experience like? In a sense, you’re placed in a bad position because people have only come to see Celine, but then suddenly they get you -- not her?

GB: Yeah, the fortunate thing about Celine is that she gets people in their seats, so she gets them anticipating that she’s going on when I go on. So, when the announcement was made, I was kind of ready for that. I knew I had to hit them hard from the get go, so that they won’t feel that disappointment when the lights come on and it’s me. I hit them with Hootie from the Blowfish -- but bagging on the fact that it was me and not Celine being there. So it’s pretty funny, I’m Hootie, and I might be able to sing a song, but I ain’t no Celine Dion. That just made the crowds roar! I took them from there to Axl Rose … down to other unexpected comedies. Lucky for me, the majority of people were in their seats when I started. I didn’t expect that, either. I feared they’d be trickling in while I was doing my performance, but I just happened to be working with a phenomenal artist who gets them in their seats early.

RL: Did she watch your act from backstage the first couple of nights you joined her tour?

GB: Yes, there were a few times when she and her husband, Rene (Angelil), were there. She asked to have a TV monitor put inside her dressing room so they could watch my show. Many nights Rene watched and brought their friends, too, to make sure they were out there to watch me. It was a pretty phenomenal experience, though slightly nerve-racking. I was able to reach so many of her fans, which was exactly what I needed for my time now back in Vegas, that kind of incredible exposure.

RL: I have to ask you this as a joke, and don’t take offense, but can you impersonate Celine?

GB: Yeah (laughter), there are certain notes that she hits that I think very few people can hit, but there are certain mannerisms that I’ve picked up on and brought my own take to that. So you will find a little of her in the act. On tour in the opening, when I sang, “I ain’t no Celine Dion …” I pound my chest, hit my hips and make my head go to the side and blow a kiss. Even to her own fans, I knew they would pick up on that, so I was willing to risk being dragged off stage by Celine and Rene. But she has a great sense of humor, and she does amazing impressions herself. She can do Cher, Annie Lennox, many female performers, as well as Elvis. She’s very funny! Who knew the hidden talents? The hidden talents of the stars … there’s a new show for you, Robin!

(Impersonating me) Welcome to Hidden Talents of the Stars, where they are on the road opening for themselves, saving millions of dollars no longer having to hire an opening act! We’ll find out how, we’ll find out why, times are tough! (Laughter.)

RL: So traveling with Celine on tour for eight months must make for some interesting observations to add to the new Golden Nugget run?

GB: I think what I want to put in the show is my experience on the road and break that down and turn that into the comedy of being on the road and checking into hotels and the experience of working with an all-French crew, which is wonderful, but the language situation was a toughie. So there are some things there to grab at and bring some comedy to the show.

RL: This new run at the Nugget downtown comes not exactly at the best of economic times. How’s the reaction?

GB: Our reactions are big and strong. I think some of it has to do with running with Celine for over half a year and the fact that I was here three and a half years before and did so well. That all lays great groundwork for a show’s success, and it’s great I’m the only headliner act downtown. I think all those elements are working great in my favor. The hotel has been revamped from head to toe pretty much with new restaurants, new theater, new bars and new pool, so all of that is great for me. The show performance on the road playing with 20,000 people in an arena is much different than playing for 600 in our intimate theater. On the road, I had to work with tracks for the sound system, but downtown here I’m working with a live band. So that really gets the energy going. Being on the road was a necessity, but being back home is meant to be.

I’m booked here for two years, and the sweetest thing was on my first night of previews, I got an opening note from both Celine and Rene wishing me well.

RL: Let me ask you a technical question about doing impersonations. Today we seem to have less and less identifiable voices because more and more shows go with ensemble casts that you really don’t know who they are anymore.

GB: Ever since you (laughs)! It’s true though, in the music world, and I apologize that I interrupted your question. It’s different. For instance, Daniel Powter has a song called “Bad Day,” so I had to have Ozzy Osbourne moving into his big mansion and the first time he was there, he was going out of his mind, there were so many rooms, he was accidentally sitting on a Buddha. It comes out differently on the show, you don’t see it coming, and then when you see the picture of Ozzy … and that’s how I make use of a new song. Grab the elements that you can.

It’s tough now, but you move into a comedy routine wherever you can find the humor. The comedy is there with help from the impressions rather than the other way round anymore. It’s not only the impressions; it’s how you’re using the impressions.

Some of today’s audiences are too young to even know the names of the old stars and veterans. I have a John Wayne in the show, but I don’t know that even I want to do John Wayne from a modern-day standpoint. But the way you see it unfold in my show, it’s perfect to bring him in for the laughter and the fun!

Gordie told me that Rene will be dropping by to see his show when he comes to town next month, and if Celine is here, too, she will check up on Gordie to see how his impression of her impression is going over!

Vegas DeLuxe will be back Monday with the full photo report of his VIP gala party and first night performance.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground. Read more of Robin's stories at VegasDeLuxe.com.