Friday, Aug. 31, 2001 | 8:56 a.m.
It's often said the world is divided into two groups: the haves and the have-nots.
Two weeks ago after meeting Las Vegas "legend" Monti Rock III, I realized there's another group as well: those who "get" Rock and those who don't.
Count me under the former.
For those unfamiliar with the "entertainer," Rock is Las Vegas' answer to a question no one ever really asked: Where is the excitement and fun in this town? His act is simple, which is to say, there is no act.
What you see with Monti is what you get with Monti. In that respect he's similar to a stage show, with enough costume changes, drama, laughs and applause (mainly his own) to fill any Broadway production.
At 63 he could pass for someone a decade younger. He has long, blond-gray hair and a receding hairline often concealed by a hat. He has a pronounced nose that would give him a George Washington profile, except it's difficult to picture the Father of Our Country wearing a cape and rings the size of Rhode Island.
Although Rock is proud of how he carries his age, he routinely laments his older looks, often cajoling this reporter to use photos of him when he was in his 20s and 30s for this article "When I was beautiful," he said.
Although Rock's presence is striking (think Liberace on steroids, and without the polish or talent, for that matter), Rock rarely has anything to promote. In fact, Rock has no discernable job except as gossip columnist for weekly Las Vegas business publication GamingToday other than to be Rock.
But being Rock, as I discovered, is a full-time job.
Born in New York City specifically the Bronx as Joseph Moses Montanez Jr. Rock's parents were Puerto Rican Pentecostal preachers. When they learned he was gay, Rock was kicked out of the house at 14 and forced to fend for himself and to rely on the kindness of strangers -- a practice still in effect today.
At 17 he put enough money together to attend hairdressing school. A few years later, after mistakenly cutting a model's hair lopsided while Rock was stoned, he became moderately famous in fashion circles for the novel 'do.
But Rock wanted more notoriety than being a well-known hairdresser could offer, so he embarked on a singing career in the early '60s.
After performing for Johnny Carson at a small club in New York, he impressed the talk-show host so much that he was asked to be a guest on "The Tonight Show" in 1962. Rock's subsequent appearance went over so well he was asked to come back a few weeks later.
All told, Rock appeared as a "Tonight Show" guest more than 80 times in the Carson era.
Rock never had anything to promote -- no TV show or film project -- and was on the show for no other reason than Carson enjoyed talking with him. Carson carried clout, however, and soon offers from other talk shows followed, including "The Merv Griffin Show," "The Mike Douglas Show" and "The Dick Cavett Show."
In a bizarre conundrum, Rock was becoming famous for being famous.
In 1968 Rock took his "act" to Las Vegas, with a one-man show at Caesars Palace, for which he was paid $14,000 a week. That lasted for eight weeks until, after drunkenly falling off the stage, he was fired.
But Rock rebounded from his abrupt dismissal, and in the mid-'70s reinvented himself as "singer" Disco Tex. Paired with his Sex-O-Lettes backup group, he scored top-10 hits with "Get Dancin' " and "I Wanna Dance Wit' Choo," selling seven million records in the process.
Rock parlayed his newfound success on the disco scene into a 6-minute cameo in "Saturday Night Fever" as DJ Monti Rock.
After the film there were other TV and movie appearances, but an increasingly destructive and expensive drug-and-alcohol habit caused him to bottom out. Twelve years ago, however, he sobered up.
In 1997 Rock returned to Vegas from Miami, determined this time to find the lasting success and acclaim that had previously eluded him in Sin City.
He's become an ambassador of sorts for the city. He's appeared on "The Howard Stern Show" "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" -- clips of both can be seen at montirock.com -- and specials on the Travel Channel (Cox Cable Channel 66).
"The Third Coast (Las Vegas) needed a host," Rock said, while being interviewed recently on "Las Vegas Notebook," a local radio-talk show on KDWN 720-AM.
"Notebook" host Ira David Sternberg has known Rock for nearly four years and has him on the show once a year.
"I think what Monti does is bring humor to Las Vegas," said Sternberg, whose full-time job is as a public relations executive/consultant for IDS Creative Communications. "I think the reason he's so effective here is he's somewhat unpredictable and fearless ... his contribution is he's bringing fun to Las Vegas."
Hurricane Monti
In 1997 Sebastian Junger wrote about a confluence of weather conditions off the New England coast, which he dubbed "The Perfect Storm."
He never met Rock.
In fact, there is probably no better description of Rock than as a hurricane. He seems to build momentum as the day wears on, and then unleashes his chaotic force on all those around him, leaving a swath of destruction in his path. But instead of casualties or financial damage, the toll is mental taxation.
It was on a recent Monday, just after 10 a.m., when Hurricane Monti struck. I sat down at my desk and noticed the red light on my phone was blinking, signaling I had a message waiting for me.
In most cases I would have checked voice mail first thing, as I waited for my computer to boot up. But I didn't have to listen to the messages -- I knew who called: Rock.
It was nearly two weeks ago that I was given the assignment to profile Rock. He had a new one-man show, "Midnight with Monti," which essentially doubled as his autobiography set to music, scheduled to open in mid-September at the San Remo, so the timing seemed right.
Monti's outreach
After calling him the following day to set up an interview, my phone was under siege. Daily calls from Rock came pouring in, beginning at 9 a.m. and occurring sporadically throughout the day.
There was never anything pressing about his phone calls. He wanted to check in on how the story was progressing, offer tips on who I should talk to or just to confirm that we were still on for various interviews.
Finally I checked the messages:
"Hey, Monti Rock calling. Things have happened. Call David Saxe. You're the best."
Saxe, who serves as executive producer for "Melinda, First Lady of Magic" at Venetian and "Showgirls of Magic" at San Remo, was helping Rock out with his upcoming show -- in effect, serving as an "unofficial" producer.
Then there was a message from one of Saxe's assistants, asking me to call the producer.
After I massaged my temples and took a deep breath, I dialed Saxe's number. A certain uneasiness began to settle over me.
Rock mentioned in an earlier interview that he was frustrated with San Remo, particularly that the hotel wasn't keen on advertising "Midnight with Monti."
Rock had talked about moving the show to another venue, but told me he planned to rehearse at the hotel until he found a new location for the production. The problem was, I'd turned in a 1 p.m. photo assignment for a portrait of Rock at the San Remo.
I knew something was awry.
As it turns out, my premonition was correct. Over the weekend Rock and San Remo had parted ways, and Rock was sure his production was moving to Olio! restaurant at the MGM Grand. Problem was, it was never confirmed, at least as far as an Olio! public relations rep was concerned.
"It's still 50-50," I was told. "It can go either way."
Rock, however, would have none of it.
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, it's going to happen," he said, cutting off my question of whether the photo shoot was still on for that afternoon, but at Olio!
Meanwhile Saxe was frantically working behind the scenes to make it happen. In fact, the negotiations continued during the photo assignment. Eventually, a deal was worked out for a one-time midnight show to take place Sept. 21.
Sitting down at the metal bar at Olio!, Saxe looked understandably exhausted from the whole affair. Rock is not a client of his; Saxe is merely a friend helping out. But already his entire morning had been devoted to Rock and his "Midnight with Monti" show.
"He's a good guy," Saxe said repeatedly, explaining why he's willing to go to such great lengths -- and pains -- to make the show a reality.
"I first met (Rock) a year ago, when he came into the office," Saxe said. "He brought in a full box of candy and introduced himself. The whole office laughed. He was out there. But he kept coming back and bringing in gifts."
Rock also made sure to talk about the "wonderful, brilliant" Saxe during routine visits to local PR firms to drop off candy -- and to anyone else who would listen.
In part, because of the free publicity, Saxe is willing to help Rock put "Midnight with Monti" together by working to find a venue for the show, and even paying the room rental fee himself.
"For a whole year he's told the world what a genius I am," Saxe said. "Now I have a chance to reciprocate and help him. And that's what I'm doing."
Monti's people
Saxe joked that he is a "Monti Rock enabler," meaning that by donating his time, energy and -- in the case of "Midnight with Monti" -- money, he enables Rock to ... well, be Rock.
Saxe is not alone. There are many who enable Rock: restaurant owners, radio talk-show hosts, public relations representatives, book publishers, executive producers of shows -- the list runs the gamut.
"Monti lives off the generosity of people like me and other people who love him," said Tom Cranglea, a local marketing agent and friend of Rock's for three years.
In turn, Crangle said, Rock returns in kind, usually in the form of homemade gifts, fastened together from ribbons, boxes, plastic flowers and figures -- and anything else he can get his hands on.
"Monti's got a heart of gold, he's a very gracious person," Crangle said. "A favor is never unreturned from Monti."
Even those who have reason to be angry at Rock inexplicably find themselves drawn to him.
Anthony Curtis, a publisher at local Huntington Press, signed a deal with Rock for the entertainer to write a book discussing life in the '70s from his perspective and observations.
A small advance was paid, but two years later Curtis is still waiting for the manuscript.
"I've developed a fairly well-known and growing reputation of being a (stickler) when it comes to (making deadline)," he said. "With (Rock) I just go, 'Whatever.' It's always a feeling of 'what good will it do?' Maybe that's his skill.
"I could very easily be mad at him, but I'm not. I guess I'm one of those in the parade."
Curtis said he believes Rock will eventually get around to writing the book. Rock said the book is finished, but he is looking for a ghost writer to "lighten it up."
Until then, however, Curtis is content to wait for Rock to deliver the goods.
"I continue to talk to him and continue to make ideas," he said. "I honestly think it will happen. He's got a story to tell and I think he'll find a way to get it done."
A one-man show, various TV appearances and potential book ... who knows, others may "get" Rock yet.
archive
