Friday, Oct. 31, 2003 | 9:32 a.m.
For Clint Holmes, hosting a new television show is like stepping into a pair of comfortable shoes.
In 1991, the entertainer hosted "New York at Night," a talk show that aired on WWOR in New York City for a year and won a local Emmy.
Holmes (who titled the musical autobiograpy of his life, "Comfortable Shoes") was a correspondent for "Entertainment Tonight" in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s, and was the announcer-sidekick for Joan Rivers on her talk show on Fox in 1989.
Monday morning the 56-year-old headliner at Harrah's steps in front of the cameras again as host of "Vegas Live," which replaces the Las Vegas ONE cable show "DayONE Las Vegas" on Cox cable channels 1 and 39.
"I've always believed someday somebody somehow was going to do an important TV show from Las Vegas," Holmes said. "I believe this is it.
"The time is right, and this is the right combination of people."
Holmes will be joined by co-host Sheena Easton, superstar of the '80s who hit big with "Morning Train," "Modern Girl" and "For Your Eyes Only."
"Vegas Live" will air live from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., Mondays through Fridays, and repeat from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The shows will repeat on the weekends.
Singer/impressionist Kelly Clinton is the show's announcer.
KLAS Channel 8 anchor Casey Smith will have a five-minute news spot on "Vegas Live." Patty Chong will be the program's entertainment reporter.
Producer Howard Lefkowitz came up with the premise for show. Lefkowitz is president of VEGAS.com, which is co-producing the show with Las Vegas ONE.
Earlier this year Lefkowitz also was put in charge of the film and television production company Studio Vegas. Lefkowitz has also been vice president of internet marketing for EarthLink; president of a subsidiary of the Home Shopping Network (HSN) and has worked independently for ABC, NBC, CBS, Twentieth Century Fox, MCA/Universal and Warner Bros.
Lefkowitz said Holmes was the first choice to host the talk show.
"Clint is a tremendous talent," he said. "He is personable and likable. He's just terrific -- very good on camera, very good with guests. People root for him because what you see, that's who he is.
"Sheena Easton is slightly more aggresive than Clint might be -- it's a fun combination to watch."
Holmes and Easton will chat for the first segment of the show, followed by a news spot and guests.
Lefkowitz declined to reveal who some of the guests might be.
"You'll have to tune in to watch," he said. "But the thing about Vegas is that everyone who matters is here, or comes here once a year -- both from an entertainment perspective, a political perspective and a business perspective.
"That's the pool of talent we have to choose from."
Lefkowitz plans to syndicate the show nationally.
"But for now it's a great local television show for Vegas," he said. "It's a deviation from what has been done here in the past."
Holmes is one of the busiest performers in Las Vegas, but he didn't hesitate to accept an offer to host the new show.
"Opportunities come when they come," Holmes said. "We can't always pick and choose the time."
Holmes, Easton and Clinton have been close friends for years. Their conversations on camera flow smoothly.
"We've been buddies for a long time," Easton said. "The show is like what we do at dinner on a Monday night spilled over into the work place."
Though Easton has been interviewed many times during her career, she says this is the first time she has done the interviewing.
"What works for me is to come out and be as relaxed as possible," Easton said. "You have to listen and respond to what people are saying around you."
But for a few index cards that provide an outline of what topics are to be discussed, the program is spontaneous.
"We touch on little things in our own life, stuff that others can relate to," Easton said.
Before the show barely has a chance to get its feet wet, Easton will have to leave for about a month for a Christmas concert tour, which begins around Thanksgiving.
"When the tour is over, I'll be back here," she said.
Clinton also is a busy performer.
In addition to her new duties with "Vegas Live," she hosts a celebrity karaoke night on Mondays at the Bootlegger Bistro and performs impressions five nights a week at Harrah's. She recently ended a karaoke gig at the Plaza.
Clinton says she and Easton were invited to screen test for the television show.
"The producers decided to use both of us," Clinton said.
Rick Garson, who co-produces the show with Lefkowitz, says it will be "light and breezy."
"When this all came together, I wanted to do a 'Regis and Kelly' meets 'Good Morning America' meets 'Access Hollywood,' all thrown into a blender, and this is what we have," Garson said.
Garson has produced the World Music Awards from Monaco, Fox's "America's Party," the "Billboard Music Awards," the "Blockbuster Awards" and the Rolling Stones' "Steel Wheels" pay-per-view concert.
He also is associated with Studio Vegas, and is currently working with the company to produce the 2004 Las Vegas New Year's Eve special on Fox.
Garson called the cast of "Vegas Live" an ideal balance.
"Clint is a perfect host," he said. "Kelly is great comic relief and Sheena has been kissed by an angel -- she has the gift of gab, the ability to think on her feet.
"They all are great together. The chemistry, you couldn't ask for better. I would put them up against anybody."
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