Second serving of Meatballs to feature many LV legends

Friday, May 14, 2004 | 8:14 a.m.

Don Manarina had a dream -- to honor the Las Vegas lounge entertainers he admired so much.

Before the 55-year-old account executive died of a heart attack last May, he fulfilled his dream, creating the Meatball Awards, a tongue-in-cheek title for a serious homage.

Manarina's first Meatball Awards show debuted in September 2002 at the Greek Isles. Two weeks before his sudden death a year ago, he and entertainer Grant Griffin were planning the second of what they hoped would become an annual event.

Tuesday, Griffin continues Manarina's dream with the second Meatball Awards, to be held at The Orleans Showroom. The 8 p.m. show will be preceded by a no-host bar cocktail party at Sazio's restaurant at 7 p.m. Following the show, fans will be able to sample meatballs, again at Sazio's.

"We, of course, will pay tribute to Don Manarina during the show," said Griffin, co-producer of the show along with Marvin Lashever.

There will be 22 awards given during the evening, which again will be hosted by comic Cork Proctor.

The categories range from top producers to entertainers to journalists to chefs.

Several restaurants will compete in a meatball cooking contest, vying for best meatball award.

Among those who will be honored during this year's ceremony are Maynard Sloate (for many years producer of "Folies Bergere"); lounge legends Cook E. Jarr and Freddie Bell; singers Corrie Sachs and Jerry Tiffe; the Mary Kaye Trio and Tony Sacca.

Presenters of the awards will include Sonny King, Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, Dennis Bono, Marlene Ricci, Steve Rossi, Clint Holmes and others.

More than a dozen entertainers will perform at the event, among them Griffin, Jeanine Marie, Patricia Welch, Lawrence T., Carme and Joni Grassey.

In an interview prior to his death, Manarina said the purpose of the Meatball Award ceremony was to "honor the history, the life experiences of the people who have worked in Las Vegas for years, especially in the lounges."

Manarina said the idea developed as he watched some of the old-timers perform at Hunt's Bootlegger Bistro on Friday and Saturday nights.

Since the restaurant and lounge opened on South Las Vegas Boulevard three years ago (moving from its former location at Eastern Avenue and Flamingo Road), the Bootlegger has featured "Off the Cuff," a revue hosted by King and featuring a host of entertainers who drop by on any given weekend to step into the spotlight.

"I just wanted to give them a gift, and I came up with the Meatball Award," Manarina said.

He said he called it "Meatball" because the Bootlegger is an Italian restaurant, and the word has a comical ring.

The slang definition of "meatball" is "a stupid, awkward or boring person," a sobriquet that does not fit the profile of some of Vegas' top lounge entertainers.

Griffin, who first performed at the Sahara in 1956, expanded on the "meatball" concept.

"Meatballs are a fundamental food staple throughout the world," he said. "Everyone loves meatballs. It's the same way for the lounge acts -- these performers are the backbone and the staple of the entertainment industry in Las Vegas."

Griffin said lounges have been transformed over the years. In many cases lounges now are nothing more than venues for garage bands that work cheaply.

"At one time lounge acts were as exciting, if not more exciting, as the main showroom," Griffin noted. "You could see entertainers like Shecky Greene, Don Rickles and Jackie Gale -- they came up through the lounges into the main showrooms.

"We are honoring those people who contributed to the entertainment of the past, as well as those who are currently performing."