Friday, Nov. 5, 2004 | 4:12 a.m.
WEEKEND EDITION
November 6 - 7, 2004
Richard Wilk was born in a small town in Canada and grew up in the suburbs of Toronto.
It was during a family trip to Las Vegas, though, when an 8-year-old Wilk discovered the job of a lifetime: taking care of celebrities and high-rollers.
It's been quite a ride for the 36-year-old Wilk to meet that goal. He's worked as a head doorman for nightclubs, as a stuntman, and as a bodyguard for business executives such as Bill Gates and rock bands such as the Rolling Stones.
He's also performed subcontract work for the Secret Service, including acting as part of the protection detail for President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore.
Those in Las Vegas, however, probably know Wilk best as casino host for the Golden Nugget, where he's enjoying an increasing reputation as the go-to guy among the rich and famous.
Wilk, who appeared on the Fox summer reality series "The Casino," has recently written a book about his life, including his experiences as a casino host. The book, "Connected ... Vegas-Style: True Tales From the VIP Playground," is $14.95 and available only at Wilk's Web site, www.richardwilk.com.
The Las Vegas Sun recently talked to Wilk about being a bodyguard, his dealings with celebrities and whether or not he has the best job in the world.
Las Vegas Sun: How did protecting the president of the United States compare to being a bodyguard for a rock star?
Richard Wilk: It just depends on who it was. When we did the Rolling Stones, we were in the SkyDome (in Toronto) and we had to take Mick Jagger on a golf cart right around to the back of the stage from the green room (and) he didn't say a word. He was in a trance, all psyched up for the gig. We get him to the stage and all of a sudden he explodes into who we see him as on the stage.
I thought that was pretty cool because you get to see the different sides of the celebrity or the rock star. Away from their big publicity machines in Hollywood or wherever they are, they are just regular people. And that's what I relate to. I relate to that ordinary side where they are just like you and me. And by doing that, I end up building relationships with them.
Sun: When you deal with celebrities now, do you still consider them regular people?
RW: We become like friends. Drea de Matteo was just in town on a weekend and her boyfriend at that time was playing at Mandalay (Bay) at a private after-party. She had to come up (from Los Angeles) and they had to stay up there (Mandalay Bay), so she text messages me three times saying, "What the hell are you doing? Let's party ..."
She's cool, she's down-to-earth with me. She talks to me like I'm just a buddy. And that's important to me.
Sun: But celebrities aren't average people because they're allowed perks the rest of us don't get.
RW: Sure. In the world out there, it's what can you do for each other. And what are they doing for me? They're helping me bring up the property value for my owners. Or, you're making me look good. So for me, that's worth me doing something for them.
Sun: How competitive is it with casinos trying to lure big players?
RW: Very. The whales get used to where they're at. For instance, I have a gentleman out of New York who is a big player, him and his brother. And they come in and stay at the Mirage villas. How do I compete with that? Well, I built up a relationship with them. I tell them, "Look, you don't have to stay with me but at least come down and see me." And when they see me, they'll have dinner and then they'll give me a courtesy shot (with a little of their playing time).
I may not get 100 percent of their play, but getting 20 to 30 percent of their play is better than not getting any at all.
Sun: What's one of your most memorable encounters with a celebrity?
RW: Well, I think that story of (professional wrestler) Bill Goldberg taking me over to Muhammad Ali's suite. I mean, that was just off the cuff. We were in a limo and he says, "I've got to stop by and say hi to the Alis." And I was like, "You mean, as in Muhammad Ali's?" He said, "Yeah."
What you don't know is that Muhammad Ali was lying down taking a nap when we came into the room. His wife came out and grabbed Bill and took him in there. (Ali) knew Bill's brother, myself and another guy were in the room. He got up from his nap and sat with us and took the pictures with us. To me, that was something else.
Sun: In the book, you describe several instances where a celebrity had a difficult request and you came through, such as finding someone to create a birthday cake made entirely of peanut butter for Joe Pesci's daughter. Have you ever come up short with a challenge?
RW: You know what, it seems I come up short when they want things that I don't get involved with, like, the illegal stuff. Sometimes you'll be asked for girls and stuff like that and I just don't get involved ... For me, I just won't do it. I have enough to offer that I don't need to offer those kinds of things.
Sun: First with your appearance on the reality series "The Casino" and now with your book, you're becoming a celebrity in your own right.
RW: A funny thing happened that I'll use maybe for book two. I am standing against the railing with my back to Bruce Willis as he's playing mini bac (mini baccarat) with his fans (and) I'm talking to one of his security guys. A girl runs up to me, "Hey, you're that guy from that reality show, 'The Casino.' Can you sign my card, can you take a picture with me?"
After we did that, she walks away and I turn to the security guard and I say, "How ironic that she didn't know that Bruce Willis is sitting right behind me and he's this big megastar?" How funny is that? Those are stories I love talking about because it's unbelievable to me. I'm really nobody. I take care of people and I love doing it and it's my passion. For something like that to happen, it kind of puts me in awe.
Sun: Was there fallout from anyone whose stories you included in the book?
RW: Not at all. You know what, you see the back cover (with celebrity endorsements of the book and of Wilk). Those celebrities would never have given me those kinds of quotes -- and those are powerful quotes -- if I had said anything bad about them or I would have come across negative.
I believe, why can't you talk about positive fun stories? Why does it always have to be negative? And that's why I did the book. And that's why I self-published it. Every penny that went into that book came out of my pocket because I wanted to control the rights of that book.
Sun: In "Connected ... Vegas-Style" you say celebrities remarked to you, "I want to have your job." Do you have the best job in the world?
RW: I've got to be honest, I think I have a great job, but I don't know about the best job in the world. What they don't see is the hours I put into it. A lot of times, like Mike Piazza, they'll say, "I would love your job, but with my salary." All they see is the fun part of it. They see me getting them into a club and getting them the best booth, or getting them into a concert and getting them the best seats. Or, they see the people kind of gravitate toward you in a nice way without being a celebrity. And they like that because they don't get to see it.
They are celebrities and people gravitate toward them because of their celebrity status. I don't have celebrity status. I have just me. So for me to be able to do the job and have the passion to do it, I've got the best job. I've just got to learn to be able to make even more money.
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