Friday, Sept. 16, 2005 | 8:27 a.m.
Entertainment took center stage at the fifth annual Global Gaming Exposition earlier this week at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Usually the keynote session (which was held Tuesday) focuses on a variety of gaming issues, but this year the topic was entertainment.
CNN talk-show host Larry King was the moderator of an hourlong discussion by a panel of local celebrities, including comedian Rita Rudner (who performs at New York-New York), entertainer Clint Holmes (Harrah's), Mr. Las Vegas Wayne Newton, boxing commentator Al Bernstein and producer Franco Dragone (creator of "Mystere" at the Treasure Island, "O" at the Bellagio and "Le Reve" at Wynn Las Vegas).
It was generally a light-hearted discussion, with Rudner tossing out some of the jokes she uses in her act ("Las Vegas is the only city in the country where playgrounds are equipped with stripper poles").
Notes from the session:
Dragone brought up some interesting points -- noting that some day he would like to see Vegas exporting shows to New York instead of vice versa.
He says there is no comparison in the price of producing a Broadway show and one in Vegas. He estimated a producing in New York might cost around $17 million -- he spent $35 million on creating "Le Reve" and the theater cost $75 million.
Bernstein observed that boxing is bigger than ever in Vegas, and the interest is spilling over to casinos all over the country. The smaller bouts are popping up in Indian casinos and other venues.
Racism was among the topics -- Newton observed that the first black person to walk through a casino in Vegas was Lena Horne back in the late '50s or early '60s, and she had to be escorted.
Sammy Davis Jr., a member of the Rat Pack, had to stay in west Las Vegas.
Harrah's named its showroom after Holmes, the first showroom in Vegas named after a black person.
"On one level it's an honor," Holmes said. "On another level it makes a statement about the social climate, about race relationships.
"Entertainment was a great ground breaker (in improving race relations)."
Dragone and Rudner disagreed on the standard of entertainment in Vegas.
Rudner says most Broadway shows won't work in Vegas -- only those that are pure entertainment.
"I don't think 'Death of a Salesman' will work here," she said.
Dragone said that on the contrary, the standard is being elevated, and that people are more inclined to attend shows that make them think.
King asked the panel if critics mattered to the success of a show, noting that critics can kill a production with a bad review.
None thought they did.
"No paper here can close a show," Holmes said.
Newton, who has had his share of bad press from critics, said the critics are just someone with an opinion.
"Jackie Gleason once said a critic is a guy who sits on top of a hill and watches the war, and when the battle ends he runs down and kills the survivor," Newton said.
He apparently doesn't read his reviews.
Maybe he doesn't read the paper at all.
When asked what is so good about living in Las Vegas, his list included "great medical care" and "a school system that is among the top 10 in the nation."
Jeni at HOB
Brilliant standup comedian Richard Jeni will perform at the House of Blues at 9:15 p.m. Saturday.
He may also be seen in the controversial hit film, "The Aristocrats," now making the rounds in theaters.
Jeni is one of some 100 comedians who were taped, in the fashion of a documentary, telling the same obscene joke but with their particular twist to it.
"My friend Paul Provenza was one of the producers of the film and he called me up and asked me to do it," Jeni said during a telephone interview from New York City.
Jeni says he doesn't even remember exactly when his segment was filmed.
"It was a couple of years ago," he said.
He had the same reaction to the idea of the film as he did to disposable razors when they first came out.
"I didn't think it would work," Jeni said.
Now, everyone wants to talk about it.
He would rather promote his latest HBO Comedy Hour, which was taped in January and has aired several times.
"Richard Jeni: A Big Steaming Pile of Me" is available at richardjeni.com.
Pitney returns
Gene Pitney, a singer/songwriter who dominated the music charts in the early 1960s, will be at the Orleans at 8 p.m. Sept. 22-25.
A couple of years ago he performed at the Stardust, his first engagement on the Strip during his 40-plus year career that included 16 Top 40 hits from 1961 to 1968, among them, "Town Without Pity" ('61), "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away" ('61), "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance" ('62), "Only Love Can Break a Heart" ('62), "Mecca" ('63) and "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" ('64).
Since then he has performed at the Cannery twice.
"That was kind of a strange place," Pitney said during a telephone interview from his home in Connecticut. "The back wall opened up."
He says he's eager to get back to Vegas and to try out the Orleans Showroom.
"I hear the room is nice, the people are nice," Pitney said.
Backing him will be a 12-piece orchestra that will include strings and horns.
At his Stardust concert he performed mostly the hits from this country.
"We're working on this year's show," he said. "We may introduce other songs, not necessarily the big hits -- something like 'Nobody Needs Your Love,' which was a big hit around the world but not in this country."
Pitney forged a major career for himself overseas while enjoying a successful career in this country.
He continues to perform in Australia and Europe.
Different areas of the world like different songs.
"My success in England was with ballads," he said.
Even after decades of performing, he remains a perfectionist.
"If I don't do a great show, it upsets me," Pitney said. "I can't relax that part of it. You have to make sure you satisfy yourself."
Earlier this year he performed 23 concerts in Australia.
His concerts in this country are primarily on weekends.
"I'll fly out on a Thursday, do a Friday or Saturday show and come back on Sunday," he said.
Pitney has three sons. Todd runs his recording studio out of Pitney's home.
"When I put together the songs I'm going to do in a show, he sequences all the backing tracks and I'm able to do the exact show in the studio," Pitney said. "It really makes it great -- by the time I perform in the showroom, I'm really comfortable with what I'm doing."
Pitney's latest recording project is a Christmas album.
"I've never done one before," he said.
He says the CD won't be the normal Christmas record.
"Not a 'Jingle Bells' type of thing," he said. "I'll have songs like Willie Nelson's 'Pretty Papers,' things like that."
Havana extended
"Havana Night Club -- The Show" has been extended at the Stardust through Feb. 4.
This is the fifth extension of the Cuban production since its premiere on Aug. 21, 2004.
"Havana," a creation of ND Durr, features a cast of 50 Cuban dancers, singers and musicians who trace the origin of dance in the Island nation, covering hundreds of years of musical history.
The cast members have been granted political asylum.
Luxor changes
Lots of entertainment changes are taking place at the Luxor.
"Blue Man Group" has departed for the Venetian, where it will debut later this month.
"Hairspray" replaces "Blue Man" at the Luxor in February.
"Toxic Audio" is the early show at the Atrium Theatre (home of the topless show "Fantasy") until prop-comic Carrot Top moves into that time slot in November.
Power pianist
Leon Bates, one of the country's leading pianists and an avid body builder, will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday at UNLV's Artemus Ham Concert Hall.
Bates has performed with many of the major U.S. symphonies, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Cleveland Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the San Francisco Symphony and the Atlanta Symphony.
In Europe, he has performed with the Vienna Symphony, the Basel Symphony, the Radio Orchestra of Dublin, the Strasbourg Symphony and the Orchestra Sinfonica dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, among others.
Bates devotes a lot of time to weightlifting and physical fitness training, comparing the concentration required for the physical activity to that required for his musical training.
Hurricane benefit
A benefit to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina will be held at Sam's Town in the Sam's Town Live! showroom at 2 p.m. Sunday.
The event will be hosted by Sam's Town, Boyd Gaming and the National Entertainment Group.
Among the performers scheduled to appear are Michael Cagle, co-organizer of the event, comedian Dave Russo (runner-up on E! Entertainment network's "The Entertainer") comedian Kathleen Dunbar, illusionist Mark Bennett, vocalist Freddie Eckstine, juggler Will Roya and the duo of Caz Solomon and Rheda Solo.
Also performing are vocalists Genevieve, Steven David and Susan Segal.
"We are proud to be able to host this event and do our part to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina," said Sam's Town Vice President of Marketing Glenda Zuhse. "The 'Help Is On the Way' benefit is a great way to raise money for this important cause."
The suggested donation for the benefit concert is $20. However, the Salvation Army will be on hand to collect all donations -- in any amount -- at the door.
Foster aid
Dick Foster Productions has come to the aid of 21 singers and dancers who lost everything in Hurricane Katrina.
The company's chief operating officer, David Gravatt, said performers who were employed in the "Masquerade" show at Harrah's New Orleans have started to arrive in Las Vegas.
The company has offered immediate employment in local projects, including the Bevertainer program and "Masquerade Show in the Sky" at the Rio.
Most of the performers had just recently moved to New Orleans.
"Masquerade," produced by Dick Foster Productions, opened in June.
They arrive in Las Vegas with little more than the clothes on their backs, Gravatt said.
Friends and colleagues at the Rio held a clothing drive to help replenish wardrobes and the cast of "Jubilee!" at Bally's has joined in as well.
Dick Foster Productions established an emergency fund and made a donation to get the fund going, Gravatt said. The company also made sure paychecks were available and provided immediate emergency financial assistance.
Donations are being accepted at Bank West of Nevada at 2700 W. Sahara Ave.
Donations should be to the New Orleans Masquerade Performers Emergency Fund, account number 2010096129.
For more information contact Gravatt at Dick Foster Productions, 434-9782.
Vegas views
"When We Were Fab" will perform at the Silverton at 7 p.m. on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.
The show is part concert, part documentary and part slideshow of the Beatles.
Tickets are $20. The concert will be held at the Silverton's outdoor pool arena.
For more information call 914-8557.
Ann-Margret is set to perform at the Stardust at 8 p.m. Sept. 28 through Oct. 1.
Also coming to the Stardust is Chicago (the band that has been performing fused jazz, rock and blues music for the past 38 years).
Performances will be at 8 p.m. Sept. 21-24.
Jason Petty will pay tribute to some of the legends of country music in a concert at 3 p.m. on Oct. 2 at the Charleston Heights Arts Center.
"Hank and My Honky Tonk Heroes" will highlight such artists as Roy Acuff, Ernest Tubb, Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams and George Jones.
Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.
For information call 229-6383.
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