Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

John Katsilometes writes of celebrity impressionists, gold toilets, the Fashion Show mall and Mayor Goodman all getting together for a good cause and having a good time in true Las Vegas tradition

On Thursday afternoon the 20 Las Vegas celebrity impressionists performing with 19 new toilets draped in golden fabric at the Fashion Show mall seemed entirely in context.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman helped make sure of that.

The event was a fundraiser - a cynic would call it a publicity stunt - organized by the company 2000 Flushes. The company celebrated its 20 years as the king of automatic toilet bowl cleaners by purging itself of a $20,000 check to the impressionist who finished first in a game of "musical thrones" on Fashion Show's great hall stage.

The rules were similar to "musical chairs," except for the toilets. Elvis impressionist Brendan Paul hosted the event; the winner was Dolly Parton impressionist Sandy Anderson, who topped someone vaguely resembling Aretha Franklin in the final, um, throne-off. Winning $20,000 was the charity represented by Anderson, the Special Olympics.

Afterward Goodman said he'd had a full day.

"This is the fun part of the job," he said. "This morning I was talking flight patterns with the FAA."

I asked Goodman about his recent unbridled Q&A with Vanity Fair's George Wayne.

"He's good. It was a legit interview," Goodman said. "I stayed my course. I could have crashed, but I didn't."

In the interview Goodman was asked about his 86 percent approval rating and said, "I'm looking for the other 14 so I can have them whacked." He elaborated Thursday: "I'm going to find some to put in the lake, wearing cement shoes." Then he turned to chat up the commoners.

NoteMart

John has used the piano, which he has named "Fiona," during appearances on "20/20," "Larry King Live" "The American Radio Music Awards," "The View" and in a photo that David LaChapelle took of John to be used as an official publicity shot ...

A little board: "CSI" creator (and one-time Mirage tram operator) Anthony Zuiker has developed a board game based on his TV franchise. The pursuit game is called "CSI: Senses" and hits stores this summer ...

R. you ready?: Booking rap and hip-hip shows in Las Vegas casinos is a dicey proposition these days, but controversy-dogged urban R&B star R. Kelly has found a friendly venue: The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel. The Hard Rock canceled a party at the Joint last week that would have included a DJ playing rap music. The reason given was that the promoters did not have the proper license to host the event. But Kelly's show is a go.

Kelly isn't a rapper, but he's not without baggage to be handled by The Joint: Four years ago he was alleged to have been videotaped having sex with a 14-year-old girl, among a series of other alleged transgressions with minors. Kelly is scheduled to appear at the Joint on May 4. Tickets go on sale at noon Saturday for the all-ages show ...

U think so?: Reader Ruthe Beard checks in with the vanity plate she spotted on a Honda Civic, U UGLEE.

Fabulous Las Vegas runs Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in the Las Vegas Sun. John Katsilometes can be reached at 259-2327 or 812-9812, or at [email protected].

archive