LOOKING IN ON: ENTERTAINMENT

By Jerry Fink

Friday, Nov. 9, 2007 | 7:10 a.m.

Entertainer Terry Fator had concluded he was never going to be rich and famous.

So he'd just concentrate on honing his talents - impersonations, comedy, singing, ventriloquism - and settle into playing state fairs and corporate events.

Two years ago Fator - and manager John Raymond - had an epiphany. Combine all those talents and see what happens. Have the dummies do impressions of singers. Mix in some comedy. Some yodeling. Keep it clean, something for the whole family.

The formula was the rocket fuel that shot him to overnight success after almost 30 years of trudging through the trenches as a performer. (The Dallas native was 12 years old when he earned $25 doing impressions for a church.)

At 42 he is rich, famous and very good at what he does.

Good enough to win $1 million on the TV show "America's Got Talent."

Good enough to quickly sell out two shows at the Las Vegas Hilton in October, prompting the venue to bring him and his cadre of dolls back for an encore Dec. 3.

Good enough to sign a $1.5 million deal with the Hilton for 15 shows, three a month through May - kicking off the deal with a bonus show on New Years Eve.

Good enough to think seriously about finding a permanent gig in the Entertainment Capital.

"I want to prove I can headline in Las Vegas," says the man who reincarnated Roy Orbison as a turtle to sing "Crying."

Crying all the way to the bank.

Slayton still going strong

It's been six months since the self-proclaimed "Pit Bull of Comedy," Bobby Slayton, debuted at Hooters near the south end of the Strip.

The hotel is in limbo - a purchase offer this year fell through and it's still on the market - but Slayton is performing as if the place is going to be there forever and he's going to be the resident headliner.

The New York native puts as much energy into a performance as he did when he first opened. He knows only one speed : full throttle.

The show starts with a film clip of comedic friends welcoming him to Hooters, but the piece quickly becomes a roast by Robin Williams, Lewis Black, Rita Rudner, Howie Mandell, David Spade and Bill Maher.

Slayton's comedy is edgy and comes at you rapid -fire, spraying the room. He leaps from subject to subject, thoughts coming so fast his mouth can barely keep up.

"I love the great legendary comedians," he says. "And Carrot Top."

Details: Bobby Slayton; 8 and 10 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays; 9 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays (except 8 p.m. Dec. 9); Hooter's Night Owl Showroom; $36.95; 739-9000

Leaving them laughing

Fans of comedian Ron White got their money's worth from the opening act at Mandalay Bay last week.

Alex Reymundo got the laugh machine going with a slew of jokes about his Hispanic background, growing up in Texas , marrying a hillbilly from Kentucky and having children he calls "hick-spanics."

"Habla Espanol?" he asked the crowd. "For those of you who don't speak Spanish it's time to learn. You're in America. Learn the language."

But everyone came to see White, the generally friendly bear of a man who puffs on expensive cigars and sips scotch as he delivers a steady stream of vignettes about his life and his observation s on the world around him.

He has a love affair going with all things scotch: single malt, blended, highland. "I even like the tape."

Scottish cab drivers, not so much. He says he once hired a cab to tour London. "If you get an angry Scottish cab driver, you can see that city in 10 minutes."

White found humor - most of it unsuitable for a family newspaper - in everything from the endless array of Web sites to the running of the bulls.

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