Funny magician is serious about getting children to read

Tiffany Brown

Mac King surprises Allyson Beard, 9, by turning a carrot into a goldfish during a show Monday that encouraged kids to read. March is National Reading Month.

By Jerry Fink (contact)

Thursday, March 13, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Comic magician Mac King is doing his part to motivate children to pick up a book.

“Reading was important to me when I was growing up,” he says. “I don’t think I would be doing magic if not for the books my grandfather had on the subject and if not for the encouragement of librarians in various schools I went to.”

King participates in reading events year-round but emphasizes events in March, which is National Reading Month.

Among the events:

• “Mac King’s March Reading Soiree” — King will read and perform magic tricks for children at 4 p.m. March 24 at Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza in Centennial Hills, 7160 N. Durango Drive, in Montecito Marketplace. The free event includes pizza and soft drinks for children and their parents. If you bring a new or slightly used children’s book, you get a coupon for a sundae. King joins forces with Sammy’s in a book drive that collects new and slightly used children’s books for Spread the Word Nevada: Kids to Kids.

• “The Great Big Ol’ Book-O-Magic” — King will sign copies of his book at 1 p.m. March 30 at Barnes & Noble, 8915 W. Charleston Blvd.

King recently signed a deal with Harrah’s to extend his stay there through 2011. He also has an offer for those who attend his show at Harrah’s during March: Donate a children’s book and he will give you a copy of his book “Tricks You Can Do With Your Head: Hilarious Magic Tricks and Stunts to Disgust and Delight.”

‘That would be the airport, Bob’

Bob Eubanks, best known as host of “The Dating Game,” has heard a lot of odd comments during his decades in the business. One that caught him by surprise was made recently during “The $250,000 Game Show Spectacular” at the Las Vegas Hilton.

“There was a minister on the show, and I asked him where was the strangest place he had ever made whoopee,” Eubanks says. “He says, ‘In the airport parking lot. Well, we hadn’t seen each other in a long time.’ ”

Eubanks shares hosting duties with Jamie Farr and Chuck Woolery, and audiences are never sure who will be hosting. Recently, Eubanks has been onstage Mondays through Wednesdays and Farr on Thursdays and Fridays because Woolery is off on another gig.

But the contestants in the “Game Show Spectacular” are the stars of the show, Eubanks says. “You never know what’s going to happen.”

The live game show debuted in October and has had more than 3,000 contestants. More than $300,000 in cash and prizes have been given away — but not the big one, the $250,000 prize.

“And we really want them to win it, right now,” says Eubanks. “It would be so good for the show.”

He describes “Spectacular” as a combination of several game shows, including “The Newlywed Game,” “Name That Tune” and “The Gong Show.” The show lasts 75 minutes and about 40 contestants are picked from the audience to compete each time.

Details: 1:30 and 3:30 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, Las Vegas Hilton Theater, $46.20; 732-5755, lvhilton.com

Local entertainers honored

An organization that honors entertainers who keep the spirit of Old Las Vegas alive will hold its awards ceremony Saturday at the Bootlegger.

The Entertainment Consumers Exchange will pay tribute to several performers, including stripper Tempest Storm, pianist Bob Rozario, vocalist Denise Clemente and entertainer Jimmy Castor, who worked with the doo-wop group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. Also being honored are Bootlegger owner Lorraine Hunt-Bono and her husband, Dennis Bono, who host “The Dennis Bono Show” on KUNV 91.5-FM. Comedian Kathleen Dunbar will host the event, which will be dedicated to the memory of Sweet Louie of the Checkmates, who died in December.

Details: 1:30 p.m. Saturday; Bootlegger, 7700 Las Vegas Blvd. South; $17-$23; 736-4939