Comedian Bill Engvall, Pia Zadora
Dec 1, 2016
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Comedian Bill Engvall, and Golden Globe winner Pia Zadora guest on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Bill Engvall is appearing at Treasure Island on Dec. 2.
In a backstage videotaped interview, Bill reflects on his some-what competitive spirit on keeping up with Jeff Foxworthy’s exploding career, and how it affected his ability to enjoy himself for the first two years of The Blue Collar Comedy Tour.
You know Bill from his TBS sitcom “The Bill Engvall Show”, as host of “Country Fried Home Videos”, and one of the four on the original Blue Collar Comedy Tour along with Jeff Foxworthy, Ron White, and Larry the Cable Guy.
Bill Engvall is featured in Michele LaFong’s monthly syndicated column “Las Vegas Backstage Talk” in Gaming Today, and in Casino Player Magazine.
LaFong interviews Engvall backstage at The T.I (Treasure Island) on video posted on site. Go to VIDEO on menu bar.
For more about Bill Engvall, click here–
Treasure Island Theatre, Friday March 6, 9:00pm
Pia Zadora
Pia Zadora guests in-studio on Las Vegas Backstage Talk with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Golden Globe winner, GRAMMY Award® nominee, ShoWest winner, accomplished singer, film and Broadway star all describe Pia Zadora. Performing since the age of six, for those who have seen her in concert, what comes to mind first and describes this multi-talented performer is simply this: Pia Zadora is the complete entertainer. For more information, visit http://piazadora.com or follow her on Twitter @OfficialPiaZ.
Consummate performer and Las Vegas resident Pia Zadora joins forces with another notable mainstay, Piero’s Italian Cuisine, with the opening of “Pia’s Place,” a space long known as the “Monkey Bar.” Zadora will perform in the intimate room Friday and Saturday evenings indefinitely at 9 p.m.
At “Pia’s Place,” the chanteuse reunites with legendary Sinatra pianist and musical director Vincent Falcone rounding out a quartet. Zadora will showcase her versions of standards such as “The Lady is a Tramp,” “Old Black Magic,” and “All of Me,” as well as a variety
Pia Zadora performs in “Pia’s Place” at Piero’s Italian Cuisine, 355 Convention Center Drive, on Friday and Saturday evenings starting at 9 p.m.. A cover of $30 includes two drinks. Must be 21 and over with a valid ID.
TweetDec. Las Vegas Backstage Talk column by Michele LaFong
Dec. Casino Player Magazine– LVBST by Michele LaFong
The last couple of months have been extremely exciting and surreal for LVBST. We have been fielding a lot of questions regarding the video cameras that have been following me with my “stud-puppet” Paco, and LVBST around town.
All I am at liberty to reveal at the moment, is that we are under development for our own unscripted reality series that is unlike any other. A short edited clip of me & Paco, with my neighbor, Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, Al Bernstein, can be viewed on casinocenter.com
Currently, my biggest beef with reality TV is that it is not real. The main characters often conjure up conflict and drama that is superficial, one dimensional or more fake than all the boobs and lips in Hollywood combined together!
For some strange reason…with my life nothing ever needs to be made up nor exaggerated for the sake of television cameras. Off-beat characters, unforeseen conflict and ridiculous storylines continue to play out in the “World of LaFong,” rarely taking a full day off!
Too bad that the cameras were not yet rolling when I went to see Ray Romano backstage at The Mirage last month. It was “de ja vu” for me. Not only was Ray pretty much the same, nice, unassuming, really funny guy that I had once hand-picked to open for me in the late 80’s, but it wasn’t ‘til after our visit that it dawned on me just how much Ray is the exact same guy on and off screen in the “Everybody Loves Raymond” television series.
On NOV 24th, fellow comics pitched in to do a benefit for Singing Impressionist Pam Matteson at the PLAZA HOTEL. Pam has brain cancer, no health insurance, and the medical bills are piling up. Amongst the special guest stars were Louie Anderson, Gordie Brown, Rich Little, Clint Holmes, The Coasters, The Michael T Band, and Budd Friedman, original founder of The Improv, and many more. If you missed the benefit but still would like to make a donation of any kind, go to Pam’s husband, Tim Biddle’s facebook page; scroll down and you’ll find a connection to a website that says DONATE NOW.
Legendary music icons and Grammy Award winners, Brian Wilson (co-founder The Beach Boys) and Jeff Beck (Yardbirds) performed at The Pearl inside Palms Casino Resort as part of a co-headlining North American Tour. The show was nothing short of spectacular!
Towards the end of the show they were all on stage performing together! It was a sight to behold, and truly unforgettable.
Speaking of unforgettable, Comedy Legend, Marty Allen finally made it in to the studio with his co-star and wife, singer Karon Kate Blackwell. They were promoting their then upcoming shows at The Plaza Showroom. It was great to see them again. I’ve had the pleasure of working with them several times on different cruise lines over the years. Not that I performed on so many…it just so happened that the majority of the time when I was booked … so were they! We also performed in Atlantic City together when Marty hosted Senor Wences’ 100th Birthday Tribute at Bally’s Hotel & Casino with Special Guest Mickey Rooney. Marty Allen is best known however, for being half of the Legendary Allen & Rossi comedy team. Together, they appeared on over 700 television shows including 44 appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. They recorded 16 comedy albums, the title of one using their signature catch phrase of “Hello Dere!” Allen said “We were into the act and I just went blank… and I looked at Steve and said, ‘Hello dere . . . hello dere.’ Then suddenly everyone in the club was saying it – hello dere.”
Now, at 91 years of age, Marty Allen has 91 reasons to go blank on-stage, but doesn’t… most of the time, and even when he does… his failing memory turns into a fresh, new, running-gag in the show. His improvisational skills kicked in every time it became obvious to the audience that Karon Kate was correcting him, whispering the jokes into his deaf ear… which got him even bigger laughs! Marty may not always remember every joke but he seems to have no trouble remembering how to make audiences laugh.
My picks for December: Wynonna & the Big Noise, is at The Orleans Showroom Dec. 6 & 7,
Ron White, is at The Mirage Dec. 6 & 7, 13 & 14, The Black Crowes appearing at The Hard Rock, Dec. 13.
Sinbad, is appearing at The Orleans, Dec. 14.
Country superstar Shania Twain who is a headliner at The Colosseum at Caesars will serve as the Grand Marshall of Opportunity Village’s Las Vegas Great Santa Run on Saturday, Dec. 7. Marking the 5k’s ninth year, Twain will join thousands of Kris Kringle’s downtown for the nonprofit’s largest annual fundraiser.
Surfset Las Vegas, the latest revolutionary workout trend from ABC’s hit program “Shark Tank,” will partner with Dress for Success Southern Nevada for a one-day donation drive on Saturday, Dec. 7, when a portion of each $20 class fee will go to the charity. Surfset offers four different styles of classes – Burn, Build, Balance and Blend – call 702-503-4780
Our friend, Comedian/Actor Bill Engvall is returning to The TI, on Dec.6 & 13, after an extremely respectable showing, staying alive in the very competitive ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” Not very much is ever expected from the Celebrity Comics on that show! Bill first made a name for himself as part the Blue Collar Comedy Troupe with Jeff Foxworthy, Ron White, and Larry the Cable Guy. Larry will be appearing at The Pearl Theatre, at The Palms Hotel & Casino on New Year’s Eve.
Jerry Seinfeld always puts on a great show. He is appearing at Caesars Palace, Dec. 26 & 27
Steve Miller Band, the Doobie Brothers, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Dec. 28
Cedric the Entertainer, appearing at The Mirage Dec. 29 & 30, Fleetwood Mac, appearing at MGM Grand, Dec. 30, Kristen Chenoweth is appearing at The Smith Center, Dec. 31.
Another extremely popular headliner, that always sells out is Tony Orlando. Tony is the ultimate showman that always delivers a contemporary, “a feel good” engaging, hard rocking show! He and his wonderful band return to the South Point Showroom on New Year’s Eve.
Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong, wishes you a very Happy New Year!
Your feedback and comments are always appreciated.
TweetLas Vegas Backstage Talk column in Casino Player Magazine-Oct.
Oct. edition-by Michele LaFong
Las Vegas Backstage Talk column
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Oct. “Las Vegas backstage Talk” column in Casino Player Magazine-Please click here to view it.
The “entertainment pool” in LV this summer has been incredibly rich.
LVBST has enjoyed amazing line-ups all the way through September, and October looks pretty exciting as well!
Margaret Cho was guesting on my radio show recently explaining what we could expect from her “Mother” Tour, at The Mirage. I wrote a little about it in last month’s issue, but wasn’t prepared for what was in store!
Jim Short an Australian comic that tours with Cho led off the evening. He had the audience right out of the gate and just kept the laughs coming throughout his set. The packed house, many in town for “Gay Day,” were now properly warmed-up and ready for “everyone’s Mother,” Margaret Cho.
When Cho hit the stage, the stereo-type of what a “mother” typically would look like disappeared from my mind faster than Miley Cyrus’ past “Disney” image at The VMA Awards! Covered in tattoos almost from head to toe, Cho soon dug deep in her gut, “throwing up” her hilarious impression of her Korean mom, spoke candidly and bluntly about her bi-sexuality, and just “put it all out there” onstage. Her uninhibited honesty throughout coupled with her wild animations was uniquely shocking, as well as visually hilarious, and is what truly sets her apart. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time!
Kathy Griffin made a surprise cameo appearance during Cho’s show. What a treat! Together, they shared a story that I had read in the Review Journal that morning about Kathy wanting Margaret to go halves with her for a private plane. It costs $50,000 to go from LA to Vegas. Margaret’s response was “but… its $50 on Southwest!” In the article, Kathy said she would try to go halves with Bill Maher on it. It was really funny when Kathy announced on-stage that she ended up renting it alone, then later heard that Margaret’s flight had been delayed and in the end she had to call for a car to drive her to Vegas!
Immediately following the show, and falling in step with the theme of Margaret’s tour, “Mother,” I surprised myself when I spontaneously shared something with her, and asked for some personal advice to which she in-turn did answer…but ironically, like all mothers, they rarely get proper credit at the time. I soon came to realize however that “mother” was right!
Both Margaret and Kathy were nice and gracious backstage, and true to character off-stage as well. It was cool to see some of Margaret’s very detailed tattoos up-close, and I couldn’t get over how petite Kathy was.
Little did I realize that my experience backstage that night with both Margaret and Kathy, would prove to be “life-changing” for me, shifting my paradigm, leading me to choose a path that I didn’t have the “inner-fire” in the past to choose. That’s all I am willing to reveal for now. I am very thankful to Margaret’s publicist, Ken Phillips for not only providing me with great seats to Margaret’s sold-out show, but for being really straight forward… A trait that is way too rare these days, especially in this business.
I had a blast interviewing World Renowned Comedian Russell Peters in his suite prior to his sold out performance at his “Notorious World Tour” show at The Palms H & C. Ironically, he is a name that still too many people are not yet familiar with in spite of the fact that his tour has become the highest attended comedy show in the history of the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Lebanon, South Africa, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and his home country of Canada, selling out arenas of up to 16,000 fans. In Dubai, Peters was the fastest selling concert in the history of the Emirate outselling Madonna! With over 60 million views on YouTube, His credits also include selling-out: Radio City Music Hall (twice), Madison Square Garden, and the astounding list goes on and on, both nationally and internationally. It is no surprise that Russell, whose heritage is Anglo-Indian, was ranked by Forbes as one of the top ten highest grossing comics in the U.S., in 2009 and 2010!
Peters is always on-the go, and is constantly late, but always worth waiting for as he was a really fun interview, and one of the quickest “off the cuff” personable comics I’ve come across. The audience was howling throughout his show. Somehow he seems to be able to get away with political correctness being thrown out the window, as exampled in his latest DVD, Red, White and Brown recorded live at Madison Square Garden. His crowd ad-libs that night at The Palms were as on target as his material. He is currently working on a project, writing with Billy Crystal. Edited portions of Russell’s videotaped interview can be seen on casinocenter.com
After his show he invited my husband and me along and about 15 other guests to accompany him to The Ghost Bar, in The Palms where we partied till all hours! “Table service” was on him.
I’m still recovering…
Legendary music icons and Grammy Award winners, Brian Wilson (co-founder The Beach Boys) and Jeff Beck (Yardbirds) will perform live in Las Vegas as part of a co-headlining North American Tour. Wilson’s former band mates Al Jardine, (“Help help Me Rhonda”,) and David Marks will join Wilson and Beck. The show will make a stop at The Pearl inside The Palms H & C on Oct. 18. Al jardine, a return guest on our program gave a great interview which will air on LVBST on Oct. 17, with Ray Romano. (Al Jardine is on far left.)
Comedian Bill Engvall, mostly known for “The Blue Collar Tour” with Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy, and Ron White who has guested on LVBST many times, will be on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” for their new season beginning Sept. 16. He is teamed with Emma Slater, and will be competing against Leah Remeni, Snooki, Elizabeth Berkely, Jack Osbourne, and Valerie Harper. The audience vote counts for 50% of their score. We, at LVBST support him, and encourage all to vote, and keep voting for Bill! Engvall will be in town on Oct.25, appearing at The TI. Video of his Backstage Interview can be seen on casinocenter.com.
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