Jim Belushi, Wild Willy Parsons, J.Chris Newberg
Oct. 2, 2014- 6-7pm PST 1230AM KLAV in LV & The Web
Audio of interviews posted below (Scroll down)
Comedian, actor and blues musician Jim Belushi guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Jim Belushi along with blues band The Sacred Hearts will bring laughs and soulful hits to the Orleans Showroom October 4 & 5.
Jim Belushi is known worldwide for making people laugh as a regular on “Saturday Night Live,” his long-running comedy series “According to Jim” and his many film appearances. In addition to his film and TV career, Belushi’s music career blossomed in 1995 when he joined forces with House of Blues regulars, The Sacred Hearts. Soon after, friend Dan Aykroyd asked Belushi to join him as part of the Blues Brothers. To get ready to play with the Blues Brothers, Belushi would crash rehearsals for The Sacred Hearts. He had so much fun performing with them, they eventually merged professionally and have been performing as Jim Belushi and The Sacred Hearts.
The band’s first CD, “36 x 22 x 36,” was released in 1998 and delivers a Memphis rhythm & blues sound seasoned with a lot of soul. Additionally, the “According to Jim Soundtrack” was released in 2005, containing the music by Jim Belushi & The Sacred Hearts featured in fan favorite series episodes. Much of the show’s music was written and recorded by Belushi and bandmates Johnny Rubano and Tony Braunagel, who also made regular guest appearances on “According to Jim.”
Wild Willy Parsons, J. Chris Newberg
Emmy Winning Comedian Wild Willy Parsons, and J. Chris Newberg guest in a backstage interview on LVBST.
The New Tropicana should be filled with laughter beginning Monday, Sept. 29 through Sunday, when Wild Willy Parsons takes the stage at the Laugh Factory. Parsons will be sharing the comedy clubs stage with Chris Newberg, and host Brett Riley. At first glance, Willy Parsons’ biker-clad girth could send society’s most decadent citizens scampering for their lives. But instead, The sends them home with a fresh and positive outlook, about their own misconceptions of the stereotypical biker.
Parsons, born Sept. 18, 1959 in San Diego, Calif., attended Mar Vista high school in Imperial Beach, Calif., with actor Matthew Modine, and Ozzy/Badlands ex-guitarist, Jake E. Lee. Willy lives in North Hollywood, Calif., and is best friends with his lifelong idol, Mahogany Rush guitarist, Frank Marino.
Parsons has made numerous TV appearances including “Last Comic Standing,” “Last Call with Carson Daly,” “The Dennis Miller Show,” Showtime, MTV, “The Tracey Ullman Show,” “Evening at the Improv,” Caroline’s Comedy Hour, and “Comics Only,” to name a few. He has opened for such acts as Sam Kinison, Andrew Dice Clay, Richard Jeni, Pauly Shore, Steppenwolf, The Charlie Daniels Band, and Buddy Miles. A stand-up comedian and an actor, Willie has been in several movies including “The Guardian,” directed by William Friedkin, and “Nothing to Lose,” directed by Steve Oedekerk. Willy’s Emmy Award came in 1985, for his writing on “Technical Difficulties.” Wild Willy released his live CD, “American Made,” recorded at The Comedy Store, in 2001.
J. Chris Newberg’s refreshingly smart and edgy humor, delivered with a streetwise sense of philosophic cool, has propelled the guitarist/songwriter-turned-comedian to the forefront of the national comedy scene. Newberg’s standup cleverly combines his hilarious and off-beat observations on life with original acoustic guitar songs and infectious melodies. He has been seen on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Last Comic Standing” and Comedy Central. Brett Riley is one of the most original fresh faces coming to light in the comedy world. With the swagger of a rock front man and the likability of a college drinking buddy, this walking “series of unfortunate events,” takes the audience on a personal tour of the Riley view. He covers everything from pop culture to relationships, family, advice on how to mess with people, and the ability to sing well enough, to make your mom forget the other stuff that comes out of his mouth.
