Tony Orlando-LV Backstage Talk w/Comedian Michele LaFong
April 18, 2013-6pm-7pm PST 1230AM KLAV in LV & The Web
Tony Orlando, one of our favorite guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk Radio Show with Comedian Michele LaFong on 1230am KLAV returns in a hour long “Backstage Interview” from his suite at The South Point Hotel & Casino.
He will also be featured in Michele LaFong’s Monthly Syndicated Columns, “Las Vegas Backstage Talk,” and Getting Personal with the Stars,” in both Gaming Today, and Casino Player Magazine. Tony Orlando & Family, wife, and daughter, also sit down with Comedian LaFong, in a backstage interview that is posted on LV BackstageTalk website, and www.casinocenter.com
Expect many surprises in this very fun and entertaining interview, including Tony’s dead-on impressions of his friends, Jerry Lewis, and Bill Cosby.
His show was surprisingly relevant, with a lot of Beatles music included, and was truly entertaining!
Tony Orlando brings to the stage a warmth and exhilarating energy that electrifies an audience. From million selling records (five number one hits), a popular television variety series, movies and Broadway (Barnum and Smokey Joe’s Café), Tony Orlando has conquered every facet of show business.
Through no plans of his own, Tony was coaxed into putting his voice on a demo record for a song titled “Candida” for his friends Hank Medress and Dave Appell at Bell Records. The record was released under the name of the record promotion director’s daughter, Dawn.
“I think it is really the rule of show business that every big break you get you back into it without knowing it at the time. A few weeks after recording ‘Candida’ I had forgotten all about it. And then Hank Medress calls me and says, ‘Hey man, we’ve got a hit!’ The crazy thing was the song kept climbing the charts till it hit number one,” says Orlando.
Hoping lightning would strike again, Medress had Orlando recorded “Knock Three Times.” The song not only became number one, it was the tip song of 1971 selling over six million copies worldwide. The immense popularity of the song is still evident today. Tony’s recording of the song was featured in the hit movie Now and Then.
Realizing it was probably safe to give up his successful career at CBS Records, Tony decided to jump full force into what was already a meteoric rise to the top. Along with Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson, Tony Orlando and Dawn became an international sensation.
Amazingly enough, Tony hadn’t even begun to scratch the surface of his stardom. In 1973 he recorded “Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round The Ole Oak Tree.” The song was number one for the year, became Orlando’s theme song and grew into an American anthem of hope and homecoming, reunion and renewal.
More about Tony Orlando here–>
You can catch Tony Orlando headlining at South Point.
The Showroom at South Point, April 19 – 21 – 7:30pm
“Getting Personal with The Stars”- Bill Cosby by Michele LaFong
Bill Cosby an Icon that did not Disappoint
(Cosby guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong on 1230AM in Las Vegas, and Web.)
The only interview that I ever was nervous about doing was with Bill Cosby. It was a phone interview, and I had never spoken to “The Comedy God.” As soon as the interview began, he tried to “turn the tables” and interview me! Then I asked him a question. “What drove you to work so hard to get your doctorate when you were already a successful comic?” Cosby’s response went on for over twenty minutes, which turned into another one of his signature masterpiece stories. As he was speaking, I realized that the funniest moments were in the timing of his poignant pauses. He is a natural born teacher, always engaging, and forcing the listener to think. He leads your mind in a certain direction, holds back on the answer, and makes you use your imagination to draw your own conclusions.
Bill Cosby always has a tale to tell, that has a lesson behind it, or a lesson to conclude from it. “I’m not your mother!” was the motivation and the theme to the story as to why Mr. Cosby decided to get his doctorate. I guess you will have to listen to Bill’s answer in order to understand that punchline! The audio interview is archived on lasvegasbackstagetalk.com, click LISTEN-at top of website.
Following the interview, I went to see Cosby’s show at Treasure Island H & C, The TI. As skilled and masterful as his performance was on stage, the backstage performance with his friends and fans proved to be even more spectacular. He shared a very long, and detailed story about his very last gambling experience that proved to be extremely memorable, and filled with many moments of self-disgust, where Cosby retired to his suite and found himself looking in the mirror, and telling off “The Fool” that was reflecting back at him! The roller-coaster of emotions that he described were so relate-able, and funny that it still has me laughing every time I think about it. I’m really looking forward to his return engagement on July 20 at Treasure Island H&C.
Bill Cosby will be featured in Michele LaFong’s Monthly Syndicated Columns, “Las Vegas Backstage Talk,” and Cover Feature in “Getting Personal with the Stars,” in Casino Player Magazine.
I also went to see Comic Rob Schneider who was performing his very funny stand-up act at The Orleans Showroom. He performed some popular characters that he was known for doing on SNL. He gave me a very short but candid videotaped backstage interview.
Schneider revealed on “Las Vegas Backstage Talk” that immediately following a phone conversation with me from the radio station from two days prior, he learned that his wife was pregnant.
He then expressed concern that the Rob show, his new sitcom on CBS might be cancelled, and that he would not find out the status until the following week. I assured him that it would NOT be. So of course…it WAS!
I remember when I heard the news just two days later. I was thinking “OH NO! CBS pulled out. Maybe Rob should have pulled out too! Just kidding… I was thrilled for him & his wife, and loved that the “baby announcement” was debuted on “Las Vegas Backstage Talk
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