Las Vegas Backstage Talk

Sept. LV Backstage Talk column

By Michele LaFong

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Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong-

monthly syndicated column in Casino Player Magazine, and Gaming Today.

Coming off the heels of guesting on LVBST just two weeks earlier to discuss the exciting details of his new recording deal, Emmy Award winner Clint Holmes returned to LVBST to announce that Aug 1-3, would be his last weekend performing at his monthly resident weekend engagement at The Cabaret Room in The Smith Center before taking a hiatus in order to make time for his new gig… to star in GEORGIA ON MY MIND: Celebrating the Music of Ray Charles – at The Venetian Theatre this fall. Clint explained; “When the producer, Larry Rosen first asked me to do the show I said “you know…I don’t sound like Ray Charles, I don’t even sing like Ray Charles…Larry said “that’s not what we’re looking for. We want artists that do their interpretations of his songs. Co-Stars 10-time Grammy award-winning vocal group TAKE 6, six-time Grammy nominee and Downbeat Vocalist of the Year Nnenna Freelon, and Stella Gospel Award and Grammy award-winning saxophone star Kirk Whalum also do not sound like Ray Charles.” The show introduces the Las Vegas Mass Choir, under the direction of James R. Smith and Edie Aikels, and features the Las Vegas All-Star Big Band, under the direction of pianist and conductor, David Loeb. GEORGIA ON MY MIND, will be in the Venetian Theatre September 18 through October 29, 2014. Clint will return to The Smith Center in time to present his Christmas show.

Joy Behar may have retired as Co-Host from ABC’s The View…but that’s about all she’s retired from. In my latest interview with Joy she had this to say; “I lost about 18 pounds altogether after getting off The View…That show made me fat! Now that I’m off… it’s so much less stressful. It’s a whole new group over there. Let’s see how fat they all get!” That’s what I always loved about Joy…You never knew what was going to come out of her mouth next! “I’m doing more stand-up again, as well as working on a One Woman Show, which has more of a storyline than stand-up called “Me, My Mouth, and I.”  We’re currently looking for an Off-Broadway Theatre in New York.” When asked about other future goals in the works, she replied, “I’d be open to doing TV again…but it would have to be the right project.” Joy’s interview aired on August 14. A video clip of her and Colin Quinn on HLN, laughing about doing gigs for me back in the ‘80’s is posted on casinoplayer.com, gamingtoday.com, and is posted below.

Another popular, funny and exciting guest returning to LVBST is “the Voice of Boxing” himself, my next door neighbor and friend Al Bernstein. On Sept. 11, Al will be guesting in-studio giving us more backstage stories, celebrity updates and of course his take on the big upcoming Mayweather/Maidana fight at The MGM Grand that he is covering on Sept. 13 on Showtime.

Oscar, Grammy, and Golden Globe Winner Paul Williams returned on LVBST calling in from Dublin! Between being President of ASCAP, speaking to congress about songwriters getting paid in the digital age, and preparing for his new book release on Sept. 17th on Penguin called “Gratitude and Trust”, and winning another Grammy Award this year…we ran out of time before could hear the rest of what might be next for Paul Williams!

Rudy Ruettiger, whose life-story was the inspiration for the movie “Rudy,” one of the most inspiring movies of our time, guested in-studio together with his producer, Tony Sacca to promote the premiere of his new multi-media one-man show, “Rudy,” starring Rudy Ruettiger at the Troesh Studio Theater in The Smith Center Aug. 9. The show, like the movie is about his life story of how he accomplished his dream of going to Notre Dame and convinced Hollywood to make a movie of his life, which earned him an invitation to the White House. “After seeing Mike Tyson’s one-man show, I knew that I too could do this. The ultimate goal is Broadway.” Why Not?!
Here’s a treat: “End of Summer Bash,” a FREE concert featuring Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Brooklyn Bridge, The Rip Chords, 1910 Fruitgum Company on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 4pm at The Cannery.

Nevada’s 150th birthday is being planned for Monday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. in Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center. Proceeds will benefit The Smith Center’s education outreach programs. This variety show is a not-to-be missed event that will feature some of the best entertainers of the Las Vegas Strip as they come together for one night only to celebrate Nevada’s cultural heritage. Proceeds will benefit The Smith Center’s education outreach programs. Tickets are $25 to $100. Some of the names already scheduled to appear include: Bob Anderson, Susan Anton, Cirque du Soleil, Véronic DiCaire, Clint Holmes, Human Nature, Jersey Boys, Robin Leach, Jerry Lewis, Frankie Moreno, Penn& Teller and many more backed by The Lon Bronson All-Star Band and boosted by the Las Vegas Mass Choir.

The Best of Jethro Tull will be played by Legendary prog pioneer Ian Anderson at The Pearl inside The Palms Resort on Sept. 19. My two segment interview with Ian will air on Sept. 18.

Sept. headline entertainment really heats up in September as evidenced by the length and quality of the names in “My Picks” this month. LVBST should have great choices for interviews!

My Picks: Rock of The 80’s-The Romantics, The Smithereens, Marshall Crenshaw, Tommy Tutone, Eastside Cannery, Sept. 5,
Jerry Seinfeld, Caesars Palace, Sept. 5 & 6, Jim Breuer, South Point, Sept. 5 & 6,Kevin Hart & Friends Comedy All-Stars, The Cosmopolitan, Sept. 5, Susie Essman, The Venetian, Sept. 5 & 6, Deana Carter, Sunset Station, Sept. 6, Neil Sedaka, The Orleans, Sept. 6 & 7, Gabriel Iglesias, The Mirage, Sept. 12-14, Arturo Sandaval, The Smith Center, Sept. 13, Deana Martin, South Point, Sept. 13 & 14, Marc Anthony, Planet Hollywood, Sept. 13, The Guess Who, Eastside Cannery, Aug. 16, Diana Ross, Caesars Palace, Sept. 19, Ray Romano, The Mirage, Sept. 19 & 20, REO Speedwagon, The Orleans, Sept. 19 & 20, Tony Orlando, South Point, Sept. 19-21, Tesla Eastside Cannery, Sept. 20, Joan Osborne, M Resort, Sept. 20, Rod Stewart, Caesars Palace, Sept. 19- Oct. 5,
Gordon Lightfoot, The Smith Center, Sept. 24, Bill Cosby, Treasure Island, Sept. 26, Daniel Tosh, The Mirage, Sept. 26 & 27,
Katy Perry, MGM Grand, Sept. 26, Paula Poundstone, The Orleans, Sept. 26 & 27, Ralphie May, South Point, Sept. 26-28, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Palms, Sept. 27, Jerry Lewis, Smith Center, Sept. 30, Lorde, Hard Rock, Sept. 30.

April Las Vegas Backstage Talk column by Michele LaFong

April Las Vegas Backstage Talk column in Casino Player Magazine, and Gaming Today.

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Remembering David Brenner

It doesn’t get much than better listening to show-biz stories from David Brenner and Shecky Green in a Las Vegas coffee shop.  It wasn’t that long ago I was doing just that.  I was shocked when I heard that David Brenner lost his battle with cancer at age 78. II was fortunate enough to have interviewed him when he was promoting his last engagement at The Suncoast Showroom.  In that interview Brenner talked about how his father taught him to always leave the audience laughing.  And he did…even till the very end.  I reran that interview on March 20, in David’s memory.  The audio is archived on lasvegasbackstagetalk.com.

After interviewing countless comedians and singers on LVBST for almost three years and following up to watch their shows, I started to realize that artists and audiences often have very different agendas. Audiences always want to be entertained and look forward to hearing their favorite bits or hits of the artist that they pay to go see…and artists want to entertain but also want to grow and continue to evolve, develop and explore.  With the double-edged sword of name recognition and fame come expectations from fans of what that artist often perceives as keeping them stuck in the past, and pigeon-holed.  Finding that perfect balance of “old” and “new” is the answer to satisfying both the audience and artist whether a comedian, or singer.  Tom Jones is a perfect example of someone who has mastered not only combining old with new, but also in re-inventing his band and updating his bluesy arrangements, keeping his material fresh yet in-step with his brand which also keeps him relevant.  A crowd-pleaser like Tony Orlando, who is known for opening his show with his biggest hits right off the bat then following up with everything from Led Zeppelin, to The Beatles, always delivers a feel-good contemporary show, is always “on,” and has that special connection with his loyal audience which explains his lasting popularity and sell-out performances. Bill Maher, and Jerry Seinfeld are examples of comedians that are committed to keeping their material updated, presentation smooth, and take pride in the quality of their shows without sacrificing laughs.  Paula Poundstone, Chuck Negron, Mickey Gilley, Marty Allen, Rich Little, Gallagher, Gary Puckett, Carlos Mencia, and Judy Tenuta are all examples of artists that not only embrace their audience but also include a Meet & Greet following every show.  Another performer that is very pro-audience and eager to please was Burton Cummings, former lead singer for The Guess Who.  Cummings sang hit after hit when headlining at The Orleans in January, and received several standing ovations throughout.  He even allowed flash photography during his performance and went as far as inviting fans to videotape the show!  However not all artists are even close to being as giving and grateful on and off stage, committed to taking the audience up as high as they can.  70’s Pop Star Helen Reddy had a packed house.  Before the show began at The Orleans Theatre, I over-heard audience members anticipating which hit Reddy might open with.  But no one called it right!  She didn’t sing any hits until forty minutes into the show.  Although her voice sounded as good ever, the fans that came out expecting to hear her many, many hits were clearly out of luck, as I counted three hits in total including the iconic and mandatory “I am Woman.” Oh…And of course, no pictures, nor autographs for anyone with no exceptions, and certainly no backstage passes!  I can’t say I was that surprised because when I interviewed Reddy a couple of weeks prior to the show, and asked her why she had quit the business and stopped singing for over ten years, her reply was “I was bored.  I was tired of singing the same songs over and over again.”  I asked why she decided to return, her reply was “I was at my older sister’s 80th birthday party, and she asked me to do her a favor and sing a duet with her …and you don’t turn down your big sister…so I sang… got a huge standing ovation, and I heard my voice coming out of the monitor and thought “gee, that’s not so bad…maybe I should go out and do that again…and here I am.”  Before my interview, I asked her if she will be gambling while in Vegas?  Her reply? “I don’t gamble, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, and I’m a celibate!” (Not exactly what I was expecting!) I immediately recalled a videotaped interview I did with Comedian Sal Richards in which I asked if there was a celebrity he worked with that wasn’t what he expected them to be.  His immediate reply was “yes Helen Reddy!” And the story he told about her was pretty outrageous and shocking!  It really shows what can go on behind the scenes in Show Business.  It is posted on casinocenter.com and promises not to disappoint!

Singing funnyman Michael Shane was such a hit at Bootlegger Bistro on Thursday nights that he is “back by popular demand” on every Friday & Saturday in April from 6:30PM on.  He will be taking your requests and is very difficult to stump!  The food is great, especially the pizza, and you’ll be thoroughly entertained.

My picks for April are Ray Romano/Kevin James, April 4 & 6, Mirage, Brian McKnight, April 5, Eastside Cannery, Rob Thomas, April 4, Palms, DL Hughley, Orleans, April 4 & 5, Palms,  Gary Lewis & The Playboys, April 4 & 5, Suncoast, Jeff Ross, April 5, Mirage, Olivia Newton-John, April 8- 12, Flamingo, Jason Alexander, April 11-May 4, Harrah’s, Wayne Brady, April 11, Mirage, Bryan Ferry, April 12, Palms, Jay Leno, April 12, Mirage, Foghat, April 12, Cannery, Las Vegas Soul Festival, April 12, UNLV, Megadeth and Motorhead, April 17, Palms, The Bronx Wanderers, April 18-20, South Point, Gabriel Iglesias, Mirage, April 18 & 19, Jim Belushi & Chicago Board of Comedy, April 18 & 19, Venetian, Robert Cray, April 18, Cannery, Restless Heart/Sawyer Brown, April 19, Eastside Cannery, Jeff Tracta, April 24, LVH, Tony Orlando, April 25-27, South Point, Bobby Rydell, April 25-27, Suncoast, Tracy Morgan, April 25, TI, Little River Band, April 26, Cannery, Temptations, April 26 & 27, Orleans, Rod Stewart, April 30-May 17, Caesars Palace

 

Paula Poundstone, Bob Zany-LVBST w/Comedian Michele LaFong

Jan. 31, 2013  6pm-7pm PST-1230AM in LV & The Web

Audio of interviews posted below (Scroll down)

Paula Poundstone, returns on Las Vegas Backstage Talk Radio Show, with Comedian Michele LaFong, on 1230 am KLAV in Las Vegas, and The Web.

From discussing her cats, working on the road, or her kids, she’s always engaged, and quick with the come-backs!

Poundstone began nurturing her stand-up comedy talent in 1979 on the Boston comedy scene before moving to San Francisco. She starred in multiple HBO comedy specials and appeared on “Saturday Night Live.” Poundstone received a Cable ACE Award for a comedy special for her one-hour HBO special “Cats, Cops, and Stuff.” She received her second Cable ACE Award for her self-titled HBO talk show series.

Continuing with many successes throughout the 1990s, Poundstone starred in “The Paula Poundstone Show” on ABC and many other television appearances, including an HBO Special. Poundstone is the recipient of an Emmy Award for her field pieces on the PBS program “Life & Times.”

Paula Poundstone will be featured in Comedian Michele LaFong’s Syndicated “Las Vegas Backstage Talk” Column, as well as my Feature Interview in “Getting Personal with the Stars” in July’s edition of Casino Player Magazine.

For more about Paula, click HERE

You can catch Paula live in Michigan

Fri-Feb. 8th Kalamazoo State Theatre MI  7:30pm

For Reservations

Comedian – Bob Zany & Zan Aufderheide

Headliner, Bob Zany performs his stand-up for about fifteen minutes, when he suddenly brings on his opening act, Zan Aufderheide.  They then proceed to perform as Comedy Team!

After about ten minutes more, he continues his stand-up alone, always working the crowd.

Zany has been a comic for over 30 years headlining all over the country.  He has a regular spot on The Bob & Tom Show, called The Zaney Report.

Bob has a sitcom coming out called “Damaged Goods,” and a movie with Eric Roberts, and Nia Peeples debuting on March 16.

For more about Bob Zany, click HERE

You can catch Bob Zany at Tropicana Las Vegas

Laugh Factory Las Vegas, Through – Sun, Feb. 3rd 8:30pm & 10:30pm

Reservations

You can listen to a recording of our show below!

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Aug. 16, 2012: Paula Poundstone, Jay and The Americans

On this week’s Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show, Paula Poundstone will be returning to LVBST with Comedian Michele LaFong to talk about what she’s up to lately.

Comedian – Paula Poundstone

Audio of interviews posted below (Scroll down)

Poundstone began nurturing her stand-up comedy talent in 1979 on the Boston comedy scene before moving to San Francisco. She starred in multiple HBO comedy specials and appeared on “Saturday Night Live.” Poundstone received a Cable ACE Award for a comedy special for her one-hour HBO special “Cats, Cops, and Stuff.” She received her second Cable ACE Award for her self-titled HBO talk show series.

Continuing with many successes throughout the 1990s, Poundstone starred in “The Paula Poundstone Show” on ABC and many other television appearances, including an HBO Special. Poundstone is the recipient of an Emmy Award for her field pieces on the PBS program “Life & Times.”

For more about Paula, click HERE

You can catch Paula live at The Orleans
Orleans Showroom, Aug. 17 & 18 8:00pm

For Reservations

 

Jay and The Americans

 

 

 

 

 

 

Performing the hits that put them on the charts, Jay and the Americans will take the stage at the Suncoast Showroom August 25 and 26.

With three original members – Sandy Yaguda (“Deane”), Howie Kirschenbaum (“Kane”), and Marty Kupersmith (“Sanders”) – plus the addition of “Jay” Reincke, Jay and the Americans have recreated the authentic sound of the ‘60s.

Jay and the Americans hits include She Cried, Come A Little Bit Closer, Wax Museum, Hushabye, Walkin’ in the Rain and This Magic Moment.

In 2002, Jay and the Americans were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

You can catch Jay and the Americans at The Suncoast
Suncoast Showroom, Aug. 25 & 26 7.30pm

For Reservations

You can listen to a recording of our show below!

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Jan. 14, 2012: It Took Paula Poundstone To Make LaFong’s Jaw Drop!

Yes. It’s true. Paula Poundstone made my jaw drop! I suppose my husband was right. I was capable all along!

It really does take a lot to make my jaw drop. I guess that I was shocked that it was even possible for a comedian to perform a hilarious, lull-free, smart, clean show of all new relevant material, while working the crowd masterfully. Paula Poundstone did it with ease, for almost two hours straight! (No pun intended.) Talk about underselling, and over delivering!

Yesterday, after interviewing Paula on “Las Vegas Backstage Now,” currently “Las Vegas Backstage Talk” with Comedian Michele LaFong, on 1230AM KLAV in Las Vegas, and The Web.  I was fascinated by Poundstone’s humble self-reference as “Just a Little Joke Teller, and very importantly, a single mom of three.” I couldn’t imagine that her new act was just that: A new act. But it was. Wow! What a concept. It’s not like some of us comics have never written new acts. Of course we have. All the time, and funny ones too! It’s just that…well…when the time comes to perform it, we realize that audiences deserve the “tried and tested” material.

You see, a lot of us performers are doing the same old crap on stage, time after time because we are humanitarians. We sacrifice our own need to branch out and grow, for the sake of our paying audiences. Yeah…I believe that. And if I were a drag queen, my name would be Dee Nile! I guess I realize all of this now, after watching a “super-pro” like Paula Poundstone.

I hadn’t seen Paula’s show in its entirety, in a very long time. I kept waiting for the old “snicker bar commercial bit,” or “I’ve never been rich enough to be a republican” bit, or some other old familiar staple. Instead, she was always present, and “in the moment,”completely plugged in to any whispers or extra noises in the room, piping in with hilarious comments, and comebacks, while simultaneously weaving in and out of her new material. Although Paula Poundstone’s act is always uniquely funny, her real strength lies in working the crowd.

During my interview with Paula, she stated that chatting with the audience, is what she truly enjoys doing the most. It really showed too! Everyone was engaged, invested, and having a great time. Who would have figured that a comic, that is a single mom with three that proclaims on stage that she dislikes sex with ANYONE, lives with sixteen cats, two dogs, and other creatures, would be such a “people person?” But a “people person” she is! After the show, Paula did a meet and greet, posing for pictures with her long line of fans. What a great show, and a wonderful value.

Paula Poundstone will be my Feature Interview in Michele LaFong’s Monthly Syndicated “Getting Personal with the Stars” Column in Casino Player Magazine, July edition 2013, as well “Las Vegas backstage Talk’s Syndicated Monthly Column, in Casino Player Magazine.

Paula Poundstone is appearing at The Orleans Showroom, Jan. 13- 14 at 8pm
Tickets start at $19.95 plus tax. Call (702) 365-7075

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