Even at the gym, Horn is the show
Roy Horn made a personal appearance Saturday.
At Las Vegas Athletic Club.
This happens every so often at the gym that Horn frequents as part of his ongoing workout/rehabilitation program from the incident at the Mirage that nearly killed him in October 2003. I was walking toward the facility’s elliptical machines/entertainment center and I spotted Siegfried Fischbacher near the entrance of the men’s locker room. And, moving toward us, several feet away, was Roy. He was moving well, leaning on a cane and wearing a black T-shirt and matching workout pants. He spoke strongly (though the words are sometimes difficult to make out) and still has a sharp wit.
When I asked both of them had seen any good shows lately, Siegfried laughed and said, “Show? Who has time for shows?” And Roy said, “I am the show!”
Quite a moment.
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I’ve been busy over the past couple of weeks working on Las Vegas Weekly’s comedy issue, which has put me in the company of a few funny people who are not Roy Horn. I’ve had a few lunches with Hooters headliner Bobby Slayton (who is the Pitbull of Comedy, and who also has all of his shots) for a story about deconstructing some of his material. This is not an easy task, in public, because Slayton’s material is offensive to all humans. Here’s how it is works when talking to Slayton about his routine: He slips on reading glasses, then pulls from his wallet and pocket several slips of scrap paper. Then, usually using his raspy, cut-through-a-crowd stage voice, says, “No man is happy with his (oral sex) situation! That’s a good one, because half of the room laughs. It’s true! No man is satisfied with his (oral sex) situation! I’m looking around the restaurant, making sure we’re not drawing too much attention, but he keeps going, about Asian waiters and adult film stars, Hispanics and African-Americans. All in a very clinical, but quite loud, manner.
I also caught Carrot Top’s act for the first time in several years, at the Luxor. The Topper is funnier than most people (especially those who remember his tedious AT&T commercials) think. He’s more of a straight stand-up these days – and even tosses in a quick-but-sly Johnny Carson impression – while developing new props. One new one is a belt that unfolds into an orange cone when a Vegas tourist passes out, which of course is funnier onstage than in print. But the Topper (real name: Scott Thompson) has become so bulky, through a workout program that sure seems to involve some kind of muscle-building supplement, that his very physical being is a distraction. I hope all that weightlifting is worth it, because it isn’t helping his act at all.
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Friday marked a landmark in Nevada radio broadcasts, when KNPR 88.9-FM in Las Vegas and KUNR 88.7-FM in Reno teamed for the first time on a statewide program. Interviewed by Dave Berns in Las Vegas and Brian Behouth in Reno were Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and Reno Mayor Bob Cashell. These north-south State of Nevada shows will take place Fridays at 9 a.m., through the Nevada caucus on January 19.
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There’s some buzz at Boyd Gaming Group during last week’s company talent show, when company chairman Bill Boyd took the stage at the Orleans Showroom dressed as Chewbacca. The theme for this inspired production number was “Boyd Wars,” and the boss is said to have performed with great spirit, hit all his marks and didn’t flub a line.
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Vegas moment: During Saturday’s rainstorm, a guy in a convertible Chrysler Sebring driving up Rainbow Boulevard, south of Sahara Avenue. He was waving his arm, looking slightly stupid and very wet.
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It isn’t often I’ll admit to being star-struck during an interview, but it happened on Saturday night when I talked to Motley Crue front man Vince Neil at the one-year anniversary of Vince Neil Ink. The interview was for an upcoming "Johnny on the Spot" clip. I’m not sure what I asked him, or how, but he’s a hell of a nice guy and a person whose music played in the background of some highly immoral moments of my formative years.
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Ran into Harrah’s President Don Marrandino on my way out of the Neil event. We happened to cross at Toby Keith’s ridiculously busy bar and grill, at which point Marrandino noted that the club clears $14 million, annually. All in wadded-up singles, probably, but that is some serious cash.
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In advance of UNLV’s season-opener against Montana State on Friday, KLAS Channel 8 ran one of those wacky, “What’s-the-school’s-nickname?” stories. Not many Rebels knew that Montana State’s nickname is “Bobcats,” but are likely better informed after the visitors from the Big Sky Conference staged a late rally to throw a scare into the Rebels, who prevailed 76-65.
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The guy reading the voice-over on CNN announcing Thursday's Democratic debate in Las Vegas mispronounces Nevada as NeVAHda.
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Still on TV: Good line this morning (and this is Tuesday morning) from Fox 5’s Jason Feinberg, who said, “We’ll have more about the implosion this hour … and we’re not talking about the Frontier. We’re talking about the O.J. Simpson case.”
PL8 in my head: Y ASK Y, on a red Nissan Maxima.
Fabulous Las Vegas appears at this Web site. John Katsilometes, who also hosts Our Metropolis, a weekly issues and affairs show, each Tuesday at 6 p.m. on KUNV 91.5-FM, can be reached at 990-7720, 812-9812 or at [email protected].