Monti Rock III Blog Page

Monti in Las Vegas
	*MONTI-LICIOUS - JULY26, 2009* What a week it's been! Sometimes it's difficult to know exactly where to start. Fortunately, my sources keep me up to date and let me know what's true, what's not true--but it can be a challenge. Many times the news of those behind the scenes can be interesting too. The darling Erin Randall in marketing at MGM has returned home to Texas; and one of my favorites, Ira David Sternberg has changed positions and is now a consultant for the Las Vegas Hilton. According to Ira, this will allow him more time to dedicate to his radio and up-coming television shows. Ira always lands on his feet, which is good new for all of us. A press party for Capo's Steakhouse Speakeasy on west Sahara turned out to be a nice surprise. The food was delicious, including the "fuggitabout it" appetizers-- Italian all the way. Capo's is modeled after a 1930's speakeasy---rich, dark and cozy with familiar sounds from the piano and smooth Sinatra renditions. Note to myself: Call Jaki Baskow and ask her to take a look at , the owner of Capo's, Nico Santucci and his movie star looks! How about plans by Antoinette Giancana (daughter of Chicago's Sam Giancana) to open a mob-themed exhibit on the Strip. She has access to possessions owned by several different crime families--much of which has never been seen before. A side note; she asked the aforementioned Nico Santucci to design the project. The memorial service for Fred Travalena last week in Los Angeles was filled with warm remembrances that were often humorous and songs by my friends Clint Holmes and Mimi Hines. There was hardly a dry eye in the house until an uninvited guest, Marty Ingels, offered a startling and definitely ill-mannered banter that left most guests cold. Marty has often been considered to be on the brink and, once again, he was way out of line. What is Shirley Jones still doing with him? It took nearly everything she had to shut him up when they were recently on The View. On the other side of Shirley's relatives you'll find the Cassidy clan. That's David, Patrick and Sean who have a new television show, Ruby and the Rockets, which will air on ABC this fall. I'm a great fan of David's and met him when we were both with Chelsea Records and were produced by Wes Farrell. When I arrived in Las Vegas more than ten years ago, David helped open doors for me. Thank you, David, and much success for the new show. Paris Las Vegas has just signed hypnotist Anthony Cools for another four years. The "Anthony Cools Experience" is definitely adult-themed, but it's filled with side-splitting laughs for the audience. Besides his on-going show at Paris, Anthony keeps busy producing other shows such as Freaks at O'Shea's and Bobby Slayton at the Tropicana. Anthony is a Canadian import and one of the nicest people found in Las Vegas. My hat's off to the man. Muchos kudos to my Latin bombshell, Charo. The reviews are in for her show at the Riviera and they are glowing. It's true. She's still funny, a bundle of energy and a true talent. Of course her back up musicians and those fabulous looking and talented dancers are a wonderful compliment to the show. I love you Charo. The Stratosphere has just announced Cloud 999 Wedding Package. This is an en masse wedding ceremony limited to 99 couples. The ceremony will take place at the Indoor Observation Deck at the Stratosphere and will include about everything a happy couple might need, including a minister to perform the service. My only question at this point is why hasn't the Reverend Monti Rock III been contacted to perform this service? Reservations can be made by calling (800) 998-6937 for the 9/9/09 event that will take place at 9:09 PM and is all yours for $99.09. The Rev Monti can be reached by phone, e-mail, blog, etc. Call me! Returning to Las Vegas after his world tour, Rick Thomas has found a home at the famed and long standing Sahara Hotel & Casino. "The Magic and Tigers of Rick Thomas" in the showroom at the Sahara is a nice addition to the north end of the Strip. The show is produced by John Stuart who also produces "Voices" at the Las Vegas Hilton and was the producer of the long-running "Legends in Concert" at the Imperial Palace. Besides being known as an adult playground, Las Vegas welcomes new talent and up-coming entertainers. Terry Fator, who is currently at the Mirage, was embraced following his performance on America's Got Talent and the same for Queen Emily who is one of the stars in Menopause the Musical at the Luxor. Todd Paul, offering an explosion of comedy, is the latest new talent to arrive on the scene and is appearing at Hooters Hotel and Casino's Night Owl Showroom. Welcome to Vegas, Todd . Did any of us ever think Whitney Houston would reappear? Clive Davis, the guro of all recording gurus, has just given us a brief listen to the latest Whitney offering and it sounds like gold.... or maybe that's platinum for Clive. In recent photos of Whitney she looks amazing. We're all pulling for her. I have few words for Paula Abdul and American Idol. Paula, Paula, please stay.. We need you. American Idol just wouldn't be American Idol without you, Paula. What a roast!!!! Last Saturday evening Don Marrandino, president of Harrrah's,The Flamingo, and other resorts was "roasted" in celebration of his 50th birthday (Monday July 27). Don, one of the real gentlemen in this town, was able to see how much his peers, friends, and employees really love and admire him Host for the evening, (a great choice), was Vinnie Favorito, who,as usual, held no prisoners. Roasting Don, were, among others, Donny and Marie Osmond, George Wallace, Anthony Cools, Alicia Jacobs, and Angela Stabile. One of the highlights of the evening was the huge birthday cake brought out by the X-Burlesque girls singing Happy birthday (a la Marilyn Monroe), and none other than yours truly, Monti Rock3, popping out of the cake (another great choice). It was my pleasure to be a part of this joyous occasion. Happy birthday, Don, and many more! Until next time, have a great week!	Monti Selects
	MONTI-LICIOUS JULY 19, 2009 It's been another week of gossip and innuendos. Leave Terry Fator alone, he's allowed to have a new girl friend. He filed for divorce a long time ago. Taylor Makakoa ,(aka Taylor Dew), is 21 but some say she may only be 19. I say Terry Fator, winner of America's Got Talent, who is currently starring at the Mirage deserves a new arm piece. What happened to Shear Madness, the show that closed at Town Center on Sunday? The show is about a hair dressing salon and has played successfully all over the country. The theater at Town Center was specially fitted for Shear Madness, but not enough local marketing and promotion was done to get the Las Vegas version off the ground That, plus the local economy put the nails in that coffin. Last week I went to the opening of Marriage Can Be Murder at Fitzgerald's. It's dinner theater with a twist and has been enjoying a a successful run in Las Vegas for the past ten years. Our wonderful Mayor Oscar Goodman is a great sport and my hat's off to him. He was first to bite the bullet on opening night. The following night it was Monty Hall, or at least that's what the billing read, to bite the bullet. Actually it was yours truly, Monti Rock. Monti Rock dying on stage---it could never happen--but it did. This interactive show is quite entertaining and dinner was more than expected. The move to downtown can be nothing but good for the show. John Bentham, who directs Caveman, also directs Marriage Can Be Murder. He has a way of putting everyone in their place and he does a great job Speaking of Oscar Goodman, he will be celebrating his 70th birthday on July 31 at The Fremont Street Experience in front of The Golden Nugget.. Happy Birthday Mr. Mayor! The event is open to the public for a $20.00 donation, the proeeds of which will go to the mayor's favorite charities, Three Square, The Lou Ruvo Center, and Opportunity Village. There's been a lot of ballyhoo about the houses Michael Jackson rented when he was in Las Vegas. Some columnists have even written about how trashed the houses were when he left. The last house he lived in is now up for sale for a reported $3.5 million Michael was paying top dollar for security and his shopping sprees to the Forum Shops at Caesars became quite the outings. I watched Joe Jackson on television's Primetime and to me he displayed such arrogance. Like entertainment stars before him, Michael Jackson appears to be worth more now than ever before. He's become a real cash cow for LaToya and the brothers. Not to mention the fact that Joe was paid $200,000 for his Primetime interview. Then there is that release of the footage of that terrible accident during filming of a Pepsi commercial. They really don't have to show us graphic footage of Michael's hair on fire. When are they going to bury him? It's time to let Michael rest in peace Television's A&E channel is doing another documentary on Saturday Night Fever. I've already been called. I feel like Butterfly McQueen of Gone With The Wind. The movie lives on and on, and deservedly so. My friend Paige O'Hara who is one of the stars in Menopause the Musical at the Luxor recently fell off her bicycle and suffered more than bruised ego. She's had to take a couple of days off from the show to recover. Paige always has a busy schedule with the Luxor show and her Disney specials. Remember, she is the voice of Belle., in Beauty and The Beast. What about the Steve Wyrick Theater at Planet Hollywood? Between Steve's recent accident , ,his reality show, and the sudden closing of another show this week makes me ask,--- will wonders ever cease? A good friend of mine, Jimmy Emerson, who was one of the mainstays of La Cage and Bottoms Up at the Riviera, has become a producer. How divine!. His co-producer is Michael Moss and their show at the Onyx Theatre is called "Naked Boys Singing.". I understand the show was a hit in New York City and is quite funny. This is singing in the nude, not singing in the rain. Ticket prices are $30. and there is a Sunday matinee as well as Thurs.-Sat evenongs. Still waiting on the status of Frank Marino's Ultimate Drag Show which may open at the Imperial Palace. He is, at this time, reportedly doing the show Labor Day weekend Rick Thomas opens at the Sahara and STEPHANIE SANCHEZ has just signed a contract for two more years in Fantasy at the Luxor. Julianne Hough, who was named as the Academy of Country Music Top New Female Vocalist this last year and who first caught our eye as a two-time winner on Dancing With The Stars on television, is coming to Las Vegas. Julianne will appear at Mandalay Bay Beach on Saturday September 5. Julianne could follow in the footsteps of American Idol's Carrie Underwood. A new star is born?? Don Marandino, President of"the Flamingo, will be the center of attention as friends, stars and associates.will "roasting" him. "Roast' emcee is Vinnie Favorito, so who knows what to expect. That should be quite an event. Crystals at City Center has an impressive array of luxury retailers and restaurants on the horizon, Among them are Prada, Bulgari, Versace, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffanys. Restaurants include Beso, and Wofgang Puck, to name a few. Until next time, the Rev Monti wishes you all the best.
	MONTI -LICIOUS JULY 12, 2009 The fantastic Charo began a 5 month engagement at The Riviera this past weekend. What can I say, she is what Las Vegas is all about. In addition to her singing, dancing, and comedic talent, Charo is a great classic flamenco guitarist. She proves this once again in the second half of the show. Charo is backed by a 5 piece band, 4 dancers plus a show-stopping flamenco dancer from Spain. As soon as he walks on stage, you know something special is going to happen, and it does. The show entertains with talented performers who need no special effects or gimmicks. The Michael Jackson memorial service held at Staples Center in Los Angeles and viewed by millions around the world on television and in local theaters was unparalleled. My hat is off to Kenny Ortega for creating such a dignified event and for including the contributions of such stars as Smokey Robinson, Berry Gordy, Brooke Shields, Mariah Carey, Lionel Richie and Usher. It was a true memorial service with beautiful music and personal recollections offered by Michael's friends and family. Especially touching was Michael's daughter and a fitting farewell to the man Berry Gordy called the greatest entertainer of all time. Of course many in Las Vegas felt a strong connection with Michael since he and his children spent considerable time here and their outings and shopping sprees were well documented by the local media. Michael's father, Joe Jackson , has been a long time resident of Vegas while Michael's mother ,Katharine, lives at the family compound in Encino, California. Some of Michael's closest friends such as Elizabeth Taylor and Diana Ross who was his mentor and muse chose not to attend the memorial service. It was reported they simply were too grief stricken. July 4 has never been one of the biggest celebrations for Las Vegas. Maybe it's the heat or the fear of fireworks and wind but this year Vegas was provided a with an unplanned event that could have ended with a huge bang. It was the Steve Wyrick mishap at Planet Hollywood where things went awry that made the biggest 4th of July event to be found. Fortunately the member of Steve's stunt crew, reportedly his stunt double, was not seriously hurt and everyone was breathing a sigh of relief as the helicopter landed with Wyrick on board. It was a perfect addition to a reality show.. Actually the whole thing brought back memories of A&E's freak show with Criss Angel. Speaking of Criss Angel and despite the fact we don't hear much from him these days, his show Believe is still doing quite well at the Luxor but the excitement of the week was the opening of Menopause the Musical. That absolutely shines and bubbles with laughs. Opening night for the show gave all of us a chance to meet the entire cast plus the show's writer and producer.. The theater at the Luxor seems to be the perfect venue for the show and Menopause the Musical could be a long run hit. When Peepshow opened at Planet Hollywood we understood the lead roles would be changing every few months so when it was announced that former Playboy Bunny Aubrey O'Day would be joining the show in the fall we weren't surprised. Regular readers know I've written about Peepshow many times and have asked what does Holly Madison bring to the show. Got it... a beautiful body, a beautiful body, a beautiful body.. Enough said. Carmen Electra opened in Crazy Horse for 1 week. The full house crowd applauded with excitement for the two specialty numbers in which she appeared. Of course, Carmen was her sultry, sexy, erotic self.. The Italian American Club will be celebrating their fifth anniversary on July 18. Doors will open at 6:30 and the evening will include fabulous food, music and even surprise gifts. Check out the Italian American Club at 2333 East Sahara for the special event. Gossip, gossip, gossip..... Is it true Terry Fator who recently signed a $100 million dollar contract with the Mirage will soon be getting a divorce? Ahhh.... the price of fame. Drew Carey and the Improv All Stars will appear at the Mirage August 28 and 29.. Drew Carey has been a Las Vegas regular over the years but this sounds like a new venture since it's billed as a laugh fest that is unscripted and unrehearsed. By the way tickets are already on sale. Good guy and entertainment headliner Justin Timberlake is hosting the Shriners Hospital for Children Open at TPC in Summerlin in October. We'll keep you posted on this but it should become a regular stop for the pros since this year there will be more than 130 PGA pros participating. The purse for the event is in excess of $4 million. In addition to the tournament that will be held October 12 - 18 there will be a pro-am on Wednesday October 14. To order tickets or to volunteer call (702) 873-1010. This could draw a lot of well-known golf enthusiasts to TPC and October is the perfect time of year for golf here in the desert. While attending a wedding last week for Marvin and Linda Lashever, I caught up with several friends. Guests included Jeannie Bavaro, Jake Baskow, Linda November, Marty Schroeck who is the music arranger for the Four Seasons, Mr.and Mrs Sammy Shore and my old friend Tony Orlando. Tony lives and performs, in Branson, Missouri with engagements all across the country as well as Las Vegas. He's always working. We laughed about being part of what was called the Four Horsemen of Peurto Rico. That was Geraldo Rivera, Jose Feliciano, Joseph Montanez (aka Monti Rock III) and of course Tony OMont, yours truly, Orlando. I was told the Bronx wants to add my name to a star on their Walk of Fame. Did I say wedding? Why wasn't I asked to perform the ceremony? The Rev Monti, yours truly, was so busy visiting with friends he forgot to address that question This year UNLV honorees reportedly will be Liberace, Lorraine Hunt ,Siegifried and Roy, and Bernice Fisher .all worthy of the award. That's it for today. See you next time
	MONTI-LICIOUS JULY 5, 2009 Fans around the world continue to mourn the loss of Michael Jackson. His sudden and somewhat mysterious passing has left many with questions that may never be answered. Michael's Neverland has become Never-Neverland since the memorial service has been scheduled to take place at the Los Angeles Staples Center. Staples Center can only accommodate about 20,000 but arrangements are being included to provide large screen viewing for the crowd outside Staples. His brother, Jermaine, said on The Larry King TV show, that many memorial services will be held in different places worldwide. As of this date there has been no confirmation of a final resting place. Such events often open the doors for the known and unknown, the related and unrelated, to step in with their comments, judgments, sand opinions of the man who has become the center of the world's attention. In this case the Reverends Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson have both been on the scene, and on television, offering their words to any who might listen. It will be interesting to see just who conducts the memorial service. Not that it's necessarily bad, but the Reverend Al always comes up for a cause. So many of those offering insights to Michael and his rather reclusive life weren't really close to him. It's amazing that suddenly they take on the demeanor of a best friend. Everyone has an angle. Maybe the pressure of his comeback took a toll on Michael but I doubt it after reviewing the tape of his rehearsal which had taken place two nights before he died. He appeared energetic and right on target. The rumors are flying as to how he allegedly had possession of strong and dangerous anasthetics which are supposed to be used exclusively in a medically supervised environment. Like Elvis Presley the Michael Jackson fortune will undoubtedly grow larger in death. Elvis Presley continues to earn more than almost any entertainer thirty years after he left this earth and Michael Jackson's music immediately took over the top fifteen places on the chart following his passing. As usual there is always a Las Vegas connection to be found. Colony Capital LLC is a private real estate investment firm that just happens to be a major shareholder in the Las Vegas Hilton, .as well as owning Neverland. Michael Jackson became part of a joint venture that included an affiliate of Colony Capital in order to keep a grip on Neverland. It would seem the future of Neverland will always be recognized as part of Michael, much like Graceland and Elvis. It's only a matter of time. The Waldorf Astoria, in New York City, was the scene of Lance and Eva Posner's wedding anniversary celebration. Quite the event as family and friends surrounded the wonderful couple with continued good wishes After returning from New York City it was business as usual in Las Vegas. I attended the press conference for the latest announcement from Lance Burton at the Monte Carlo. Lance has signed an extended contract (through 2015) at the Monte Carlo and it was good to see his broken foot has mended and he's back to is magic. It's hard to believe that Lance has been on the Vegas scene for more than 20 years. Charo in Concert will open July 10 at the Riviera and Rick Thomas stars at the Sahara Carmen Elektra, a trained dancer in addition to her obvious talents, does a guset star stint at MGM in Crazy Horse for one week beginning July 8th. Holly Madison has taken over the lead in Peepshow at Planet Hollywood along with Shoshana Bean. Shoshana, an award winning Broadway performer , replaces Mel B. as th4 Peep Diva.. She is one of the Peep Show girls who will NOT show it all---with her voice she doesn't have to. The Steve Wyrick Theater at Planet Hollywood came alive with Lord of the Dance. On the night I attended it was a sold out performance. Speaking of Steve, his "Death Drop" act on the Strip in front of Planet Hollywood was interrupted by a fire in the staging area. Luckily, only a minor injury was reported. Some of the latest talk around town has been the comeback of Whitney Houston. Rumors insist she will have a room here in Las Vegas . There's no denying Whitney had a voice unlike many but it's been a long and trying time for such a talent. however she has sung at several private events recently and rumor has it she "knocked them out" A Good Morning America mini-concert has been set for September.and her new CD follows. Wecome back Whitney! After a courageous bout with cancer my friend Fred Travalena passed away last week. I can remember how thrilled he was when he received his Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Fred was an outstanding impressionist, a great comedian and entertainer, seen regularly on TV in the 70's , but known most for being such a wonderful man. He did appear here in Vegas on two recent occasions and was hard at work trying to get steady work here. July 2 was a special date for the Las Vegas Hilton. Forty years ago the Hilton, which opened as the International, helped to begin a new era of entertainment and gaming. In celebration of this special date the Hilton is offering players commemorative t-shirts with "Where Were You in 1969?" I don't think they were addressing yours truly, but who know? Barbra Streisand opened the International and was followed by another King.... Elvis Presley who played to 837 consecutive sold out performances. What an amazing history that surrounds the Las Vegas Hilton. They will also salute the 19 employees who are still working there since they opened. Thanks to all who have contributed to such glorious Las Vegas history.