The Jeff Does Vegas Podcast

2023 In Review - Entertainers & Entertainment

As 2023 comes to an end, I've decided to take you all on a little trip back in time to revisit some of my favorite conversations from the last 12 months of the podcast.

For the first instalment of 2023 In Review, I wanted to pay tribute to all the entertainers who took time out of their lives to jump on the podcast and have a chat with me.

Singers, musicians, burlesque performers, comedians, and magicians all made it into the run this year.  We covered lots of great topics and it was a blast talking to all these amazing people!

If you want to check out their full episodes, here's the links:

• Petra Massey - Inside The Atomic Saloon
• Evolution: The Ever-Changing World of Vegas Entertainment
• My Special Guest - Mat Franco
• The Sweet Things In Life With Melody Sweets
• Rockin' The Boat With The Docksiders

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Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Rockin’ The Boat with The Docksiders

Here's what I need you to do:

Close your eyes and imagine it's the early 1980's.  You're sitting in the captain's chair, cruising the Atlantic shores of the Hamptons with your friends on board.  The bikinis are florescent, the shirt collars are popped, and the boat shoes are being worn sock-free.  The sound system is pumping out the soft rock vibes of Toto, Kenny Loggins, and Air Supply.

That's Yacht Rock.  And THAT is what Las Vegas headliners, The Docksiders, are all about!

Joining me for this episode of the podcast is Kevin Sucher, founder of The Docksiders, America's favorite Yacht Rock band!

Kevin is a long-time music industry vet who's worked with some pretty heavy hitters in the business - including Stevie Wonder, Train, Gwen Stefani, and David Foster.

Kevin shared what inspired him to form The Docksiders, we found out which music icon convinced Kevin to bring the show to Vegas, and we had an in-depth discussion about the music industry today & what the future of the business might hold.

Visit The Docksiders website to learn about the band, listen to their music, and get tickets to their latest residency at Notoriety Live in Downtown Las Vegas.  Also, be sure to follow The Docksiders on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and subscribe to the Docksiders YouTube Channel.

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__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

 

The Sweet Things In Life with Melody Sweets

It's not very often that you get the chance to talk with someone who's collaborated with & performed for the likes of Sting, Jerry Lewis, Ice T, Fergie, and Jeff Goldblum so when that opportunity comes up, you take it!

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Las Vegas entertainer, Melody Sweets!

You may recognize Melody from her time as "the Green Fairy" in Spiegelworld's Absinthe (a role she originated & performed for over 6 years), one her production show at the Roman Plaza at Caesars Palace, or you might have seen her photos in one of the dozens of places they've appeared (including Las Vegas Magazine, the New York Times, and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition).

Melody jumped on the show to have a conversation about her latest project, a new web series called Sweets' Spot featuring "Baking, Boobies...and One Evil Donut".

We talked about Melody's life pre-Vegas and what brought her to the city, the evolution of Sweets' Spot from a live show in NYC to the video series it now, the future of the series, and much more!

Watch all 6 episodes of Season 1 of Sweets' Spot online now at sweetsspottv.com, learn more about Melody - including her music & live appearances - on her official website, and be sure to follow her on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram!

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

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__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

 

Vegas Book Club - ”Touring With Legends” by Dennis Blair

On this instalment of Vegas Book Club, we're taking a trip back to   and my chat with Dennis Blair, author of the book, Touring With Legends.

A Las Vegas-based comedian & musician, Dennis's career has spanned almost 40 years and over that time, he's worked with some of the biggest names in comedy and music.  He co-wrote a feature film, he's worked on numerous TV specials, and he's appeared on the Tonight Show several times.

Dennis and I talked about what got him into comedy, his early days working with the legendary Rodney Dangerfield & what led to their falling-out, his time on the road with the incomparable Joan Rivers, and what it was like spending 18 years as the opening act for the late great George Carlin.

Order your copy of Touring with Legends by Dennis Blair from your favorite online bookseller now!

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

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__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

My Special Guest - Mat Franco

After becoming the first ever magician to win America's Got Talent back in 2014, Mat Franco hit the Vegas strip with his show, Magic Reinvented Nightly at The Linq where he's been performing for almost 8 years.

On my last trip to Las Vegas, I had a chance to sit down backstage with Mat for a conversation.  We talked about what got him into magic & his family's support through his career, his AGT experience, the recent re-vamp of his Vegas show, and much more!

For tickets & showtimes, you can visit MatFranco.com and be sure to follow Mat on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

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__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

2022 In Review - Entertainers & Entertainment

As 2022 comes to an end, I've decided to take you all on a little trip back in time to re-visit some of my favorite conversations from the last 12 months of the podcast.

For the first episode of 2022 In Review, I wanted to pay tribute to the amazing entertainers who took time out of their busy lives to jump on the show for a chat.

Singers, musicians, showgirls, comedians and even an exotic dancer all made it on the podcast this year.  We covered a ton of great topics and it was a blast talking to all these incredibly talented people!

If you want to check out their full episodes, here they are (in order of appearance):

• EP#125: Showgirls - Fact vs. Fiction
• EP#102: My Special Guest - Enoch Augustus Scott
• EP#115: Interview With A Dancer
• EP#131: My Special Guest - Dennis Blair
• EP#133: My Special Guest - Anne Martinez
• EP#109: My Special Guest - Carrot Top

__________________________________________________________________________

Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

My Special Guest: Anne Martinez

October 21, 1977 saw the release of what would eventually become one of the best selling albums of all time: 

Meat Loaf's Bat Out Of Hell

The idea for the album came from a musical that writer/composer Jim Steinman had conceived back in 1974.  Meat Loaf & Jim spent most of 1975 re-writing & recording the album, then close to 2 years auditioning the record - and getting rejected by every single record company they presented it to.

After a concert video of the title track aired on BBC Television in the UK, the album gained A LOT of traction...and the rest, as they say, is history.

Bat Out Hell has sold 43 million copies worldwide, it's certified 14x Platinum in the US, and it's spent a record 530 weeks on the UK Album Charts.

Flash forward to the late 90's, when word of a new musical based on the album (and it's sequel, "Bat Out Of Hell II") begins to surface.  The show was officially announced in 2008, workshopped in New York City in 2015, and finally hit the stage in the UK in 2017.  After spending time in London's West End, Toronto, and touring around the world, it was revealed in early 2022 that the Paris Theater in the Paris Hotel & Casino would be home to a new resident production of Bat Out Hell: The Musical.

Joining me for this episode of the podcast is veteran Vegas performer, Anne Martinez, who plays the role of "Sloane" in the show.

Anne & I chatted about what initially brought her to Las Vegas a decade ago, we talked about her love for the music of Jim Steinman & Meat Loaf, and what makes Bat Out Of Hell such a special show.

For more info on Bat Out Of Hell: The Musical at the Paris Hotel & Casino, visit the show's website for showtimes/days & ticket info.  For exclusive pics & videos, be sure to follow Bat Out Of Hell on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

My Special Guest: Dennis Blair

Picture it...it's the late 1970's.  You're a singer-songwriter working the bar scene in New York City.  One night, after having enough of dealing with crowds that don't pay attention to you, you decide to mess around with the lyrics of a popular song and perform that on stage...and you manage to turn that into a career spanning almost 40 years.

That's exactly what Dennis Blair did.

Dennis is a Las Vegas-based comedian & musician who, over the course of the last 4 decades, has had the opportunity to work with some of the biggest names in comedy & music.  He co-wrote a feature film, he's worked on TV specials, he's appeared on The Tonight Show and he recently released a book chronicling his time on the road as an opening act.

Dennis and I chatted about what got him into comedy, the early days of working with Rodney Dangerfield & what led to their falling out, life on the road with Joan Rivers, and what it was like spending 18 years as the opening act for George Carlin.

Visit Dennis's website to find out where you can catch him performing in Vegas, pick up a copy of his book, "Touring With Legends" from your favorite online bookseller, and check out his music on Apple Music & Spotify.

__________________________________________________________________________

Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

My Special Guest: Michael Shapiro

If you're a lover of that vintage Vegas vibe, but also a huge fan of the contemporary rock sound, you're going to LOVE my guest for this episode of the podcast

Joining me this time around is Michael Shapiro, front man for Reckless In Vegas who, after spending the last several years hustling their asses off around Las Vegas at various lounges and showrooms, recently landed their first ever residency gig at the legendary Sahara Las Vegas!

Michael & I discussed what initially got him interested in music, we talked about his early days working in cover bands & touring with other artists, he opened up about his addiction & recovery, and he shared what inspired him to create the unique sound of Reckless In Vegas.

If you want to learn more about Reckless In Vegas and get your hands on tickets to see them live at the Sahara, be sure to visit their website.  You can also follow the band on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

You can also listen to Reckless In Vegas online on Apple Music & Spotify.

__________________________________________________________________________

Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Showgirls - Fact vs. Fiction

There are some AWESOME Vegas movies out there.  Classics like "Casino", "Oceans Eleven" and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas".  There are also some TERRIBLE Vegas movies out there...like "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone", "3000 Miles To Graceland" and "Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2".

I think it's fair to say that the film we're discussing in this episode falls somewhere in the middle.

Considered to be one of the biggest box office bombs of all time, Showgirls (written by Joe Eszterhas, directed by Paul Veerhoven, and starring Elizabeth Berkley) has morphed into a huge cult classic.

Thanks to a steady stream of nudity & gratuitous sex, the film was given an NC-17 rating and to this day, remains the only film with that rating to have had wide release in US movie theaters.  And although Showgirls wasn't based on a true story, Eszterhas and Veerhoven claimed they did "extensive interviews" with people in the Vegas entertainment community to make the portrayal of the showgirl world as accurate as possible.

So, did they get it right?  We're about to find out.

My guest for this episode, making her second appearance on the podcast, is Dani Elizabeth - a legit Showgirl and former cast member of the legendary Vegas shows, "Jubilee" and "Crazy Girls".

Dani shared the story of the first time she saw Showgirls and how it almost led to a career change, we dove into the film with some character analysis & theories on why people watch the film over and over again, and we compared Dani's "showgirl life" to Nomi Malone's.

If you want to dive further into the world of Showgirls - and really, who wouldn't? - check out the documentary You Don't Nomi directed by Jeffrey McHale (available for sale & rent on your favorite streaming service).

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Vegas Rocks - Raiding The Rock Vault

Imagine being able to attend a concert featuring some of the greatest rock songs in history from artists like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, the Rolling Stones, the Who, AC/DC and Van Halen.

Now, imagine those songs being played by musicians from some of the biggest bands in the world like Whitesnake, Starship, the Cult and Heart.

Stop imagining it because it's reality.  It's in Las Vegas and it's called Raiding The Rock Vault.

Raiding The Rock Vault has been a part of the Vegas entertainment scene for almost a decade with past residencies at the Westgate, the Tropicana and the Hard Rock Hotel with the show recently moving off the strip to the Rio to open a brand new venue, Duomo.

Joining me for a conversation is Sir Harry Cowell, co-creator of Raiding The Rock Vault.

Sir Harry and I talked about some of the incredible artists he's worked with over his long career in the music business, the inspiration behind the creation of Raiding The Rock Vault, the challenges of opening a new venue, and much more!

For more info & to snag tickets, visit Raiding The Rock Vault online and make sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Interview With A Dancer

According to a recent report, Strip Clubs in the United States - or "Gentleman's Clubs" as they're often called - are forecasted to pull in roughly $7.4 BILLION in revenue in 2022.  In Las Vegas, there are over TWENTY different clubs for visitors to patronize.  And often, visiting a strip club in Las Vegas is a person's first experience with this type of establishment.

If you've never been to a strip club, chances are you've got questions...and my guest for this episode of the podcast is the perfect person to answer them.

Her name is Keila and she's currently a dancer at a Gentleman's Club in Las Vegas.

In addition to discussing proper etiquette for anyone planning on visiting a club in Vegas, Keila was kind enough to chat with me about what got her into dancing, what her daily pre-and-post work routine entails, and we busted some of the myths & misconceptions about the people who work in her industry.

If you want to learn more about Keila & see what life as a dancer is like, follow her on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

What Was & What Will Be

Welcome to a fun-sized bonus episode of the podcast!

This time around, I just wanted to take a moment to drop into the feed to send out a few quick shout-out's and "thank you's" for what's been going on over the last few weeks and share some announcements about what's coming up on the show over the next little while.

There's LOTS of awesome stuff coming up in the next few weeks, so be sure to keep an ear out for that and in the meantime, be sure to check out some of the recently released episodes including:

• EP#112: LIGHTS OUT! F1 On The Vegas Strip
• EP#111: Hoop Dreams
• EP#110: Viva Las Crypto
• EP#109: My Special Guest - Carrot Top
• EP#106: The Big League
• EP#105: Going Through Changes

I also want to give a special shout-out to Ron Wrobel aka "@TrekkerRon" for inviting me on his podcast, "Con Pod: A Star Trek Convention Podcast".  This year, Las Vegas's annual Star Trek Convention is making the move from off-strip at the Rio to on-strip at Bally's.  Ron and I talked about what it's going to be like for Trekkies attending this year's convention to be smack-dab in the middle of the action.  To check out the episode, follow the show on Twitter at @TrekConPod, listen to it here or find it wherever you get your podcasts.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

My Special Guest: Carrot Top

My very special guest for this episode has been in the comedy business for over three decades.  He's been on stage all over the world and has been on hundreds of TV shows including Live with Regis & Kelly, Gene Simmons' Family Jewels, Scrubs, CSI and he's made over THIRTY appearances on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Carrot Top has been headlining his own show at the Luxor in Las Vegas for the last 16 years and recently signed an extension that will keep him there through to 2025.

Carrot Top and I talked about his early days of prop comedy, how he comes up with his material, the current state of comedy, his apprehension when he first signed on at the Luxor and much more!

Carrot Top performs in the Atrium Showroom at the Luxor Las Vegas 6 nights a week.  Visit the Luxor's website for tickets and showtimes.  To find out if Carrot Top is touring to a city near you, visit his official website and give him a follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

__________________________________________________________________________

Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Spectacle: Las Vegas

* This episode contains paid promotional content

Long-time listeners know that I'm a total Vegas history nerd.  There's nothing I love more than digging into the history of Las Vegas and sharing those stories - and based on how well all of the Vegas history episodes I've done have been received, I'd say it's a fair statement to say that you guys enjoy it too.

As such, I'm happy to share news with you about a new podcast that I think you're really going to enjoy.

Pop culture podcast, Spectacle is back for its second season and this time around they're taking a deep dive into your favorite city and mine...LAS VEGAS!

Your host is journalist, artist and cultural critic, Brent Holmes - who also happens to be the son of longtime Vegas headliner & performer, Clint Holmes.  In this series, Brent examines "Sin City" through the lens of pop culture.  From mob movies to Elvis weddings and much more, each episode explores the story & impact of America's most unforgettable city.

To check out all of season 2 of Spectacle: Las Vegas, subscribe and listen on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

My Special Guest - Enoch Augustus Scott

My guest for this episode of the podcast has been a part of the Vegas performance scene for close to twenty years.

Enoch Augustus Scott got his start in Las Vegas with the classic show, Tony & Tina's Wedding.  He currently stars as "Zenoch", the Host & MC of Zombie Burlesque at the V-Theater in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood.

Enoch & I discussed what initially got him interested in entertaining, some of his early Vegas gigs, his pandemic project (The Tiger Thing), and he shared what might be the most "only in Vegas" story ever.

Start following Enoch on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and be sure to visit the official Zombie Burlesque website for tickets & show info.

Also, check out the original Tiger Thing concept videos on YouTube.

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Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

My Special Guest - John Shaw

My guest for this episode of the podcast is a somewhat "unique" performer.

John Shaw is a magician, illusionist...and sideshow stunt artist.

He spits fire, swallows swords, eats light bulbs, and dangles paint cans from hooks attached to his eyelids.  And that's just a small sample of his repertoire.

Over the years, John has appeared on numerous TV talk shows, most recently on the Late Late Show with James Corden.

Currently, you can find him freaking out the visitors at Zak Bagans' The Haunted Museum and performing twice-weekly with Late Night Magic at the Alexis Park All-Suite Resort Las Vegas.

John & I talked about the crazy path that brought him to Las Vegas, his past TV appearances & the lessons he learned from them, what got him interested in magic & sideshow performances, and some of the various injuries he's sustained as part of those performances.

Be sure to follow John on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook.

If you want to see John in Late Night Magic, get your tickets via TicketKite.com or Vegas.com.

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

My Special Guest - David Perrico

My guest for this episode of the podcast is "Best of Vegas" award-winning trumpeter, composer, producer and conductor, David Perrico.

If you've ever spent any time at the legendary Cleopatra's Barge in Caesars Palace, there's a very good chance you've seen David performing with his Pop Strings Orchestra, in which he takes some of the best musicians in Las Vegas and fuses together Pop Music with Classical Music.  And, in addition to Pop Strings Orchestra, David is also the creator & arranger of Pop Evolution, a mash-up of Pop & Big Band music.

Just this year, David landed what might be the most amazing gig ever: House Band at Allegiant Stadium for the Las Vegas Raiders.

David and I talked about what it's like performing in front of 65,000 screaming NFL fans, the inspiration behind creating Pop Strings Orchestra & Pop Evolution, other projects he's working on and much more.

Find out where David is going to be performing next, by visiting his website or following him on Facebook & Instagram.

And, if you want a sample of what Pop Evolution and Pop Strings Orchestra are all about, check these out!

Pop Strings Evolution performing Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher" (YouTube)

Pop Strings Orchestra performing Journey's "Separate Ways" (YouTube)

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Don't forget: Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

 

My Special Guest - Dani Elizabeth

My guest for this episode is a Vegas Showgirl - and I'm not talking about the "showgirls" you see strolling the strip, posing for pictures with tourists.  I mean, a LEGIT Las Vegas Showgirl.

Dani Elizabeth began dancing as a small child - and she just never really stopped.

Growing up in upstate New York, Dani studied marketing & advertising in University and continued to dance through her college years with her school's dance team, an arena football team and even performing as a superhero at a Six Flags theme park.  From there, she was off to Los Angeles, where she had the opportunity to train with a world-renowned Broadway dancer & choreographer.

From LA, she headed to Vegas where she joined the cast of of one of the most legendary shows in Las Vegas history: Donn Arden's "Jubilee" at Bally's.  She performed there until the show's closure in 2016, following which she joined the cast of yet another legendary Vegas show, "Crazy Girls" at Planet Hollywood, where she's since worked as a dancer in the production and now serves as the show's host.

Dani & I talked about all of this during our conversation, as well as how she's been staying busy during the COVID-19 shutdown - including launching a new business with her fiancee, who also happens to be another Vegas headliner.

If you want to keep up with what Dani is up to, be sure to follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.  To see Dani performing live in Crazy Girls, visit the show's official website for tickets & info!

My Special Guest - Jen Kramer

Las Vegas is officially the magic capital of the world, currently playing host to multiple magic shows - not to mention some of the legendary performers who've graced the Vegas Strip throughout its history.

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Jen Kramer, who's currently headlining "The Magic of Jen Kramer" at the famed Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, which she opened in May 2018.

Named "Female Magician of the Year" by the International Magicians Society and recognized as a 40 Under 40 honoree by VEGAS INC, Jen has also appeared on Penn & Teller's "Fool Us", Penn & Teller's "Try This At Home" and "Masters of Illusion".

Jen joined me for the podcast to talk about how she became interested in magic, the time she spent attending Yale & founding the Yale Magic Society, her charity work with Magicians Without Borders, how she landed her Vegas headlining gig...and much more!

If you want to learn more about Jen and check out some her amazing illusions, you can visit her official website, subscribe to her YouTube Channel or follow her on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

The Show Goes On...

There's no question that the COVID-19 outbreak, lockdown and the subsequent limitations on re-openings have been extremely tough on everyone in Las Vegas.  But one of the hardest hit segments are the people involved in the entertainment industry.

After 7 long months, shows are finally starting to re-open along The Strip and my guest for this episode is one of those people who's found himself trying to sort out performing during a pandemic.

Vin A. from The Bronx Wanderers is back to chat with me once again.  Since the last time we talked, A LOT has changed.  Early in 2020, the band made the move from the Linq to Harrah's and then shortly after that, the world closed down and they were forced to figure out what came next.

Vin & I discussed the various projects he's had the chance to work on during the shutdown as well as how he - and other Vegas performers - adapted to stay busy & stay in front of their audiences.  Vin also shared his thoughts on what the future may hold for entertainment in Las Vegas from the business side, the performer side and the audience side.

You can stream Vin A's latest original tracks, "Know Where (To Begin)" and "Mantra" on Apple Music & Spotify and be sure to check out all the videos from his VINDemic sessions on his YouTube Channel - including the incredible video for "Know Where (To Begin)".

My Special Guest - Justin Michael Rodriguez

If you've found yourself strolling through The Linq on a recent Las Vegas trip, there's a very good chance you've seen my guest for this episode of the podcast performing.

Justin Michael Rodriguez is one of the performers in the show Extreme Live - a very cool, high energy, interactive show at the Linq.

Justin and I chatted about the time he spent growing up in Las Vegas, scoring a lead in the touring production of a major Broadway show, his brush with boy-band fame and his thoughts on the future of entertainment in Vegas.

If you want to keep up with what Justin is up to, you can follow him on Facebook and Instagram.  Also, be sure to follow the Extreme Live Show on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

My Special Guest - Sarah Hester Ross

My guest for this episode of the podcast is someone I've been trying to connect with for awhile, but up until now our schedules just never clicked.  I'm a HUGE fan of hers and anytime I have a chance to see her perform, I know I'm going to have an awesome time!

Sarah Hester Ross is an incredibly talented musical comedian & singer-songwriter.  And if you've spent time in any of the duelling piano bars on the Vegas strip, there's a good chance you've seen her play.

Sarah & I talked about her musical background & how she made it to Vegas, some of the shows she's been involved with in her time in the city and how she's been building her online presence with the amazing material she's been posting on her various social media channels.

If you want to see what Sarah is working on make sure to follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Tik-Tok.  Also, go subscribe to her YouTube channel and check out her website!

NOTE: I've been made aware of a claim against Sarah Hester Ross surrounding her recording, releasing & monetizing a musical work to which she allegedly did not receive permission or licensing to do so.  The interview for this episode of the podcast was recorded approximately 2 weeks prior to release of this episode and any reference to the allegedly infringed upon musical work has been removed from this episode of the podcast.

My Special Guests - The Black Donnellys

I made my first visit to Ri Ra Irish Pub in the Shoppes At Mandalay Bay back in June 2019 and reviewed the experience on Episode #24 of the podcast.  As I described it at the time, everything about Ri Ra was "authentically Irish".  Sitting in this pub in a mall in Las Vegas felt exactly like sitting in the pub in Dublin - and a lot of things helped contribute to that...from the food, to the drinks, to the staff, to the music.

And that's where the people joining me for this episode of the podcast come into play.

My special guests are Dave Rooney and Dave Browne of The Black Donnellys.  They're the resident house band at Ri Ra in Mandalay Bay.

I talked to the guys about growing up in Dublin & the band's origins in Ireland, how and why they made the move to Las Vegas, their various Guinness World Records and their brand new documentary film An Irish Story: This Is My Home.

Of course we also talked about the COVID-19 pandemic and how they've been keeping busy through the Vegas shut-down.

If you want to learn more about Dave & Dave and the Black Donnellys, visit their official website - which includes info on where you can watch An Irish Story: This Is My Home.  Also make sure to follow the band on Instagram and Facebook - where they've been performing live shows.

And if you want to learn more about the tragic real-life story of The "Black" Donnellys - from which the band took their name - check out the website,  Heaven & Hell on Earth - The Massacre of The "Black" Donnellys.   On the site, you can read all about the family, the murders and the aftermath - including the TWO trials that followed - as well as look through archival evidence from the events.

My Special Guests - Makenzie Fly & Colin Cahill aka "Mak and the Cheese"

My special guests for this episode are Las Vegas entertainers - and married couple - Makenzie Fly & Colin Cahill.

Before COVID-19 shut down Las Vegas, Makenzie was one of the leads in the show, Sex Tips For Straight Women From A Gay Man at the Paris and Colin was a member of the cast in Spiegelworld's newest show, Atomic Saloon at The Venetian.

When they were forced out of their respective gigs by Coronavirus, the pair wanted to keep performing - so they launched Mak and the Cheese.

Makenzie & Colin joined me via Zoom to chat about their life before the shutdown, predictions on what Vegas shows might look like when things re-open and whether or not Mak and the Cheese have a future beyond the pandemic!

Be sure to check out & subscribe to Mak and the Cheese's YouTube Channel and enjoy their music including:

- "You Can't Spell Virus Without Us"

- "Don't Cough on Betty White"

- "The Quarantine 15" (as performed for the Mondays Dark Livestream Telethon)

- And "Spare Me a Roll"

Also, follow Mak and the Cheese on Instagram and Facebook!

My Special Guest - Murray The Magician

I've had a lot of entertainers as guests on the podcast, but this episode marks the first appearance by a magician on the show!

My special guest is Murray Sawchuck aka Murray The Magician.

Murray has been a long-time headliner in Las Vegas; he currently has a residency at The Laugh Factory at the Tropicana and he recently signed on to be a part of the entertainment with Fantasy at The Luxor.

Murray & I talked about his growing up in British Columbia, when he decided that magic was going to be "his thing", what it's like living and working in Las Vegas, his appearances on TV including "Pawn Stars" & "GLOW" and how he's managed to grow his YouTube channel to almost 2 MILLION subscribers.

Murray was also kind enough to perform a few quick magic tricks for us AND show off his very cool collection of vintage Vegas memorabilia.  Head to the official Jeff Does Vegas YouTube Channel to check out those videos...and more!

If you want to learn more about Murray The Magician head over and check out his website; follow him on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook and be sure to subscribe to his YouTube Channel.

 

My Special Guest - Vin A.

My special guest for this episode of the podcast is Vin A. of The Bronx Wanderers...

The Bronx Wanderers have been headlining on the Las Vegas Strip for the last 3 years and at the end of 2019, they celebrated their 1000th Vegas show.  Fronted by dad Vinny Adinolfi - a recording industry legend in his own right - the band features sons Nicky & Vin A. as well as several of Vin's high school friends.

Vin and I sat down for a conversation during one of my recent Las Vegas trips.  We chatted about the history of the Bronx Wanderers, what it's like performing & touring with family and what life is like in Vegas.  Vin also took us "behind the curtain" on the topic of producing a show in Las Vegas & also did a great job explaining the high turnover on shows on the Vegas strip.

For information, tickets and showtimes visit The Bronx Wanderers website.  Also, be sure to check out Vin A's podcast "What The Cl#ck?!?".  Check it out on Apple Podcasts OR check out the video version!

My Special Guest - Mark Shunock

My special guest for this episode of the podcast is someone who I've talked about a lot in past episodes of the show; in fact, some of you think I talk about him a bit too much...but I'm hoping that by having him on, you'll understand why I spend so much time talking about him & the events he puts together.

Mark Shunock is the creator & host of Mondays Dark, a twice-monthly charity event that raises $10,000 in 90 minutes for local Las Vegas charities.  For just $20, people have the chance to head to Mark's off-strip venue, The Space, to see some of Vegas's top talent donate their time for some amazing causes.

More than that though, Mark is a friend.  In fact, in the 6 years that I've known him, he's become one my closest friends.  He's been there to support my wife and I through some tough times and when I told him I wanted to launch this podcast a year ago, without hesitation he offered to help in any way he could.

In fact, without Mark, this podcast might not even exist; many of the conversations I've had on this podcast are because of connections I've made through him, Mondays Dark and The Space.

Mark was kind enough to take time to sit & chat with me to share the story of the origin & evolution of Mondays Dark, talk about how he & his wife Cheryl have made Las Vegas their home and some of the big projects he's been able to put together at The Space.

Mondays Dark will be celebrating its 6th Anniversary on Monday, December 9th at the Pearl Theater at The Palms - but beyond that they'll be reaching a major milestone as they get set to partner with their 100th charity marking ONE MILLION DOLLARS raised for local Las Vegas charities!

For information & tickets to the Mondays Dark 6th Anniversary show, visit the Mondays Dark website.

Be sure to follow Mondays Dark on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for updates on upcoming shows & events.

Also, follow Mark Shunock on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

My Special Guest - Jimmy Denning

For almost 3 years, Tenors Of Rock have been headlining on the Las Vegas Strip, performing Classic Rock...with a twist.  They made their Vegas debut at Harrah's in January 2017 and have since made the move to Planet Hollywood, performing 7 nights per week.

My special guest for this episode of the podcast is Jimmy Denning, one of the founding members of Tenors Of Rock.

Jimmy and I connected backstage at the Sin City Theater before a show where we chatted about his musical career, the formation & history of Tenors of Rock, life in Las Vegas and some of the side projects he's picked up since moving to Vegas - including his jump into the podcast world.  He also shared a random David Hasselhoff anecdote and I made things awkward by telling him that my wife loves him.

If you're headed to Las Vegas, be sure to get your tickets to check out Tenors of Rock LIVE!  And if you're a boxing fan, check out Jimmy's podcast Sin City Sluggers and follow the show on Twitter to find out which boxing legend he'll be chatting with next.

 

My Special Guest - Lisa Marie Smith

My special guest for this episode is Lisa Marie Smith.  Lisa is a Las Vegas-based singer, dancer & model.  She's appeared as a headliner in shows on the Vegas strip at the Stratosphere and the Palazzo.  In late-2017, she signed her first record deal with Fervor Records and in November 2018, she released her debut self-titled EP featuring her single, "Get Closer To Me".  Lisa is currently in the process of launching her new band project, LMS.

Lisa is also one of my closest friends.  In the time we've known each other, she's become like a sister to me.  I've introduced her to Canadian delicacies like All-Dressed & Ketchup Chips, Buttertarts and Nanaimo Bars and she's taken me and my wife out to some awesome Vegas restaurants, bars and shows.  Lisa has been there for me during some very tough times and I've been fortunate enough to be able to do the same for her.

During our podcast conversation we talked about growing up in Las Vegas, touring around the world performing on cruise ships, her charity work, her vocal teaching and we also talked about some of her recent personal physical struggles.

Follow Lisa on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.  Stream her EP on Apple Music and Spotify or download from iTunes.