The Jeff Does Vegas Podcast

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.

 

Darkest Before The Dawn

A lot has changed in Las Vegas since I released my last regular episode; Hell, a lot has changed in the 3 weeks since I released the last SPECIAL episode.

As such, I thought it might be a good time to jump back on with a brand new episode to provide some news on what's happening in the city & share some of my predictions of what a re-opening of Las Vegas might look like.  I also wanted to check in with everyone & let you know what's going on in my life, what's happening with my friends living in Vegas, what the future of the podcast looks like and - most importantly - reach out to everyone to find out how all of YOU are doing.

And don't forget: If you need someone to talk to during these difficult and - frankly - weird times, feel free to reach out and send me a direct message on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.  I'm always here and willing to connect!

Mid-Night Munchies

Anyone who's been to Vegas has been there: It's 3am, you're making your way back to your hotel but before you can crash out for the night you need to put something in your belly...and I'm here to help you with that - with the assistance of an expert, of course.

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Lindsay Stewart, a Vegas-based foodie and Instagrammer with over 200,000 followers.  We talked about her favourite spots to grab a late-night bite - along with a few menu suggestions - as well as how she made the move to Las Vegas, what made her decide to jump into the Instagram world and some of the cool experiences she's gotten to have since starting her Instagram feed.

Be sure to drool-proof your computer, tablet or smartphone and start following Lindsay on Instagram as well as on Twitter & Facebook.

And, as promised, here's the list of spots we discussed as potential spots for Mid-Night Munchies in Las Vegas...

On The Strip:

Allegro at the Wynn; Tacos El Gordo; Secret Pizza at the Cosmopolitan; Beauty & Essex at the Cosmopolitan; Nomad Bar at Park MGM; Grand Lux Cafe at the Venetian

Off The Strip:

Herbs & Rye; Ferraro's Italian Restaurant; The Bootlegger Italian Bistro; Pho Kim Long; The Golden Tiki; Evel Pie Downtown; Tacos & Beer; Cleaver Butchered Meats, Seafood and Classic Cocktails; Village Pub & The Front Yard at Ellis Island

 

Interview With An Escort

There's an old adage that says "Sex Sells"...and I don't think there's anywhere in the world where that's more prevalent than in Las Vegas.

From the moment you step off the plane, you're bombarded with sex - from almost-naked showgirls on the strip asking for photos, to cab-top advertisements for topless shows, to giant roadside billboards for strip clubs, to a very public escort industry...which is where we're headed this time around.

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Kate Layne, a Vegas-based escort who's been "officially" working in the industry for the last 4 years and has been involved in the industry in some form for approximately 6 years.

Kate and I talked about how she ended up living in Las Vegas, how and why she decided to start working as an escort, how she keeps her life as Kate separate from her "real life" and some of the common misconceptions surrounding people working in the escort industry.

And because this is a judgement-free podcast where I know people are grown-ass adults capable of making their own decisions on whether or not to partake in the industry, Kate also shared some etiquette tips for men who might wish to enjoy the company of an escort as well as some safety tips so you can avoid getting robbed, ending up in jail...or worse.

Know The Limits

If you're anything like me, you've got your smartphone loaded up with apps to help you navigate your Las Vegas adventure...from rideshare apps to casino loyalty apps to gaming apps that help you earn freebies.

But if you're a table games player & you're headed to Vegas anytime soon you need to get your hands on a brand new app called Betmingo.

Betmingo provides crowd-sourced info about tables at casinos all across Las Vegas...in REAL TIME thanks to app users!

My guest for this episode is Gabe Punsalan, the co-founder and co-creator of Betmingo.  Gabe and I chatted about the concept & development of the app, how the app works and the plans for the future of Betmingo.

For more information, visit Betmingo online and make sure to download the app for both Apple and Android devices!  You can also follow Betmingo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all the latest updates!

Girls Gone Vegas

I recently had a request from a listener who wanted a few suggestions for planning a "girls vacation" to Las Vegas.  Since I'm a 44 year-old married man who usually travels with Vegas either solo or with my wife, I felt I was drastically unqualified to assist - which is why I reached out to my guests for this episode of the podcast...

MJ & Bree are the hosts of the Keeping It Casual Podcast, a sex-positive dating & relationship advice podcast based in Las Vegas.  Whenever I'd listen to their show, they'd talk about all the cool spots they were hitting in Vegas so I thought they'd be perfect to help me plan out the Ultimate Girls Trip!

We covered all the important stuff - including hotels, restaurants, clubs and spas - plus we covered how to avoid "drama" on a girls trip and how to keep yourself safe in Sin City.

The ladies also hit me with a few questions they like to ask the guests on their podcast, which was an absolute blast!

If you'd like to check out the Keeping It Casual Podcast you can get it wherever you find your favourite podcasts of visit their website - where you can also get info on live appearances & merchandise.  And be sure to connect with both MJ & Bree on social media where you can "slide into their DM's" for Vegas hook-up's:

Follow @MJRadioDiva and @Breemixed on Twitter

Superstitious Feeling

Whether we like to admit it or not, we're all a little superstitious in our own little ways.  And I don't think there's anywhere in the world where that superstitious nature is on display more than in Las Vegas.

Some people have lucky shirts they wear when playing Blackjack, others tap the side of the slot machine in between spins and some refuse to use $50 bills when they're gambling.  

But is there any science to superstitions?  My guest for this episode of the podcast is here to answer that question...

Stuart Vyse is a behavioural scientist, a teacher and a writer.  He's also an expert on superstition and irrational behaviour who's been quoted in the New York Times & Washington Post and has appeared on CBS Sunday Morning & NPR's Science Friday.

We discussed some of the most common superstitions & their origins, whether or not certain cultures are more superstitious than others and famous superstitions in the world of sports, music & theater.

If you'd like to learn more about Stuart and the world of superstitions & irrational behaviour, be sure to visit his website.

Stuart's books, "Believing In Magic: The Science of Superstition" and "Superstition: A Very Short Introduction" are both available via his website or from your favourite book seller. 

Cheating The Odds

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Heather Ferris, the CEO & Founder of Vegas Aces, an online casino dealing and gaming school.  Heather joined me once before back in episode #13 to help me get over my fear of table games and to teach me the basics of Blackjack.

This time around, she's here to chat about something infinitely more interesting: Cheating in casinos.

Heather & I connected at the gaming lab at UNLV to talk about the different types of cheating that people try to pull off, the legalities of counting cards & whether or not that's considered "cheating" and we discussed the point at which "skill" becomes "cheating".

You can find Heather online via the official Vegas Aces website.  Also, be sure to follow Vegas Aces on Twitter & Facebook and check out the Vegas Aces YouTube Channel featuring weekly live streams (including this fun one where Heather taught me how to play Craps).

The January Trip Report

Welcome to another world famous Jeff Does Vegas Trip Report chronicling my most recent trip to Vegas - my first of 2020 - from January 11-14.

This time around I've got a brief review of my stay at The Flamingo plus my experience of trying to add a night to my original booking at the Linq.  I've also got quick reviews of the restaurants I hit up this time around including Guy Fieri's Vegas Kitchen & Bar at the Linq, Ri-Ra Irish Pub at Mandalay Bay, Gordon Ramsay Burger at Planet Hollywood and Evel Pie downtown.

Also on this trip, I visited The Mob Museum, hung out at Downtown Container Park with MJ & Bree from the Keeping It Casual Podcast (watch for them to appear in an upcoming episode of the podcast) and learned how to play Craps in a YouTube Live Stream with past guest & friend Heather Ferris from Vegas Aces.

I also got to experience my very first Vegas Jackpot/Handpay Slot Win on this trip...and got the experience the fun of having the government take 30% of the win .

Pinball Hall Of Fame

If you're of a certain generation, chances are that you spent a fair portion of your youth wasting time at the local arcade, hanging with your friends and dropping quarters into your favorite video games & pinball machines.  And if you're planning on visiting Las Vegas anytime soon, you can re-live those memories at the Pinball Hall of Fame.

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Tim Arnold, the founder of the Pinball Hall of Fame - which is always ranked as one of Vegas's top attractions & is always at the top of my list of recommendations for folks headed to Las Vegas.

During one of my recent Vegas trips, I headed over to see Tim at the Pinball Hall of Fame where he took a break from working on a vintage machine to sit and chat with me.  We talked about his start in the arcade business, the beginnings of the Pinball Hall of Fame and the future plans for the Hall of Fame - including a new building south of the strip, set to begin construction this year.

To learn more about the Pinball Hall of Fame - including location, hours and history - be sure to visit their official website.

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!

The December Trip Report

Welcome to another world famous Jeff Does Vegas Trip Report featuring a recap of my most recent trip to Las Vegas - my EIGHTH of the year - from December 15-19, 2019.

My wife was along for this trip and this time around, I've got reviews of our stay at Bally's as well as meals at La Pizza e La Pasta in Eataly at Park MGM, Le Thai on Fremont Street, Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace and the legendary Golden Steer Steakhouse.  We were also lucky enough to take in a few shows including Atomic Saloon at the Venetian, Carrot Top at the Luxor and Bronx Wanderers at the Linq.

I've also got thoughts on three major trends happening in Las Vegas and why/how pigeons are better behaved than the tourists.