Jan 6: Kenny Kerr's Hard Fall
He was the longest-running solo headliner in Las Vegas history, but just a few years since the end of his last gig, he’s probably largely unknown to most of you. Kenny Kerr was the first female impersonator to go mainstream on the Strip, opening in the late 1970s at the Silver Slipper, paving the way for Frank Marino. But Kerr’s story is that of great success and constant financial problems, and when Steve spoke to him in December he had left a gig at a small Italian restaurant miles from the Strip because the owner hadn’t paid him. This hour, hear Kerr provide some fascinating history about Las Vegas, go into some shocking detail about drag queen life and, of course, some delicious slaps at his archrival.
In Banter: Drama at Casino Montreal, a visit to Cirque's mothership, Aria v Bellagio, news on the Fontainebleau, Matt Goss and Krave and more.
Links to Stuff Discussed:
Steve's Las Vegas Weekly column on Kenny Kerr
The website for the Casino Montreal
A YouTube video of the Royal Ascot Sigma Derby-esque game at Casino Montreal
The website for Martini Time, a live cooking show at the M Resort
The sites for Viva Elvis and Criss Angel Believe
VegasHappensHere.Com on the snake-box thing and gay-travel survey
LVA blogger Dave McKee’s post on the emptiness of CityCenter’s Crystals
The Review-Journal’s Howard Stutz in Fontainebleau’s sale to Carl Icahn
4 comments:
Overrated. Why see "fake" women when the real women are better especially in the town that offers it by the truckload? Impersonators are also a drag (sorry for the pun). The Wayne Newton comment should apply... "They really don’t do an honest impression" It's true. It's a bit of a magic trick as in I'm a Man, but I can do a Cher impression, and look at my fabulous and glamourous costumes.
Well, there's no lack of interesting material here. I can't wait to hear Kenny Kerr air out all that dirty laundry! :-D
Anon: That's kind of a silly remark. Why see any actor portray any role? Good drag is an artform and Kenny's a good comedian, too. But this is a little bit different than the sort of impersonations Wayne was referring to. He's talking about people who impersonate Sinatra or Elvis in a serious way. When drag performers do Cher or Streisand, they're not trying to get to the essence of a person, they're just performing, usually as a send-up.
Some people find is silly, and that's fine. It's not my general choice of entertainment, but when it's done well, like anything else, it is worth appreciating.
@TSP: They are mostly lip-syncing. It's not an honest impression. It's an exaggerated and provocative performance. I would hardly call them an send-up. That would imply many female impersonators are capable of comedy. They are just dress-up acts with some minor dancing. Posturing isn't a talent.
Besides this, if people enjoy this type of show, then I would not discourage them. However, I think the market for such talentless shows has shrunk. The shock value isn't enough.
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