The Strip: Las Vegas Podcast

Top Chef's Bottom Line Effect

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:57:25 +0000

Four years ago, a San Francisco chef took a gamble and opened up his San Francisco kitchen to the first challenge of a new Bravo TV show called “Top Chef.” At the time, Hubert Keller came across as tough and grouchy but the show was a hit and his Fleur de Lys in California became a place of intrigue for its fans. Fast forward to this year when warmer, cuddlier Keller appeared first on Top Chef Masters and then in an episode of the current, Las Vegas-set season of the show. Business at Fleur de Lys – long an underperformer at Mandalay Bay – is booming. Keller speaks this hour about that, about what it smelled like to grow up above his family’s bakery in Alsace, France, and about how a Frenchman became one of the biggest things ever in the burger cuisine. Plus, as usual, Steve asked Keller about his food guilty pleasures.

In Banter: Ticket scalping issues, Barry Manilow, the Podcast-a-Palooza, Harrah's dumb iPhone app, DB leaves Wynn, DB opening at Sands in Singapore and who is the Maori Hi Five?

Twitter: @TheStripPodcast
Email: TheStripPOdcast@aol.com
Web: TheStripPodcast.Com
Phone: 206-424-4737
Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

PodcastaPalooza2: Take A Chazz on Us

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:49:25 +0000

When the idea first came up, nobody -- and by nobody we mean Steve -- thought it could possibly work. Chazz Palminteri was a career character actor with modest name recognition next to the likes of, say, Holly Madison, and his plan was to bring a serious autobiographical one-man play to the Strip? Fuggedaboutit. But Palminteri has faced down doubts about "A Bronx Tale" before, and here he is now in the middle of a two-week run at the Venetian that has been extended by popular demand. Palminteri joined us live at the 2009 Vegas Podcast-A-Palooza to discuss the show, his friendship with Frank Sinatra and the chronological problem in his play that only three people have ever asked him about in 20 years.

In Banter: Rating the Garth deal, revealing some new slot machine ideas coming to G2E.

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com
Twitter: @TheStripPodcast
Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com
Phone: 206-424-4737
Site: TheStripPodcast.Com

CSI Interviews: The Experience

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:26:59 +0000

It’s the biggest TV show ever set in Las Vegas, but can CSI: Crime Scene Investigation succeed as a permanent Vegas attraction? The folks at MGM Grand decided to find out. On the occasion of the opening of the interactive solve-it-yourself CSI: The Experience, Steve sat down with both Vegas-raised creator Anthony Zuiker and the show’s longtime star, Marg Helgenberger and Helgenberger expressed some disappointment with her role.

In Banter: Debate over the notion of a Top Chef restaurant, Miles' redux on those effing curtains at Switch, A Bronx Tale is excellent, Wynn's new flight deal, post-MJ career notes, weird lights on the Cosmo and more.

Web: TheStripPodcast.Com
Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com
Voicemail: 206-424-4737
Twitter: @TheStripPodcast
Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Cheap Trick Hopes You Will Enjoy The Show

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:12:50 +0000

In a city of knockoffs and impersonations, how do you go about reinterpreting a great piece of music without being tainted as a copycat? Well, it helps if you’re already a legendary rock band in your own right behind you, too. That’s how Cheap Trick’s doing it anyway, landing at the Las Vegas Hilton for nine performances of the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band before a full orchestra and assisted by such other pop stars as Joan Osbourne. Cheap Trick’s guitarist and vocalist Rick Nielsen joins us this hour to talk about the band’s relationship with the Beatles, about growing up in Rockford, Ill., and whether this swing of shows could portend a resident Vegas gig of some form soon.

In banter: Mindy Kaling gets Vegas whiners whining, Terry Fator puts puppets on cabs, Amy gets a Vegas welcome on her European cruise, Top Chef's been good to Hubert Keller and more.

Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com
Web: TheStripPodcast.Com
Voicemail: 206-424-4737
Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com
Twitter: @TheStripPodcast

Hal Prince: The Las Vegas Spectacular!

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:00:25 +0000

Welcome to a special interview edition of The Strip. The first-ever Phantom Fan Week is coming to Las Vegas in mid-September, so Steve decided it was time to check back in with legendary Broadway producer and director Hal Prince. That event marks the first time Prince has returned to Vegas since the 2006 opening of “Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular,” the shortened, high-tech version of the opera-house squatter tale that is the most successful musical of all time. At that time, Steve irked Prince by saying the “Phantom” story is “a bit of a downer,” a debate the two comically revisit in this hour. They also address Prince’s recent stroke, his close encounter with the Cirque du Soleil gang, the coming Phantom sequel and Patti LuPone’s recent on-stage outbursts. Prince, who at 81 has won a record 21 Tony awards, was instrumental in the creation of Phantom, Pajama Game, Damn Yankees, Fiddler on the Roof, A Little Night Music, Evita, Sweeney Todd, Cabaret and countless other classics. He plans to open his long-awaited next musical, Paradise Found with Mandy Patinkin, next year and, as you hear, he expects the Las Vegas version of Phantom to run “indefinitely.”

We’ll be back with a regular episode next week, but as always you can email us at TheStripPodcast@aol.com, read Steve’s redesigned blog VegasHappensHere.Com and leave us voicemail at 206-424-4737.

SPECIAL VIDEO: Elijah's Big Break

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:37:16 +0000

Raw footage courtesy of KLAS-TV in Las Vegas of Elijah "Lil Elijah J" Johnson of The Lion King performing "Dancing Machine" at the Pearl in the Palms on Aug. 29, 2009 for the "Las Vegas Celebrates The Music of Michael Jackson" benefit concert. The concert raised more than $100,000 for the Clark County Public Education Foundation earmarked for music education programs in Las Vegas-area schools.

The concert was produced by Erich Bergen of Jersey Boys and Steve Friess of VegasHappensHere.Com and co-host of TheStripPodcast.Com. See VegasLovesMJ.Com for more info or contact VegasLovesMJ@yahoo.com.

The MJ Benefit's Breakout Star

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 02:22:46 +0000

If you were at the Palms on Saturday for the Michael Jackson tribute benefit, you might want to put your ticket stub in a safe place. Years from now, the concert may very well be remembered in the same light as Motown 25, a magical moment when the world witnessed the birth of a major talent. This time, it was Elijah Johnson, the 11-year-old star of the Lion King at Mandalay Bay, who flew onto the stage in a burst of energy and confidence and sang and danced with an exuberance that now has the Tonight Show calling. Johnson, who leaves the cast of Lion King in October, joins us this hour with his father in the studio to discuss that magical moment last weekend and what it could mean for his future.

In Banter: MJ benefit follow-up, Earl Turner's peeps are jerks, McKee's Carmen Electra infatuation, MGM Mirage's condo issues and more.

Thanks to Stiffs & Georges blogger Dave McKee of Huntington Press for filling in for Miles. Read his work at http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/blogs/dmckee.

Site: TheStripPodcast.Com
Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com
Voicemail: 206-424-4737
Twitter: @TheStripPodcast
Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Keeping Up With Joan

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:09:47 +0000

She’s been mocked mercilessly for her voice, her red carpet antics and, of course, her plastic surgery. And yet at 76 years old, Joan Rivers is somehow still relevant, with a new show on TV Land called How’d You Get So Rich and stand-up shows this weekend and next at the Venetian. Rivers returns to our version of The Strip, too, to gab about her recent slam on all poker players on The Celebrity Apprentice, about how she’s more famous today than her late nemesis Johnny Carson and about which stars she thinks have – get this – had bad plastic surgery.

In Banter: The fake Hotel 32 iPod app, more MJ-Vegas benefit news, what Holly's really like and a report on the Bootleg Canyon Flightlines attraction.

That’s all coming up, plus news from Vegas, a new trivia question, the poll, listener feedback and, as always, the Top Secret Tourist Tip of the Week. You’re on the Strip.

Website – thestrippodcast.com email: TheStripPodcast.Com
Phone 206-424-4737
Blog –vegashappenshere.com
Live chat room at LVROCKS.COM Tuesday 7-8 pm PT
Twitter: twitter.com/thestrippodcast

SPECIAL VIDEO EDITION: STEVE ON THE BOULDER CITY ZIPLINE

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 02:20:25 +0000

For an upcoming story for Vegas Magazine, I had to try out the Bootleg Canyon Flightlines, a four-ride zipline attraction outside Boulder City, Nevada, near Las Vegas. Here's some video -- watch us get stuck! Check out VegasHappensHere.Com for more photos and links to Trevor's Flickr album. Also see bcflightlines.com for more info. Follow me on Twitter @TheStripPodcast!

Daniel The Kid

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:29:16 +0000

You have until WEDNESDAY, AUG 26, to enter to win tickets to the Aug. 29 concert at the Pearl, “Las Vegas Celebrates The Music of Michael Jackson.” Here’s how: call 206-424-4737 and leave a message explaining which Michael Jackson song is your favorite and why. You can even sing a few bars. We’ll draw one winner and give you two tickets to the concert. But you have to call in by noon Pacific Time on Aug. 26.

As always, our website is theStripPodcast.Com, email us at TheStrippodcast@aol.com, visit Steve’s blog, VegasHappensHere.Com, and leave us any ol’ voicemail at 206-424-4737.

And now onto this week’s interview. Daniel Negreanu’s general demeanor is calm and breezy, which has earning him the demure nickname of Kid Poker. But the kid, presently No. 3 on the list of all-time earnings in poker tournament play at $11.6 million, has a bit of a wicked side, too. His Tweets during this year’s World Series of Poker were rife with snark about other players, Asian drivers and weird encounters with fans on the rail, and in this week’s conversation, Negreanu has some harsh words for fellow star Annie Duke’s representation of the game on the recent season of Celebrity Apprentice. Plus, is it true that most poker players are atheists? Negreanu answers that, too.

Take a listen and have a great week.

Under A. Cools' Spell (AAC version)

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:53:16 +0000

Whether you buy hypnotism or not, there's no denying that Anthony Cools has Las Vegas under his spell. The Paris Las Vegas headliner has become a somehwat unlikely Strip entrepreneur, responsible for four shows besides his own including Bobby Slayton and Penny Lane at the Tropicana and Mental and Freaks at O'Sheas. Cools explains how he became the king of middle-brow and why he thinks some of the more disgusting acts that take place at Freaks are really "quite romantic."

In Banter: Amy and Steve discuss Mental and Freaks, another MJ raid, Laughlin sees an uptick, Steve's Steve-O story and a Maggiano's deal for Amy, and more.

Web: TheStripPodcast.Com
Email: TheStripPodcast.com
Voicemail: 206-424-4737
Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com
Twitter: @TheStripPodcast

Under A. Cools' Spell

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:06:52 +0000

Smokey's Awesome Aussies (MP3 version)

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:47:43 +0000

What’s a legend of Motown doing as the chief backer of a Vegas production featuring a white former boy band from Australia? Smokey Robinson explains that, talks about Michael Jackson and sings a few bars of the first song he ever wrote this hour. It’s no “My Girl,” but he was only 6 when he wrote it. That’s coming up, plus Andrew Tierney of that very band, Human Nature, talks about the group's transition from top-of-the-heap Down Under to headliners at, uh, the Imperial Palace.

In Banter: MJ concert details, the attack of the Chitown columnist, Beyonce v Anthony Cools, Prive's woes, Tao's interesting idea and more.

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com
Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com
Voicemail: 206-424-4737
Site: TheStripPodcast.Com

Smokey's Awesome Aussies (AAC version)

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:14:47 +0000

SPECIAL: BOB SAGET INTERVIEW

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 04:40:47 +0000

Hey everyone! We couldn’t pull off a regular show this past week because both Steve and I had to work overtime on Tuesday, so instead we’re posting this interview with comic actor Bob Saget. The Saget interview was recorded back in April and never ran because Saget’s dates at the Pearl Theater at the Palms were canceled, but it’s actually a pretty interesting discussion. Saget became famous as a wholesome TV sitcom dad from 1987 to 1995 on “Full House” but more recently turned his own image inside out by being the filthiest, raunchiest comic to appear in the 2005 documentary “The Aristocrats.” In this conversation, Saget talks about his image, about clubbing with the Olsen twins and his new show, premiering this fall, called Surviving Suburbia.

As always, email us at TheStripPodcast@aol.com with comments or questions.

Cuchi Cuchi For Charo

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 05:01:07 +0000

You think she's just a blond, air-headed, surgically enhanced... oh, wait. That's last week's guest. This week, we've got Charo the giggly, jiggly Spanish singer and guitarist, who in the early 1970s was making as much as Sinatra for shows on the Strip, is back in town with a new headliner show at the Riviera. Steve chatted with Charo this week about plastic surgery, her affection for RuPaul and where her signature “cuchi cuchi” line came from.

In banter: A weird WSOP interview story, a weird Panorama Towers ad, a weird Caesars Palace sign, a baffling Monte Carlo strategy and more.

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com
Site: TheStripPodcast.Com
E-mail: TheStripPodcast@aol.com
Voicemail: 206-424-4737

The Smartest Little Dumb Blonde in Vegas

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:30:00 +0000

Holly Madison admits it: She wants to be famous. And she doesn’t mind being famous just for being famous – in the tradition of Pam Anderson and Marilyn Monroe, she says – but she wants to try her hand at a few things first. To that end, the ex-Playmate who appeared as Hugh Hefner’s No. 1 babe on “The Girls Next Door” and spent a few months as Criss Angel’s girlfriend, now stars as the innocent-turned-naughty Bo Peep in the Planet Hollywood burlesque production, “Peepshow.” In this conversation, Madison discusses her ambitions, the situations in which she is not comfortable being nude and – as odd as it may sound – what she’s reading right now. You’ll be surprised that it’s not in English.

In Banter: The big MJ tribute benefit concert, Peep v Crazy, WSOP and Twitter, Welcome to LV sign vandals, Prive/PHo fined, Harrah's latest Big Idea, MGM's CSI attraction, comings and goings and more.

Web: TheStripPodcast.com
Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com
Twitter: @TheStripPodcast
Voicemail: 206-424-4737
Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

G-Force Winds

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:10:53 +0000

On stage and on your stereo, he is laid back and comfortable. But in tonight’s interview, saxophonist Kenny G shows other sides of his persona: arrogant, vain, opinionated and controversial. The musician, who has sold 75 million albums worldwide, also provides a fascinate behind-the-scenes story about his first time on Johnny Carson, discusses Bill Clinton’s influence on the popularity of the sax and has some terse words for audience-scolding showstoppers like Patti LuPone. Plus, a special INTERVIEW edition of the Trivia Question featuring Anthony Curtis, aka Curtis Flowers speaking for the first time about his alias. In Banter: Michael Jackson's memorial, Steve is Hispanic, the WSOP is off and running, The Hangover is Vegasly accurate and more Web: TheStripPodcast.com Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com Phone; 206-424-4737

Rolling With Dice

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:04:49 +0000

Hide the kiddies, brace yourself and, if you’re easily offended, you may want to skip at least the second half of this week’s show. Andrew Dice Clay is coming to Vegas in July for another set of shows on the Strip that may portend a headliner residency, so the controversial and foul-mouthed comic is our guest tonight. Is he, as he likes to say, the Elvis of comedy, or is he, as Steve put it in their conversation much to Dice’s annoyance, an overgrown Fonzie? Judge for yourself this hour as they go at it about the 51-year-old’s overactive sex life, about ejecting hecklers and about why he canceled some recent shows in Utah. Plus, hear his version of what happened when Saturday Night Live player Nora Dunn quit the show because he was hosting. In Banter: The Twin River racino, Michael Jackson’s death, Patti LuPone’s outburst, the Danny Gans 911 call, the tricky Brotastic ad, the survey about Vegas tourist walking habits and Lance Burton looks forward to six more years and (then?) the Monte Carlo’s implosion. Plus, the trivia question, poll, listener feedback and the Top Secret Tourist Tip of the Week. Web: TheStripPodcast.Com Email: ThteStripPodcast@aol.com Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com Voicemail: 206-424-4737

A Tony Winner And An Oscar

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:39:41 +0000

This week, on the Strip: We spoke to her nearly two years ago and she was hinting at a comeback she didn’t want to jinx. And, in fact, Broadway legend – and Steve’s gayest obsession – Patti Lupone did have a trick up her sleeve: A few months later, she returned to the Great White Way in the title role of “Gypsy” and walked off with her first Tony award since her 1981 triumph for “Evita.” Lupone is back in Vegas on June 20 and 21 for shows at the Orleans, so Steve got her back on the line to see how her life has changed. Among other things, Lupone went on a bit of a rant about poor Susan Boyle and the nature of celebrity. That’s coming up. Also, we check in with Mayor Oscar Goodman about Obama’s recent visit and gives an update on plans to resettle the Star Trek Experience in Las Vegas. In Banter: Cinevegas, Sheer Madness, a listeners' Wynn visit, how Steve saved $400 on his Connecticut rental car, All-In: The Poker Movie, Charo, Larry King, MGM Grand Egypt and more. Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com Twitter: Twitter.com/thestrippodcast Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com Phone: 206-424-4737

VIDEO SPECIAL: VOIGHT REVEALS 1981 TIGER-ROY INCIDENT

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:27:13 +0000

At a Cinevegas screening of the recut version of the 1982 Hal Ashby film "Lookin' To Get Out" on June 14, actor Jon Voight related a never-before-heard tale of a harrowing incident in which one of Siegfried & Roy's tigers tackled an elderly woman and had to be talked down by a member of the film crew. In the movie, Voight and Burt Young play pals and gamblers who come to Vegas to try to make back money Voight's character lost in a poker game. The film was made largely at the old MGM Grand (now Bally's) and Ann-Margret plays a woman from Voight's past. The characters played by Voight, Young and Ann-Margret, attend a show in what is probably the Jubilee! Theater and Siegfried & Roy are among the acts shown. According to Voight, Young was acting in the shot as though the tiger had startled him running about on the stage with Roy. Young was wearing sunglasses, and Voight surmised that the combination of Young's fake startling and the reflection of the lighting on the glasses caused the tiger to get scared and "he ran off the stage and on to a table." Watch the rest of the story or read it on VegasHappensHere.Com. E-mail: TheStripPodcast@aol.com Voicemail: 206-424-4737 Site: TheStrippodcast.com

Engelbert The Engaging

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:15:33 +0000

In our quest to cover all the classic old-timers of Vegas lore, one fixture we hadn’t yet caught up with was Englebert Humperdinck, the British chart-topper who was first brought to the Strip in 1968 by none other than Dean Martin. Humperdinck, now 73, talks about everything from Liberace to Lambert, recalls Howard Stern's playing with his hair, explains why James Blunt fits in the canon with Clapton and McCartney and discusses the fact that his rival, Tom Jones, has received a knighthood while he has not. Humperdinck performs in Vegas at the Orleans on June 11-14 playing his hits as well as the contemporary pop songs he covered in his 2007 album, “The Winding Road.” In Banter: Danny Gans’ cause of death, the Cinevegas passes contest winner, the future of the TI, Steve’s show spree, changes at Peepshow, Robuchon’s odd discount and the Chippendales do Paris. Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com Phone: 206-424-4737 E-mail: TheStripPodcast@aol.com Site: TheStripPodcast.com

Jon Voight Likes To Talk

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:55:54 +0000

Actor Jon Voight ‘s roles in Midnight Cowboy, Deliverance and Coming Home made him one of the most iconic movie stars of the 1970s. He’s also the father of one of the most iconic movie stars of this era, Angelina Jolie. Voight is being honored with the Marquee Award at Cinevegas at a ceremony where an overhauled version of his 1982 Vegas-set comedy “Lookin’ To Get Out” will be screened. The film, a critical and box office bomb when it first came out, also stars Ann-Margret and was Angelina Jolie’s first film role. In this conversation, Steve and Jon Voight discuss his experiences with everything from Midnight Cowboy to Coming Home to Seinfeld. Then Voight explains how he turned from being an anti-Vietnam War activist to a fan of George W. Bush and Sarah Palin. He also has some harsh words for President Barack Obama. We’ll be back with a regular episode next week, so join us at 6:45 p.m.ish Pacific for the lvie show at LVRocks.Com on Tuesday, June 9. Until then, enjoy the interview. Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com Voicemail: 206-424-4737 Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com Site: TheStripPodcast.Com

Smooth Like Santana

Thu, 28 May 2009 15:04:15 +0000

It may be one heckuva a recession, but the Hard Rock Hotel has pulled out all the stops on its new version of The Joint, spending $60 million on the posh new concert venue and signing modern Las Vegas’ first resident rock ‘n roll act in Carlos Santana. The 61-year-old guitar legend granted Steve one of only a few interviews in advance of his first set of shows, which begin Wednesday night. Santana talks to Steve about playing the old Joint on the millennial New Year’s Eve, about his views about Vegas and about which athlete he thinks is more impressive than Tiger Woods. That’s coming up. Also, more on Steve’s explosive chat last week with Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson in which explains his company’s freefall and bats back against Steve Wynn’s criticism of their strategy in Macau. In Banter: More on Bethlehem and Adelson, Danny Gans memorial and curse, Wolfgang Puck, Obama: The Las Vegas Spectacular, Adam Lambert, Jeff Beacher and more. Thanks to guest-host Murphy for filling in for an ailing Miles. Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com E-mail: TheStripPodcast@aol.com Web: TheStripPodcast.Com Phone: 206-424-4737

VIDEO SPECIAL: OPENING OF SANDS BETHLEHEM

Sat, 23 May 2009 06:39:52 +0000

Special coverage of the May 22, 2009 opening of the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. For Steve's NYT piece and KNPR appearance as well as lots of photos, search "sands" at VegasHappensHere.Com. Web: TheStripPodcast.Com E-mail: TheStripPodcast@aol.com Voicemail: 206-424-4737

It's Cranky Miller Time

Thu, 21 May 2009 15:29:49 +0000

Comic and political commentator Dennis Miller has a reputation for being cantankerous and on this week’s show, he lives up to that image to the fullest. More than three years after he came on this show and complimented us as erudite and astute, he’s back in a tense conversation that he ends abruptly because it’s, well, “too deep.” That’s coming up. Plus, news from Vegas, the trivia question, a new poll and, as always, the Top Secret Tourist Tip of the Week. You’re on the Strip, brought to you by. In Banter: No news on Danny Gans yet, is Lion King a wise Vegas move, British Airways opens daily nonstops, the pasties are gone from and Holly Madison is coming to Peepshow and Menopause finds a new home at the recently hipped-up Luxor. Thanks to Amy of GritsToGlitz.Com for subbing for Steve. Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com Site: TheStripPodcast.com Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com Phone: 206-424-4737

SPECIAL: STEVE ON KNPR, MAY 15, 2009

Fri, 15 May 2009 23:57:39 +0000

Steve appears on KNPR to rap with host Dave Berns and R-J columnist Doug Elfman on May 15, 2009. Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com Web: TheStripPodcast.com Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com Voicemail: 206-424-4737

Danny Gans' Muse

Wed, 06 May 2009 18:10:54 +0000

Las Vegas is in stunned mourning this week following the shocking death Friday of impressionist Danny Gans. We’ll talk about that at the top of the show, but it’s also fitting that our guest this week is comic Jeff Foxworthy because Gans spent at least 10 minutes in every show doing Foxworthy and his trademark redneck jokes. Foxworthy talks about Gans, about performing for presidents Clinton and Bush and about hosting dimwit adults on the hit TV game show Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? In banter: Danny Gans’ death, Jim Murren’s defense, China’s wacky swine flu response, Peepshow’s surprisingly great, Peppermill’s surprisingly classy and Vegas stocks are inexplicably way up. Web: TheStriPPodcast.com Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com Voicemail: 206-424-4737 Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

SPECIAL: DANNY GANS DIES

Fri, 01 May 2009 21:10:06 +0000

Reissuing our Danny Gans interview from 3/2/06 on the occasion of his death at age 52 on 5/1/09. Email TheStripPodcast@aol.com or call 206-424-4737 to offer condolences or relate memories of the Vegas legend.

Top Chef's Top Chef

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:20:00 +0000

Some chefs are TV stars first, then Vegas restaurateurs. Tom Colicchio did it the other way around. The five-time James Beard Award winner already owned Craftsteak and ‘wichcraft at the MGM Grand when he was tapped to become the chief judge for the hit Bravo reality competition Top Chef. The show began filming its sixth season in Las Vegas this week, although this interview took place a day before that was confirmed. Still, Steve spoke to Colicchio at length about everything from his criticism of the show’s finale format to the late Natasha Richardson’s stint as a guest judge last season. Colicchio also retells how he saved the life of a famous food writer at an Obama inauguration party in January. Plus, as always, we asked him about his fast food preferences, if any. In Banter: Top Chef a'coming, Angel v. Perez, Fontainebleau's problems, coinful slots, changes to WSOP and more. Web: TheStripPodcast.Com Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com Voicemiail: 206-424-4737 E-mail: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

Shecky's Complaint

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:31:57 +0000

When Steve makes a joke that’s so awful it’s funny, Miles refers to him as Shecky Friess. That’s because long before Steve was hamming it up badly, comic Shecky Greene was one of the legendary comedians who made Las Vegas what it is today. Greene, now 83, is back in town for a three-show gig at the Suncoast next month, so Shecky Friess chatted him up about being tackled by Buddy Hackett in the middle of Paradise Road, about crashing his car in the Caesars Palace fountains and about which of the current crop of comics he loves and which he hates with, as Shecky put it, “a purple passion.” Take a listen and have a great week. Web: TheStripPodcast.com Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com E-mail: TheStripPodcast@aol.com Voicemail: 206-424-4737

Heavy Metal's Sweetest Star

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:27:00 +0000

In retrospect, Dee Snider was born to play Vegas. And finally, thanks to Monster Circus at the Las Vegas Hilton, that time has come for the long-haired, gravel-throated, lingerie-wearing front man for the heavy metal band Twisted Sister. The former choir boy from Long Island speaks this hour to Steve about the show, about just how subversive all that hard-rocking crossdressing was back in the day and about Barry Manilow’s reaction to sharing his showroom with this bunch. Plus, is Gene Simmons of Kiss really is as big a jerk as he seems? Snider has some interesting thoughts on that, too. In Banter: Le Reve's new ending, the Venetian's umbrella act, Wynn on TV, Hellmuth via chariot, bye-bye whore tax and a great new Vegas pay-per-view idea. Email: TheStripPOdcast@aol.com Web: TheStripPOdcast.com Voicemail: 206-424-4737 Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

The Stevie and Marie Show, Part II

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:01:00 +0000

Stevie and Marie, Part II In Banter: MGM goes up and down, Tony Curtis is weird, CityCenter may seem cluttered and legislators ponder a whore tax. Last week she talked about genteel topics like Groucho Marx pinching her butt and brother Donny falling off tables. But this week, Marie Osmond gets controversial, particularly when she’s talking about what she knows about the behind-the-scenes world of Dancing With the Stars and American Idol. Blog: VegasHappenshere.Com Site: TheStripPodcast.Com Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com Phone: 206-424-4747

FIXED: 4/1 SPECIAL: Friess v Elfman on KNPR

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 17:44:00 +0000

Steve appeared with the R-J's Doug Elfman for an hour on KNPR's State of Nevada with host Dave Berns. Fun, wide-ranging discussion.

The Stevie and Marie Show, Part I

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 03:55:00 +0000

She’s a little bit country and a little bit, well, you know the rest. But she’s also now a big bit of a Strip headliner. Marie Osmond, she of the gigantic gleaming smile stretched across the Flamingo, joins us this hour to talk about show business nepotism, performing with everyone from Groucho Marx to Snoop Dogg and the night she and Donny performed their Vegas show in the dark. In Banter: Freaks at O'Sheas, MGM drama, Follies bye- bye, Vegas impersonator jailed in Suriname. Web: TheStripPodcast.com Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com Phone: 206-424-4734 Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com Twitter: Twitter.Com/TheStripPodcast

M Is For Money

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:55:00 +0000

His father built the Mirage, Bellagio, Wynn Las Vegas, Sam’s Town, the Rio, Caesars Forum Shops and countless other iconic structures. But now is 35-year-old Anthony Marnell III’s time, with the surprisingly successful opening of the $1 billion M Resort way, way, WAY south on Las Vegas Boulevard. Marnell the younger talks this hour about the future of his famous M Blimp, about growing up on Vegas construction sites and about why the new resort is in some ways a way for his father to receive the recognition he deserves. Plus, Steve confronts him about whether putting a pharmacy in a casino is, as Steve believes, predatory. In Banter: MGM Mirage's woes, Phil Ruffin's financing issue, Luxor billboards, hard-to-believe Lion King ticket sales, getting in trouble taking pictures in casinoes and thoughts on Terry Fator. Phone: 206-424-4737 Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com E-mail: TheStripPodcast@aol.com Web: TheStripPodcast.Com

SPECIAL: Steve on Vegas Entertainment on KNPR

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 01:53:02 +0000

Steve appeared on KNPR's State of Nevada on March 19 to chat about all things Vegas entertainment and business. Fun stuff.

Supersized Ep: The Race To Trump Mountain

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 05:48:03 +0000

This week, on the Strip: He’s bold, he’s brash, he’s arrogant. And he’s on this show tonight. Donald Trump spoke to Steve last month for a New York Times piece on the Vegas real estate crash that appears in the Friday, March 6, issue. You get to hear that conversation in full this hour, including Mr. Trump’s conclusion that the American economy is in a depression and his mockery of the stalled condo development at the Venetian. Also, we hear from the director of the new Disney adventure “Race To Witch Mountain� as he explains how a Vegas cab can get from Planet Hollywood to Fremont Street in 10 seconds flat. In banter: Siegfried & Roy's return, Vegas economic ups and downs, Elaine Wynn's In N Out fetish and M Resort has opened.Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.comSite: TheStripPodcast.comBlog: VegasHappensHere.comPhone: 206-424-4737

SPECIAL VIDEO EDITION: CIRQUE AUDITIONS

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:23:21 +0000

On Feb. 10, I observed Cirque du Soleil's open audition process for dancers. Here's some of the footage of what went on and how it worked. Read my Las Vegas Weekly column on the auditions by searching 'cirque' at VegasHappensHere.Com

Web: TheStripPodcast.Com

Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

Voicemail: 206-424-4737

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Dino's Boy

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:32:05 +0000

Before there was Shake-Your-Bon-Bon Ricky Martin, there was another singer by the same name, albeit spelled a little differently. Dean Martin's son Ricci joins Steve for a fun walk down memory lane, with some great anecdotes about Sinatra and Old Vegas and some thoughts on the children of celebrities.

This is an interview-only episode while we await the return of the LVRocks studio. And there will be a return! Stay tuned!

Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

Site: TheStripPodcast.com

Blog: VegasHappensHere.com

Phone: 206-424-4737

The Impressionist Era of Las Vegas

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 23:16:21 +0000

Call it the impressionist period of Las Vegas. This month, three major impersonator acts open – or reopen. Danny Gans relocated to Encore, Terry Fator took Gans’ space at the Mirage and Gordie Brown, late of the Venetian, has returned to his old Golden Nugget haunts. Fator and Brown both join us this hour. Find out what Fator’s new Mirage-appropriate puppet will be and hear all about Brown’s early years as a celebrity stalker. Plus, Steve grills Brown on parts of his act he didn’t like.

In Banter: Behind the scenes at Cirque dance auditions, Oscar v Obama, Curtas v Encore, bye-bye La Cage and Heidi Fleiss, the Excalibur’s new deal.

Site: TheStripPodcast.Com
Blog: VegasHappensHEre.Com
Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com
Voicemail: 206-424-4737

EXTRA: OSCAR GOODMAN PRESSER

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 07:08:27 +0000

Raw audio from LV Mayor Oscar Goodman's press conference on Feb. 12 about the flap with Obama. Very entertaining.

Poker's Hellian

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:33:19 +0000

He owns a record eleven World Series of Poker bracelets and has earned well over $8 million in his poker tournament career, but the reputed bad boy of Texas Hold ‘Em isn’t done yet. Phil Hellmuth, who has a forthcoming documentary and memoir, opens up this hour about his quest for bracelet number 12, about how why he stormed off the set of NBC’s Poker After Dark two years ago and about what the 2008 World Series of Poker final table contestants did wrong.

In Banter: Fishing in Vegas, a mea culpa and taxing the brothels.

Web: TheStripPodcast.Com
E-Mail: TheStripPodcast@aol.com
Voicemail: 206-424-4737
Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Diamonds in the Ruffin

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:37:20 +0000

Others may be more creative, more ambitious and more flamboyant, but nobody nobody on the modern scene today is as brilliant – or as fortunate – at making deals as Phil Ruffin. The 72-year-old Kansas billionaire sold the New Frontier land in 2007 for a record $35 million an acre before the real estate crash, and now he’s used a mere $775 million of that profit to pick up the Treasure Island. For the first time this hour, Ruffin discloses some new plans for the property, explains why he’s unlikely to ever buy a Harrah’s property and reveals the reason he’ll never build anything in Vegas. Plus, he dishes about Wynn, Trump, his young wife and the billionaires’ poker game he wins year after year.

In banter: Obama’s Vegas stage moment, Folies, Menopause and Scintas closing, Rita will go on and on, MGM Mirage’s reservation system woes, the F’Bleau will be finished, does anyone care about Joaquin Phoenix’s music career?

Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Site: TheStripPodcast.com

Voicemail: 206-424-4737

The Top 10 Moments of 2008

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:03:38 +0000

Steve, Steve, Steve. Wynn, that is. We’ve tallied up the Top 10 moments of 2008 as voted on by you and, surprise surprise, Mr. Wynn is involved in some way in six of them. But, still, a few others made outrageously memorable remarks on this program during the year that was, and we take our annual look back at all of it tonight. For good measure, though, we’ve got some never-before-heard bits to keep it fresh. Plus, news from Vegas, a new trivia question and a poll. You’re on the Strip, brought to you by Priceline.Com and Hotels.Com, and we’re kicking off a new year with a new theme song!

In Banter: The mob museum, Octavius tower blues, our staycation at Trump and Encore and a very weird phone call.

Web: TheStripPodcast.Com

Phone: 206-424-4737

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

Mamma Mia Exit Interviews

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 06:17:50 +0000

The skeptics – including Steve -- said it would never work. A two-act, full-length musical scored by decades-old pop songs telling a convoluted story about parenthood and spandex could never, possibly succeed in Las Vegas. But succeed “Mamma Mia!� did, emboldening another half-dozen or so musicals to believe they, too, were Strip-worthy, only to find out that what Mamma Mia did so effortlessly was actually quite a feat. But all good things must come to an end, and on Sunday, Mandalay Bay said goodbye to Donna, Sophie, her three possible dads and the rest of the cast. We, however, aren’t done yet. Tonight we have live in the studio Brad Grey and Tim Tucker, the only two actors who stayed with the show for its entire, record-breaking Las Vegas run.

In Banter: New Year's Eve fireworks sucked, CityCenter's hiring, Stratosphere's laying off, The Harmon's in limbo, Tamara's stalled and Paris' empty showroom is a blessing.

Site: TheStripPodcast.com

Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Voicemail: 206-424-4737

KNPR: Stratosphere Cuts

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:28:01 +0000

This is a clip form KNPR's State of Nevada hosted by Dave Berns in which James called during a discussion of economic problems this morning to report that half the employees at Top of the World restaurant at Stratosphere were told they're going part-time indefinitely.

...And A Wynning New Year

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 09:41:19 +0000

We’ve walked through Encore with him and chatted him up about everything from that damaged Picasso to the exact curvature of his resort towers. So what’s left to talk about with Steve Wynn? Well, it’s Steve Wynn, so there’s always more. We finish playing our pre-Encore interview tonight with discussion of Wynn’s athletic prowess, his concerns about the economy and a little Gandhi chit-chat, too.

In Banter: Switch at Encore, the view from Capital Grille, Criss Angel on Larry King, Danny Gans’ Encore poster and free coffee at Silverton.

Web; TheStripPodcast.com
Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com
Twitter: Twitter.com/TheStripPodcast
Voicemail: 206-424-4737
Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

A Very Wynning Xmas

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 19:17:55 +0000

This is Steve Wynn’s week, no doubt about it. On what is traditionally one of the slowest nights in Las Vegas and in the middle of the worst recession in generations, he opened the doors to his $2.3 billion expansion, Encore. The results were a flood of curious explorers that led to bumper to bumper traffic on the Strip as far south as the Mandalay Bay and a line all the way into the Wynn casino. In honor of that milestone, over the next two weeks we’re presenting our interview earlier this month with Wynn in which he talks about everything from the shape of the buildings to the original plans for the Encore TV commercial.

In banter: Criss Angel woes, Encore first impressions, CityCenter shopping, the TI sale and more.

Web: TheStripPodcast.com

Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Voicemail: 206-424-4737

VIDEO SPECIAL: THE WYNNS OPEN ENCORE

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:14:02 +0000

Video from 12/22/08 as Steve and Elaine Wynn declare Encore open to the public and allow betting to begin.

SPECIAL EXCLUSIVE: WYNN TOURS ENCORE

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 00:00:47 +0000

**THIS TICKTOCK GUIDE IS AVAILABLE AS A WORD DOC AT THESTRIPPODCAST.COM ALONG WITH A MAP OF THE PROPERTY TO FOLLOW ALONG. THIS TEXT IS ALSO IN THE LYRICS TAB FOR ITUNES USERS.**

Below is a tick-tock of Steve Wynn’s tour on Nov. 16 of Encore Las Vegas. Times are close to exact but may be slightly approximate. Some audio has been removed for irrelevancy or to save time. Find the map of Encore at TheStripPodcast.Com or VegasHappensHere.Com. If you appreciate our content, we urge you to click on the donate button at VegasHappensHere.Com or TheStripPodcast.Com. You can also just go to Paypal and send a donation to TheStripPodcast@aol.com. Any amount is appreciated.

0:00: Intro to this audio and beginning of Encore tour. Tour starts in front of the Wynn and Encore theaters past the box office. We turn south towards the first leg of the shopping hall for Wynn. Within 10 feet, he points left and discusses plans for TASTE OF WYNN store to open in January, replacing the original Le Reve store. Proceed down the hall.

5:20: Wynn bemoans a ladder outside In Step, a shoe store.

5:40: We’re in the new building, Steve. Discussion follows of the new Chanel, and we stand outside Chanel and XS looking down the hall.

6:50: As Wynn explains the colored-glass pinapple-shaped chandeliers at 5:07, he discussed chief designer Roger Thomas’ role and job.

8:20: Wynn explains why he believes most pedestrians will enter Encore via the Wynn, not from the north. A discussion of the Rolex shop follows.

10:55: We enter the nightclub XS, designed by Victor Drai and Roger Thomas, and stand at the top of steps, descending onto the dance floor and explains the process of creating the statues of naked women around XS.

11:50: We exit the XS doors along the dance floor to the topless pool. Wynn describes the pool, XS and nearby Botero steakhouse as part of an outdoor nightlife complex. (Wynn says we’ll walk through Botero later, but we never get around to that.)

14:40: Wynn walks me around to the other side of the bar at the center of the topless pool to show the gaming tables. More explanation of the design concept. Mentions Fix at Bellagio for party-nightclub-restaurant feel, Palms Place-Kerry Simon-pool as reference points.

16:50: Wynn explains how profitable the pool retail is at Wynn, acknowledges that non-guests must be allowed to play at the pool at Encore and Wynn under Nevada gaming rules. Also quickly dismisses the idea of mobile gaming devices. “It’s not interesting to me.�

19:55: As we walk towards the main Encore pool, Wynn explains thoughts behind strollers in casinos and points to the two-story meeting hall building at the north end of the pool. We be inside that area later. “The one upstairs� he refers to is the Beethoven Meeting Room. Wynn also points to the stage that is roughly below the Beethoven Room windows. He also discusses the use of fake grass and its cost.

22:20: We leave pool area via a north door and proceed north out the front door of the north porte-cochere. Wynn explains planting lots of trees along Desert Inn Road to block the view to the north of the Gold Key shops and other crap. Wynn explained where the trees comes from and discusses demolition of the Frontier Hotel sign. Wynn discusses the intriguing décor of the taxi tunnel. Wynn also reveals that there’s a Desert Inn Superarterial access, left over from the old DI resort.

24:50: We walk back south and are facing the main entrance of Encore with a glass wall that looks out at the pool we had been walking around

Cheech & Wilson

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:46:45 +0000

This week, on the Strip: We never know quite what to do when Steve emerges from his office after an interview and says, ‘Well, that sucked.’ Usually, he’s wrong. And tonight, we’re going to find out. This fall, Steve chatted with Cheech Marin and Brian Wilson and, each time, he was initially dissatisfied with the outcome. But in reviewing them later, he decided, “why should I be the only one to suffer?� JUST KIDDING. He decided the conversations were Strip-worthy after all, perhaps because of their weirdness. So, tonight, we let ‘em rip.

In Banter: Viva McDonalds is a McDonalds, Copperfield's still great, the gingerbread house display is pretty cool, R is for what?!?! and Wynn's doing it Sinatra's way.

Web: TheStripPodcast.Com
Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com
Voicemail: 206-424-4737
Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

The Other Wynn

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 17:13:46 +0000

We know you’re sick of politics this time of year, but we’re serving it up this week with a distinctive female touch. First, a very rare interview with the first lady of Las Vegas, Elaine Wynn, as she explains her journey from lifelong Republican to Obamatic, much to the dismay of her industry and her husband. You might’ve heard of him. Then, U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley returns to the program to explain what’s happening with that Internet gambling ban, but what Steve secretly really wanted to know is, has she had any more plastic surgery?

In Banter: Criss Angel's follies, is Mel B a superstar, Bye, Danny Gans' billboard, Steve's on (yikes!) Facebook, and no, McCarran Airport is actually NOT the busiest in America on Thanksgiving.

Web: TheStripPodcast.Com

Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Phone: 206-424-4737

Cirque's Top Guy

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:50:00 +0000

Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte, the former street performer who redefined the human circus into a worldwide entertainment phenomenon, just helped open the company’s sixth show on the Las Vegas Strip, Criss Angel Believe. He gave Steve 10 minutes the day of the show’s opening which, of course, meant Steve took 15. In this conversation, Laliberte defends the show and his alliance with the controversial Mindfreak illusionist, discusses the recent purchase of a large chunk of his company by Dubai and tells why there won’t be a Cirque show at Mandalay Bay … YET. Just a note, this interview was conducted outside so Laliberte could smoke, so there is some background noise.

In banter: Terry Lanni goes bye-bye, LVS lays off 11,000, MGM Mirage's CityCenter condo sales suck, Vegas may be shrinking, Wynn joins the S&P 500, Bob Maheu's awesome house and Jubilee! goes, uh, topful.

Web: TheStripPodcast.com

Email: TheStrippodcast@aol.com

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Phone: 206-424-4737

SPECIAL: WANDA SYKES COMES OUT @ LV GAY MARRIAGE RALLY

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 07:35:35 +0000

Comic Wanda Sykes comes out as gay at at the Las Vegas gay marriage rally on Nov. 14, 2008. Steve conducted a brief interview with her after her public comments. Steve covered the rally for The New York Times. Also on this file is a brief chat with an 18-year-old UNLV student on his reaction to the vote in California on Nov. 4 to re-ban gay marriage.

Site: TheStripPodcast.Com
Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com
Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com
Phone: 206-424-4737

SPECIAL: WANDA SYKES COMES OUT @ LV GAY MARRIAGE RALLY

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:23:05 +0000

Web: TheStripPodcast.Com

E-Mail: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

Voice: 206-424-4737

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Norm Clarke Confidential

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 04:20:47 +0000

Pete Rose bitch slapped him. Criss Angel threatened to blind him. And countless celebrities and notables alternately love and loathe him. Norm Clarke, this city’s premier gossip columnist, joins us in the studio this hour to talk about his adventures in the ever-fascinating world of Las Vegas fame and to discuss his new book, “Sinsational Celebrity Tales.� In the process, we learn more about Norm's famous eye patch, about his infamous DUI arrest and about what kinds of stories he doesn't touch.

Plus: Criss Angel's suckage, poker's big night, Aliante opens, Adelson's fortunes keep sinking and Stomp is being replaced.

Also, thanks to Amy from GritstoGlitz.com for filling in while Miles was ailing.

Web: TheStripPodcast.com

Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

Phone: 206-424-4737

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Tony Curtis Revealed, Part 2

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:24:09 +0000

If you thought Tony Curtis’ remarks on last week’s show were something, just wait till you hear the rest of it. The actor, out with a sex-soaked memoir of his career and life, offers some tough words this hour for a long list of Hollywood figures including Jerry Lewis, Angela Lansbury, Danny Kaye, Neil Simon and more. Then, later, he discusses his own mental health issues, his views of old and new Vegas and tries to explain why he’s so disappointed by his film career.

In Banter: Is Criss No. 1, Paris is for shopping and what really ails Las Vegas Sands?

Web: TheStripPodcast.com
Phone: 206-424-4737
Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com
Twitter.com/TheStripPodcast
Blog: VegasHappensHere.com

Tony Curtis Revealed, Part I

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:46:36 +0000

Fifty years ago, there were few Hollywood heartthrobs hotter than Tony Curtis. This month, the star of “Some Like It Hot� and “The Defiant Ones� published a memoir of those glory days in which he recounts in great detail his almost compulsive sex life, his troubled childhood, his celebrity feuds and his triumph over a late-career cocaine addiction. As gripping as the book was, the interview about the book was even better, more detailed, more telling. This week and next, you’ll hear Steve’s lengthy and revelatory conversation with Curtis, who now lives in Henderson.

In banter: Harrah's woes, smoke-free casinos and why didn't the Bellagio have a 10th birthday party.

Web: TheStriPPodcast.com

Email: TheStrippodcast@aol.com

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Voicemail: 206-424-4737

A Springer-board to Vegas

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:02:01 +0000

You know him as the ringmaster of one of the trashiest, low-class and successful syndicated TV shows of our time, but Jerry Springer may have yet another act coming: Vegas headliner. Springer, the host of the NBC reality contest “America’s Got Talent,� gets his first taste of that Friday as the emcee for a concert at the MGM Grand featuring this season’s winner and runners-up. Also, Springer defends the virtue – yes, virtue – of his talk show. Plus: A Vegas-bashing comment, hi and bye to Point Break Live, some GOOD economic news and a gay hotel-casino.Web: thestrippodcast.comBlog: VegasHappensHere.comEmail: TheStripPodcast@aol.comVoicemail: 206-424-4737Twitter: twitter.com/thestrippodcast

SPECIAL: OJ VERDICT PRESS CONFERENCE

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 07:43:06 +0000

Here's raw audio from the post-verdict press conference of Yale Galanter, OJ Simpson's attorney.

Bobby Slayton Rants and Raves

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:59:52 +0000

There is a fine line in comedy between being Don Rickles and being Michael Richards. Somehow, comic Bobby Slayton has carefully negotiated that complicated path, spicing his act with stereotypes, insults and foul language while never actually sparking any widespread controversy. Slayton, who appears nightly at the Hooters Hotel-Casino, joins us this hour to explain how he does it and what it may have cost him in career opportunities. In Banter: The Lion King is coming, Donny & Marie are here, the Believe theater, a poker whippersnapper and the OJ and Plaza v Plaza cases are still in court.Site: TheStripPodcast.comE-mail: Thestrippodcast@aol.comVoicemail: 206-424-4737Blog: VegasHappensHere.com

Dominick Dunne's Last Sit

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 05:47:37 +0000

If O.J. Simpson is on trial, then Dominick Dunne must be in town. The ailing Vanity Fair columnist and CourtTV personality, legendary for chronicling the intersection of celebrity and the criminal justice system, ignored doctor’s orders and his family’s wishes to descend on Las Vegas for the trial of, well, the month. He's had challenges -- he left court ill on Monday but returned Tuesday -- but his reward has been the warm embrace of Las Vegas high society, such as it is, and a loving New York Times profile rendered by none other than your Strip co-host, Steve. Dunne, an accomplished novelist and Hollywood producer in addition to his career observing the high-profile trials, opens up this hour about his health and why this is his final trial, what the difference between Britney Spears and Zsa Zsa Gabor is and whether John McCain is too old to be president. Plus, he tells one of the greatest Steve Wynn anecdotes of all time. In Banter: Why Aria's great food line up is disappointing, the Venetian funk spreads and the fake OJ crime scene.Web: TheStripPodcast.ComEmail: TheStripPodcast@aol.comBlog: VegasHappensHere.ComVoicemail: 206-424-4737Twitter: twitter.com/thestrippodcast

Mickey's $25m Vegas Gig

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:59:00 +0000

The Beatles were reincarnated in Las Vegas as a Cirque show. The Four Seasons and Abba came back as hit musicals. And Donny & Marie are returning as, well, Donny & Marie. But only the Grateful Dead could resurface on the Las Vegas Strip as, well, a volcano. Sort of. Dead drummer Mickey Hart has teamed up with an Indian musical maestro to score the classic street side attraction at the Mirage with a score that Hart says will blow you away. We’ll talk to Hart this hour about that and more this hour.

In Banter: Notes from OJville, IGT layoffs, we’re a-Twitter, a too-catchy ditty, Gordie Brown goes back downtown and Andre Agassi’s benefit goes upscale.

Site: http://www.thestrippodcast.com
Blog: http://VegasHappensHere.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/thestrippodcast
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/TheStripPodcast
Voicemail: 206-424-4737
E-mail: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

The Earl of Vegas

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:20:00 +0000

Making up is fun to do! After a year of conflict, the CEO of Planet Hollywood and Steve have buried the hatchet and, to prove it, Earl granted Steve his first podcast interview. In this wide-ranging discussion, Earl explains why he was upset, offers his view on why the Planet Hollywood brand collapsed and is now resurging, speaks of new expansion plans and acquisitions, and answers the question of whether the infamous “Planet Ho� sign was accidental. Also, find out who gave and loaded Robert Earl’s iPod and offers his own verdict on the short-lived Hans Klok show. Plus, details on the new Mirage volcano, a shakeup brewing in the nightclub world, Point Break, the Las Vegas Spectacular and O.J., the Las Vegas dud.Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.comVoicemail: 206-424-4737Site: TheStripPodcast.ComBlog: VegasHappensHere.Com

THE &$*@! Anniversary Special

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:35:00 +0000

The show you hear may make us sound like well-spoken, polite, erudite podcasters, but like many things in Las Vegas, that’s an illusion. For the past three years, we’ve been recording our show live with a listening audience of, well, tens, on the Internet. And so, as we did last year for our anniversary, we’re pulling the curtains back this week and airing all the behind-the-scenes drama. The curses! The chat people! The arguments! The Neil Sedaka impressions! The Steve abuse! It’s our 3rd birthday and we couldn’t be more thrilled, so sit back, relax … and beware.

In Banter: Vegas Podcast-a-Palooza thoughts, Mark has left LVRocks to reinvent the air conditioning, where the would 40/40 Club work, Yellow Tail Sushi opens at Bellagio, Criss Angel ups the hype with another delay, the M Resort’s blimp is delayed too, Virgin America debuts this week, the Price is Right Live’s fun but odd, Manilow changes his name and direct flights to China could be years away.

Web: TheStripPodcast.Com

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Phone: 206-424-4737

E-mail TheStripPodcast@aol.com

STRIP EXTRA: MORE BLOOPERS AND OUTTAKES

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:40:04 +0000

Web: TheStripPodcast.Com

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Phone: 206-424-4737

E-mail TheStripPodcast@aol.com

STRIP EXTRA: STEVE ON NEVADA NEWSMAKERS

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 20:52:39 +0000

Here's audio from Steve's 8/28 appearance on Nevada Newsmakers, a daily half-hour TV show based out of Reno. The discussion centers around how the national media deals with all things Vegas. Find more Nevada Newsmakers shows at NevadaNewsmakers.com.

Web: TheStripPodcast.com
Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com
Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com
Voicemail: 206-424-4737

STRIP EXTRA: Q&A FROM PODCAST-A-PALOOZA

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:45:24 +0000

Here's the audio from the 8/16 Vegas Podcast-a-Palooza at the Palms. Hunter Hillegas (Vegas Gang), Tim and Michele Dressen (Five Hundy By Midnight) and us answered questions from the audience about how we do our shows and why.

Site: TheStripPodcast.Com

Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Voicemail: 206-424-4737

STRIP EXTRA: JENNIFER HOLIDAY DOES VEGAS

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 22:13:43 +0000

For the next two weeks, George Wallace will have an unusual co-star for his show at the Flamingo, the original Dreamgirl, Jennifer Holliday. Decades before Jennifer Hudson won an Oscar for playing the role of big-voiced girl-band reject Effie White in the 2006 film, Holliday won a Tony for creating the same part on stage. She also landed a Grammy for the signature hit, “And I’m Telling You, I’m Not Going.� But Holliday’s life in the interim has been tragic, with bouts of depression, battles with her weight and an inability to replicate her earlier success. She spoke to Steve in advance of her opening for Wallace from Aug. 19 to Aug 30, relating stories of opening for George Burns at Caesars Palace in the 1980s, about a disastrous outing in the same showroom with Rosie O’Donnell in the 1990s and about how she reconciles her religion with her status as a gay icon.

As always, e-mail us at thestrippodcast@aol.com, visit the site at thestrippodcast.com, leave us voicemail at 206-424-4737 and read Steve’s blog at VegasHappensHere.Com.

LIVE FROM THE PALMS: TOP O' THE PALOOZA

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:56:00 +0000

This week on the Strip: You may love him or you may hate him, but you cannot deny this one truth: Carrot Top is a Vegas star. And he’s the kind of star whose act could only have this kind of longevity on the Strip. Scott Thompson, the comic with the enormous orange plume and the shockingly ripped physique, joins us live today to explain his journey from Butts Road – no, really – to Las Vegas Boulevard. That’s coming up. Plus, news from Vegas, a new poll, the trivia question and, as always, the Top Secret Tourist Tip of the Week. This is The Strip, we’re at the Palms and our part of the 2008 Vegas Podcast-a-Palooza starts right now.

PLUS: The Robert Earl rapproachement, Sheldon Adelson's protection and Steve's pre-Palooza nightmare.

Web: TheStripPodcast.Com
E-mail: TheStripPodcast@aol.com
Voicemail: 206-424-4737
Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

The Other Magical Burton (206-424-4737)

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:15:25 +0000

If there’s anyone who can attest to the fact that achieving fame in Las Vegas is never easy, it’s illusionist Nathan Burton. Yes, his goofy grin is now plastered across a tower of the Flamingo Las Vegas now -- and he reveals what that costs! -- but his journey to that triumph required two decades of work, gigs at countless hotels and appearances on not one but two top-rated reality TV competitions. Oh, and sealing himself in a box with seven Vegas showgirls for a week didn’t hurt, either. Burton joined us in the studio, as did Amy Turner of GritsToGlitz.Com subbing for a working Miles.

In Banter: The ladies' night ruling, BestofVegas.Com's screw-up and Steve's theory on that Cirque-Dubai transaction.

Web: TheStripPodcast.Com

E-mail: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

Voicemail: 206-424-4737

Blog: VegasHappensHere.com

Calling A Spade (FIXED AUDIO)

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:12:26 +0000

On paper, David Spade wouldn’t seem a likely to become a star, let alone a ladies’ man. And yet, more than two decades after he got his start in comedy clubs and was guided by Dennis Miller to a role on Saturday Night Live, Spade is a staple of American TV comedy as star of such hits as Just Shoot Me, 8 Simple Rules and Rules of Engagement. Spade, who usually performs his stand-up twice a month at the Planet Hollywood spoke to Steve about being the surprising object of affection of many a hot babe, about the tragedies that surround him and about the difficulty of mocking Barack Obama. Plus, Vegas nightlife guru Jack Colton of JackColton.Com explains the noisy club scene, Steve Wynn's hooker tangle and why Alan Thicke will never be on this program.Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.comWeb: TheStripPodcast.ComBlog: VegasHappensHere.ComCall: 206-424-4737

Calling A Spade (206) 424-4737

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:02:00 +0000

On paper, David Spade wouldn’t seem a likely to become a star, let alone a ladies’ man. And yet, more than two decades after he got his start in comedy clubs and was guided by Dennis Miller to a role on Saturday Night Live, Spade is a staple of American TV comedy as star of such hits as Just Shoot Me, 8 Simple Rules and Rules of Engagement. Spade, who usually performs his stand-up twice a month at the Planet Hollywood spoke to Steve about being the surprising object of affection of many a hot babe, about the tragedies that surround him and about the difficulty of mocking Barack Obama.

Plus, Vegas nightlife guru Jack Colton of JackColton.Com explains the noisy club scene, Steve Wynn's hooker tangle and why Alan Thicke will never be on this program.

Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

Web: TheStripPodcast.Com

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Call: 206-424-4737

Steve 'n Stevie

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:03:11 +0000

They’ve become known as the casino closers. Four times in the past decade, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme have been called upon to be the final performers at the closing of a resort or a famous showroom. But the act itself keeps on trucking. Well, sort of. Steve Lawrence is performing solo in August at the Orleans while his wife deals with a variety of health problems, as you’ll hear this hour. Lawrence spoke to Steve last week about Frank Sinatra, the original Tonight Show, about fighting with Eydie on stage and about why they haven’t seen a resurgence like Tony Bennett and Frankie Valli. Plus, he talks about their son, David, who composed the scores for the “High School Musical� movies. That’s all coming up.

In Banter: Trump IS having layoffs, Jerry Lewis is packing heat, Ping Pang Pong is wonderful, Miles is hung up over a gross Secret commercial and the prospect of the Las Vegas TV show as a movie.

Web: TheStripPodcast.Com

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Phone: 206-424-4737

Email: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

Eddie Izz On

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:18:05 +0000

July 24: Eddie Izzard has many claims to fame. He’s a well-regarded comedian, a terrific actor in such programs as FX’s “The Riches� and, of course, he’s probably the world’s most famous out-of-the-closet heterosexual transvestite. Oh, and he’ll be playing Vegas on July 25-26 at the Palms, so Steve chatted with Izzard about all of those things—and Izzard makes Steve a promise that will delight many.

In Banter: Wynn takes on the blogosphere, Steve has tampons, is this woman pregnant, why won't Dave Schwartz change his hours, put that snake away and all hail that great philosopher Laura Bush!

Web; TheStripPodcast.Com

Blog: VegasHappensHere.Com

Phone: 206-424-4737

E-mail: TheStripPodcast@aol.com

Wanda Woman

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:23:16 +0000

She told Jane Fonda to fuck off in “Monster-in-Law,� had her portrait snapped by Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair magazine and, this fall, is expected to marry Julia Louis-Dreyfus on the sitcom “The New Adventures of Old Christine.� Those are some of the highlights of Wanda Sykes’ illustrious career. The comic-actress, who performs stand-up twice in July and twice in August, speaks to Steve this hour about all that and some of the less thrilling moments – can someone say Pootie Tang?Call 206-424-4737, email thestrippodcast@aol.com, read the blog at vegashappenshere.com.

Wanda Woman

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:25:33 +0000

Call 206-424-4737, email thestrippodcast@aol.com, read the blog at vegashappenshere.com.

The Wayans To Leno

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:08:00 +0000

Jay Leno has always been comfortably inside the lines of mainstream American comedy while Damon Wayans has built a family business out of going out on a limb. So what do these two comics have in common? For one, both are performing in Las Vegas this month. For another, they’re both on the show this week. Leno reacts to questions as about why he’s not more respected by the entertainment media while Wayans tries to explain the method to his mad career. In Banter: Steve's drinking binge, Steve Wynn's favorite drink, the blue tape is gone, Miles lusts for Clean House, The WSJ covers Vegas debt and Harrah's addresses the environment.Call 206-424-4737, email thestrippodcast@aol.com, read VegasHappensHere.Com and visit TheStrippodcast.Com, too.

Love, Exciting and Two

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:03:00 +0000

Two years ago this week, the world experienced the Beatles music in a new way, the Cirque du Soleil way. The show “Love� arrived in the theater formerly occupied by Siegfried & Roy to rave reviews and its soundtrack of tracks remixed from the original tapes by the original producer, went on to win a Grammy. To honor the show, we’ll talk live in the studio tonight to Kyle Stokely, a 12-year-old actor who has been in the production from the beginning about what it’s like being a child actor on the Strip and about all the famous people he’s met on the job. In Banter: The New Yorker's Adelson opus, Cosmo v Cosmo, Trump in the dumps, Cirque gossip and a "locals" Sahara?Call 206-424-4737, e-mail thestrippodcast@aol.com, read VegasHappensHere.Com and visit TheStripPodcast.com.

ARCHIVE EDITION: BEATLES PRODUCERS GEORGE + GILES MARTIN

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:00:00 +0000

Reissuing the June 8, 2006 episode featuring George and Giles Martin, the father-and-son duo who created the Love soundtrack from the tracks at Abbey Road Studios. This interview was conducted for a USA Today piece in advance of the show's opening at the Mirage.

Call 206-424-4737, e-mail TheStripPodcast@aol.com, visit TheStripPodcast.Com and read VegasHappensHere.Com daily.

Caan, Icon -- 206-424-4737

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:04:00 +0000

As casino security chief Big Ed Deline on the now-defunct NBC soap “Las Vegas,� James Caan played the center of gravity at the fictional Montecito with a certain old-school Sin City panache. That and a few film roles related to the Strip were enough to earn him the first-ever Vegas Icon Award at the 10th annual CineVegas Film Festival that’s on at the Palms this week. But what did Caan really think of those roles and that TV show? And, more importantly, what does he think led to its cancellation a year after he left the part? The colorful 68-year-old Oscar nominee lets loose on a variety of hot topics including drug use, bad films and the Mob. In Banter: New tech at Rio and Fontainebleau, NY travels, room taxes, the Hank Greenspun movie and getting gas from hookers.E-mail thestrippodcast@aol.com, 206-424-4737, blog is vegashappenshere.com

ARCHIVE EDITION: TONY WINNER PATTI LUPONE (11/07)

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:05:00 +0000

REISSUING THIS 11/07 INTERVIEW WITH PATTI LUPONE IN WHICH SHE HINTS AT SOMETHING BIG SHE MAY HAVE COMING UP... WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE THE SHOW THAT WON HER HER SECOND TONY TONIGHT.

Tony winner Patti Lupone talks about her long Broadway career and why she hated playing her signature role, Evita. Then, Ellen DeGeneres discusses the writer’s strike, her dog controversy and the TBS variety show she filmed in Vegas last week. Plus, news about Planet Hollywood, Zumanity, Crown Tower the Plaza and more.Donate $25 or more and pick anything you want off the prize list on thestrippodcast.com. You get a prize and you help us up. Good deal! There are a couple of items on the list that are exempt.

Call 206-424-4737, email thestrippodcast@aol.com, read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

ARCHIVE EDITION: TONY WINNER PATTI LUPONE (11/07)

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 15:04:00 +0000

REISSUING THIS 11/07 INTERVIEW WITH PATTI LUPONE IN WHICH SHE HINTS AT SOMETHING BIG SHE MAY HAVE COMING UP... WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE THE SHOW THAT WON HER HER SECOND TONY TONIGHT.

Call 206-424-4737, email thestrippodcast@aol.com, read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

SPECIAL VIDEO: IBAR'S CRAZY TABLETOPS

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:56:55 +0000

This week, Microsoft rolls out its new Surface technology in the form of six $10,000 bar-lounge tabletops at the I Bar inside the casino at the Rio upon which, via some sophisticated touch-screen tech, customers can play games (video bowling, pinball), view YouTube videos, see who's sitting at other tables and send messages, take photos of themselves to send to friends and, oh yes, order drinks.

And here's some video I took -- think of it as The Strip Podcast Goes Pop-Up Video for all the comments I stuck in there. I used the thing to find my childhood home in Syosset, N.Y.!

Call 206-424-4737, e-mail thestrippodcast@aol.com, read vegashappenshere.com

The Win and Yang of Poker

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:14:00 +0000

A year ago, Jerry Yang was a just a 39-year-old social worker from Temecula, California, with six kids, a hefty mortgage and a wife who worked nights to make ends meet. Today, he’s living proof of why the annual World Series of Poker is the one championship that anyone can win. Yang spent $225 to enter a local satellite tournament that led him to a seat at the 2007 Main Event where he walked away $8.25 million richer. Next month, he begins a defense of that crown but this week, he’s live in our studio to talk about the year that was, what he’s done with all that money and how he feels about the changes being made to this year’s W.S.O.P.

In Banter: CityCenter's brief strike, more Fontainbleau plans revealed, a tourism firm thinks straight men are neglected in Vegas and K-Fed is Father of the Year.

Call 206-424-4737, e-mail thestrippodcast@aol.com, the blog is at VegasHappensHere.Com

Ritaville - 206-424-4737

Thu, 29 May 2008 17:21:00 +0000

Rita Rudner is having another important career moment. The comic has a new book out that’s both funny and surprisingly emotional and she’s recently become the first Vegas comedian to star in a PBS special to air in June. Rudner, whose girly voice and wry battle-of-the-sexes observations continue to pack ‘em in nightly at the Harrah’s Las Vegas resort, joins us live this hour to catch us up on all of her activities. In Banter: The shit really flies at Panorama, revisiting Manilow, notes from Tussaud's and SATC is coming to Vegas, sort of.Call 206-424-4737, e-mail thestrippodcast@aol.com, read the blog at VegasHappensHere.Com.

What Rimes With Badu

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:30:00 +0000

We’re getting a little bit country, a little bit soul this week with interviews with two very different artists. First, former teen prodigy LeAnn Rimes is all grown up and writing her own music these days, some of it offering a window into what it was like to transition from teen phenom to married lady. Then, Erykah Badu, the R&B star often likened to Billie Holliday, is back after a five-year break with three – yes, three – new albums this year. She’ll explain how Apple’s Garageband kicked off that spate. Also, the winner of our Jersey Boys tickets giveaway is revealed!

In Banter/News: Steve's Angelic moment, singing about Aria, hooray to Jubilee and peeking in on Fontainebleau a tad.

Call 206-424-4737, e-mail thestrippodcast@aol.com, read the blog at VegasHappensHere.Com.

In The Valli of Jersey

Thu, 15 May 2008 15:38:00 +0000

A priceless falsetto took an Italian pipsqueak from New Jersey all the way to the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. But it’s only now, with the huge success of the Tony-winning Broadway show based on his life, that Frankie Valli is feeling truly appreciated by the entertainment world. That show, “Jersey Boys,� opened last month to rave reviews at the Palazzo, returning the sound of Valli and the Four Seasons to the Strip in grand fashion.

In banter: Terry Fator takes over, Cher needs work, the WSOP undergoes big changes, shrimp cocktails are more expensive and Vegas.Com rules the world.

Call 206-424-4737 or email thestrippodcast@aol.com

The Two Seasons (206) 424-4737

Tue, 13 May 2008 00:33:51 +0000

It’s been a particularly hectic week for us and we couldn’t get into the LVRocks studio to do our usual live version of this program so we figured we’d simply present the joint interview Steve conducted with Four Seasons original member and songwriter Bob Gaudio and actor Erich Bergen, who portrays Gaudio in the Vegas version of “Jersey Boys.� Also, we’re giving away two tickets to the Jersey Boys at the Palazzo in Las Vegas. Call us at 206-424-4737 by May 19 and leave us a message of two minutes or less explaining why you should win. The two minutes doesn’t include your contact information. If our judges pick your message, you’ll win two seats for a 10 p.m. show within one year. Finally, next week's guest is... FRANKIE VALLI!!! Join us for the live version and join in the chat with fellow listeners at 7 pm Pacific at LVRocks.Com. Otherwise, as always, the podcast will go up sometime Thursday. Don’t forget to visit us at thestrippodcast.com for more information, leave us a voicemail at 206-424-4737, e-mail us at thestrippodcast@aol.com and keep up with Steve every day at his blog, VegasHappensHere.Com. We’ll get into Steve’s thoughts on the Cher show next week, but he’s already blogged a bit about it so take a look. Bob Gaudio is the legendary songwriter responsible for such hits as “Sherry,� “What A Night� and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You.� Gaudio’s first hit was “Short Shorts,� a novelty song he wrote when he was 15. More recently, Gaudio he wrote a musical based on the film “Peggy Sue Got Married� and he tells Steve that it may yet come to Broadway sometime soon. Gaudio is joined in this conversation by Erich Bergen, a 22-year-old actor from New York City for whom the Jersey Boys role is his first major part. Bergen is also a former podcaster whose show, Green Room Radio, was a Broadway version of “The Strip� in which he would interview celebrities of the Great White Way.

The Two Seasons - (206) 424-4737

Thu, 08 May 2008 16:16:26 +0000

SPECIAL VIDEO EDITION: JERSEY BOYS PREMIERE

Sun, 04 May 2008 18:36:52 +0000

Video from the Jersey Boys premiere and Frankie Valli birthday tribute on May 3, 2008 in Las Vegas at Palazzo.

Find out how to win tickets to Jersey Boys at TheStripPodcast.Com or ReadVegas.Com. Also, subscribe to the show via iTunes or Zune!

Deux Chefs du Jour

Thu, 01 May 2008 18:41:00 +0000

Steve Wynn – again! No, sorry. Gotcha! A podcaster cannot dine on Wynn alone. But speaking of dining, how about we serve you up a generous helping of two hot Vegas chefs, Kerry Simon and Charlie Trotter? Both have new restaurants in town, Simon at the Luxor and the Palms and Trotter at Palazzo. So we ask them about the dining scene, about their foie gras aversions and, of course, about what kind of fast food they eat.

Plus, in banter: Perez Hilton sucks, the Donnie and Marie idea sucks, a Hustler hotel-casino would suck and the broken Encore sign sucks.

Call 206-424-4737, e-mail thestrippodcast@aol.com, read the blog at vegashappenshere.com.

Steve v Steve - (206) 424-4737

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:10:00 +0000

Twice in one month! Wow! Steve Wynn is back to discuss the recession, reveal some intriguing new plans for the future of his golf course and declare Spamalot, closing this summer, a success. Oh, and he explains how it is he did NOT lie to Steve a few weeks ago about those Danny Gans rumors. Sorta.

In Banter: Powerful people are listening, Harrah's IS punishing the R-J, Criss Angel has not repented, the What Happens in Vegas trailer is good, Andrew Lloyd Webber is writing a Phantom sequel and more.

Call 206-424-4737, email TheStripPodcast.com, check the blog at ReadVegas.Com or visit the site at TheStripPodcast.Com.

SPECIAL: New Vegas Ads

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:21:40 +0000

The LVCVA, to combat the recession, created these spots. Your thoughts? Come to ReadVegas.Com and talk about it.

SPECIAL: Steve on KNPR on 4-21

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 22:46:26 +0000

Steve appeared on KNPR's State of Nevada on Monday, April 21, to discuss the R-J v Harrah's issue and Sheldon Adelson's appearance in court last week.

Land O Lanni

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:11:00 +0000

You know a recession is pretty bad when it’s felt even in Las Vegas. Terry Lanni, the CEO of MGM Mirage, spoke to Steve earlier this month about these challenging economic times, about which of the young moguls of Vegas he admires and about the struggle to name the CityCenter Hotel. That’s coming up. Plus, news from Vegas, a new trivia question, the poll, a lot of listener feedback on last week’s provocative letter about the decline of Las Vegas, and as always, The Top Secret Tourist Tip of the Week.

In Banter: MGM layoffs, Harrah's dumps the R-J, mobile billboards under the microscope, Steve Scores and the Criss Angel nightmare for Cirque.

E-mail thestrippodcast@aol.com, visit thestrippodcast.com or read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com. Call the voicemail at 206-424-4737.

Raising the Barr

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:09:57 +0000

The last time we heard from Roseanne Barr was before she signed to do a run at the New York-New York. That gig came and went and now Barr is playing through May at the Sahara. She spoke to Steve about the differences between working at opposite ends of the Strip, about giving Judd Apatow and Joss Whedon their writing starts on her legendary sitcom and about when she started calling herself the Domestic Goddess. Barr appears at 9:30 p.m. Saturday through Wednesday at the Sahara Hotel.

In Banter: Food at Strip Clubs, frigging expensive shows and feuds with just about everyone.

C all us at 206-424-4737, e-mail thestrippodcast@aol.com and 206-424-4737.

The Wynn. Period.

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 05:38:13 +0000

Guess who! It's Wynn on the young lions of Vegas, Encore, Christina Binkley's book "Winner Takes All," Eliot Spitzer, public art and Sheldon Adelson's delusions. In Banter: Chewing on the best part of "Winner Takes All" by Christina Binkley, wondering who would swim in a salt-water pool, laughing about the Westin charging conventioneers, baffling over a McCain remark in Vegas and admitting being punk'd on April Fool's Day.Call 206-424-4737, e-mail thestrippodcast@aol.com, read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

STRIP MARCH EXTRA #1: MARIA BARTIROMO

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 10:01:51 +0000

Steve's Dec 2007 interview with "Money Honey" Maria Bartiromo for a Vegas Magazine cover story on her journalistic controversies, casinos versus stock markets and 9/11/01, also her birthday.

Call our voicemail at 206-424-4737, e-mail thestrippodcast@aol.com or read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

The Least Likely Strip Headliner Ever

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 06:13:00 +0000

There are a lot of artists you’d expect to find on the Las Vegas Strip. Performing artists, that is. But it’s a pretty sure bet that you never expected to find an artist like Maya Lin there. Neither did she. And yet the Vietnam Veterans Memorial sculptress is about to become a Vegas headliner, one of the major attractions in an ambitious $40 million public arts collection being assembled by MGM Mirage for its $8 billion CityCenter project. Tonight we’ll hear all about what sort of piece she’s getting $3 million to create for Las Vegas, about her first impressions of our fair town and, for the first time, about how she’s re-envisioning her most famous works.

In Banter: Encore's opening soon, Steve loses 95 cents at Mandalay, Blue Man Group is looking for men and women (?), Bill Maher gets it wrong and Billy Crystal's odd "classics."

E-mail us at TheStripPodcast@aol.com, call 206-424-4737 or read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

Bam! It's Emeril...and Tina!

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 19:02:00 +0000

Bam! Emeril Lagasse, the Food Network’s most famous alum, has opened his third Vegas restaurant, Table 10, at the Palazzo. Steve caught up with the chef a few weeks ago for a chat about the Vegas food scene, his culinary empire and, yes, his fast-food preferences. That’s coming up. Also, Steve chats with Vegas stage veteran Tina Walsh, who has made a tremendous comeback by landing a major role in The Venetian’s “Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular.� In Banter: Bye, Hooters, a NYT writer hates Vegas, andhepatitis and ricin scares.

You Oughta Know Alanis

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:15:00 +0000

A decade ago, it was impossible to avoid Alanis Morissette on the radio. Her “Jagged Little Pill� album remains the biggest debut record of all time, selling 30 million copies worldwide and winning her seven Grammys. The appeal was, in part, the hard-edged anger and provocative lyrics coming from the mouth of the girl next door, and that paradox remains firmly in place as you’ll hear in Steve’s conversation with the Canadian singer who appears in Vegas on March 18.

In Banter: More Bette news, is Elton bored, Pure's raid, coins in the fountains redux.

Phone: 206-424-4737

Email: TheStrippodcast@aol.com

Bettemania! - call 206-424-4737

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 17:52:00 +0000

Bette, Bette, Bette. These days, that’s all you hear about in Vegas entertainment circles. So here’s some more. This week, we bring you Steve’s first-hand preview peek at the show, a review from a loyal listener who also saw it this weekend, a new poll with a Bette-tinged theme and even a related Top Secret Tourist Tip of the Week. Plus, Steve spoke with Toni Basil, Bette’s long-time choreographer and the singer behind that one-hit wonder “Mickey.� Basil explains how she used G.I. Joe figurines to plan the production, what sort of work she does for films like “Charlie Wilson’s War� and why she’s OK with being known as a one-hit wonder.

In Banter: A listener's Bette review, new details on CityCenter, a new show for Palazzo, Wayne Brady renewed and a run-in with the Houseseatslv.com dude.

Poof! Lance Burton + Monte Carlo Reappear!

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:34:00 +0000

Three weeks ago, when the Monte Carlo erupted in flames, magician Lance Burton was forced to cancel shows for only the second time in his 12-year run there. This Friday, though, it’s back to work for Burton as the beleaguered resort reopens to the public -- along with the best illusionist spectacle in Vegas. Steve spoke to Lance earlier today about the fire, his future and a surprising phone call he got from Roy Horn.

In Banter: Broadway West's death knell, changing Spamalot lyrics, Menopause The Musical is a huge success, the Silverton's Bass Pro Shop is No. 1 as an apparel shop!?!, what happens to the coins in the fountain and more.

E-mail us at thestrippodcast@aol.com, call 206-424-4737, read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

(FIXED!) Special: Steve on KNPR 2/11

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 02:12:00 +0000

Here's Steve's appearance on KNPR's "State of Nevada" with Dave Berns discussing his NY Times piece from 2/3 on the lack of a Vegas paparazzi.

Puck-er Up!

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:28:00 +0000

Before Robuchon, before Palmer, before Lagasse and before Flay, there was Puck. Wolfgang Puck, of course. His Spago back in the early 1990s set off the star-chef boom here, and this month the most prolific restaurateur in Las Vegas is about to opens his sixth Strip restaurant, Cut, at the Palazzo. So Steve asked him about his proliferation and gets him to name his favorite fast food joint. Also, sticking with the theme of originals, Steve chats with Frankie Avalon, one of the original American teen heartthrob and a Vegas veteran. That’s all coming up, plus news from Vegas, listener feedback, a new poll, the trivia question and, as always, the Top Secret Tourist Tip of the Week.

E-mail TheStripPodcast@aol.com, call 206-424-4737 or read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

Mr. Sands Man

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:54:00 +0000

The first new Las Vegas Strip resort in nearly three years held its grand opening in grand style last weekend. The Palazzo is the taller, blonder, slightly more elegant 3,000-room addition to its sister property, the Venetian, and it served as an excellent time to sit down for an interview with Las Vegas Sands C.E.O. Sheldon Adelson. While we can’t play all the audio from Steve’s two-hour conversation, we have received permission to play some of it, so sit back, relax, and get ready to hear some provocative comments from the Anti-Wynn.

In Banter: An incompetent Cathouse barrista, Election Day at the Wynn, Diana Ross rescued by a drag queen, Menopause hits 1000, R.I.P. Heath Ledger and more.

E-mail us at thestrippodcast@aol.com, call 206-424-4737, read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

Oscar, Mayor - 206-424-4737

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 20:44:00 +0000

The eyes of the political world are fixed on Las Vegas in advance of this Saturday’s Nevada presidential caucuses and, well, we know you just don’t give a damn about that. So instead, we figured we’d turn to the one politician who won’t bore you with a health-care plan or depress you about the war in Iraq. Why, it’s the gin-swilling, showgirl-hugging mayor Oscar Goodman! Goodman has much to say about the future of downtown Las Vegas and attacks all the presidential candidates for not making any campaign stops in casinos.

Plus, Steve's Adelson chat, Miles' thoughts on the new Palazzo and Elaine Wynn has Obamamania!

Email us at thestrippodcast@aol.com, 206-424-4737 or read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

Bette Midler, Part II

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 18:24:00 +0000

Two weeks ago, Bette Midler talked about her new show, her movies and her music. So what’s left? Stick around and hear all about her early days playing in gay bathhouses and much more. Plus, we win two Trippies, go to Trailer Station and check out Love again.

Call 206-424-4737 or email thestrippodcast@aol.com.

The Top 10 Moments of 2007

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 20:18:00 +0000

This week, on the Strip: Another crazy year in Las Vegas has come and gone, and nowhere was it crazier than right here on this podcast. Fourteen times in the past 12 months, scoops you heard here first made it into Norm Clarke’s Review-Journal gossip column, but on this year-in-review roundup, we’re only revisiting the best moments -- as voted upon by YOU. So sit back, relax and enjoy the countdown. And, if you missed some of these shows, here’s your chance to hear them without having to wade through all those hours.

In Banter: Our New Year's Eve, Wynn's power and the Palazzo's first look.

Read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com, call 206-424-4737 or see our site at thestrippodcast.com.

Bette Midler, Part I

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 17:33:32 +0000

Bette Midler has been entertaining America and the world in her unique, varied way for more than 30 years. She’s won four Grammys, an Emmy and a Tony and was nominated for Oscars for her roles in “The Rose� and “For The Boys.� Now she’s following in the footsteps of Celine Dion and Bette’s one-time pianist, Barry Manilow, by settling down for 100 shows a year for three years at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Steve spoke to Bette for a Vegas Magazine profile back in November as rehearsals for “The Showgirl Must Go On� were just starting and the show, at the time, had no title or director. In part one of the interview, Bette discusses her environmentalism, her film career and her new show.

In Banter: CityCenter's almost-name, McCarran changes, Palazzo's delay and a special visit from a couple from Florida who review their experiences this week at the Bellagio, Wynn and the Signature at MGM Grand.

Call us 206-424-4737, e-mail thestrippodcast@aol.com or read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

XMAS WEEK SPECIAL #4: Actor Ron Livingston

Sun, 23 Dec 2007 05:06:20 +0000

Actor Ron Livingston is best known for his role as Berger, the cad who broke up with Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie via a post-it note on HBO’s “Sex And the City.� Steve chatted with him for a USA Today piece that ran in November about a film called “Music Within,� the true story of deaf Vietnam veteran Rich Pimentel, whose activism in the 1970s and 1980s helped lead to the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act. Livingston talks about playing Pimentel, but he also goes into depth about his Sex and the City experience and why he won’t be in the Sex and The City movie.

We’ll be back with our regular show – featuring part one of our Bette Midler conversation -- next week. Until then, visit us online at thestrippodcast.com, read Steve’s blog at TheStripPodcast.blogspot.com or leave us a voice mail at 206-424-4737.

Merry Christmas, and enjoy the interview.

XMAS WEEK EXTRA #3: CNN'S WOLF BLITZER

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 19:22:10 +0000

Welcome to a Strip extra.

CNN’s main anchor, Wolf Blitzer, came to Las Vegas in mid-November to moderate a Democratic presidential candidate debate at UNLV. Steve collared Wolf Blitzer for a chat about the national media’s coverage of Las Vegas, his thoughts about flamboyant mayor Oscar Goodman and the general state of coverage of celebrities these days.

We’ll be back with our regular show – featuring part one of our Bette Midler conversation -- next week. Until then, visit us online at thestrippodcast.com, read Steve’s blog at TheStripPodcast.blogspot.com or leave us a voice mail at 206-424-4737.

Merry Christmas, and enjoy the interview.

XMAS WEEK EXTRA #2: UBERBUILDER TONY MARNELL

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:34:17 +0000

Tony Marnell Jr. was the architect and builder behind several of the most important structures in Las Vegas history, including the Mirage, Forum Shops, Wynn Las Vegas and all five Cirque du Soleil theaters. In this lengthy conversation with Steve for a Vegas Magazine profile, the CEO of Marnell Corrao Associates recalls his humble childhood, discusses working with Wynn on those landmark projects and predicts his son, Anthony Marnell III, will be a leader in the next generation of Vegas moguls.

We’ll be back with our regular show – featuring part one of our Bette Midler conversation -- next week. Until then, visit us online at thestrippodcast.com, read Steve’s blog at TheStripPodcast.blogspot.com or leave us a voice mail at 206-424-4737.

Merry Christmas, and enjoy the interview.

XMAS WEEK EXTRA #1: DEBBY BOONE

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:54:00 +0000

Debby Boone is music-business royalty. Her father, of course, is Pat Boone, and her mother-in-law was the late Rosemary Clooney, for whom she recently released a tribute album. Not to mention, Debby Boone’s own landmark hit, “You Light Up My Life,� was the biggest-selling single in the 1970s. Boone, in Las Vegas for two shows at the Gold Coast on Dec. 21 and 22, chatted with Steve about her famous family, her life in Christian and country music following her pop career, what George Clooney was like growing up and what she thinks of Bette Midler’s Rosemary Clooney tribute album.

We’ll be back with our regular show – featuring part one of our Bette Midler conversation -- next week. Until then, visit us online at thestrippodcast.com, read Steve’s blog at TheStripPodcast.blogspot.com or leave us a voice mail at 206-424-4737.

Merry Christmas, and enjoy the interview.

EXTRA: Celine Dancer Tells Some!

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 22:26:00 +0000

Naomi Stikeman, a classically trained ballet dancer from Montreal who auditioned for "...A New Day" on a lark and ended up in Celine's show for its entire run, discusses what the songstress is really like, recalls the audition and talks aobut why she felt she was selling out by taking the gig.

Call 206-424-4737 or e-mail TheStripPodcast@aol.com.

Celine's Man Speaks! (206) 424-4737

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 19:17:00 +0000

The queen of Las Vegas is abdicating. After nearly five groundbreaking – and highly profitable – years, Celine Dion is voluntarily flinging herself off her Colosseum throne and heading back out into the world of international touring, new albums and possible additional parenthood. So what has her reign meant for Las Vegas? We’ll talk live to Brian Burke, the artistic director of Celine’s A New Day as well as the Wynn production, Le Reve.

Plus, Steve is in New York attending to a family health crisis, so Miles is joined in the studio by Amy of "Grits to Glitz." In Banter, they wonder about the prospects of a Donnie-and-Marie show at the Flamingo, Caesars raises its betting limits, Bette's got a new name and Amy shares her favorite and least favorite Vegas shows.

Send us feedback at thestrippodcast@aol.com, call 206-424-4737, read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

Wynn's Losing Bette

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 18:46:00 +0000

Last week he talked mostly about business. This week, Steve Wynn talks about entertainment, revealing the details of his aborted deal with Bette Midler and disclosing just what he and Andrew Lloyd Webber have been doing together in recent months. In Banter: MEGACENTER, the Palazzo delay, more silliness from the free-ticket services, the Plaza v. Plaza scrum and Sig&Roy's possible return.

Call 206-424-4737, e-mail thestrippodcast@aol.com, read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com

The Rest of the Ellen Show

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 03:19:00 +0000

Here's the 18 mins that was missing from the original 11/22 show, starting with the Ellen interview through the end of the program.

Joy Behar and the Michelin Man

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 18:34:53 +0000

If there was still a need to convince anyone that Las Vegas is now a major-league fine dining destination, the Michelin Guide put that to rest this week. Sixteen of the 127 restaurants included in the first Las Vegas edition from the world’s most respected food guide received stars, a higher percentage than San Francisco or Los Angeles. We speak this hour to the guide’s director, Jean-Luc Naret (NAR-AY) about the results. Plus, a somewhat crabby “View� host Joy Behar banters with Steve ahead of her appearance at The Comedy Festival at Caesars Palace.

Call 206-424-4737, email thestrippodcast@aol.com, read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

FRONTIER IMPLOSION VIDEO #1

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 13:21:51 +0000

We have a bunch of other footage including me chatting with RateVegas.Com's Hunter Hillegas before and after, but the files don't come from my Sony camcorder to my Macbook Pro intact, so I set this 3-minute set to a thumping remix of "Time To Say Goodbye." Enjoy and check back for more soon.

BONUS: THE FRONTIER IMPLODER SPEAKS!

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 02:21:31 +0000

Mark Loizeaux, the owner of Controlled Demolition Inc., discusses the coming implosion of the New Frontier and all the others that he and his family, have done and are set to do. Plus, he reveals what's next!

Game Show Legends Tell All

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:29:00 +0000

On the TV, game show hosts are notoriously perky and pleasant, but, of course, that’s show business. Backstage, it’s more complicated. Just as with any other area of celebrity, there are feuds, disputes of money, petty jealousies and mood swings. Now that two of the legends, Bob Eubanks and Chuck Woolery, have landed in Vegas for the live game show at the Hilton, they both reveal to Steve this hour their never-before-discussed disputes with the recently departed Merv Griffin and much more. In Banter: The WSJ boosts Steve's book, OJ Mania returns, Terry Fator is a $100K Man, Sexxpresso opens, Dolphin Habitat closes.Call 206-424-4737, email thestrippodcast@aol.com, read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

The Angst of Bonnie Tyler

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 19:54:00 +0000

Her voice isn’t beautiful in a conventional way, but Bonnie Tyler’s scratchy rasp is full of a desperation and angst that has turned her into an icon and her biggest hits into anthems that never go out of style. Tyler, who this month does her first performance in Las Vegas since she sang “Holding Out For A Hero� for a David Copperfield special in the early 1980s, chats with Steve this hour about those kooks who lip-synch to “Total Eclipse of the Heart� on YouTube, running into Bruce Willis after he discussed her songs in the film “Bandits� and how her unusual voice got to be the way it is. Here’s a hint: It wasn’t whiskey and cigarettes after all. Plus, listener feedback, the trivia question, the poll and a special INTERVIEW edition of the Top Secret Tourist Tip of the Week.

In Banter: More on the MGM Mirage mess, fancy/slutty uniforms at some PHo restaurant, Robert Goulet's death, David Copperfield's voice mail and more.

Email thestrippodcast@aol.com or call 206-424-4737.

Miley Cyrus' Achy Breaky Dad

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 21:18:00 +0000

Call it the revenge of the one-hit wonder. Most of us thought we’d heard the last of Billy Ray Cyrus when he faded from the height of the pop culture scene in the early 1990s following his ubiquitous novelty hit, “Achy Breaky Heart.� But Cyrus continued to make music and even starred in a TV show of his own for the past decade. And now he’s back thanks to the huge success of his actress-singer daughter Miley, known to tweens the world ‘round as Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel TV show. The elder Cyrus, who plays Miley’s TV dad, chats this hour about working together, about his new album and about why Disney’s own bio of him is wrong. In Banter: More on David Copperfield, Miles' exercise thing, the Ladies' Night complaint and the MGM Mirage Reservations Mess. Call us at 206-424-4737, email thstrippodcast@aol.com, visit thestrippodcast.com and the blog is at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

A Very Cirque-ish Friessmas

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 03:25:12 +0000

Steve wasn’t the only one celebrating a birthday this week. Tuesday was the ninth anniversary of the debut of perhaps the most successful show in Las Vegas history, the Cirque du Soleil production “O.� In honor of that, we chat with an original performer of the aquatic spectacle at the Bellagio, Russian diver Anastassia Dobrynina. In Banter: American Idol and Cirque-Bono may be coming, the Scintas sucks, the weight-your-wife Vegas game and much more.Call 206-424-4737, e-mail thestrippodcast@aol.com, visit the site at thestrippodcast.com and read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

BONUS: AN ORIGINAL MYSTERE-ER TALKS!

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:08:00 +0000

This interview didn't fit in our show this week about the "O" anniversary, so we're posting it as an extra. Enjoy.

ARCHIVE EDITION: DAVID COPPERFIELD

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 22:37:00 +0000

With David Copperfield in the news again, here's our revealing chat with the magician from December 2005.

Pete Rose, Vegas Headliner

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 17:06:22 +0000

From doping to dogfighting, illicit gambling to alleged armed robbery, this has been a year of sports scandal in America. And yet a recent ESPN poll found that the public still views the uproar that led to the banishment of Pete Rose from Major League Baseball as one of the five worst ever. Rose, probably the best player of his generation, now spends 15 days a month signing autographs at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, where he took a break to chat with Steve about everything from his gambling habit – or lack thereof – to his empathy for Paris Hilton. In Banter: Harrah's hotel-room problem, Steve's gambling bender and more. Call us 206-424-4737, email thestrippodcast@aol.com, visit the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com

Vegas' Afternoon Delights - 206-424-4737

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:29:00 +0000

The nightclub scene may be giving Vegas shows a run for their money, but daytime entertainment is thriving like never before. Tourists flock to them to get out of the heat, to avoid those wretched Hoover Dam tours or maybe to take advantage of a great deal, but once they’re seated they more often than not feel they’re having a much better time than they might’ve expected. Two veterans of Vegas daytime, Ronn Lucas and Mac King, join us this hour to talk about their shows and their impressive careers.

In Banter: A Palms-based reality show, Barry Manilow's View run-in, why Vegas paparazzi are lame/tame and the Scintas make a move.

Email is thestrippodcast@aol.com, call 206-424-4737, visit thestrippodcast.com or read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com.

The Sensational Sedaka

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 18:20:00 +0000

He has written and performed some of the most enduring, most popular tunes of the 20th century. Neil Sedaka celebrates 50 years in show business next month with a star-studded concert at Lincoln Center in New York City, but first he returns to Las Vegas this weekend for four shows at the Orleans. Steve spoke to Sedaka earlier this month about his Vegas smackdown with Richard Carpenter, his American Idol appearance and his problem with a lot of modern music.

In Banter: OJ leftovers, steve's hearing aid mess, another Hard Rock and Mark returns!

Wynn Again - Leave a msg @ 206-424-4737

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 13:42:00 +0000

Steve Wynn. Need we say more? The always provocative Vegas visionary is back to talk about everything from the booming nightclub business to his latest fine art purchase to that flabby, uncouth pop tart he had tossed from the premises last month. Mr. Wynn also surprised Steve by dragging one of his prominent Vegas allies on the line with them for a bit. Plus, O.J. Simpson was arrested in Vegas -- or how our calm little Sunday was ruined by a maniac who should�ve been locked up in 1995. In Banter: OJ, MGM Mirage's smut site and Rosh Hashanah at Piero's. E-mail thestrippodcast@aol.com, read the blog at thestrippodcast.blogspot.com, call 206-424-4737