Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Slim Sam Nazarian; Rocks Lounge rocks with Moreno-Perrico; Rogers’ car collection yields $9.5M; ‘Puppetry’ all shook up

More Grand Opening of SLS Las Vegas

Tom Donoghue / DonoghuePhotography.com

Emina Cunmulaj and Sam Nazarian at the grand opening of SLS Las Vegas on Friday, Aug. 22, 2014, on the Strip.

SLS Las Vegas Grand Opening

The grand opening of SLS Las Vegas on Friday, Aug. 22, 2014, on the Strip. Launch slideshow »

The Kats Report Bureau has once more turned hip-hop this week, with outposts at Piero’s Italian Restaurant, Westgate Las Vegas and SLS Las Vegas. A cruise around the scene.

As usual, Piero’s was abuzz with the culture of relevance in VegasVille. El Cortez President Kenny Epstein dined at a nearby table, and restaurant owner Freddie Glusman glided around the room saying hello, giving the personal touch that has helped make Piero’s a Las Vegas institution (an institution with terrific osso buco).

Construction is evident all around Westgate, with upgrades at the pool area in the offing before summer arrives. That pool is one of the underappreciated amenities at the old Las Vegas Hilton/LVH. Maybe go with a “Blue Hawaii”-themed party to tie into the hotel’s Elvis heritage, as that is the trend at today’s Westgate.

At SLS, the acronym could well be Sam’s Looking Svelte. Saw him Sunday morning at Northside Cafe, the former Griddle in a booth with his fiancee, supermodel Emina Cunmulaj. Part owner and lead visionary of the former Sahara, Nazarian stepped away from daily operations of SLS after a grueling appearance before the Nevada State Gaming Control Board in December jeopardized his request for a gaming license.

Nazarian, CEO of nightclub operator SBE, was found to have lost $3 million to an alleged extortion suspect (who happened to be an associate of Suge Knight, also named in the extortion allegations) and testified that he had used drugs in a spring trip to Cabo San Lucas, which he said was a one-time indiscretion. Principal Stockbridge Real Estate and its executive director, Terry Fancher, who is the SLS COO, operate the hotel. Scott Kreeger, long of Station Casinos, took over for Rob Oseland as hotel president in January.

What was remarkable about spotting Nazarian, other than he was dining at the hotel over which he no longer holds authority, is his physical stature. He’s admitted to struggling with his weight over the years and says he has dropped at least 30 pounds. He seemed relaxed, as if a burden of opening a hotel that has been facing its share of challenges has been lifted. If nothing else, the 39-year-old Nazarian is trim and will fit into a tux quite stylishly.

More from the scene:

‘Million Dollar Quartet’ With Frankie Moreno

The cast of Million Dollar Quartet and guest Frankie Moreno thank the audience after their show at Harrah's Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013. Launch slideshow »

• On Saturday night, Rocks Lounge is the unlikely haven for a doubleheader of ex-Stratosphere performers. Leading off what is certain to be a satisfying night of entertainment is Frankie Moreno and his backing band, performing much of the same material they played over the course of their run at the Strat. That show is set for 7:30 p.m., ticketed at $19, $29 and $39 (tickets available at SCLV.com, Ticketmaster.com, (800) 745-3000 and by visiting any Station Casino Rewards Center). Moreno’s is an all-ages show, with those under the age of 21 accompanied by an adult. Moreno is back April 11 and also kicks off a dozen shows at Cabaret Jazz — tributes titled “Under the Influence” and separate from the Rocks Lounge setlist — on March 17.

Later Saturday night, at 10:30, former “Pin Up” music director David Perrico takes the stage with his Pop Strings lineup for his weekly appearance at Rocks Lounge. That no-admission show has been filling the room regularly since its debut in January. Those who wondered if a band powered by a full string section could fill a dance floor in a Las Vegas lounge, the answer at Red Rock is, “Yes, and bring your boogie shoes.”

Mecum Auctions at Rogers’ Classic Car Museum

A1934 Ford Brewster Town Car with a distinctive front end is ready for bidders as part of Jim Rogers classic cars now on the auction block handled by Mecum Auctions at the Rogers' Classic Car Museum on Friday, February, 27, 2015. Launch slideshow »

• The auction of Jim Rogers’ classic-car collection by the Mecum auction house over the weekend brought in $9,529,350 in hammer-price sales (that means, the final sale as the gavel ends bidding). More than 3,000 bidders turned up to bid on Rogers’ famed 230-car collection, with proceeds donated to the Rogers Foundation, which supports arts and education in Southern Nevada.

The top bid was $320,000 for a 1962 Rolls-Royce Mulliner Drophead Coupe. Other top draws: A 1953 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster, $200,000; 1956 Dual-Ghia Convertible, $190,000; 2009 Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe, $185,000; 2007 Rolls-Royce Phantom Sedan, $150,000; 1953 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible, $135,000; 1995 Rolls-Royce Corniche IV, $115,000; 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible, $100,000; and 1953 Oldsmobile Fiesta Convertible, $100,000.

Fittingly, those cars represented a good measure of Rogers’ legacy, and the revenue raised will be delivered to his favorite cause: education.

As Jim’s widow, Beverly, said in a statement: “There are really good people in this town, and Jim was passionate about making it a better place to live. The future is in the children and making sure they’re educated because it’s the only thing that will build a foundation for a better life.”

‘Puppetry of the Penis’

Christopher J. Cannon and Rich Binning of “Puppetry of the Penis.” Launch slideshow »

• Let the jokes begin for “Puppetry of the Penis.” This is a show that is stretching what, at first glance, seems to be a side act into an hourlong comedy expose. The show in which male genitalia is twisted to create such unique “installments” as the Loch Ness Monster (hah), Eiffel Tower (hah, once more) and the Hamburger (time to go vegetarian).

The show opens April 14 at Erotic Heritage Museum on 3275 South Industrial Road, as Australian creator and producer Simon Morley has finally found a Las Vegas taker for the art form known as “genital origami.” Suffice to say this is hardly the first show in Las Vegas to be headlined by a … weenie.

“Puppetry of the Penis” was developed about 15 years ago, and an original partner was none other than Spiegelworld founder Ross Mollison, who was involved in the show several years ago as it performed to packed houses (and, we assume, standing ovations) on London’s West End.

“He helped us sort of clone the show, where we started franchising, and at one point we had eight teams running around the world,” Morley said in a phone interview Monday afternoon. “It was a bit like ‘Stomp’ or ‘Blue Man Group.’ ”

I’m sure the Blue Men will love that comparison.

The show has been previously shopped around town, but the idea fell flaccid as hotel-casino reps took a look at the content.

“Over the years, we’ve spoken to a few of the casinos — I think the Rio was interested at one point — but the negotiations stalled pretty quickly when they realized how much nudity is involved and how it would affect their (gaming) license,” Morley says. “Usually, in the first round of lawyers, we get pushed back pretty fast.”

The venue at Erotic Heritage seats 160, and video screens will be, um, folded into the performance. The price point is up there — $49, which is a bit stiff for a show of seemingly minimal production value. Nonetheless, Morley does have a couple of Las Vegas-fashioned installations ready for the show’s debut.

One is of Elvis Presley (“We’re having some Elvis-styled capes being made, and there will be plenty of rhinestones and glitter up there,” Morley promises). The other is what is called the One-Armed Bandit, or a depiction of a slot machine, that dates to the days before the show was a full production.

“It’s Las Vegas,” Morley says. “We have to use the slot machine.”

Agreed. But we can only hope that it doesn’t pay out.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWiththeDish.

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