Paul Rodriguez brings space-age opening act, a couple of all-Spanish shows to Trop

By John Katsilometes

Friday, May 14, 2010 | 1:52 p.m.

The column notes are akin to a collection of menacing attackers, and I am Jackie Chan:

• The pulse is quickening at Tiffany Theatre, the Terminator of Strip showrooms. Earlier this year it was supposed to be shut down by this time for a major renovation. Then it was supposed to be shuttered in July. Now, not so sure.

But what is certain at the Trop Zone is talk of Paul Rodriguez moving into Tiffany Theater is fact. Rodriguez's standup showcase, "Paul Rodriguez and the Whole Enchilada," moves into the theater for a limited engagement May 17 and closes June 20. Opening for Rodriquez is the woman billed as, "Rocket Scientist Turned Comedienne" Shayla Rivera.

Prior to launching a career in stand-up comedy, Rivera earned a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering at Texas A&M and worked on the Space Shuttle program for McDonnell-Douglas Space Systems at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. So she's a real blast, yes? She's also Puerto Rican, keeping with the Trop's aggressive attempts to reach a Latin/Hispanic audience.

The Rodriguez Experience includes two all-Spanish language shows, at 7 p.m. June 5 and June 12. Headliners performing full shows in two languages on the same night is believed to be a first on the Strip, though it could be argued that Charo has spoken both languages, simultaneously. Regular show times are 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays; tickets are $39-$49, absent fees. (Go to the Tropicana website for information.) The hotel has been working for weeks on arranging an occupant in Tiffany Theatre after Wayne Newton closed his "Once Before I Go" run April 24. There is talk of a Gloria Estefan-based musical moving into the Tiffany, but hotel officials have not verified those plans. Rodriguez, though, starts rehearsals Saturday. The veteran comic most recently made national news a couple weeks ago when, in protest of Arizona's undocumented immigration bill SB 1070, he canceled a May 1 show at Wild Horse Pass Casino in Chandler, Ariz. He then reversed the decision, playing the show but donating the proceeds to the league of League of United Latin American Citizens.

Lee Ann Groff-Daudet, Tropicana's vice president of entertainment, said in a release: "Paul Rodriguez is funny. Very, very funny. We're thrilled to have him, as he is a great fit for Tropicana Las Vegas. I'm looking forward to having a good laugh nightly."

• I spoke at length with Lance Burton on Thursday night, and he insists he does not know what he will do once his run ends at Lance Burton Theater. A Monte Carlo headliner since the hotel opened in 1996, Burton and MGM Mirage parted ways, unexpectedly, in April. Reportedly, resort officials wanted Burton to shave some expenses (and in effect, some of the entertainment quality) of his elaborate illusion production show. Under contract until 2015, Burton instead negotiated out of his agreement with MGM Mirage and issued the company his six-month's notice. His final show is Sept. 4, and he says he is still unsure about when and where he'll resume his headlining career, saying only he wants to continue to perform in his Las Vegas home and, "I'm learning a lot about TiVo." (The interview will air on "Our Metropolis" on KUNV 91.5-FM at 6 p.m. May 25.)

Also, through the rest of the month, Burton is offering a two-for-one ticket package for Nevada residents with valid ID, and a special Sunday Memorial Day Weekend matinee performance at 4 p.m.

• Also offering a locals' deal is "Disney's The Lion King," which is celebrating its first anniversary Saturday. To mark the birthday, locals with valid Nevada ID are eligible for a two-for-one ticket price through June 20. Tickets must be purchased by June 20.

• In March, when it was still unclear whether Manny Pacquiao would win his congressional race in the Philippines, I asked a journalist from the Philippines how the wildly popular boxing champ wouldn't win that seat. I was told it was because Pacquiao is so highly regarded and beloved in his country that many voters might consider him too good to be tied into that nation's chronically corrupt government. But Pacquiao won anyway. Pacquiao's promoter, Top Rank founder Bob Arum, is being given credit for helping Pacquiao pull out the KO victory at the polls. Arum is scheduled to be honored at the Friars Club in New York on June 3, two days prior to the June 5 Miguel Cotto-Yuri Foreman bout at Yankee Stadium. Published reports lists former boxers Thomas Hearns, George Chuvalo, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, Iran "The Blade" Barkley joining football legend Jim Brown in roasting/honoring Arum, who nonetheless will have the last word. As it should be.

• Signing on as a principal performer in "Vegas! The Show" at Saxe Theater at Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood is vocalist Reva Rice. A singer who can blow the roof off the place unless the roof is uncommonly heavy, Rice is formerly a cast member of "Starlight Express," "Chicago" and "Smokey Joe's Café." She also was one of the "Lady of the Lake" cast members in "Monty Python's Spamalot" at Wynn Las Vegas. The more I hear about David Saxe's ambitious production, the more expensive it gets.

• The Lon Bronson All-Star Band kicked it up once more at Ovation at Green Valley Ranch on Thursday night. Chris Phillips/Zowie Bowie sang "Delilah" with his former backing band during his "Vintage Vegas" effort at Monte Carlo. Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns' Tony Davich and Tyriq Johnson joined the band and it was great fun. The next show, which is no-admission, is June 10, and Bronson and the band play again July 8. Aside from the free admission price, the good news is Bronson and the band are returning to twice-monthly performances in July. They started as weekly dates, and then were pulled back to monthly as a cost-cutting move.

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