Jul. 26, 2012: Al Bernstein
Legendary Boxing Sportscaster – Al Bernstein
2012 International Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee
For just over 30 years, Al Bernstein has been one of the most recognizable and respected sportscasters in America. In those three decades, the “voice of boxing” reported the funny, poignant, and bizarre events that helped shape sports television, ESPN, boxing, Las Vegas, and Showtime. With an eclectic cast of characters that includes every big name in boxing, including Marvin Hagler, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, as well as such names in the entertainment world as Rodney Dangerfield, Sylvester Stallone, Russell Crowe, and Jerry Lewis, Bernstein’s memoir will have you in stitches.
Al Bernstein has written a new book, “30 Years, 30 Undeniable Truths about Boxing, Sports and TV,” and has already received a great reception. People from the sports, entertainment and media world are talking about this book.
Get Al Bernstein’s book now–>
You can listen to a recording of our show below!
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Gaming Today Column-Kevin Pollak by Michele LaFong
A Face to “Poker-face” interview with Actor/Impressionist Kevin Pollak-
“Getting Personal with the Stars”
Last week I had a face to “Poker-face” interview with Actor/Impressionist Kevin Pollak, who is competing at The World Series of Poker held at The Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino. Kevin was there representing hollywoodpoker.com, and is holding a best poker-face on-line contest, that will be on-going for the next four weeks with lots of prizes to win. “Many celebrities have also entered, including Rob Reiner, whose poker-face is pretty hard to beat.”
Kevin, who has been playing poker all of his life, came in second in a recent tournament of two hundred players. He claims that being a natural impressionist and studier of human nature gives him the poker-face advantage. “It’s all about playing your game, and studying your opponents. The best players don’t even need to look at their hole cards. They are playing against their opponents, mastering the poker-face.”
When asked how he got started playing in tournaments he replied “I was filming the Martin Scorsese movie “Casino,” and I was stuck for twenty weeks at The Riviera Hotel and Casino. If you’ve ever been to The Riviera, you know what I mean by stuck! A pit boss saw me playing, liked me, and taught me the difference between playing “Home Poker” for five to six hours, verses Casino Poker for twelve to sixteen hours.
One second it was Robert DeNiro explaining the difference, and giving me poker-face tips, the next second it was Alan Arkin, and Christopher Walken. I felt like I was interviewing the male version of “Cybil!”
My videotaped Face to Poker-face Interview with Actor/Impressionist Kevin Pollak can be seen here
Tweet“Getting Personal with The Stars”- Bill Cosby by Michele LaFong
Bill Cosby an Icon that did not Disappoint
(Cosby guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong on 1230AM in Las Vegas, and Web.)
The only interview that I ever was nervous about doing was with Bill Cosby. It was a phone interview, and I had never spoken to “The Comedy God.” As soon as the interview began, he tried to “turn the tables” and interview me! Then I asked him a question. “What drove you to work so hard to get your doctorate when you were already a successful comic?” Cosby’s response went on for over twenty minutes, which turned into another one of his signature masterpiece stories. As he was speaking, I realized that the funniest moments were in the timing of his poignant pauses. He is a natural born teacher, always engaging, and forcing the listener to think. He leads your mind in a certain direction, holds back on the answer, and makes you use your imagination to draw your own conclusions.
Bill Cosby always has a tale to tell, that has a lesson behind it, or a lesson to conclude from it. “I’m not your mother!” was the motivation and the theme to the story as to why Mr. Cosby decided to get his doctorate. I guess you will have to listen to Bill’s answer in order to understand that punchline! The audio interview is archived on lasvegasbackstagetalk.com, click LISTEN-at top of website.
Following the interview, I went to see Cosby’s show at Treasure Island H & C, The TI. As skilled and masterful as his performance was on stage, the backstage performance with his friends and fans proved to be even more spectacular. He shared a very long, and detailed story about his very last gambling experience that proved to be extremely memorable, and filled with many moments of self-disgust, where Cosby retired to his suite and found himself looking in the mirror, and telling off “The Fool” that was reflecting back at him! The roller-coaster of emotions that he described were so relate-able, and funny that it still has me laughing every time I think about it. I’m really looking forward to his return engagement on July 20 at Treasure Island H&C.
Bill Cosby will be featured in Michele LaFong’s Monthly Syndicated Columns, “Las Vegas Backstage Talk,” and Cover Feature in “Getting Personal with the Stars,” in Casino Player Magazine.
I also went to see Comic Rob Schneider who was performing his very funny stand-up act at The Orleans Showroom. He performed some popular characters that he was known for doing on SNL. He gave me a very short but candid videotaped backstage interview.
Schneider revealed on “Las Vegas Backstage Talk” that immediately following a phone conversation with me from the radio station from two days prior, he learned that his wife was pregnant.
He then expressed concern that the Rob show, his new sitcom on CBS might be cancelled, and that he would not find out the status until the following week. I assured him that it would NOT be. So of course…it WAS!
I remember when I heard the news just two days later. I was thinking “OH NO! CBS pulled out. Maybe Rob should have pulled out too! Just kidding… I was thrilled for him & his wife, and loved that the “baby announcement” was debuted on “Las Vegas Backstage Talk
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Jul. 12, 2012: Kevin Pollak, Tom Dreesen
Actor/Comedian – Kevin Pollak
Michele LaFong caught up with Kevin Pollak at The World Series of Poker at the Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino. Kevin is there representing hollywoodpoker.com as well as a contest to try out your pokerface online.
Kevin also has one of the most successful podcast online! “Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show”.
Kevin Pollak has captured the attention of audiences worldwide with his range of both dramatic and comedic roles. He has appeared in over sixty films, as well as countless television projects, and has established himself as one of the few stand-up comedians to have a successful dramatic film career. In addition to his acting talents, he has also proven himself as both a writer, producer and recently a director and a talk show host.
For more about Kevin Pollak HERE
For more about Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show HERE
Show your pokerface at hollywoodpoker.com
Kevin Pollak is currently playing in the WSOP at The RIO All Suites Hotel and Casino
Comedian – Tom Dreesen
Comedian Tom Dreesen headlined his one-man show, “An Evening of Laughter and Memories of Sinatra,” at the Suncoast Showroomin May.
Dreesen toured the United States for 13 years as the opening act for Frank Sinatra and shares his experiences from the tour in “An Evening of Laughter and Memories of Sinatra.” The show is also a retrospective of Dreesen’s life as a stand-up comedian.
Sinatra once told an audience, “If I’m a saloon singer, then Tom Dreesen is a saloon comedian.” Dreesen and Sinatra remained friends beyond their tour, and on May 20, 1998, Dreesen paid tribute to Sinatra by eulogizing him and serving as a pallbearer at his funeral.
Throughout his career, Dreesen has appeared on numerous television shows, including “The Facts of Life,” “Columbo,” “Touched by an Angel” and “Rude Awakening.” He has also appeared on the big screen in movies including “They Call Me Bruce?,” “Spaceballs” and “Man on the Moon.”
You can listen to a recording of our show below!
Jul. 5, 2012: Carlos Mencia, Monti Rock III
Comedian – Carlos Mencia
On the road with his “C 4 URself” Tour, comedic superstar Carlos Mencia. Mencia has appearances on television shows including “In Living Color” and “An Evening at the Improv.” In 2000, he released a comedy album called “Take a Joke, America” that showcased his brand of confrontational humor. In 2002, he received a CableACE Award nomination for “Best Stand-Up Comedy Special” for his HBO special, and was featured on “Comedy Central Presents” later that year. In early 2005, “Mind of Mencia” debuted on Comedy Central, which drew an average of 1.5 million viewers. His most recent Comedy Central special, “New Territory,” debuted in December 2011.
His acting credits include starring opposite Ben Stiller and Michelle Monaghan in 2007’s “The Heartbreak Kid,” and in 2010 he starred in “Our Family Wedding” with Forrest Whittaker and America Ferrara.
For more about Carlos Mencia, click HERE
You can catch Carlos Mencia at Treasure Island
Treasure Island Theatre, Fri. July 6th 9:00pm
Columnist / Performer / Musician – Monti Rock III
MONTI ROCK III AKA DISCO TEX AND THE SEX-O-LETTES is iconic, legendary, unpredictable, an enigma, undefinable, and a legend in his own mind. The media is having a field day rediscovering Monti – See the Vanity Fair issues for December 2009 and February 2010. Vanity Fair refers to Mr. Rock as one of the architecs of the 1960s; a little known fact is that Monti was THE hairstylist, and was the ceator of the blunt cut and asymetrical style, that has remained in vogue for all of these years. His hair styles appeared on the greatest models and magazine covers of the 1960s.
His television appearances from that era was topped by his multitude of appearances on the Johnny Carson Show (a total of 84 times!!!!) and you would never forget his appearance in the cult classic film, “Saturday Night Fever.”
For more about Monti Rock III, click here.
You can listen to a recording of our show below!
Lynda Carter, Rich Natole-LV Backstage Talk w/Comedian Michele LaFong
June 27, 2012 6pm-7pm PST 1230AM KLAV in LV & The Web
Singer/Actress Lynda Carter, and Impressionist Rich Natole guest on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Best known for winning our hearts as Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter is an accomplished singer who has performed to rave reviews before sell-out crowds around the world. In addition to her long acting career, Lynda has the distinction of producing and starring in five highly rated network television specials, several of which were Emmy-nominated. She has appeared onstage with many of the world’s most popular singers, including Ray Charles, Tom Jones, Kenny Rogers, Bob Hope, George Benson, and Ben Vereen.
Lynda Carter will be featured in Comedian Michele LaFong’s Monthly Syndicated “Las Vegas Backstage Talk” column in Casino Player Magazine, and will be featured in “Getting Personal with the Stars” Monthly Syndicated Column, in Casino Player Magazine.
More about Lynda Carter here!
You can catch Lynda Carter live at Suncoast Hotel & Casino
Suncoast Showroom, Sat & Sun, July 14 – 15 7:30pm
Comic / Impressionist – Rich Natole, star of “Voices of a Generation”
Rich Natole’s opens his one man show “Voices of a Generation” at the new Giordano Theatre the worlds first hybrid theater featuring movies and LIVE entertainment..
His repertoire of hundreds of celebrity vocal and singing impressions will impress young and old alike. Avid television and movie buffs will appreciate Rich’s pinpoint accuracy of their favorite stars of yesterday and today. From Chris Rock to Larry the Cable Guy to Jeff Foxworthy to Eddie Murphy, Rich Natole does a multitude of contemporary voices. Political junkies will enjoy his equal opportunity approach to spoofing their favorite (or least favorite) politicians such as, John McCain and Barack Obama. Rich’s rendition of The National Anthem – with every President from JFK to Barack Obama is a huge crowd pleaser.
Update: Natole is currently performing Downtown, at The Plaza H & C.
More about Rich Natole here.
You can catch Rich Natole at Fashion Show Mall Las Vegas
Giordano Theatre, 2:00pm daily, dark Mondays.
You can listen to a recording of our show below!
