59°F
weather icon Clear

CeeLo ready to take new Vegas show to ‘The Twilight Zone’

Updated September 1, 2022 - 11:23 am

At this point in his prestigious career, CeeLo Green compares himself to the late host of “The Twilight Zone,” and remembers hanging upside-down while playing the piano at the MGM Grand Garden.

Both bear explanation as Green preps for the “Boombox” ’90s revival at Westgate Las Vegas’ International Theater.

Taken in order:

“The best way for me to describe my role in this show is that I am the Rod Serling of the show,” says CeeLo, exhuming the name of the host of the suspense series, which originally aired from 1959 to ’64. “It will be like he was on ‘The Twilight Zone,’ and I’m kind of hosting it.”

But instead of creepy, disquieting storylines, we’ll have CeeLo singing, grooving and bantering with co-stars, Tone Lōc, Kid ’n Play, J.J. Fad and Thea Austin of Snap. The artists will collaborate on each other’s hits in the production, and as Green promises, “We’ll be chock-full of surprises.”

The show opens Wednesday after just two days of rehearsals at the International.

But the quick run-up to this new show is not Green’s first bold artistic maneuver. During the 2011 Billboard Music Awards, the recording star slowly spun with his crystal-covered piano while playing a medley of “Crazy,” “Bright Lights Bigger City” and “Forget You.”

It was a moment that lives in perpetuity in the history of Vegas awards shows. Having attended and covered that show, I’ve long wondered how that Cirque-style performance felt.

“That was one of the absolute best things I have ever done,” Green says. “I couldn’t have done it alone. I did it with the support of Atlantic Records, to support the Billboards. They had a belief in the idea, and it was an expensive idea.”

And Green allows, “I was basically having it my way at that time.”

Green has shown an affection for Vegas, on and away from the stage. Nearly a decade ago he headlined “Loberace,” inspired by Liberace (himself a great, sometimes aerial pianist) at Planet Hollywood Resort. He also played Cleopatra’s Barge at Caesars Palace (now closed) in July 2017. A planned residency run at the Flamingo Showroom for 2020 was set for 16 dates, then whittled in half, then cut entirely during COVID-19.

“I’m so excited to be back in Vegas for yet another residency,” Green says. “Vegas has really embraced me in a really special way, and it is a very special place.”

Green says he will check out some of the residency productions on the Strip, Silk Sonic and Usher at Dolby Live among them. Bruno Mars has paid tribute to Green from the piano, a quick take of “Forget You.” It’s not a segment many know about, unless you have seen the show, because Mars and Anderson .Paak order the phones pouched.

Even Green has been unaware of the homage until I mentioned it to him.

“Oh, wow. I had no idea. That’s awesome,” Green says. “They show me love, huh? You know, I love those guys. They are carrying the torch. And Usher, he’s like my little brother. He’s family. I support him, too.”

Green then turned into the emcee he will be at International.

“I say, save up your coins and support all of us,” he says. “Go see my brothers, but definitely come to ‘Boombox’ and soak it all up! We’ll be ready for a show.”

Not lonely in your nightmare

Duran Duran has tacked on two shows at Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas on Oct. 30-31. They are going full-scale, Halloween-vibe, encouraging fans to dress up and rock out. But you’ve got to love the warning from the property, “Costumes are subject to Wynn Las Vegas and Nevada Gaming Control Board restrictions.”

To quote Coach Calhoun in “Grease,” played by the late Sid Caesar: “Keep it clean, keep it clean.”

‘What Now?’

That’s the title of Kevin Hart’s 2016 concert film, and also a question to ask about his plans for the Vegas stage. The star comic and film actor walked Resorts World with property president Scott Sibella last week. So look for him (Hart) to headline the Theatre. Details to come.

And more comedy …

Rita Rudner is planning an October appearance at The Stirling Club. Rudner has a long history of headlining on and off the Strip, with runs at Riviera Comedy Club, her own theater at New York-New York, Harrah’s Showroom and Sands Showroom at The Venetian. She also performed at Rocks Lounge at Red Rock Resort.

Rudner was a favorite of the late New York-New York President Felix Rappaport. Her theater was directly under the Manhattan Express, and the rattling from the coaster shook the room’s hollow pillars every three minutes. This did nothing to enhance Rudner’s stand-up act so Rappaport ordered the room sound-proofed, and its pillars were filled with sand. The cost was $1 million, and allowed Rudner to perform for the next six years.

Rear Admiral Todd sighting

Brett Loudermilk, an original member of “Opium” at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, has moved adroitly to a co-hosting role in “Mad Apple” at New York-New York. Loudermilk’s sword-swallowing Rear Admiral Todd was a highlight in “Opium,” but deemed expendable in the show’s recent rewrite. His final night on Starship OPM3 was July 28. A good pickup for Cirque here, similar to an NFL team finding a star on the waiver wire. And, the Waiver Wire would be a fine act in my own Strip production. But I digress …

LMN to Area15

I once walked out of a “Little Miss Nasty” performance at Hooters (today’s Oyo) with two broken ribs. True. Of course, I walked in with two broken ribs, recovering from a slip-and-fall on a wet Vegas sidewalk during a monsoon two years ago. Then I was invited into a chair onstage for an “LMN” number and, long story short, aggravated the injury. A small price to pay, really.

This is all to announce the adult revue is performing at 9 p.m. Nov. 19 at The Portal at Area15. This is to be a “substantial production update” from the show’s previous incarnations, says producer Marc Jordan. “It has been historically hard to put LMN in a box, so we’re putting it in The Portal.” GA tickets start at $19.95. Go to area15.com for info, and as always, be prepared.

That Rolex moment

The story of the tourist who reported having his $45,000 Rolex watch stolen after an encounter with a woman in a Wynn Las Vegas hotel room Saturday night brought to mind a similar story from about a decade ago. John Popper of Blues Traveler related a similar saga in March 2014, after a rocky night at Mandalay Bay. The blues-harmonica legend wound up missing $2,500 in cash and his Rolex Presidential, for which he paid $19,500.

Popper came away feeling rather lucky, telling yours truly, “A guy from hotel security said 90 percent of prostitutes don’t actually have sex; they just roofie the guy and put them to bed. I don’t know if that is true. Maybe he was just trying to make me feel better.”

As of May, the last we saw Popper, at the opening of the Sand Dollar Downtown, the suspect had never been caught.

Cool Hang Alert

The Police Experience, which you might deduce is a tribute to the Police, plays 8 p.m. Saturday at Sunset Station’s Club Madrid. Across the valley, Station Casinos continues to bring high-quality live entertainment with no cover charge. Guests at must be 21 or older. Learning the lyrics to, “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da,” is recommended, but not required.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST