Donny and Marie thrill fans as Las Vegas Strip residency ends

By
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Flamingo Las Vegas President Eileen Moore presents Donny and Marie Osmond with flowers onstage ...

Donny and Marie Osmond’s finale Saturday at the Flamingo closed an 11-year residency on the Strip. But there was a nod to the future as Marie’s co-hosts from the CBS show “The Talk” were in the theater for the send-off.

Sheryl Underwood, Eve and show moderator Carrie Ann Inaba attended the packed performance. Only Sharon Osbourne was absent. The room was at capacity, a little less than 800 in the house.

“The Talk” production team was recording highlights of the final weekend for an appearance by D&M on Monday’s episode. The footage included a trip to the Linq Promenade’s High Roller, which Marie teased to on her Facebook page. That led to about a hundred fans lining up to witness the uncommon event.

Onetime teen idol Debbie Gibson, a Las Vegas resident and longtime friend of the duo, was among the preshow visitors. Gibson has known the duo since her teen years, as a supporter of the Children’s Miracle Network and a guest on the duo’s talk show in the 1990s.

Raiders owner Mark Davis sent a dozen roses, handing the delivery assignment to Robert Dolan of Cashman Photo, who has worked more than 100 D&M shows.

Just before the finale’s opening curtain, the audience chanted, “We want the Osmonds! We want the Osmonds!” as if attending a music festival.

The duo kicked off the show with “It Takes Two” to a roaring standing ovation. “Are you ready for the last show!?” Donny shouted, to more cheering.

The night turned emotional, as expected, when Marie sat with the band for an acoustic run of “Baby, You’re Crazy.” A fan shouted, “We love you!” and Marie halted, her voice quivering.

“I look at all of you and think, isn’t it glorious what has happened here in 11 years,” she said to the audience. Marie turned 60 this year.

Offstage during a break in the show, as Donny sang from “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” Marie said in a text message, “I’ve experienced some of my highest highs and some of my lowest lows while performing these 11 years at the Flamingo. I can honestly say I got through all of them because of the incredible community here in Vegas and because of all of our wonderful fans. I will miss you all tremendously! I’m a little bit country and a whole lot of Vegas.”

Donny, 61, has been busy on his latest album, saying, “I’m not giving myself a deadline. When it’s ready, it’s ready.” Osmond plans to tour behind that new, yet-untitled release, in 2020. Expect him to make a stop in Las Vegas, his first solo headlining appearance in the city.

Donny diverted from the script by bringing up his 5-year-old grandson, Benson, singing the “Happy Birthday” message he recorded for American Greetings.

“Do you want to be a singer?” Donny asked. The little boy sang out, “Yes!”

The original Osmonds are done performing concerts together, but there are more in line, for a long time.

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.

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