‘Jersey Shore’ mainstay Vinny G enters Chipps role on Las Vegas Strip
“Jersey Shore” stalwart Vinny Guadagnino is feeling funny about his upcoming “Chippendales” guest-staring gig.
Meaning, he has a chance to actually perform comedy, onstage.
“People don’t realize I’ve done a lot of comedy and improv,” the man commonly known as Vinny G said recently in a sit-down for my PodKats! podcast. “I have spent six to eight years looking for the door into the Vegas show scene. I’m not a DJ or singer, but this is a weird lane and I just said, ‘Let’s do it.’”
Vinny G, who has made the Keto Guido Diet a nationwide phenomenon (he’s lost 50 pounds with the program) opens his monthlong run as “Chippendales” emcee Friday night at the Rio. He’s best known as a player in the “Jersey Shore” original series and the show’s recent reboot.
But don’t sell this entertainer short. Vinny G. has stage experience, too, having trained in the Upright Citizens Brigade improv and theater school co-founded by comic actress Amy Poehler.
Vinny G also performed in the off-Broadway play “That Bachelorette Show,” which he describes as “kind of like a ‘Tony ‘N Tina’s Wedding’-type interactive show.” He played Giovanni Giovanni, a cliched sort known to groove in his red-velour jumpsuit.
“So ‘Chippendales’ is nothing for me,” he says. “I’m fun. I might have to tone myself down. ‘Vinny! Chill out!’ I’m not a celebrity who will say, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, have a good night,’ and walk off stage.’”
Vinny G. and his “Jersey Shore” sidekick Pauly “DJ Pauly D” DelVecchio are starring in the new MTV series “Double Shot at Love, With DJ Pauly D and Vinny” in which 20 female contestants compete to win either man’s heart. The show premiered last Thursday.
“It takes a lot of twists and turns,” Vinny G says. “It’s going to be wild. Everyone is saying, ‘You get to date all these women! This sounds like a lot of fun!’ But I just say, ‘You try it.’ Dating one woman is hard enough.”
“Jersey Shore” premiered a decade ago but is still popular across pop culture. I asked Vinny G if the crew might one day turn over the franchise to “Jersey Shore: The Next Generation” starring the original cast’s offspring.
“It could happen, but we’re still such hot messes we’re still holding it down,” Vinny G says, laughing. “You’ll see us in, ‘Jersey Shore: The Nursing Home.’”
Davis’ VGK moment
When Raiders owner Mark Davis hopped on a phone call to talk about his visit to the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, he shouted, “Go, Knights, Go!”
“Where are you watching the game?” I asked.
“Home, but I’m recording it,” he said. “I’m too nervous to watch it live.” He was prophetic. The exec wound up watching, and Wednesday passed along a sad-face emoji, a sure sign of displeasure.
The D rocks
Despite the loss, the D Las Vegas put on another whopper of a watch party on Tuesday night. Through not an official event, the crowd swelled to about 3,000 at the outdoor Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. It was one of those nights where you say, “If you’d told me a decade ago …” The sound system, the sharp and imposing big screens, and a classic Stanley Cup playoff game co-starring a Vegas NHL team — co-owner Derek Stevens and his team know how to stage a big-league experience.
Britney chimes in
Britney Spears has posted a couple of Instagram videos, one from Tuesday night in which she seeks to reassure her fans that she is OK. “Just checking in with all of you who are concerned about me,” she says. “All is well, my family has been going through a lot of stress and anxiety lately, so I just needed time time to deal. Don’t worry, I’ll be back very soon.”
The Spears camp has emphasized that the pop superstar checked herself into a health-care facility voluntarily, and that her health concerns are real and need to be dealt with professionally and responsibly. In her IG post, Spears is requesting privacy while she tends to her health. She is shown working with free weights, a medicine ball and dancing in an an Instagram post from Wednesday, posting, “Who knew stress would be a great 5-pound weight loss? Yay for me.” She closes with a couple of winky emojis.
Hopefully she can return to form. “Domination,” the announced residency at Park Theater she canceled in January, looked like an adventurous production. “Piece of Me” at Zappos Theater grew into a real Vegas spectacle. But I’ve long had this idea of her performing a series of pop-up shows around town, under an assumed name, at places like Bunkhouse, the Artisan, Inspire Theater, The Venue in downtown Las Vegas. Maybe hit a few casino lounges. It’d be a fun ride, if she’s ever up for it.
Jarr closes in
Vegas lounge icon Cook E. Jarr is less than $6,000 from reaching the $20,000 required to award him with a spot on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars. We first wrote of this campaign a couple of years ago; now, organizers are about $5,800 away from securing The Jarr’s spot on the vaunted list. Money is collected to pay for the design and placement of the plaques.
The Jarr moved to town in June 1982, in residency at the Sands. He has carried his act to several Las Vegas lounges, first with his backing band The Krums. He headlined at such famed Strip hotels as the El Rancho (after it was rebranded from the Thunderbird), Dunes, Tropicana, Continental and Caesars Palace.
More recently, the Jarr played the Piano Bar at Harrah’s prior to moving to his current gig, 6 p.m. Mondays at Napoleon’s at Paris Las Vegas. This month, Jarr was featured during a commercial break on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” where he performed his trademark barking routine. Down, Jarr! Down!
Great Moments in Social Media
Carrot Top, a GMSM mainstay, posted a video on his Instagram page where he opens with, “People talk about my rainbow hair and facial hair and and say I look like Steven Tyler!” At that moment, Tyler appears from behind the Topper and says, “Steven Tyler? I kind of feel like I look like you!” Tyler adds, “It takes two to tango,” meows and walks off. Bank it.
Cool Hang Alert
Zowie Bowie marks his 13th anniversary of performing at Rocks Lounge at 11 p.m. Friday. Or, wade in at 11:40 or so, because Chris Phillips usually operates in the ZBTZ (Zowie Bowie Time Zone). But he and Nieve Malandra and a crack band always bring the party. High kicks, torn jeans and studded belts forever …
ShowBuzz!
Recovering from surgery on his back Friday, Wayne Newton has set May 6 as his return to the stage at Cleopatra’s Barge at Caesars Palace … On the topic of superstars at the Barge, Dionne Warwick’s reps have been kicking around the moated enclave, which is continually seeking to advance as a small showroom rather than a lounge. Conceivably, Warwick could perform on weekend nights Newton is off … Robbie Williams has extended his residency run at Encore Theater — by one date. Tack on June 25 to his schedule … Keeping an eye on possible entertainment-exec departures at MGM Resorts International this week. Companywide cost-cutting measures might effect the entertainment brass.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His PodKats podcast can be found atreviewjournal.com/podcasts.Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1on Instagram.