Las Vegas Strip’s Blue Men cast a spell on Super Bowl event
You never forget our first encounter with Blue Man Group. Mine was in 2000, when the troupe opened at Luxor.
Co-founder Chris Wink, who was out of character, advised me to chat with him when he wasn’t painted blue.
“We won’t talk to you as Blue Men,” he explained. “We don’t break character.”
True. Next time I saw Wink was at a meet-and-greet on the show’s opening night.
They make people happy … @bluemangroup sways #fttb #SuperBowl #SuperBowlOpeningNight pic.twitter.com/H1WSLLDyJI
— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) February 6, 2024
“Chris, I loved it,” I called the now-costumed stage performer. Wink just silently cocked his head, like the iconic RCA dog encountering sound from windup cylinder phonograph.
I thought of that moment Monday night as the Blue Men wandered around the Super Bowl Opening Night event at Allegiant Stadium.
A couple of national TV outlets attempted to interview the blue-hued trio. Hilarity ensued.
“Who do you think will win?” was one question, ignored by a Blue Man, who instead inched toward a camera as if observing a hidden treasure. Also, “If you were to play a position on a football team, what would it be?” Nothing.
“Not happening,” I muttered. “This is a classic case of an interview going nowhere.”
The Blue Men then lurched toward 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, holding forth in his Gatorade-branded interview kiosk. Dozens of media types surrounded the sack specialist, the men in blue not at all blending in.
Bosa artfully (or coincidentally) averted any eye contact. This was no time for Bosa Man Group.
Moments later the group walked toward a cluster of 49er Faithful in the decidedly pro-Niners crowd of 23,823. Absent of provocation, they chanted, “Blue Man Group! Blue Man Group!” The guys procured bags of marshmallows and tossed the noshes to the crowd. These might as well have been golden baubles, for all the excitement they stirred.
I caught the eye of a Blue Man as we walked away. I felt a mutual appreciation of that moment, BMG meeting SB LVIII. There was a hint of a smile, but no breaking character, not ever.
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 X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
