‘Sexxy’ adds spark to ‘Real Housewives of Orange County’

The Kats! Bureau at this writing is a familiar place, the coffee bar at Grand Lux Cafe at Palazzo, just outside Palazzo Theater. I well remember when that venue was inhabited by “Baz” and am struck by the fact that the theater has been dark for 13 months.

This might be the best show that has closed in the best venue on the Strip, if there is such an award. Argue among yourselves.

More from this scene, and elsewhere:

‘Sexxy’ is reality

Well, the shorthand review of Tuesday night’s episode of Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Orange County” is: The cast of “Sexxy” at Westgate should have its own reality show. Creator/producer/star Jennifer Romas and her team of performers were well worth watching.

Otherwise, the “Housewives” series is at once highly successful and entirely perplexing (when a crucial plot point is a cast member being bonked on the head with a mallet while wearing a metal bowl, you’re on your own).

In the made-for-Vegas story line, Emily Simpson asked Romas and Westgate officials if she could dance in the show at Westgate Cabaret. The hotel hosted a watch party on Tuesday night, with friends and supporters filing into a ballroom to watch the drama and nosh and network.

Conveniently, Simpson has an inside tack through her friendship with resort owner David Siegel and his wife, Jackie. Simpson had sought to add some spark to her marriage to Shane Simpson, leading her to the topless production.

The “Sexxy” mission was certainly realized. The show and Westgate hotel were featured so prominently that the episode played out like a promotional spot. Hotel PR exec Gordon Prouty, identified as “Gordy the Host,” says he’s been hearing from friends across the country. A tip of hat to Romas, for navigating Simpson’s choreography and putting on a great stage performance with her inexperienced guest star. Oh, and also for effective electrical-tape placement.

Nadal dialed in

Longtime Cirque du Soleil exec Jerry Nadal has moved over to Nevada Public Radio amid shakeups in both companies. Nadal is the new interim chief executive officer at NPR, stepping in after Flo Rogers stepped down from her post at the company on Sept. 6.

Nadal spent 21 years as Cirque’s senior vice president of the company’s resident division. He expects to be in this role for three and four months. His final day with Cirque was Friday.

“Cirque had been rehiring people, moving and combining jobs, and at that point a resignation and change looked like a good option,” Nadal said during a phone chat Tuesday. He added that the decision to leave Cirque was his and not the company’s.

NPR is seeking to increase revenue, and Nadal is encouraged that the listener support for KNPR and structure at the magazine Desert Companion will lead to financial support. He has served on the NPR Board of Directors since he arrived in Las Vegas.

“What has happened is the audience has grown every year since I started on the board, but some of our costs have doubled,” Nadal said. “Our fund-raising hasn’t kept up.”

NPR has 11,000 members on its rolls currently, paying a starting annual rate of $60. Nadal would like to see that number move closer to $20,000. “I think we can do that, and I can say our corporate support has been fantastic.”

Nadal plans to stay involved in Cirque’s “One Night for One Drop” charity show. “I think it’s important to continue my role in that production. It’s so important, and I have been part of it from the beginning.”

Luenell rings the bell

Luenell, who bills herself as “The Original Bad Girl of Comedy,” is good for business at Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club. She is the venue’s first residency stand-up, with 14 dates beginning Oct. 6 and running through November, December and into Jan. 5.

“As an African-American woman, who has been in the comedy game for many, many years, I’m ecstatic to be at Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club at the Linq Promenade, and proud to be one of the few black female comediennes represented on the Strip and I can’t wait to personally thank Jimmy for this opportunity,” Luenell, who also headlined The Sayers Club at SLS Las Vegas (now Sahara Las Vegas) this year. “I’m honored to be a part of the Girls Club of funny women with an engagement in Las Vegas.”

Cool Hang Alert

Noybel Gorgoy, singer with The Hot Club of Las Vegas and also with Clint Holmes, and conductor Yunior Lopez head up “One Night in Havana,” a celebration of Cuban music, at 7 p.m. Saturday at Windmill Library Performing Arts Center.

Gorgoy and Lopez are working with the Young Artists Orchestra of Las Vegas, the only tuition-free music program in the state.

The show is billed as an evening in the Buena Vista Social Club, an inspiration for the CHA column entry. The cost is $10-$20, a mere pittance. Go to lvyao.org for info.

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.