Paths often cross in Vegas show biz

Check.

Catching up to “X Burlesque” last week reminded me of how the everyday lives of Las Vegas show people are interconnected in a way that seems (mostly) normal to them, yet still reminds outsiders what an odd industry this is.

“We’ve got a pretty good reality show in the works here,” quips magician Nathan Burton, who dated an “X Burlesque” dancer for a time and still seems part of the family.

Usually, we think of Vegas show folks as a community only when they band together for some type of benefit, such as the recent one to help veteran musical director Bill Fayne.

But let’s step through this.

“X Burlesque” is produced by Angela and Matt Stabile. Matt is the son of the late Joe Stabile, who managed Jerry Lewis through most of his solo career. Now you know why Lewis is part of the topless revue’s opening video montage.

Angela started producing “X” in 2002, after years of performing in “Crazy Girls” at the Riviera. Her backside is immortalized in bronze on the iconic statue out front.

Angela’s grown daughter Tiffany is now the company manager of “X.” There comes a point in the show every night when the dancers dress up as flight attendants for the Lenny Kravitz tune “Fly Away.” Two of them walk into the audience and pass out condoms.

So one of Tiffany’s many assorted duties is to visit the dollar store and buy condoms by the dozen. She has lived down a lot of funny looks and bad jokes, especially when she was visibly pregnant.

Tiffany’s roommate is Nathan Burton’s sister, Emily Burton. Emily and her mom, Nancy, both work as production managers on Nathan’s show at the Flamingo.

One of the “X” choreographers is Anthony Cardella. His mother is the late comedian Beverly Wines, a comedian whose stage name was Pudgy. She died in late 2007 and spent her last years as the comic relief in “X Burlesque.” That came after some latter-day fame on an E! cable series “Nearly Famous,” documenting the backstage workings of the bygone “Skintight.”

One of the “X” dancers is Meeka Onstead. She is married to Bill Voelkner, who runs the show for Mac King at Harrah’s and for comedian Vinnie Favorito, the roommate production to “X.”

Bill was still around after Vinnie’s show and stopped by to say hello before I watched his wife dance topless. Bill was a widower with one daughter before marrying Meeka and having another girl.

All in all, just another day at the office for all of them — and for me too, I suppose. But oh, what an office.

Contact reporter Mike Weatherford at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0288.