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 Views,
Reviews, and Interviews
by Dianne R. Davis
diannerd@aol.com
Photos by Burt and Dianne Davis
Master
Butler Extraordinaire Does Vegas Area Book Signing
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Valentino Crespo at the book signing
for his book, “The Master Butler Extraordinaire of Las Vegas at the
Barnes & Noble store on North Stephanie in Henderson on March 13th. The
book was published by Llumina Press and is available locally.
What a charming gentlemen. Valentino is a native of Puerto Rico where
his father first taught him the tools of his trade. Since that time, he
has assisted kings and queens, celebrities, and high rollers and has
become an expert in cooking, ballroom dancing, and shoe shining. He has
danced with Fred Astaire and cooked for Oprah. The man has redefined
royal treatment.
Valentino told me that he treats each guest differently and applies all
of his knowledge to each of his clients. After many years at Caesars
Palace, he is currently assisting guests at the Hard Rock.
Many of Valentino Crespo's family members were on hand for his book
signing.
According to Carolann Bass of Gary Anderson Productions, plans are
underway to create a new reality television show which will be entitled,
“Valentino Crespo, Master Butler Extraordinaire of Las Vegas.” The show
will include Valentino’s cooking feature, advice, and special celebrity
guests.
The book offers insight into Valentino’s very specialized service and
how he rose in the profession. There are stories about some of the
extraordinary services he has been called upon to perform and what he
has learned along the way. Following the book signing, Valentino was
headed to his native Puerto Rico for some television spots and
additional book signings.
Jimmy
Hopper is Back in Vegas at the Lava Room
Jimmy Hopper, center, is now appearing at the Lava Room above Trader
Vic's
Jimmy Hopper has talent. I was at the Lava Room, a lovely lounge above
Trader Vic’s restaurant in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood
when Hopper entertained at a special media reception. Jimmy, along with
the lovely Mira Khomik on the violin and Gary Bruno on guitar, ran the
gamut from old classics and show tunes to Beatles tunes to today’s
music. He is versatile and handles a wide variety of songs and music.
Perhaps too wide a range.
I asked Jimmy what he calls his music and he described it as, “Symphonic
rock meets Broadway.” While I enjoyed the evening, I felt that Jimmy
tried to cover too much territory with music for all tastes. At times,
the sound was too large, too loud for the room.
Jimmy Hopper
The room has an intimate feel and would be a fabulous setting for a
lounge-style singing piano player. It has an incredible view of the
strip and in particular the Bellagio fountains. The overstuffed living
room sofa pits and plush chairs make it a most comfortable setting.
During the course of the evening, Jimmy was joined on stage by Frank
Scinta who sand “I Love You Just the Way You Are” and Clint Holmes who
did his rendition of “Smile.”
Go to the Lava Room for a fabulous view of the Bellagio fountains. Here,
Jimmy Hopper’s is reflected onto the glass.
Jimmy has started an open ended run in the Lava Room. Admission is $20
and audience must be 21 or older. For reservations and more information,
call 702 405 4700.
Terry
Fator will be at the LV Hilton Monthly
I had the pleasure of meeting Terry Fator and seeing his show at the Las
Vegas Hilton this past week. He is an overnight success, 32 years in the
making. The show is suitable for all ages. In addition to being a
seasoned ventriloquist, Terry is an impersonator, comedian, and singer.
Since winning “America’s Got Talent” he has begun to receive the
recognition he deserves. I loved his show. I’ll be doing a video
interview with Terry in late April when he returns to the Hilton.( April
23-25). Watch for it on Las Vegas Round The Clock in a few weeks. In the
meantime, you can get tickets for his show by logging onto
www.lvhilton.com or by phone
at 702-732-5755 or 1-800-222-5361.
Dianne R. Davis with ventriloquist Terry Fator
The
Scintas - A Family Affair
It’s always a pleasure to see the Scinta family. Here I am with “Momma”
Scinta and Chrissi.
The Scintas are great entertainers and such nice folks. When I spoke
with them at the LV Hilton at Terry Fator’s media reception, they were
getting ready to hit the road for a sold out run at the Seneca Niagara
Casino where they will be appearing April 2 through April 6. That trip
gives them the chance to visit with friends and family in their hometown
of Buffalo, New York. They’ll be back in the Shimmer Cabaret Theater
here the next week.
I caught the second half of their performance last Friday evening and
can’t say enough good things about them. There have been some minor
changes to the show and there is a great relaxed banter with the crowd
which makes the show even more up close and personal.
The crowd loved them. Audience members were on their feet time and again
in appreciation of the Scintas’ talents and its obvious that its mutual.
It’s a three hour show packed into half the time. And “Momma Scinta” is
there on Friday and Saturday nights to watch her kids in action. Say hi
to her when you catch the show.
For ticket information for the Las Vegas Hilton shows, you can call
800-222-5361.
Ben
Vereen Is What Entertainment Is All About
He’ll be back at the South Point Hotel and Casino, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd.
South on April 11, 12, & 13th at 7:30 sharing his energy and talent. For
tickets, call 702-797-8055. For my interview with Ben, hit the button
below.
 Video
interview with Ben Vereen
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