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michaelgruberfan · 1 year

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All of the photos I could find from “History Of Sex” which was at the Golden Nugget in 1998! It was a short show only being about 75 mins and the story "starting with Adam and Eve and ending in an overlong dance sequence as WSEX radio captures the music of the 1970s, '80s and '90s" Gruber plays the "star/ Narrator" Here are some articles about the show incase you wanted some extra reading: By Jess Cagle - Published August 14, 1998 For Entertainment Weekly “Vegas Stage Reviews: 'Siegfried & Roy'; 'EFX'; 'The History of Sex'” (X) By Joe Delaney - Published July 24, 1998 for The Las Vegas Sun “‘History of Sex’ told by capable cast” (X) Plus one little paragraph about the show from the same as the previous source Published Oct. 30, 1998 (X) Below the cut you can find the full 3 articles

“Vegas Stage Reviews: 'Siegfried & Roy'; 'EFX'; 'The History of Sex'” By Jess Cagle - Published August 14, 1998 For Entertainment Weekly (X)

”There is a very special guest in the audience tonight,” said Siegfried, the blond half of Siegfried and Roy at The Mirage on July 10. ”An Oscar-nominated actress whose performances have moved us…”

Cathy Moriarty, the beautifully blowsy star of Raging Bull (Best Supporting Actress nomination, 1980), Soapdish, and Casper — and who happened to be seated next to this ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY critic that night — slunk deep into the show-room banquette. ”I can’t believe he’s going to do this,” Moriarty growled. ”This is so embarrassing.” Siegfried extended his arms grandiosely in our general direction. Those of us lucky enough to be sitting with Moriarty straightened our posture, preparing to be doused by her spotlight.

Tension at the table mounted, until: ”Ladies and gentlemen,” said Siegfried, ”Miss Gloria Stuart!”

As Moriarty just sat there, either calmed down or let down, the 88-year-old Titanic star took a bow and a microphone and began expressing her appreciation for Siegfried & Roy’s artistry. And then expressing her appreciation for all the people who made it possible. And then expressing God knows what all; the woman can go on, and Siegfried seemed not quite sure how to get her to stop. Stuart was wearing a spangly little heart-shaped beauty mark decal on her cheek, which was enough to give me a giggle fit. Put off by such rudeness, Moriarty punched me in the arm — hard.

This incident, in a metaphorical nutshell, sums up a great deal of the current Vegas entertainment experience: magicians, tourists, quasi-name-brand celebrities, disappointment, a good laugh now and then, and not a little pain. And if the Vegas hotel-casino operators have a say in it, you’ll be having that experience soon. Despite the worried Asian economy, the glut of hotel rooms in Vegas — more than 105,000 by last count — is expected to increase by about 15,000 by the end of the millennium. Vegas wants you, and Vegas’ stages are considered a major untapped resource for keeping you happy. Casino mogul Steve Wynn and Hollywood producer-manager Sandy Gallin are planning to develop Broadway-caliber shows, and Peter Morton’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is catering to its young clientele with acts like Sheryl Crow and the Wallflowers. (Take a look at the new breed of Vegas tourist lounging by the Hard Rock pool — nubile hipsters hell-bent on disposing of income.) What, then, does this impending renaissance mean for the old-fashioned Vegas spectacle — the long-running comedy-variety shows installed in hotel show rooms long ago in order to lure gamblers? A quick tour through three shows from different Vegas genres — a spectacle, a star vehicle, and a T&A romp — reveal a very American art form (if you could call it that) at a crossroads.

It costs $89.35 per ticket to get a look at our first genre, represented by the two taut Teutonic titans of magic. I refer, of course, to Siegfried and Roy (The Mirage; 702-792-7777), though if you think you’re buying a magic show, think again. What you’re getting is pure Vegas-style spectacle. Siegfried spends much of the 95 minutes posing and gesturing amid a dense population of dancers; the chorus boys have big leonine hair, the girls are dressed, I think, as some kind of insect. There is much fog and fire, and Roy keeps popping up like a bad penny — from boxes, the back of the show room, etc. But the real star is the glorious parade of rare white tigers, all of whom pose as professionally as Siegfried, and one of whom is hoisted high … and then disappears! Whether this magnificent menagerie is worth the price of admission is up to you and your accountant. Siegfried & Roy are as slick and interesting as Wayne Newton’s hairdo, and they’re just about as hip. The face of Vegas is changing; it’s time Siegfried and Roy changed theirs. From the looks of them, this would not be an alien concept.

Speaking of hair, remember when David Cassidy’s cascaded past his shoulders and you thought Shirley Jones was the coolest mom in the whole world for allowing such a thing? Well, the hair is cut short, Cassidy is 48, and he’s Vegas’ resident former superstar — here to remind us (and this information will cost you at least $45 a ticket) that he’s still kicking, not to mention singing, leaping, and flying through the air in the monolithic, cast-of-thousands $45 million musical-variety show EFX (MGM Grand; 800-929-1111). Cassidy stars energetically as a busboy who takes a journey through his childhood imagination, bounding into the shoes of Houdini (magic tricks!), P.T. Barnum (trapeze artists!), and H.G. Wells (a 3-D time-travel movie! You can keep the glasses!). To call EFX a star vehicle is an understatement. It’s a star battleship; you may never see a live show this extravagant, which makes it somewhat important and a joy for the kids. But the show’s script makes The Partridge Family look like the Brontë sisters, and that makes EFX weirdly pornographic — so much to see, so little to think about, and after you’ve seen enough of it, your own boredom might surprise you. Until Cassidy starts pattering with the audience, shaking us awake with self-deprecating humor and a few topical jokes. The audience roars, free for the moment of empty glitz and common-denominator humor. Under Cassidy’s famous hair lies EFX‘s brain.

Then again, who goes to Vegas for brains? I, for one, was titillated by the town’s promise of south-of-the-neck entertainment. But while the signs on some shows say ”adults only,” they’re largely PG-rated affairs, many of them operating on the premise that audiences are still capable of lip-smacking over two bare breasts, even when their showgirl owner is otherwise covered in gowns by Bob Mackie wannabes and Teletubby headdresses. The T&A arena seems wide open for shows that can appeal to audiences born after 1955, and there is a new show that does just that: The History of Sex (Golden Nugget, 702-386-8100). Starring handsome Broadway vet Michael Gruber (Cats) and gorgeous Candace Davis (she paid her dues singing on Norwegian Cruise Lines, bless her heart), The History of Sex bounces through the titular topic, beginning with a nearly naked Adam and Eve and consistently — cleverly — objectifying with equal opportunity the 12 Fosse-esque whistle-worthy male and female dancers. In a retrofitted version of the Cole Porter ditty ”Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall in Love,” Gruber tells us that ”For cash a girl on the phone does it/George Michael all alone does it.” That’s smart stuff by Vegas standards, making the small-scale, unassuming History of Sex the best adult bet in town at $29.95 a ticket. This is not to say that Siegfried & Roy and David Cassidy should take their clothes off, but even Gloria Stuart might appreciate a good George Michael joke. Siegfried & Roy: B- EFX: B The History of Sex: B+ ---------- “‘History of Sex’ told by capable cast” By Joe Delaney - Published July 24, 1998 for The Las Vegas Sun (X)

"History of Sex," new at the Golden Nugget, is an original production with a fine off-Broadway feel. The print and video ad campaign is extremely well done, promising more than the show actually delivers. Ted Pappas does make an auspicious Las Vegas debut as producer-choreographer-director. He has assembled an impressive, very attractive, mostly local company backed by a small but mighty seven-piece orchestra under the direction of Hap Smith.

Michael Gruber, not local, is the star, narrator and an excellent singer-dancer, with fine comedy timing. He takes the audience nicely through the 75-minute series of well-performed vignettes, starting with Adam and Eve and ending in an overlong dance sequence as WSEX radio captures the music of the 1970s, '80s and '90s.

Candace Davis, also a non-local, has a stately presence even when singing "Ten Cents A Dance." Earlier, in her first number, she starts out as a nicely under-stated Lena Horne but soon becomes Barbra "Strident" and remained so for the balance of the show.

Comedian John Padon, a local, an Emmy-Award winner, enters at the 25-minute mark and had a never-miss, today-fresh routine, scoring consistently, and with the entire audience of approximately 300 in the 400-seat Theatre Ballroom. This is quite a feat considering the variety of ages and types present. His turn would work even better at the 40 or 45-minute point in the show.

The song selection is outstanding, as are Ned Ginsburg's orchestrations as performed by Smith and his men, occasionally replaced by taped music also well selected and reproduced. Compliments go to the 14 men and women who sing, dance and go through an athletic dance mini-decathlon, plus an extra nod to Michael DiFonzo as assistant choreographer.

James Noone's set design, David F. Segal's lighting design and David C. Woolard's costume design deserve mention, along with comedy writer Bruce Vilanch's dialogue for Gruber and special topical lyrics for several of the standard songs -- very funny.

It is well worth the trip to Casino Center if you're staying on the Strip, or if you live some distance from there. Would I see it a second time? I think not, but I would go see John Padon again wherever he might be playing.

JOE DELANEY is a Sun entertainment critic.

---------------- (X) "History of Sex" ends its run -- somewhat suddenly -- on Nov. 12, at the Golden Nugget. ... Officially, the story is that, despite heavy advertising expenditure in all the media, the show never achieved satisfactory attendance numbers. ... Unofficially, it may also have been artistic differences between management and the producer-choreographer.

#History Of Sex #1998 #1990s #Michael Gruber

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msclaritea · 2 years

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Barry Diller's Sexy All-Boy Thanksgiving

Credit where it's due: Barry Diller knows how to vacation. The IAC boss is tightfisted at headquarters, but his holidays are plenty decadent. There's the corporate jet; the giant boat; tropical beaches; and a set of young blonde twins.

Diller's sumptuous tastes are legendary, and the legend has only been bolstered by the spending totals that have emanated from the CEO's internet holding company, like the $4,600 per day IAC spent on his personal travel in 2009. That hedonism annoys Diller's employees, especially now that they haven't seen any raises for three years running—or so we've been told.

Barry Diller's Company-Paid Vacations Must Be Awesome

IAC CEO Barry Diller expensed $1.6 million in personal travel in 2009. ($4,600/day!) That…

But numbers don't paint the picture of Diller's lifestyle — or aggravate the CEO's detractors — nearly as well as pictures do. And for pictures you could do a lot worse than Bryan Fox's Facebook album of Diller's 2009 Thanksgiving getaway to Papua New Guinea, which was recently forwarded to us by an IAC mole. The photos provide an inside look at an enviably posh vacation spent in the company of enticing companions.

The aerial leg of the vacation, apparently conducted via IAC's $45 million Bombardier BD-700, brought together a group of Diller consorts including the media mogul's old friend Sandy Gallin, a former talent manager who once repped Michael Jackson and Barbra Streisand and who, along with Diller and David Geffen, has long been considered a member of Hollywood's gay mafia; Gallin's sometime travel companion Aaron Fox, a young blonde tennis instructor from Los Angeles (favorite TV show: HBO's Hung); Fox's twin brother Bryan, an actor, on whose Facebook these photos were posted; and a couple of other unidentified young men who appear more than happy to travel in style to the other end of the earth.

After disembarking from the IAC jet on the island, the boys then transferred to Diller's 300-foot boat, the world's largest sailing vessel, which the media mogul bought for $200 million several years ago.

Barry Diller's Carpet

We don't resent the IAC billionaire's lavish lifestyle. If Diller wants to spend $200m on …

Click photo to expand

Then came some watersports, including snorkeling, waterskiing, and high-diving off the massive boat's bow.

Meet the guy backing Everything Everywhere All At Once, the sweet, wholesome Indy from the little Art House which hardly anyone had even heard of, A24. Now maybe people will get:

1. Why it's being pushed so hard and pretty specifically shadowed Doctor Strange into the theaters and

2. Why Hollywood and their award shows are simply not worth it anymore. All of these spoiled, fat cats are basically just buying awards for their projects.

We saw what happened last year. That time, it was Scientology, who through Smith got the 'DIVERSE' Western, Harder made, to compete and throw shade at The Power of The Dog, eventually leading to them arranging for all of the season to go to Smith. This is what they do, now. Don't give the SAG, People's Choice, BAFTA or Oscars the time of day. A few guys in wet suits choking on cigars have already decided who wins this year. ( AND THEY ARE ALL CONSERVATIVE)

I loved the Oscars as a kid. I had no idea the whole of Hollywood had gotten this bad.

#everything everywhere all at once #Barry Diller #Dirty Hollywood #Bought Awards #Iscars #SAG #BAFTA #People's Choice #Hollywood Is Crap #A24 #Russo Bros

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