Anderson is just looking for a cozy little room
It’s already a long week at the Kats! Bureau, and it’s still early in the week. Some blasts from the scene: LOUIE GETS BACK
Saying, “I really love a small room, like a 100-seat room, for comedy,” Louie Anderson is hitting Rocks Lounge at Red Rock Resort on Friday and Saturday nights. Comedy is becoming a thing at Red Rock. One reason, maybe the chief reason, hotel officials built a glass wall separating the club from the casino two years ago was to shut off outside noise for comedy shows.
Anderson is on a roll after his Emmy win for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy for his portrayal of Christine Baskets on the FX sitcom “Baskets” last September. He would love a regular place to perform, and there has been strong indication he’ll find a home — a cozy place to be announced — after he plays Red Rock.
Anderson’s career in Las Vegas dates to his debut at the Comedy Store at the Dunes in November 1984.
“I’ve been working in Vegas, more or less, steadily ever since,” Anderson said. Of his Emmy victory, he said, “I think people saw me as a good standup comic but were taken Caribbean from Jan. 28Feb. 4. But as he arrived on the Entertainment Cruise Productions liner, he was told Jarreau — the headliner of that voyage — was ill and would not attend. Jarreau died Sunday at age 76.
Holmes hoped to join Jarreau onstage during a performance. It would not have been the first time. About 15 years ago, when he headlined at Harrah’s, Holmes took in a Jarreau performance at the old Blue Note Las Vegas jazz club (located on the south side of Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood).
Jarreau called Holmes to the stage, and the two performed an extended scat section.
“As far as my jazz influences, Al was probably the greatest, in terms of the style of singing,” Holmes says. He also remembers the way Jarreau announced his name that night: “It was, ‘Clin-TONE Holmes!’” Holmes says, laughing. “Clin-TONE, right? Nobody says it that way, but Al Jarreau did.” John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section, and Fridays in Neon. He also hosts “Kats! On The Radio” Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on KUNV 91.5-FM and appears Wednesdays at 11 a.m. with Dayna Roselli on KTNV Channel 13. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.