Caesars Palace singer takes on ‘America’
Dshould win “America’s Got Talent,” if only because he fits the title. But it takes more than talent to win the NBC competition show. You need a particularly compelling life story, of course (trying to earn money to build a house for Grandma resonates with the viewing public). It also helps to be unique — Emmet, scheduled to appear in Tuesday’s “AGT” audition show, would greatly enhance his chances if he were to sing “O Sole Mio” while juggling chainsaws.
As it is, Emmet sings that song in Italian and English in “The Cocktail Cabaret” at Cleopatra’s Barge at Caesars Palace. The 6 p.m. production is Emmet’s regular gig. The show is massively talented — that word again — co-starring Eric Jordan Young, Niki Scalera and Maren Wade. Last week, onetime “Phantom — The Las Vegas Spectacular” lead Brent Barrett and Heidi Webster (late of “Steve Wynn’s Showstoppers”) subbed for the vacationing Young and Wade.
(On Thursday and again July 6, crossover tenor James D. Gish is subbing for Emmet, who might well be nationally famous by the end of summer; Nicole Pryor steps in for Scalera on Saturday.)
The 25-year-old Emmet is a dashing kid with an operatic voice that shakes the cocktails. He’s performed around town for the past four years or so; I first caught him at Kelly Clinton-holmes’ “Open
Mic Night” at Bootlegger Bistro, and also at Tuscany Suites, The Space and on “The Dennis Bono Show” at South Point.
Emmet’s performances at Myron’s Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts were especially memorable, as the upstart vo-
J. Keith Moyer • Chase Rankin •
calist was backed by keyboard virtuoso Philip Fortenberry, the proverbial “Man at The Piano.” Fortenberry plays that song behind Emmet in “The Cocktail Cabaret.”
The tune was written by the show’s co-producer, Keith Thompson, who helped conceive the concept of contemporary tunes rearranged for an early-evening audience. Emmet also performs “Without You,” delivering in Spanish and English, and “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” in English and Italian.
Emmet is able enough to make a mark on “AGT,” a show whose champions include such Strip headliners as Terry Fator at The Mirage and Mat Franco of
The Linq
Hotel (and one notable
“loser,” in finalist Piff the Magic Dragon of Flamingo).
Based on pure acumen, and already based on what has been trotted on the “AGT” stage this season, Emmet should be a favorite for the title. But that doesn’t mean he’ll take the championship. Catch Emmet while you can on NBC and at Caesars Palace, where he’s already a winner.
Tommy at 90
Tommy Devito once told me the story of “Jersey Boys” that was about 50 percent true. What was on the money, always, was this: “We were from the wrong side of the tracks.”
A founding member of the Four Seasons and a
Las Vegas resident, Devito celebrated his 90th birthday Friday night at the Italian American Club.though Frankie Valli is legendary for his high vocal range, Devito can still climb the ladder, too. He unexpectedly sang out the chorus of “Walk Like a Man” in its original key, during a chat at his
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table at IAC.
Vinny Adinolfi and his son, Vin A., from The Bronx Wanderers at Bally’s were among the many well-wishers at Friday’s party. Devito took an early interest in the family act in gigs around New Jersey, around 2004, even before “Jersey Boys” was a stage production.
Devito had spent the day with his old friend Joe Pesci at Devito’s Las Vegas home. Pesci’s celebrated friendship with the Four Seasons was retold in “Jersey Boys,” which ran for eight years on the Strip before closing at Paris Las Vegas in September 2016.
Pesci visits Devito frequently in Las Vegas. The two remain close, but from a distance.
“I’ve known Joe since I was 7 years old,” Devito said. “Imagine that. He’s talking about moving to Las Vegas, to Summerlin. When he moves in, I’m moving out!”
He was there
More on Pesci, who hung at Piero’s Italian Cuisine on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Pesci and restaurant owner Freddie Glusman are friends dating to the days when “Casino” was filmed at the restaurant in 1995. Glusman loves telling the story of how he would not allow Pesci (or anyone) to smoke cigars in the restaurant. But when director Martin Scorsese rented the restaurant at $30,000 a day for six days, Pesci seized the moment.
“Joe loves his cigars,” Glusman says. “So when they were filming, he walked around smoking these cigars, and every time he’d pass me, would blow smoke in my face.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@ reviewjournal.com. Follow @ johnnykats on Twitter.
Life, entertainment
As of 9 p.m. Sunday:
1. Push to split California into three states faces tall hurdles
Californians will face a choice this November of whether to divide the nation’s most populous state into three, an effort that would radically shake up not only the West Coast, but the entire nation. 2. Hundreds of Jerry Lewis’ personal items up for auction
Jerry Lewis died Aug. 20 at age 91 at his Las Vegas home. The sale marks a turning point in the family’s lives. Lewis’ youngest child, the 26-year-old Danielle, wants to state her own account of her father’s life and career.
3. Two dead, three injured in early morning crash on West Desert Inn
Two people were killed and several others were injured in a crash early Sunday in the central Las Vegas Valley.
4. Suspect’s motives in standoff near Hoover Dam still murky
The exact meaning behind the message and the motives of a suspect whose actions sparked a roughly 90-minute standoff Friday near the Hoover Dam with law enforcement officials remained unclear Saturday. 5. Guests rescued from elevator after outage at Strip hotel
A power outage at Circus Circus at 8:20 p.m. Friday prompted elevator rescues for those trapped inside, officials said. Everybody was out of the elevators by 9:15 p.m. As of 9 p.m. Sunday:
1. Real Estate Millions: 4120 Mont Blanc Way, Mount Charleston
Exploring a home on Mont Blanc Way on Mount Charleston in Clark County. 2. Toilet paper wedding dress
Kari Curletto of Las Vegas put over 500 hours into making her toilet paper wedding dress.
3. Former Fontainebleau could have become a Waldorf Astoria
If Richard “Boz” Bosworth’s plans had not fallen through, the Fontainebleau on the north Strip might have become a Waldorf Astoria.