Roy Horn’s SARMOTI tie a Las Vegas keepsake
ROY Horn was generous. He had class. Las Vegas’ king of the cats had pride, too. In his public appearances, he dressed in a way befitting a legend.
Over the years, I grew to appreciate Horn’s panache, and his sense of humor. Last week, Joe Schoenmann of KNPR’S “State of Nevada” asked me to describe the Vegas headliner, who died May 9 of COVID-19 complications. I started with that description of his pride in his legacy, and ever-apparent superstar qualities.
Then it hit me that I’d actually been holding a keepsake for years, an enduring testament to those traits. The time seems right to tell this story, as Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered flags throughout the state to fly half-staff Monday to honor Horn’s life and career.
In October 2015, Siegfried & Roy debuted a quartet of 6-week-old tiger cubs at their Secret Garden at The Mirage. A formal unveiling was arranged, with S&R playing with the little cats and feeding them from a baby bottle.
The duo were presented a proclamation from Rep.
Dina Titus making Oct. 15, 2015, SARMOTI Cubs Day. SARMOTI, for the uninitiated, stands for Siegfried & Roy Masters of the Impossible. I remember it was a beautiful day to be at the Secret Garden.
Roy arrived in style, as always. He donned a dark jacket and shades, a lightblue button-down shirt and a loose-fitting white tie bearing the SARMOTI and tiger logo.
I casually said to him, “Hey, nice tie.”
Then I waited for our interview. I spent a lot of time in my life waiting on Siegfried & Roy, but they always made our time together count.
I walked over to the guys at the end of the event, as they were feeding one of the cubs. My buddy and freelance photog Tomdonoghue , who shot many of S&R’S events, was at my side. After we finished our chat, I started to back away and Roy pulled the tie off his neck.
“Here, have this,” he said. “Wear it to a party.”
I did not know what to say, other than, “Roy, I did not mean to ask for your tie!” But he insisted that I have this piece of history. It would not be a stretch to say he probably expected that one day I’d write of that moment.
I still have the SARMOTI tie, of course. I’ve not worn it, other than to snap a few selfies over the weekend. The neckpiece still has the residue of Roy’s stage makeup, and that famed SARMOTI logo. If and when we share a public celebration of Roy Horn’s life and career, you’ll see it there.
‘Fanilows’ take note
Prepare to bust out the 3D glasses and snap the glowsticks. Barry Manilow is vowing to return to his Las Vegas home this year and into 2021. It’s just later than planned. The Westgate Las Vegas headliner is moving his May and June engagements at the International Theater to this fall and winter. Manilow’s “The Hits Come Home” production is due back Sept. 17-19 and Sept. 24-26, with select dates in October, November and December.
And Fanilows can be assured their hero has also committed to a return in 2021 with four weekend engagements in February and March (hit the Westgate website for his whole schedule).
In a statement, Manilow said he was looking forward to coming back to his Vegas residency: “I am incredibly excited about the newly added performances in 2021.”
Not surprisingly, the hotel says the schedule shuffle was for COVID-19 health safety concerns and “an abundance of concern for our guests, team members and performers.”
As for tickets, the Westgate directs anyone who has purchased tickets for the rescheduled performances “to return to their point of sale for re-booking options.” But the resort also says ticket holders can obtain refunds upon request.
The next event scheduled at Westgate is the Big Blues Bender from Sept. 10-13, with the International Theater as the event’s centerpiece.
Lucky ‘Penny’
Brad Garrett checked in Sunday afternoon. I presume he was just bored. He says his MGM Grand club might reopen “July-ish,” which at the moment qualifies as an acceptable time horizon.
Meantime, Garrett was to premiere in Showtime’s revival of “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels” Sunday night. The series is set in 1938 Los Angeles, with Garrett playing Benny Berman, mobster Meyer Lansky’s right-hand man.
Original creator and executive producer John Logan is reprising all of the original series’ roles and is heading up the writing team. Lest we forget, Garrett is an accomplished dramatic actor (though not a great tap dancer), and he’s back in episodes 9and10.
For an underrated binge-watching experience, check out season two of the short-lived comedy-drama “I’m Dying Up Here.” The Showtime series is set in the 1970s L.A. stand-up comedy circuit. Garrett plays a veteran comic, offering tips, as comics slug it out while seeking a break on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” It’s a life Garrett has lived.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His Podkats! podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@ reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @Johnnykats1 on Instagram.
As of 9 p.m. Monday:
1. Laughlin’s iconic Colorado Belle to stay closed indefinitely; 400 to lose jobs
Golden Entertainment’s six-deck replica of a Mississippi River paddlewheel boat on the Colorado River will keep its doors shut when casinos are allowed to reopen soon.
2. List of reopened restaurants in the
Las Vegas Valley
These restaurants have announced their reopenings after the coronavirus shutdown.
3. Keep eyes open for rattlesnakes hiding in plain sight
Well camouflaged, rattlesnakes can be hiding in the habitat on your hikes along Southern Nevada’s trails.
4. MGM Resorts to bring back free parking on Strip
MGM Resorts on Monday announced free parking for all guests at its Strip resorts for the foreseeable future.
5. Public needs to be able to see resorts’ casino reopening plans
While it would seem a full public disclosure of these plans would be beneficial to the entire industry, the state Gaming Control Board intends to keep them confidential.
As of 9 p.m. Monday:
1. Nevada Gaming Control Board keeping reopening plans confidential
The state Gaming
Control Board requires every licensee, from the megaresorts to the corner gas station convenience store slot machine operators, to submit reopening plans, but they intend to keep them confidential. 2. Casinos reopening in Phoenix area
Harrah’s Ak-chin Casino reopened in Maricopa, Arizona, on Friday.
3. Laughlin’s iconic Colorado Belle to stay closed indefinitely
The Colorado Belle, an iconic hotel-casino on the Colorado River in Laughlin, will stay closed for the foreseeable future.