Meghan’s dad recalls Harry’s LV visit
WE have been here before. If you dig deep enough, you find Las Vegas in international news stories.
Thomas Markle made sure the city was not forgotten in the fallout of the Prince Harry and Meghan’s blockbuster interview with Oprah Winfrey on Sunday.
Markle, who is Meghan’s father, held up Harry’s past ribald behavior in Vegas while defending his own transgressions in a Tuesday interview on “Good Morning Britain” with Piers Morgan and
Susanna Reid (by the end of they day, Morgan had quit the program after questioning the validity of Meghan’s battle with mental illness).
“We all make mistakes, but I’ve never played naked pool, and I’ve never dressed up like Hitler,” Markle told the hosts.
This was an apparent reference to Harry’s trip to Las Vegas in August 2012, when he and his friends were photographed playing what seemed to be strip billiards in a Wynn Las Vegas suite (Harry was 27 at the time). Markle also exhumed a 2005 incident when the young prince donned a Nazi uniform at a costume party.
Markle revisited those days as he attempted to explain a 2018 incident in which it was revealed he staged photo ops for paparazzi in return for payment. This revelation landed just days before Harry and Meghan’s royal wedding. After much back-and-forth about whether he would attend the ceremony, Markle sat it out, saying he was recovering from heart surgery.
He has also accepted payments for interviews with international media. Not surprisingly, he’s reportedly not been in contact with his youngest daughter since before her wedding. Markle said on air that Sunday’s interview was the first time he had heard her speak in four years.
Markle has tried to make up for his past missteps, saying he’s apologized “at least a hundred times or so” to the couple. But he’s also dragging Harry’s past into the discussion.
We’ll reiterate it is not fair to hold someone accountable for a game of strip billiards from eight years ago. This is true for Harry, the Duke of Sussex, or Harry, the Electrician of Sacramento. At the time, the prince told the BBC, “At the end of the day I probably let myself down, I let my family down, I let other people down.”
Harry and his posse also watched the “O” show at the Bellagio and hung at Wet Republic at the MGM Grand that weekend, which tourism officials estimated brought $23 million in free publicity to the city. In that regard, it’s the gift that keeps giving.
Rose. Rabbit. Latent
I am not entirely confident Rose. Rabbit. Lie. will return to The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. My hopes that the supper club will be back are tempered by the reality of the club’s high overhead in the face of post-pandemic business trends.
Cosmopolitan execs refer to business concerns when discussing the venue’s viability, even after public gathering restrictions are being relaxed. A response from the PR team did not guarantee the club would reopen: “Rose. Rabbit. Lie. remains closed until further notice. As we continue to evaluate business levels throughout the new year, we look forward to sharing more information soon.”
With a menu conceived by chef Steve Gotham and an entertainment program led by vocalists Skye Dee Miles and Savannah Lynx, Rose. Rabbit. Lie. reopened in June, then suspended operations Jan. 2. The club hasn’t stirred since.
Appetite for this
The classic rock cover band Original Chaos performs Guns N’ Roses’ epic 1987 LP “Appetite for Destruction” at The Space on March 20. It’s a great idea as a one-off. It’s a better idea as a series of shows in which O.C. covers classic rock albums. That is what bandleader Dai Richards has in mind. Consider this show the launch of that concept.
A clean sweep
In a classic case of knowing your audience, the comedy show at Notoriety at Neonopolis has been renamed “Four Funny Comics.” Notoriety proprietor Ken Henderson checked in with that update Tuesday.
The comedy lineup previously used a profanity, the big one, in its official title. That name had an underground edge, but it was not something that would work on a flyer, or taxi top, or on signage at an entertainment complex where some businesses cater to kids.
There is still a quartet of comics featured in the “Four Funny” lineup, with Mike Faverman the host. They are funny, and (during the show) they’ll use adult language. But they’re saving the salty stuff for the stage.
Look for this …
“Atomic Saloon Show,” which had planned to reopen temporarily at the Palazzo Theater, will work it out at its original Atomic Saloon at The Venetian’s Grand Canal Shoppes. The removal of The Moat allows the show to seat its audience in the relatively close confines. More specifics in the offing, such as the opening date and how much of the cast can be wrangled back to the show.
And this …
A new, original burlesque-themed production is planned at Area15. Auditions are ongoing this week. Sounds pretty ambitious.
And this …
A new Vegas show is in the works from Corey Ross, co-producer of “Wow” at the Rio and “Extravaganza” and “Potted Potter” at Bally’s. The Review-journal is owned by the family of Sheldon Adelson, the late CEO and chairman of Las Vegas Sands Corp., which operates The Venetian and Palazzo.
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.