Busy Trump impersonator rejects unsuitable gigs
With the political rise of Donald Trump, business has picked up for Trump impersonator Robert Ensler.
But he’s taking a tough stance.
“I’ve got a lot of requests to do stupid things,” said Ensler, who has been impersonating Trump for about nine years.
A Trump supporter, Ensler said about 30 percent of his potential gigs “are looking for a caricature” or “at the expense of insulting Mr. Trump.”
“A lady contacted me about shining her son’s shoes for a video,” he said. “A Spanish film company wanted to do something derogatory. A rap group out of Miami wanted me to be Trump in a video that would show them crashing his party. I quoted an outrageous amount knowing they wouldn’t do it.”
Ensler has turned down movie cameos, including a “major movie role” three year ago that required “very foul language.”
He said some major corporations “are backing off hiring a Trump impersonator due to Donald’s politics, even though they don’t directly admit it.” One gig that was under contract with a “huge, worldwide software company” fell apart “when they pulled the plug at the last minute.”
Ensler moved to Las Vegas 13 years ago from Northern California, where he was “the smoothie and bagel guru on the UC Berkley campus.”
He took the plunge into impersonating the real estate mogul after so many people commented about the resemblance.
“I’m the only one out there who uses his real hair,” Ensler said.
A wedding of wows
Mirage headliner Terry Fator and his wife, Angie, held a weekend wedding celebration that included a yacht cruise, a courtyard ceremony, a cake inspired by her Sept. 3 wedding dress and fireworks over Lake Las Vegas.
Many of the 220 guests created a tunnel with sparklers on the way to Ponte Vecchio bridge, where the bride surprised Fator with the fireworks show.
The vanilla sponge/Bavarian cream wedding cake, created by executive pastry chef Claude Escamilla of Jean Phillippe of Bellagio and Aria, featured a crystal beading sugar creation patterned after the bride’s elopement dress. The couple were married at Lake Las Vegas on Sept. 3, which would have been her parents’ 66th anniversary.
Entertainment included Lon Bronson’s 15-piece band, Frankie Moreno and his band and Drew Lynch, runner-up for the latest “America’s Got Talent.”
During the ceremony, opera singer Virginia Dupuy of Dallas performed “Ave Maria,” and Fator sang two songs, “Your Love Song” and “Something Good” from “The Sound of Music,” the bride’s favorite movie.
The scene and heard
Nicolas Cage, a Las Vegas resident since 2012, portrays a former U.S. intelligence officer in the Oliver Stone- directed film, “Snowden,” which is set for U.S. release Dec. 25. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who starred in “Third Rock from the Sun” in his teens, plays whistleblower Edward Snowden, the former CIA employee who leaked classified information from the National Security Agency and United Kingdom for public
disclosure two years ago.
Corrections:
Schlitz was known as “The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous.” Also, the CBS special on Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday airs Sunday on KLASTV (Channel 8).
On this day
Nov. 30, 2007: Kevin DuBrow, lead vocalist of heavy metal band Quiet Riot, is buried in Corona del Mar, Calif., five days after he was found dead in his Las Vegas home at age 52. Authorities determined he was the victim of an accidental cocaine
overdose Nov. 19.
and announce they are ending their three-year marriage. They had wed Dec. 12, 1991, at the Little Church of the West, flying impulsively to Las Vegas and fashioning faux ceremonial rings out of aluminum foil. (Thanks to Mike Precker)
Sightings
Pop star Katy Perry, ordering a glass of Punto Final Malbec with a female friend at La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway (Wynn Las Vegas) on Saturday after shopping. Perry was in town for the Grateful Dead concert, which featured John Mayer. ... Actor Jaleel White, who played suspender-wearing nerd Steve
in “Family Matters,” spotted at Lavo Casino Club (Palazzo) with his girlfriend and friends Saturday. White turned 39 on Friday. ... Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain (“Zero Dark Thirty”), among a bachelorette party at Tao (Venetian) for actress Jess Weixler (“The Good Wife”).
The punch line
“More people have died taking selfies than have been killed by sharks. It is tragic, not only because you’re dead, but because you’ll never be able to see how many ‘likes’ that picture got.” — James Corden — Norm Clarke’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow him: @Norm_Clarke