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‘Irishman,’ new Las Vegas dates in store for Sebastian Mansicalco

Updated October 28, 2019 - 5:09 pm

It’s encore, and Encore, time for Sebastian Maniscalco at Wynn Las Vegas. The hot-selling comic and rising film actor is back for a quartet of performances at Encore Theater on May 23-24 in his “You Bother Me” tour.

Show times are 7:30 and 10 p.m. both nights (tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Wynn Las Vegas Box Office at 702-770-9966 or WynnLasVegas.com).

Encore Theater has become Maniscalco’s Las Vegas home after performing several shows at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The comedy-club vet’s career has been on rapid ascent over the past couple of years, as he has been cast in Martin Scorcese’s “The Irishman,” due for limited release Friday and available on Netflix beginning Nov. 27.

Maniscalco portrays “Crazy” Joe Gallo, opposite Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, in Scorsese’s latest mob drama. This follows Maniscalco’s performance in 2018 as Johnny Venere in Peter Farrelly’s Academy Award-winning “Green Book.”

Maniscalco had encountered De Niro years ago, when Maniscalco was a server at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, California. He worked at the restaurant from 1998-2005, and waited on De Niro’s table in the early 2000s.

“He was sitting outside and I even remember the table he was sitting at, 147, and we used to bring out a nut caddy along with the drinks,” Maniscalco said in a recent interview. “I remember he was polishing off the almonds, and asked me for more almonds, and at that time I’m thinking, ‘I can’t believe I am waiting on Robert De Niro. This is unbelievable.’”

Maniscalco didn’t revive the, uh, nutty memories during his time with De Niro on “The Irishman.”

“During the filming, I didn’t talk to anybody,” Maniscalco says with a laugh. “It was one of those situations where I didn’t speak unless spoken to. I wasn’t going to take De Niro and Pesci aside and crack jokes.”

What Works In Vegas

Lizzo at the Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The “Truth Hurts” artist sold out the place Friday night, arriving distinctively in a tub full of Skittles and (per news release) “metallic balloons that spelled out her name and a custom chocolate amenity curated by executive pastry chef for the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Vincent Pilon.”

The artist put on something of a Cosmopolitan fashion show, as resort jeweler Jason of Beverly Hills presented Lizzo with a custom-made, diamond-star necklace, and CRSVR furnished her white, teal and pink Nike Air Huaraches.

Later, at Rose. Rabbit. Lie, Anita and Ruth Pointer of the Pointer Sisters showed up for an unbilled performance of their 1978 hi, “Fire.” Vocalist Malik Pointer, a member of the Rose. Rabbit. Lie live act, is Ruth’s son. And, we nod to column fave Skye Dee Miles, who has performed at Rose. Rabbit. Lie for six years and makes every show count. She, and that whole lineup, are worth the trip.

Dionne on the scene

You know how you know you’re at a VIP after-party? When Dionne Warwick takes the stage. Warwick opened the post-party at Friday night’s “Evening to Save Lives” at the Westgate Versailles Sky Villa, singing “That’s What Friends Are For.” Warwick also welcomed ex-Supreme Mary Wilson to her residency show at Cleopatra’s Barge at Caesars Palace on Saturday night.

Also, returning to the gala, the emerging artist who performed Westgate Resorts exec (and music composer) Mark Waltrip’s “Please Don’t Go” and “On The Bayou” at the main event was Cassidy Daniels. Keep an eye on her, as she has signed with Warner Records in her hometown of Nashville.

Stars on guitars

Two guitar greats who share a mutual admiration, Neal Schon of Journey and Joe Bonamassa, dropped in on each other’s shows at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace over the weekend. Bonamassa arrived to join Journey on Saturday for an extended (because of dual guitar solos) of “Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’.” Sunday, Schon himself was the guest in Bonamassa’s show, as the two cut into B.B. King’s “Nobody Loves Me But My Mother.”

Bonamassa was among the many rock guitarists who recorded video clips for Schon when Journey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. At the time, Schon said, “Some good friends of mine, like Joe Bonamassa, who is a one of the greatest guitarists out there, did this video. It was really amazing. That really kicked my ass when I saw it.”

That’s ‘FRAHN-ken-steen’

Keep Memory Alive, the philanthropic arm of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, hosts a “Puttin On The Ritz” Halloween costume ball from 8 p.m.-midnight Thursday. The theme is “Young Frankenstein.”

Humps (“What hump?”) are welcome; full masks are not. Appetizers, food stations, specialty cocktails are part of the program.

Tickets are $125 per person, available at www.keepmemoryalive.org/halloween or 702-263-9797. My date for the event will be Abby, something …

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

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