A Super Las Vegas pairing: Stefani on TikTok, Shelton on the Strip

Las Vegas has been good to Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani. Super, even.

As Shelton has opened his Ole Red country-music fortress on the Strip, Stefani has announced she will host the Super Bowl TikTok Tailgate livestream party.

This is billed as the NFL’s “ultimate pregame party,” so feel free to barbeque brats and lounge in lawn chairs while reveling in the TikTok presentation

Stefani will perform live during the celebration, though it has not been specified from where. The social spectacle will include several hours of live programming and originate from Allegiant Stadium (go to tiktok.com/@nfl to access). NFL “special guests” and TikTok creators are also joining the event.

Segments of the pregame celebration will roll over to CBS’ Super Bowl pregame show.

“We all know how massive of an event Super Bowl is, and I am so honored I get to be a part of it and perform at the Super Bowl TikTok Tailgate. Can’t wait to see you all in Vegas,” Stefani said in a statement. The “Hollaback Girl” singer performed a private party Wynn Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve, and was a Planet H0llywood headliner from 2018-2021.

A ‘Fool’ game

Penn & Teller have kicked off casting for Season 11 of “Fool Us” on The CW. That means the series has been extended, which is not surprising, given it is the highest-rated program on the network. The current season runs through April.

The NSA play

Nevada School of the Arts raised $400,o00 in its Dream Gala at Myron’s on Jan. 9. Mayoral candidate and former Rep. Shelley Berkley; Cirque du Soleil, represented by Eric Grilly; and yours truly were honored by the school for ongoing support of the arts in Southern Nevada.

Clint Holmes was not honored at this particular event, but made it to the stage anyway to unexpectedly wrecking-ball my acceptance speech. Somewhere you might find video of our hastily arranged duet of “Playground In My Mind.” Holmes made up for it with a wonderful performance with Christian Tamburr and Bill Zappia in that venue on Friday.

The $400K was easily the highest amount ever raised at the NSA gala ($120,000 being the previous high). A $200,000 donation from the John C. Kish Foundation, presented by Matthew Frazier of Cirkish Foundation, is earmarked for an endowment to promote the arts for Native American indigenous people.

NSA President Raja Rahman, a classically trained pianist, says NSA’s long-term dream is to establish a Lincoln Center-style arts and education annex in Symphony Park. The building would complement the Smith Center and further buttress that region as Las Vegas’s primary arts center.

“I’ve been told, ‘You need to be in Henderson or Summerlin or someplace else,’ and I’m like, ‘No, no, no!’ That completely negates our vision,” Rahman says. “That vision is Symphony Park, and creating an area for the city’s culture and arts. That’s what we need.”

Orlando to Vegas

Vegas favorite and 1970s hitmaker Tony Orlando has billed his latest performances as “Farewell Shows.” But don’t fret, fans of “Candida,” “Knock Three Times” and “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree.” This “farewell” refers to touring, not such extended engagements as his shows Friday, Saturday and Sunday at South Point Showroom. Side note: Orlando’s legal surname is Cassavitis. We can identify.

This Justin

Acute Vegas entertainment observers noticed immediately the familiar figure of Justin Rodriguez in Frankie Valli and the 4 Seasons lineup last weekend at Westgate’s International Theater. Rodriguez joined the vocal backing ensemble this year; these were his first performances. He slayed, as he has with such Vegas acts as the corporate act Live Music Society (LMS) and the Docksiders. He even aced his first drag performance, with “Faaabulous” during the show’s run at Notoriety Live. This means, he can sing anything.

Guy’s death

The great Las Vegas comic Geechy Guy died of hemopericardium due to ruptured acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, in his Las Vegas home on Sept. 7.

Guy, whose legal name was Michael P. Cathers, suffered from cardiovascular disease. The death is classified as natural causes.

Tease this …

Hearing the Commodores — the actual current band, not including Lionel Richie of course — is setting up a run at a small-capacity venue on the Strip. Details to follow.

Might We Recommend

Marlene Ricci, the classic singer who was once a protege of, and opening act for, Frank Sinatra is headlining at Notoriety Live at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Ricci appears with the Jazz Outreach Initiative orchestra, reviving such standards as “Orange Colored Sky, “Too Close for Comfort,” “Besame Mucho” and more, much more.

Sinatra discovered Ricci one night at the lounge at the Aladdin. The entertainment legend rolled in with his wife, Barbara; his legendary friend and right-hand man Jilly Rizzo; and such superstars of the era as Danny Thomas and Angie Dickinson. The Chairman of the Board invited Ricci to his table and said, “Sit down. I would like you to go on tour with me.”

Ricci, shocked said, “Wow, this was my audition! Yes!”

Cool Hang Alert

Deja Vu Dance & Show Band (haven’t I seen this act before?) plays South Point’s Grandview Lounge at 6 p.m. Wednesdays. Tickets are $10 — a mere pittance — available at Ticketmaster.com.

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 X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.