Brad Garrett revisits Jerry Seinfeld ‘Tinkerbell’ moment

The Kats! Bureau at this writing is the deck of Kats! Central in downtown Las Vegas. This is where I have been conducting the occasional Instagram Live video, joined by such impromptu guests as Matt-Matt-Matty Goss, Jazz great Michelle Johnson, “The Igniter” Cameron Hughes of Vegas Golden Knights fame, and most recently star comic actor Brad Garrett.

The scene is very Vegas, primarily because of the view of the Strip in the background. I feel folks sometimes stay with me just to look at the Strat and Wynn Las Vegas on the horizon, and chart the progress of Resorts World Las Vegas.

But sometimes, hey, it’s a good investment. The latest chat with Garrett is an example. It was going swimmingly until we were cut off at IG’s one-hour time limit, just as Garrett was describing a recent surgery on his foot. He showed his splint, then —pfft!

But just before then, Garrett and I talked of Jerry Seinfeld, who started his stand-up career a few years before Garrett. “Seinfeld” fans remember Garrett playing Tony the mechanic in “The Bottle Deposit” episode. The role was one of Garrett’s first acting gigs, a highlight if you’ve binge-watched “Seinfeld” in COVID-19 quarantine.

Of Seinfeld, Garrett says, “I don’t know Jerry that well. I think very few people do, because he is a very private guy … But he’s, without a doubt, one of the greats. I watch him work, and want to go put my head in the oven.”

Garrett has never been a guest on Jerry Seinfeld’s “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” series. The series debuted on Crackle in 2012 and was bought by Netflix in 2017.

“I love cars, and I love coffee,” Garrett says. “I don’t think he likes me. I mean, everyone has done it, everyone … But I don’t think I’m his thing.”

Seinfeld has banked 84 “Comedians in Cars” episodes, inviting such comic stars as Ricky Gervais, Zach Galifianakis and Eddie Murphy to ride in an array of distinctive vehicles. Jerry Lewis appeared on the show in a 1966 Jaguar convertible roadster.

Westgate Las Vegas headliner and longtime Seinfeld friend George Wallace has been on, too.

Garrett has invited Seinfeld to his club at MGM Grand twice, where Seinfeld has appeared unbilled. He killed in both appearances, not surprisingly, drawing a three-minute ovation each time he walked onstage.

In his first appearance, Seinfeld worked on new material and brought a stack of notes to the stage. In front of the audience, Garrett peppered the superstar comedian with, “What, you’re the biggest — learn your lines! You can afford to get someone to whisper them! Get to whisper the lines in you ear! You’re coming out here with notes!”

Garrett recalled, breaking into laughter, “The audience loved it, because no one makes fun of Jerry. But he hated it. I’m being honest with you. I don’t think he appreciated it.”

Whatever the case, Garrett has yet to ride shotgun with Seinfeld. Maybe in the next 84. They’ll have a lot to talk about.

‘Hamilton’ at home

Smith Center President Myron Martin watched the Disney+ broadcast at the earliest opportunity — midnight Thursday. He also watched the with his daughter, Molly.

None of this would surprise anyone who knows Martin. The venerable Las Vegas arts proponent has seen “Hamilton” in the double-digits, and has watched dozens of Broadway shows with his daughter, who is also the reigning Miss Nevada Outstanding Teen.

“Hamilton,” of course, was due to play Reynolds Hall this September-October in the 2020-21 Broadway Las Vegas Series. The hit musical is now on indefinite hold, same as every other performance on The Smith Center schedule.

Thus, Martin was hit with mixed feelings — all of them powerful — when watching the original “Hamilton” cast, with Lin-Manuel Miranda in the lead role.

“The whole experience was very emotional to me, because it is so, so perfect, in every way,” Martin said Saturday in a phone chat. “The way they shot it, the way it’s lit, the costumes, the angles with the overhead shots and close-ups, it’s really just glorious.”

Martin then said watching the TV version reminded him of the warmth of live musical theater.

“Even as spectacular as it was, nothing takes the place of live performance,” he said. “I kept thinking about the beauty of the art, and the fact that the Smith Center is dark and everyone on our staff is furloughed, and how sad that is.”

Martin posed for a photo of the “ghost light” at Reynolds Hall, the light that traditionally remains illuminated after productions go dark.

“I wanted to show people what the theater looks like right now,” said Martin, who posted the shot in black and white. “I can’t wait to get out of this coronavirus to reschedule and announce the return of ‘Hamilton,’ and of all of our shows.”

What is and isn’t

To address a frequently broached topic on the scene: Notoriety at Neonopolis is allowed to host live entertainment under its bar/tavern business license. Ken Henderson’s venue follows Phase Two directives pertaining to bars, including social distancing and running at far under its 300-plus fire-code capacity.

The club has also ditched hard-ticket sales (which are usually attached to entertainment events) for a drink-package offer to anyone who wants to hang at the club.

With these protocols in place, Notoriety presented the 300th “Hilarious 7” comedy show on Thursday night, and has hosted recent Sin City Theater at Planet Hollywood headliners Tenors of Rock on Thursday, Saturday and again Sunday night.

The Tenors are working on days and times to be back at the venue next weekend, too. Whether they are set to return to Sin City Theater depends on who you ask. Maybe. But the gents are among the many Las Vegas Strip acts operating in uncertainty until hotels return to full entertainment.

Elsewhere, The Venetian has returned its strolling entertainers to St. Mark’s Square, from 2 p.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, with Anne Martinez’s Red Penny Arcade in the mix. Martinez has been busy throughout the COVID phase. She hosted “Late Night Magic” at Notoriety on Friday, has appeared routinely in Mondays Dark live streams, and has headlined The Vegas Room at Commercial Center. What else? Her “No Time To Die” single is due out, soon, and it rages.

On Shore

Comic actor Pauly Shore has moved to VegasVille, into a home in the regal Rancho Circle estates. Shore has pitched projects around the city in years past. I would wager Derek Stevens-level currency that the onetime “Encino Man” is again looking to create the funny somewhere in town.

I met Shore about a decade ago, before a Funny Bones Foundation dog-adoption comedy show at the Palms hosted by his father, Sammy Shore. Sammy was a dear friend whose comic talent was only surpassed by his love of dogs.

The elder Shore wrote a lot of great material about that passion. A couple of favorites: “I got a toy cocker spaniel-miniature poodle. So I have something cute, but can’t find it!” And, “I got a pitbull and collie. After it mauls you, it runs for help!”

Sammy, who died in May 2019 age 92, opened for Elvis at the International Hotel and in his early days at the Las Vegas Hilton. He and Pauly performed together in the “Family Affair” tour, prompting the son to say of his father on the day he passed away: “Most of the audience would be like, ‘Pauly Shore’s dad’s opening for him?’ They thought it was some sort of a joke, (but) they soon realized the joke was on them.”

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.