Resort legend lip-syncs to close Las Vegas Strip event
Elaine Wynn doesn’t have an act, exactly. But she likes to have her act together.
The billionaire businesswoman and entrepreneur said as much Monday night as she closed a charity show at XS Nightclub. The event was the second Lip Sync Showdown to benefit After School All-Stars of Las Vegas.
The organization helps provide after-school programs for at-risk students. About 4,000 students are in the program, which is expanding (go to ASASLV.org to support).
Wynn is an ardent supporter. At the end of the contest, she and her close friend, John Pucci, VP of player development for Caesars Entertainment, were challenged to take the stage by Wynn CFO Brian Gulbrants and PlayStudios founder and CEO Andrew Pascal.
Pucci handed Wynn a sheet of lyrics to the Dolly Parton-Kenny Rogers lip sync and karaoke staple, “Islands In The Stream.”
“I have always had an iron-clad rule, do not come unprepared,” Wynn said as she and Pucci took a spot in front of the night’s competitors. “Always, always, be rehearsed. Have your crap together. Don’t ever let anybody see you not all prepared and ready to go.”
But Wynn broke that rule in this performance. “It’s about the kiddies,” she said, “and it’s always about the kids.”
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The duet went off totally unrehearsed, but pretty darn good. The syncing was admirable. These two showed a little groove, too.
Wynn was one of four judges for the Lip Sync Showdown, in which several acts performed lip-sync routines. Two teams tied with perfect scores of 40: The PlayStudios group performing “Murder She Danced” to Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder On The Dance Floor” and The White Rabbit with its spin on Eminem’s “The Real Slim Shady” and “Lose Yourself” claimed the top prize.
The dual victory was official after Wynn told organizers to make a second first-place trophy. Emcee Bryan Chan helmed the event.
Gulbrants, Vegas socialite and media vet Michael Shulman, and yours truly joined Wynn on the judging panel. I was a late add to fill out the panel, didn’t have my crap together, as someone said. But hey, it’s all about the kiddies.
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.