Heart ailment takes Clay out of Red Rock
The Kats! Bureau at this writing is the Caesars Palace sports book, where nearly a year ago to the day I attended the 2016 Election Night party. There were beer specials, bunting, balloons, drunken revelry, and deflation. Essentially it was a Super Bowl atmosphere sans Lady Gaga halftime performance.
Later I’ll be chatting up Tiesto, my favorite superstar DJ simply because he happens to be 48 and, as such, in my age division. Tiesto is heading up tonight’s Oct. 1 charity concert at Omnia Nightclub. Other noteworthy booth inhabitants appearing at the benefit include Zedd, Kaskade, Steve Aoki and Lil Jon.
I am eager to have a shot of adrenaline, if not a shot of ouzo, in this show. And I’m remembering a line from Chris Rock, “You don’t want to be the old guy in the club.” We’ll see how it all plays out, as I cling to my juvenile disposition.
More from the scene:
Dice shakes it off
Andrew Dice Clay confirmed part of a report that he was hospitalized last week for dehydration — he was indeed hospitalized, but he was not dehydrated. He had emergency heart surgery to clear a blocked artery with a stent. He was in pain while taping an episode of “The Ed Bernstein Show” last Thursday, he said, and was taken to the hospital later that day.
“I have been running hard for a while and I had been working out a lot, and about three weeks ago I felt a pain in my chest and my arms,” Clay said Tuesday afternoon. “I thought I’d had a strained triceps, and I had my son Dylan rub the back of my arms. It went away, it came back, but I knew I wasn’t right.”
He spent three days at Summerlin Hospital Medical Center and canceled his scheduled performances at Red Rock Resort Thursday, Friday and Saturday. He also dialed back plans to appear in a multi-episode run on CBS’ “Hawaii Five-0.”
Clay expects to learn next week whether Showtime will renew his autobiographical series “Dice,” and his portrayal as the father of Lady Gaga’s character in “A Star is Born” is due for release in May.
He intends to remain busy with his many projects, he says, adding that the health scare has inspired him “not to light this up,” as he clutched an unlit cigarette.
“The bottom line is, I was very excited to come here, especially after what Vegas has been through, to do my job and make people laugh,” said Clay, who has a home near downtown Las Vegas. “I feel terrible about it, but I’m not ready to get back onstage. I love it here, I want to work here, and after I take a month off to recover, I’ll be back at it.”
Jammin’ Gavin
Vegas Golden Knights minority owner Gavin Maloof climbed onstage to play guitar with “The Voice” contestant Tyler Robinson at Monday’s Dark at The Space on Monday night. Prince’s music was the theme of the performance, and toMaloof pulled out the golden Gibson for a run through “Raspberry Beret.”
Maloof has been working with the instrument for a couple of years, and nodded energetically at the suggestion he should jump onstage more often.
“ I’d be up for it,” he said. “That’s why I’m playing.”
The show, which benefited the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, drew a capacity crowd in the 300-seat venue. It was the sixth straight Mondays Dark show to sell out.
Double trouble
Head’s up longtime VegasVille residents: Double Down Saloon celebrates its 25th anniversary Nov. 25 with a free outdoor show featuring The Dickies, The Dwarves, Throw Rag and The Heiz. Those are bands, I should qualify, because at Double Down you never know …
Others on the bill: Dirk Vermin & The Hostile Talent, Shaun Kama & The Kings of the Wild Frontier, Thee Swank Bastards, DJ Rex Dart, and emcee Jenn O. Cide. Doors are 4 p.m., show at 5 p.m., and the late-night hang is hosted by local faves Franks & Deans.
Gotta make it right
I misidentified the presenting sponsor of Friday night’s Fashion for Autism event at Aria, a benefit for Grant a Gift Autism Foundation. Neiman Marcus presented the event.
Who Was Where
Former First Lady Michelle Obama and Valerie Jarrett, a onetime senior adviser to President Barack Obama, at Tao Asian Bistro at The Venetian on Friday night. Jarrett, who turns 60 on Nov. 14, celebrated her birthday with a group of friends. … Washington Nationals star and Vegas native Bryce Harper and his wife, Kayla, at Zuma Las Vegas celebrating her 25th birthday.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
