Las Vegas magician draws dozens of entertainers in sendoff

The Kats! Bureau at this writing is Laugh Factory, the Rodney Dangerfield VIP booth, as Murray Sawchuck performs his final show in a 12-year run.

Lefty (portrayed on this show by Doug Leferovich, who is his own understudy) has just made his appearance, sweeping the stage while awaiting his vaunted card-manipulation number.

Sawchuck’s wife, showgirl Dani Elizabeth, just delivered her hubby’s milk/light-bulb number gifted to him by the famous Mr. Electric.

This is the type of audience where it would be easier to note who is not here. A partial list (aren’t they all?): “Fantasy” producer Anita Mann and the cast of that show, including singer Lorena Peril and new Promotion Director Ashton Bray; Luxor comic star Carrot Top; “Grease 2” and ‘T.J. Hooker” actor Adrian Zmed; former “Crazy Girls” producer Norbert Aleman; members of the cast of Chippendales at the Rio; Tape Face (Sam Wills, when out of character) and Christina Balonek; rocker Paul Shortino and his wife, Carmen; veteran Vegas booking exec Steve Beyer; the great creative director Blair Farrington; Chris Phillips of Zowie Bowie; “Splash” producer-creator Jeff Kutash and sidekick, Marty Romley; Bonkerz Comedy Comedy boss Joe Sanfelippo; “Exxcite” creator Jenn Romas and “DJ Liz” Clark; the former Caesars Entertainment exec Jason Gastwirth and his Interstate 15 sports-entertainment marketing company co-founder Greg Cannon; MGM Resorts International entertainment exec Laura Ishum; Golden Globe-winning actress and singer Pia Zadora and her husband, Michael Jeffries rock guitar great Bruce Kulick (late of Kiss); bass guitar great Phil Soussan (Last in Line, Billy Idol, Ozzy Osbourne, Vince Neil Band); headlining comic Bob Zany and his wife, comic-actress Erin O’Connor; Golden Knights PA announcer Bruce Cusick and VGK entertainment exec Andrew Abrams; Vincent John of Bronx Wanderers; Notoriety Live proprietor Ken Henderson and his wife, Maria; former “Jubilee” showgirl, director and company manager Diane Palm and her husband, Henryk Janasick; “Las Vegas Rocks” publisher Sally Steele and veteran Vegas entertainer and event promoter Paul Casey; “The Conjurors — Cabin of Wonders” magicians Matthew Pomeroy and Natasha Lamb; Dollar Loan Center founder Chuck Brennan and his wife, Mary; the Docksiders yacht-rock band husband-wife team of Kevin and Erin Sucher; Las Vegas artist and scenesters Neal and Dorothy Portnoy; S.J. Rhodes of “Spice Wannabe” at ExCal; extreme-sports star Ricardo Laguna with with ex-“Crazy Girls” and “Jubilee” cast member Sarah Sutter; pinup model and former “Jubilee” cast member Sabina Kelly with her husband and artist, Nixx Gessner; extreme magician John Shaw; the ever-rocking Lucie May; Vegas media representation from Diane and Bert Davis; Stacey Gualandi and her husband, Marty Morawski; J.J. Snyder and her husband, Billy Scigliano … Who else? Ah, Blue Man Group and Tinnitus performer Jeff Tortora, and the entity known as Red Cup Geoff.

(Pause for a swig of FizzyWater.)

Club GM Harry Basil is up, doing his rotation of film tributes. “Titanic,” “Pulp Fiction,” “Ghostbusters” among them. Basil commits. After this, he’s visiting one of the about a half-dozen properties interested in picking up Laugh Factory once the hotel closes.

Look for a return by the end of May, with Sawchuck’s show and the iconic impressionist Rich Little to move along with the club.

We had a red carpet before this event. Sawchuck loves the red-carpet scene. As Basil just noted, “In a week, Murray will host the one-week anniversary of this red carpet, with another red carpet.” This crowd would be fine with that.

Cool Hang Alert

The music stylings of Glo Vivelo are center stage at The Speakeasy at 10 Via Brianza No. 110 in Henderson, from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday. Not been to the venue, but have known Vivelo for years and she can brang it. The Speakeasy offers libations, gambling and tobacco. A one-stop, Cool Hang shop.

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.