Las Vegas murder suspect was a ‘Gigolos’ cast member
The man arrested last week for suspicion of murder after his girlfriend was found dead in their Las Vegas home was a cast member on the Showtime series “Gigolos.” A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for his teenage son.
Akshaya Kubiak, who was arrested on July 16 in the death of Herleen Dulai, is known to TV fans as Ash Armand from “Gigolos.” He premiered on Season 3 in 2012 and continued on the show through its finale in 2016.
“Gigolos,” an adult-themed chronicle of the lives of a six male escorts, was set in Las Vegas.
Marklen Kennedy, a Vegas resident, produced the series. His most recent effort, “Labor of Love,” wrapped its season last Thursday on Fox.
The 38-year-old Kubiak has been booked into the Clark County Detention Center on suspicion of the murder of the 29-year-old Dulai. According to records, Metro officers found Dulai’s body at the scene on the 8400 block of Blackstone Ridge Court, near Decatur Boulevard and Blue Diamond Road. The Clark County coroner ruled the cause of death as blunt force trauma and strangulation and the manner as homicide. The police reported indicated Kubiak appeared to be under the influence of narcotics.
On Monday, a GoFundMe account was posted to benefit Kubiak’s son, Elias Kubiak, by someone identified as Hue Dan. The message on the post: “On July 16th, Elias just lost his sole provider his father due to unfortunate circumstances at the moment. We hope you can help by providing financial support for him with living expenses, college once he’s done with high school, and other financial difficulties.”
As of Thursday afternoon, $2,050 of the site’s goal of $150,000 had been raised.
Efforts to reach the name behind the account, and the younger Kubiak, have been unsuccessful. Kennedy has offered no comment.
Akshaya Kubiak is due back in court at 8 a.m. Friday. His bio on the “Gigolos” website reads: “Ash continues to embody the spiritual and sensuous approach to life that was embodied by his progressive family.”
Playing it safe
Kelly Clinton-Holmes took a rare, short-notice break from her Wednesday night show at the Tuscany’s Piazza lounge this week. Clinton-Holmes made the precautionary move after learning that afternoon that her friend and Las Vegas portrait artist Neal Portnoy had tested positive Wednesday for COVID-19.
Portnoy (a regular in the lounge) had been at Clinton-Holmes’ performance the previous week and sat with Clint Holmes, the Vegas headliner and Clinton-Holmes’ husband.
That series of events prompted Clinton-Holmes to postpone her appearance. Veteran singer Tom Mazzaro took the gig.
Both Holmeses were tested Wednesday afternoon at the quick-turnaround COVID testing lab Elite Medical Center. By midnight, both had turned up negative. Pianist and singer Kenny Davidsen, the room’s Friday night performer, had subbed in Clinton-Holmes’ band the night Portnoy was in the audience, and he, too, has tested negative.
Clinton-Holmes plans on being back Wednesday night. Davidsen returns Friday. Tuscany owner Brett Heers set up the room according to all Phase Two reopening provisions, including plexiglass separating the singers from those seated (audience members have called the setup “The Aquarium”), and has closed the dance floor.
Heers has also tracked the events of this week and spoken with Portnoy — who has a mild fever but says he is otherwise feeling OK. Heers emphasizes his hotel’s extensive safety protocols and will continue to present live entertainment at Piazza and a menu from Tuscany Gardens across the walkway.
Sahara goes arid
Word out from Sahara Las Vegas is the entertainment staff has been permanently terminated, effective Sept. 18. The team had been furloughed since the COVID-19 shutdown. The oily male revue “Magic Mike Live” is still set to open next year in a new venue, says a spokesman for the production. The show is co-produced by Channing Tatum’s entertainment company and Base Entertainment of Las Vegas.
Circa next week
Derek Stevens is planning to announce Wednesday the bar lineup at Circa Las Vegas. The extensive, multistory rooftop annex has become the talk of the neighborhood.
“Jonathan Jossel, over at the Plaza, has been looking from across the street and saying, ‘I know you have something big planned there,’ ” Stevens said Thursday morning as the 34-f00t-tall “C” was placed to fill out the hotel’s rooftop sign.
On that point, Westgate Las Vegas General Manager Cami Christensen watched the video of the letter being set into place. She then sent a text, “Let Derek know I appreciate the big C on his building for me!”
Circa is on Westgate’s radar these days. Something about sportsbook measurements.
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.