‘Loved by everyone’: Las Vegas Strip’s favorite canine sidekick dies

Mr. Piffles’ 17th birthday party and career sendoff is now a celebration of life.

The chihuahua sidekick of Piff the Magic Dragon died Friday, the comic magician announced Tuesday. The loss was felt throughout the production. Mr. Piffles performed more than 5,000 shows internationally and around 1,700 in Las Vegas. Last Wednesday was his final night on stage.

Piff and his performing partner and fiance, Showgirl Jade Simone, had planned to formally close Mr. Piffles’ career Wednesday night at Flamingo Showroom. Instead, a ceremony toasting Mr. Piffles is planned for the hotel, with the opening of Mr. Piffles’ Magical Playground dog-friendly space.

In a statement, Piff, legal name of John van der Put, remembered the lean years with his tiny companion.

“For over 15 years I’ve had the privilege and the pleasure of being upstaged and outshone night after night by Mr Piffles,” van der Put said. “He came into my life when I had nothing, and set me on the path to a career I could only dream of. In the beginning, I may have rescued him, but in the end, he rescued me.”

“AGT” execs fondly recalled the unique bond the pooch had with the live audience and TV viewers.

“Mr. Piffles graced our stage with his unique charm and indifference, embodying one of the greatest canine talents to ever perform on AGT,” America’s Got Talent Executive Producer Sam Donnelly said. “He was loved by everyone who saw his act, and his partnership with Piff was a truly magical bond that will forever leave a lasting impact on our hearts.”

Mr. Piffles likely performed more shows than any non-human in Las Vegas, outside of Siegfried & Roy’s white tigers. He appeared before tens of millions of fans of “America’s Got Talent,” when Piff famously “lost” the competition as a finalist in 2015. Mr. Piffles was also in the act when Piff premiered on “Penn & Teller’s Fool Us.”

Mr. Piffles was the only canine — and only animal — ever awarded the Key to the Las Vegas Strip.

Mr. Piffles was brought into the act when van der Put was premiering his dragon-suited character at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2009. The comic magician needed a “gimmick,” as he recalled, and borrowed a pet chihuahua from the woman who ran the venue. The bit worked, and van der Put found his own doggie online.

Mr. Piffles was the product of neglectful pet parenting, “A cowering mass of matted fur, rotted teeth and goopy, gunk-stained eyes.”

But the dog took to the act, in a minimalist sort of way, his deadpan demeanor drawing laughs as Piff worked his magic.

Van der Put has recently worked Mr. Piffles’ replacement into the act. The dog is also known as Mr. Piffles, or Mr. Piffles 2.0, or Fourtune. That name refers to the $60,000 van der Put paid to have Mr. Piffles cloned.

The replacement can only hope to have such a fruitful life. Though supplanted by a version of himself, there was only one Mr. Piffles.

Piff is performing a Max Verstappen tribute as he plays out the string w/@thepiff @FlamingoVegas … @reviewjournal pic.twitter.com/PESZmj0ONU

— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) November 4, 2024

The Piff fiefdom

Van der Put has taken his production duties “in-house,” which means Stabile Productions is no longer the show’s production company. The family company was founded in by Matt and Angela Stabile, with their daughter Tiffany Stabile, taking co-production duties. still operates “X Burlesque” at Flamingo, “X Country” at Harrah’s, and the recently re-opened “X Rocks” at Horseshoe.

The Stabiles signed van der Put after “Vegas Nocturne” closed at the Cosmopolitan’s Rose. Rabbit. Lie. in 2014. The presented the character in their “X Comedy” show at Bugsy’s Cabaret at the Flamingo, and will remain in partnership with Piff in a consulting role.

Van der Put’s new manager is Vegas entertainment vet Glenn Alai, who has also managed Penn & Teller for just a month under 30 years. That covers the duo’s entire run at The Rio. Piff has signed a three-year extension at Flamingo, where he has performed since 2015, running through October 2027.

And on that topic …

Penn’s on film!

P&T’s taller, juggling, verbose half Penn Jillette is cast in “Marty Supreme,” co-produced and co-starring Timothée Chalamet (“Call Me By Your Name,” “Hot Summer Nights,” ‘Wonka”). Jillette has been filming in New York with co-star Gwyneth Paltrow. The film is a sports drama, with Chalamet portraying a young table-tennis pro.

According to Variety, the studio is marketing the film as a “fictional work set in the world of 1950s ping-pong culture.”

The project is produced and Josh Safdie, also co-starring Tyler, the Creator; Odessa A’zion; Kevin O’Leary; Abel Ferrara and Fran Drescher. No release date; look for it in ‘25.

Cool Hang Alert

“Mavericks” at Plaza Showroom has added ticket sales into March. The show is also putting up a 9:30 p.m. show on New Year’s Eve with no holiday season price increases. The variety show hosted by Miss Behave creator Amy Saunders is a very cool throwback variety production. “Flirty, filthy and fabulous,” as Saunders says.

“The outpouring of love for Mavericks has been spectacular, which is why we want to make New Year’s Eve a wild night, not a pricey one,” Sauders reiterates. “We can’t wait to keep the fun and chaos rolling into 2025.” Tickets are $35 for locals, $49 for not-locals (no fees, to please), with an affordable bar menu and no-price parking. I usually walk there. Either way, make it happen.

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.