Mr. Las Vegas has plenty of company in charity show

Sometimes, you have to dig into the list of contacts to make a difference. For Adam Steck, this is one of those times.

The founder of SPI Entertainment and veteran producer of several Las Vegas Strip production shows has summoned an all-star cast to help sidelined entertainment professionals in Las Vegas. Dubbed “Jammin 4 Hope,” the live-stream event presented by HopeLink of Southern Nevada runs from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday and is staged at Backstage Bar & Billiards and the Fremont Country Club on Fremont East.

Aptly, Mr. Las Vegas is lending his support. Wayne Newton will be on hand to close the show. He and Chris Phillips of Zowie Bowie, the house band for the telethon’s final stretch, are singing a Vegas classic.

The show will feature live and video-recorded contributions from a cavalcade of celebs and entertainers, including (and here comes some heavy bold-face action) Mike Tyson, Carrot Top, Wayna Morris from Boyz II Men, Shin Lim, Matt Goss, Louie Anderson, Adrian Zmed, Human Nature, Frank Marino, Joey Fatone, Tape Face, Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns, Mat Franco, Bronx Wanderers, the cast of “Fantasy,” “The Australian Bee Gees Show, “The Rat Pack is Back,” Thunder from Down Under, dancers from the “X” revue family; Murray Sawchuck, Jennifer Romas of “Sexxy,” Shanda & The Howlers, Cherry Bombs, “Little Miss Nasty,” “Blues Brothers Live,” the Nieve Malandra Band, Jacquelyn Holland-Wright and Philip Fortenberry, Ron Green, Smashing Alice, Dirt Halo and Michelle Berting Brett of The Definitive Carpenters.

The event is streaming on several platforms. Find them at link2hope.org. Donate there and also link to the silent auction. HopeLink is a Las Vegas-based charity that provides assistance to families who have abruptly lost their means of employment.

Steck hopes to raise $100,000, a big number. But the auction items include an original Picasso from “Pawn Stars” headliner Rick Harrison; autographed boxing gloves from Tyson; an original painting by Vegas artist Ruel James; framed prints signed by Bill Murray; and backstage tours to Gold & Silver Pawn, the set for “Pawn Stars.”

Co-hosts are Harrison, Flamingo headliner Piff The Magic Dragon, Vegas broadcaster Dayna Roselli and yours truly. Doug Leferovich, “Lefty” in Sawchuck’s show and an expert director, heads up the show’s operations.

The event’s embers date to 2019, when Steck moved forward with a similar telethon to aid the Australian brush fires. SPI Entertainment specializes (coincidentally) in Australian shows, with Australian Bee Gees, Thunder and Human Nature in its lineup.

“We were gong with Keith Urban, AC/DC, Olivia Newton-John and our own shows,” Steck said Friday night at Thunderland Showroom at Excalibur, about an hour before Australian Bee Gees returned to the stage. “It didn’t work out at the 11th hour, but the idea was in place.”

Steck has done business on the Strip for more than two decades.

“I have always wanted to do a non-profit entertainment company to utilize the power of live entertainment, and spread awareness to worthwhile causes,” Steck said.

Said Newton: “It is critical that we help those forgotten in this pandemic: the musicians, stagehands, lighting and sound people, ushers and all showroom personnel who make it possible for us to do our shows. The people of Las Vegas have always taken care of our own and it’s needed now more than ever. I’m proud to be a small part of ‘Jammin 4 Hope’ and my heartfelt thanks goes out to all who donated to this worthy cause.”

Top form

Carrot Top returned to the stage, at Luxor Theater. The 15-year Strip headliner kept busy in his eight months from the stage with some new shtick from the top.

He feigned exhaustion as he arrived at center stage in the big theater. “I’m winded! Just walking from here to there.” He looked out at the socially distant crowd of 250 in the 1,500-seat venue and said, “I really appreciate all of Elko showing up tonight!” He remarked that he couldn’t see into the crowd with the stage lights in his face, cueing the Dire Straits song, “So Far Away.” Despite the unoccupied seats, the show sold out, and the crowd gave Topper a standing O to close an unusual, but very funny show.

Gadda love it

Guitar great Pablo Gadda had a momentous week, to put it succinctly. Monday, he and his wife, singer-dancer Autumn Grayce Johnson, welcomed baby boy Leonardo José Gadda. Wednesday, Gadda returned to his first gig since March, playing guitar in the “MJ Live” band at the Strat. Gadda took the stage having not slept in three days.

No matter. Gadda posted, “Welcome Leonardo José Gadda to this troubled yet deeply beautiful planet. We will fill it with love and music. Mommy is doing great and recovering. We are happy and thankful.”

Come a-knockin’

A sign Vegas entertainment is knocking on the door was evident Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club on Thursday afternoon. I’d spoken with MGM Resorts exec John Flynn earlier in the day about reopening safety protocols (video of that on my Instagram page) at Studio A & B at MGM Grand Garden , where the club is currently set up. I set up a Kats! Bureau near the sound board and heard an earnest knocking at a side door.

I opened, and it was a guy in a Chicago Bears T-shirt, ball cap and mask. “John Caponera?” I asked. “Yeah!” he said. “I’m headlining tonight! I’m surprised you recognized me!” We’d met a few years ago, and it was great to see him again, arriving as the club’s first headliner in eight months.

Caponera and featured comic Chas Elstner performed Friday. A great Caponera line: “I fired my scale. I couldn’t stand all the lying.” Garrett himself is returning to his spaced-out club Friday night.

Selling out

Solid ticket sales are leading “X Country” to add second performances per night at Harrah’s Cabaret. Producers Matt and Angela Stabile are adding shows Fridays and Saturdays and also opening a single show Monday. That’s five nights per week, two shows Fridays and Saturdays. Though the shows are playing to limited capacity (80 seats), that’s close to a pre-pandemic schedule.

This number

It costs “Absinthe” $20,000 per week to meet COVID testing requirements. Producer Ross Mollison is seeking some relief from the COVID task force on that fee, which is a heavy burden on a show that can only play to 150 ticketed patrons a night.

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.