Wayne Newton, left, is shown wearing a medical mask in this United Press International photo in Los Angeles from Oct. 30, 1965, and wearing a medical mask with his dog Bailey, Eclectus parrot Simon and rescue cat Aiden on Saturday, April 19, 2020. (Wayne Newton archives and Kathleen Newton)
Wayne Newton is shown wearing a medical mask in this United Press International photo in Los Angeles from Oct. 30, 1965. (Wayne Newton archives)
Las Vegas legend Wayne Newton is shown wearing a medical mask with his dog Bailey, Eclectus parrot Simon and rescue cat Aiden on Saturday, April 19, 2020. (Kathleen Newton)
Wayne Newton refers to a decades-old photo and says, “I was the original Masked Singer.”
Mr. Las Vegas referred to his masked past, some 55 years ago. Last week he sent along a photo from United Press International (because this was 1965), showing him wearing a white surgical mask while picking up a Los Angeles Herald Examiner newspaper in L.A. The newsstand worker was also in a mask.
The paper’s front-page headline topped a story about heavy air pollution in Los Angeles, calling for a “‘Smog War” to offset the crisis.
Newton has suffered from asthma since he was a child. He wore the mask after doctors told him to protect his lungs so he could make an upcoming gig at the Coconut Grove.
On Saturday, Newton sent his sequel photo, at his Las Vegas home with his pooch Bailey, Eclectus parrot Simon and rescue cat Aiden.
Newton is masked anew. As he said, “Look at how far we’ve come!”
