Rick Harrison of ‘Pawn Stars’ teaches ‘edutainment’ in Las Vegas

The city’s hottest new live act is a middle-aged bald guy who haggles over odd items at a Vegas pawn shop.

We speak of “Pawn Stars” mainstay Rick Harrison, a TV star whose new live performances are dubbed “Edutainment” and geared directly to students in the Clark County School District.

In these unvarnished monologues, Harrison mixes his impressive historical knowledge (appropriate for a cast member of a show on History channel) with inspirational messages. When he spoke at Western High School on Monday, more than 500 students crowded into and around the school theater to hear what he had to say.

“We talked about the Revolutionary War and the Founding Fathers,” says Harrison, an avid history buff who deeply researches all the antique items that roll through Gold & Silver Pawn. “I talked about how our Founding Fathers were incredible men who definitely were not perfect — there were some straight-up bizarro characters in that group — who put their lives on the line to fight for freedom. If we had lost the Revolutionary War, they would have been executed.”

Harrison’s next talk, on the Constitution, is scheduled for Nov. 3 at Dr. William H. Bailey Middle School.

Working with students is an effective counter-balance to one of Harrison’s other pastimes, working as a bartender at Rick’s Rollin Smoke BBQ & Tavern at Pawn Plaza. The business shares a parcel Gold & Silver Pawn on Las Vegas Boulevard.

“I have a blast,” Harrison says. “When I’m in town, I’m at the bar every Friday and Saturday night.” And the man who deals in history is never at a loss for words.

Sir Elton action

The guy who looked like a dead-ringer for Carrot Top onstage with Elton John on Tuesday night, was indeed the Luxor headliner himself. Topper was among the fans at the Colosseum who joined John during “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting,” when the singer invites audience members seated in the front to stand near him.

It might be the first time in his career that Carrot Top, himself, has been used as a prop …

Also in the audience at Elton’s show Tuesday: Oscar winner and Vegas resident Nicolas Cage.

In other Elton news, last week Universal Music Enterprises CEO Bruce Resnikoff presented him with a plaque commemorating the selling of more than 3 million copies of his album “Elton John Rocket Man – Number Ones.”

And a date change for one of John’s final shows at the Colosseum: May 8 instead of May 6. His last show, as announced earlier, is May 19, closing a stellar 14-year run. That show closes a 14-year run for John in two productions, “The Red Piano” and “Million Dollar Piano” at Caesars.

This guy can sang

Ex-“Jersey Boys” cast member Travis Cloer returns his stage show to The Space at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Look for a new song and some familiar players as Cloer continues his solo career with occasional one-offs in VegasVille mixed with road/cruise-ship dates.

Cloer is performing the recently completed single, “Dancing With the Rain,” co-written by Frankie Moreno and his music director is a longtime friend and collaborator, Keith Thompson also of “Jersey Boys.” Cloer has performed at several venues across the city, including Grandview Lounge at South Point and Myron’s Cabaret Jazz. He’s also set his holiday show for Dec. 4 at the Italian American Club.

The combination of performances, including those on cruise ships, keeps Cloer afloat.

“It’s a financial thing. In this world of four-walling and the way things are in the city for guys like me, you have to mix it up,” Cloer says. “That’s the trajectory for guys like me. But fortunately, we have some great venues and great clientele where we can showcase what we do.”

Paris is hot!

A fiery, stunt-filled variety show titled “Inferno” is reportedly expected to open at Paris Theater before Christmas — perhaps assomething of a complement to the water-infused “WOW” at Rio (Caesars Entertainment owns both properties), and slotted into the 9:30 p.m spot following the 7 p.m. performance of “Circus 1903.”

I’m hearing “Inferno,” filled with stunt acts, is booking an open-ended engagement, five shows a week at to start, possibly a sixth if it takes off.

Cab Jazz, too, is hot

A couple of productions that fired up Myron’s Cabaret Jazz last week gave a glimpse into the powerful talent in VegasVille.

Nina DiGregorio’s Femmes of Rock showcase on Friday and Saturday nights was as technically ambitious a production as has ever been performed there, at Cab Jazz, replete with video mapping, laser (yes, for a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb”) and superior musicianship from DiGregorio’s amplified violinists. An AC/DC medley, “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin and its signature cover of “Eleanor Rigby” were among many highlights.

DiGregorio is now looking to bring a version of the show to Reynolds Hall in 2018. I’d bet on that happening.

Tuesday was the much-anticipated return of Melody Sweets’ “The Sweets’ Spot” at Cab Jazz. This was because it marked Sweets’ first appearance as a soloist after leaving “Absinthe” at Caesars after six years on Sunday. Sweets’ chic/sexy production was expertly boosted by comic great Murray Hill — who should be featured somewhere on the Strip, like, yesterday — a bevy of burlesque performers and a band led by Lon Bronson.

Those in the mix included burlesque stars Betina May, Miss Tickle, LouLou D’Vil, Kalani Kokonuts, Buttercup, Michelle L’Amour and “boylesque” figure Mr. Gorgeous (who performed an act that should be titled “Something With an Ice Cream Cone”).

Vocal powerhouse Jassen Allen dueted with Sweets on “I Put a Spell On You,” one of many highlights, and when your horn lineup includes Bronson, David Perrico, Andrew “The Fury” Friedlander and Neil Maxa, it’s a show to be taken seriously. Sweets returns to Cab Jazz Dec. 19.

Note: This version of the column corrects the date of Elton John’s final performance at the Colosseum.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.