Steeped in Vegas history, ‘X Burlesque’ hits No. 20 at Flamingo
“X Burlesque” turned 20 on Monday night, which means next year the show will be allowed to drink legally.
A joke, folks. Maybe comic Nancy Ryan can turn that into something.
The “X Burlesque” anniversary coincides with the 20th birthday of Stabile Productions, the production company headed up by Matt and Angela Stabile. Co-producer Tiffany Mondell and co-producer/choreographer Anthony Cardella fill out “Team X,” as we call it. The tight-knit, family operation also produces Piff the Magic Dragon at Flamingo Showroom, “X Country” at Harrah’s, the currently paused “X Rocks,” which most recently performed pre-pandemic at Bally’s.
The Stabiles’ operation is steeped in Vegas entertainment history. As part of that history, we have updated the show’s landmark anniversaries with a list of trivia items. Here’s the latest, a 20-at-20 fun facts list about Stabile Productions, from our own accounting and a few from the production itself.
Cue the audio crew:
20: “X Burlesque” did not open at Flamingo. The show was shopped around the city, including the Palms, with no takers. It was taken on by the Aladdin (today’s Planet Hollywood), only after a proposed adult revue starring Carmen Electra failed to materialize.
19: Angela Stabile was an original cast member of “Crazy Girls” at the Riviera. She is third from the right on that iconic “No if, ands or …” bronze statue that was most recently displayed at Planet Hollywood until being hauled away in June 2021.
18: The great Las Vegas bandleader Lon Bronson was company manager of “Crazy Girls” when Stabile was in the show. The Riviera’s head usher, who was in charge of all the hotel’s ushers, was renowned thespian Steve Schirripa of “The Sopranos.”
17: Cardella’s mom was Pudgy! the Queen of Tease! She met and worked with Angela Stabile when Stabile was a dancer in “Crazy Girls.” Pudgy was the comic when “X Burlesque” opened at the Flamingo.
16: Since “X” opened in 2002, 25 adult revues have closed on and off the Strip.
15: Matt Stabile’s father, Joe, who passed away in 2004, was the longtime manager and a close friend of Jerry Lewis. Joe Stabile was an Army bandleader in World War I, who worked with Lewis and Dean Martin and also on the Groucho Marx TV show “You Bet Your Life.”
14: Comic John Bizarre of “X Country” is an expert baker. Ryan, the comic in “X Burlesque,” has become a fine photographer during COVID.
13: Bizarre and Ryan have been married for 12 years.
12: The last time Angela Stabile ever appeared onstage was with “Crazy Girls” at the Riv, New Year’s Eve 1999.
11: In one of this column’s favorite fun facts, rock guitarist Frankie Sidoris is the son of Angela and Frank Sidoris Sr. Frank Sr. is an icon in the Vegas gaming community as a pit boss at Resorts World Las Vegas. Frankie performs with Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, and Wolfgang Van Halen’s Mammoth WVH band.
10: Over the years, those who have appeared at the “X Burlesque” Bugsy’s Cabaret venue have included the “Second City” improv show, comic Vinnie Favorito, the “X Comedy” show featuring Piff, Joe Trammel and Dennis Blair, and currently Wayne Newton.
9: “X” shows do not use singers. The Stabiles tried a singer in 2002, an idea that flopped. A vocalist was also cast in an offshoot show at Harrah’s Reno in 2010, but only at the request of the hotel.
8: “X Country” at Harrah’s was the first ticketed show on the Strip to return after the state’s COVID shutdown, on Oct. 24, 2020.
7: “X Burlesque” has performed around 10,000 shows since it premiered at the Aladdin in 2002.
6: More than one million people have seen “X Burlesque” at both hotels.
5: Usher, Taye Diggs, Diddy, Toni Braxton, Holly Madison, Jenna Jameson, Frankie Muniz, Wayne Brady, Sammy Hagar, Nicolas Cage, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jim Belushi, Jerry Lewis, Tony Dovolani, Abby Lee Miller, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Slash, cast members of “The Sopranos,” Brian May of Queen, Tommy Thayer of Kiss, and Cheryl James of Salt-N-Pepa are among the celebs who have attended the show.
4: “X Rocks” opened for Metallica in November 2018 at T-Mobile Arena. An epic, civic event.
3: Angela Stabile was also a dancer in “Lido de Paris” at Stardust.
2: Matt Stabile is an award-winning director, director of photography and editor. He and Angela have sound-designed, light-designed and directed “X Burlesque” since the show opened.
1: Matt and Angela recently returned to Planet Hollywood for a photo and video shoot on the 20th anniversary of when they met. That meeting was to film an “X Burlesque” commercial, the first ever for the company.
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.
