The Kats! Bureau at this writing is New York-New York’s Brooklyn Bridge at Nine Fine Irishmen. In the shadow of Shake Shack, the site of the 16th annual St. Baldrick’s head-shaving event.
Earlier I joined Enoch Augustus Scott of “Zombie Burlesque” and Fox 5’s Jason Feinberg for an hour as emcee. Actually, “loiterer” would be more apt. I hung to the side as Enoch commandeered the 60-minute session, which is not just allowed but welcomed. The stage star who pays Zenoch in “ZB” staged an impromptu “dance-off” with a kid named Carter, a shavee.
“You are making your performance debut on the Strip!’ Enoch shouted. “Do you know how many entertainers in this city would love to have this forum?”
Carter didn’t care. He was busy bouncing, and collecting cash before having his head shaved. He needs to see “ZB” when he is of-age.
Entertainer wielding clippers abounded. The Strat Showroom headliner Terry Fator, the casts of “Potted Potter” at the Horseshoe, Chippendales at the Linq Hotel, “Wow” at Rio, “Rouge” at The Strat, “Fantasy” at Luxor, Thunder from Down Under at Excalibur, “Mad Apple” at New York-New York,” “Magic Mike Live,” Dita Von Teese’s show at Voltaire at The Venetian and Coyote Ugly at NY-NY, all participated as celeb shavers.
Organizers were hoping to collect $350,000 in the daylong event. The New York-New York campaign is led by MGM Resorts International Chief Legal and Administrative Officer and Secretary John McManus. He donated toward McMullan’s Irish Pub owner and Las Vegas St. Baldrick’s co-founder Brian McMullan’s shave. Brian and Lynn McMullan launched the Las Vegas shaving events at their pub in 2007, honoring their daughter, Kyra, who died at age 2 1/2 of brain cancer.
The McMullan’s event returns March 2025. It had been held for three years in September, after the pandemic took the campaign off-schedule. McMullan’s has raised more than $8 million, with NY-NY and several other Vegas events adding about $5 million. A tip of the hat, bald underneath, to Khoury’s Fine Wine, which has raised more than $300,000 after premiering its event in 2014.
Guy smiley
On the topic of bald individuals …
Cirque du Soleil co-founder Guy Laliberté continues to lay groundwork a lily-pad at a time, for a return to Las Vegas. His team set up a Frooogs Camp on Turn 4 of Las Vegas Motor Speedway this race weekend. This was an ongoing show and party, in the now-familiar frog theme. Ex-“Absinthe” performer Emily England posted a video from inside Laliberté’s trailer, performing card manipulation in what she termed “a VIP experience.”
Laliberté s favorite charity event, One Night for One Drop, is March 22 — World Water Day — at Hakkasan Nightclub at MGM Grand.
Laliberté has been eager to leap back into this pond, and we anticipate something vast involving his fleet of tricked-out RVs, likely in ‘26.
Laliberté sold his interest in Cirque in 2015, making the former street performer a billionaire. The city was more vibrant with him in the mix.
He uses brushes
An art exhibit on the Strip is linked to ZZ Top’s new fill-in drummer. He’s John Douglas, replacing Frank Beard, stepping from the kit for an unspecified “health procedure.” The band announced Saturday that Douglas would move in. The threesome is now Billy F. Gibbons, Elwood Francis and Douglas.
You might also know Douglas as the long-term replacement for Joey Kramer in Aerosmith’s run at Dolby Live in 2019, returning in 2022.
Douglas is also a fine artist. His work has been on display at Animazing Gallery at Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian since November. Douglas’ paintings grace drums, guitars, album covers and concert stages. His work is also exhibited at Hard Rock Cafes and Hard Rock Hotels worldwide.
Cool Hang Alert
The King James Brown Band plays OG Sand Dollar Lounge on Polaris Avenue and Spring Mountain Road at 10 p.m. Wednesday. The front man lays it out, every time, in this James Brown tribute. No cover. As always, try the pizza.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
