We all know the famous phrase, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” but the same might not be said for your comedy. You’ll laugh and learn more about comedy’s history on this comedic tour of Las Vegas!
This is a true story that you’re sure to believe. A group of comedians toured the city of Las Vegas, giving their own takes on life and love. They visited at the height of the comedy boom in 1998 and 1999, when most of the casinos on the strip were putting on new shows every week. In fact, if you take a look back at those years, you’ll find that the full spectrum of standup comedy was popular in Las Vegas during that time.
This group of comedians went to all the various clubs in the area, including the Improv, The Laugh Factory, The Roxy , and even The Mirage. They also visited non-club venues like Tuscany and Mandarin Oriental Casinos, where they performed for free.
They had their ups and downs on this tour. There was also a mid-tour visit to Las Vegas that did not turn out so well. But overall, this Vegas comedy tour is no joke! It all happened in 1998 and 1999 when comedy clubs were at their zenith in Las Vegas.
Las Vegas was a boom town for comedy at that time. It was a mad dash to put together a comedy show and get it on the Las Vegas strip! There were so many of them that people who were down on their luck would come to Las Vegas with the hopes of becoming comedians, only to find out that someone else had already claimed that persona. Another interesting tidbit is that most of the comedians who came through the Las Vegas comedy scene at that time ended up disappearing. For some reason, it was like a black hole for comedy talent.
The one exception? The one comedian who managed to become popular here in Las Vegas stayed on top of his game for years after he left. It’s not hard to figure out which comedian this is. This guy is known for his signature black glasses, which are the same ones he wore in his well-loved role as Clark Griswold in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”
Seriously, the guy is everywhere. In fact, his face is on everything from T-shirts to billboards to restaurant marquees. It looks like Clark Griswold lives in Las Vegas!
So if you want to know what’s the going rate for Clark Griswold in today’s comedy world, then you’ll have to join us as we take this tour of Las Vegas and visit some of the comedy clubs that were still around at that time. And as always I’ll be keeping it real with my own personal experiences along the way….
Heck! I had just been back from a so-so stint in Hollywood, trying to make it in television. But after a series of disappointments I bounced back with a comedy routine that started to get noticed. The guy who produced my Showtime special, “Son of Schtick,” was now working in Las Vegas. And he was looking for material to bring over there.
I jumped at the chance, and in the spring of 1998 I found myself in my first-ever visit to Las Vegas. For me it was like taking a field trip to the land of fantasy.
