by Norm Johnson Send Me E-mail

As previously mentioned, I am sending out special gift wishes for some wonderful people, and for some not so wonderful people. I will also tell you about a fantastic Christmas Show we took in last Sunday at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel, and I'll try to wrap everything up with a huge red bow at the end.

1 My wish for Clint Holmes is that he opens his show "Just Another Man - J.A.M." in New York (off Broadway) and it's a huge hit and gets proper backing to take it to Broadway or London. I truly believe it will happen!

2 My wish for Kelly Clinton is that she lands a showroom for more than one night a week, or travels with her husband (Clint Holmes) to New York and is discovered there and also goes to Broadway. It should happen!

3 My wish for the Las Vegas Tenors (Bobby Black, Teddy Davey, Bill Fayne and Mark Giovi) is that they also get more than one night to perform in a major showroom, and they get national recognition on their just released CD. It will and should happen!

4 My wish for the F.I.O.R.E. Club (where everyone is a President and they check their egos outside of the Take 1 Restaurant / Nightclub before entering) is that they continue to grow and grow and have fun at every meeting. It always happens! By the way I erred last week when I named the owner "Dan" Ardito, when it should have been Ben.

5 My wish for columnist, entertainment writer and damn good guy, Jerry Fink, at the Las Vegas Sun, is that he gets everything he wants in 2008, and continues to write those great entertainment stories - especially about those mostly unknowns he often discovers and features in his column. It happens every week, thank God!

6 My wish for the Las Vegas Motor Speedway is that Bruton Smith and Chris Powell get a phone call from NASCAR, telling them they can have that second Sprint Cup race in 2009. It will happen!

7 My wish for Las Vegas is that we continue to grow at a moderate rate and that we (Nevada) get another seat or two in Congress. It should happen by 2009.

8 My wish for Freddie Bell is that he gets good news from his doctors and that he beats the illness which is trying to take charge. I pray it happens.

9 My wish for my longtime friends, Mel, Jackie, Barry, Louis, Gwen, Cindy, Cathy, Brenda, Mike, Annie, Vera, Jack, Donna, Mary, Nelson, Esther, all my special friends and my very wonderful lady, Nancy, is that we all gather under the mistletoe and enjoy what's left of 2007. And we bring in the New Year with Love for everyone on earth - even the bad guys. It could happen you know?

10 My wish is that members of The CAST do the right things in 2008, as I do not believe they did everything right in 2007 - or there wouldn't have been so much anger aimed at the present board as it is presently made up. It might happen, who knows?

11 My wish is that Mary Wilson of the Supremes gets to work more in her home town of Las Vegas than she has in the past. This lady deserves to work here at least 12 weeks a year. It could happen and should happen!

12 My final wish is that the Walk of Stars organization does the right thing and starts putting funds aside to make sure certain names that have earned it (not paid for it) have their stars placed on the Strip. When they wake up and do that, then our community may support the group. Until then I do not believe they deserve our support. Just a single voice praying in the wilderness. I hope it happens!

Now as to that very special Christmas Show we, Nancy and I, watched last Sunday evening at the Hilton Hotel, starring The Las Vegas Tenors (I prefer calling them The Four Tenors). Right off the bat I have to tell you that this writer has attended a lot of wonderful Christmas Shows over the years, but this one was one of the best, if not the best, I have seen in a long, long time. It had it all: choir, kids, stars, a great orchestra and of course the Tenors.

I've covered The Tenors from when they first started performing at the Bootlegger about 2 1/2 years ago. At that time, they were singing to pre-taped music, but hey it was great entertainment even then. Then to see them today with a 10 piece live orchestra (including two violins, a viola, cello and a harp) on the stage of the Hilton hotel with an estimated audience of more than 1,000, makes me personally feel great. And, I have to brag here: This writer was one of the first to recognize them and to get the word out that they were wonderful singers with a great future ahead of them.

Now to the show. Like I mentioned: There was a Choir composed of 17 wonderful singers; five little darlings (calling themselves the Broadway Bound Divas who are in the 10-12 year age group); and guest stars Gayle Steele, Cayleigh Capaldi (a seven-year-old protege) and of course the fantastic Clint Holmes.

The evening began with the Choir opening with wonderful renditions of "Christmas is Coming" and "It's The Most Wonderful Time." Bill Fayne (founder of The Tenors) sang "O Holy Night" followed by guest star Gayle Steel singing "The Best Gift." The Broadway Bound Divas, dressed in very cute blue Christmas dresses, performed their special selection (just perfect little ladies), leaving the stage for Tenor Teddy Davey to sing "Little Drummer Boy" accompanied by a very special drummer boy (Clint Holmes). Holmes performed "William the Angel," with the choir in the background. The Tenors sang "Nights in White Satin" and "You Raise Me Up." Little seven-year old Cayleigh followed (she is the daughter of singer Domenick Allen and Leigh Zimmerman from The Producers) with "All I Want For Christmas is You," which was brilliantly performed. Bobby Black sang a wonderful rendition of "Grown Up Christmas List." Mark Giovi did a beautiful tribute to performer "Sweet" Louie of The Checkmates, who had passed away Saturday, by singing "You'll Never Walk Alone."

Throughout the nearly 90 minutes there were lots of standing ovations. The stage was beautifully decorated in the Christmas tradition of gifts, etc. The guys were just so darn good, you didn't want the show to come to an end, but unfortunately it had too. But, the good news is that The Las Vegas Tenors will be performing at the Hilton Hotel at least once a month during 2008. Oh, yes, they will also be at South Point Hotel & Casino New Year's Eve afternoon.

Well, gang, that's about it for this week. I want to Wish Everyone out there in "Readerland" a Very Special and Merry Christmas once again.

I'm outa here, as I have to wrap my gifts in beautiful red ribbons.

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