Laugh-a-minute show reopens this weekend at The STRAT…
You may have attended your share of stand-up comedy and magic acts. But raise your hand if you’ve seen a tattooed bad boy bodybuilder comedian who performs illusions while stripping off his shirt and donning a tutu. That’s exactly the kind of antics you can expect at James Michael’s Redneck Comedy Magic.
“Sin City is about to get a whole lot trashier”. That’s what Mississippi native James Michael shouted before grabbing his cowboy hat, slipping on his boots and heading to The STRAT Hotel Casino for his Las Vegas residency. Now performing six nights a week at L.A. Comedy Club, the Redneck Magician will entertain you with sleight of hand, card tricks, and some risque rope maneuvers. He might even steal your beer if you happen to look away.
With so many magic acts in town, it’s tough to stand out from the crowd. Perhaps that’s why the blending of comedy and magic is proving to be so successful. As the long-running Mac King (at Harrah’s) and Mike Hammer (Fremont Street’s 4 Queens Casino) have demonstrated, there’s a hungry audience for illusions mixed with laughter. Redneck Comedy Magic ups the ante by stirring in plenty of randy humor from the kind of guy you’d want to have as your drinking buddy.
James Michael may be relatively new to Sin City audiences, but he’s been spreading his brand of madcap madness around the world for quite some time. A fitness model and part-time tattoo artist, Michael has performed on cruise ships, corporate functions, television shows….and supposedly “UFO’s, prisons, strip clubs and a Chuck E. Cheese” if his bio is to be believed.
You might expect such a big bruiser to be an intimidating presence while onstage, but Michael is quite the gentle pussycat. In fact, he’s been known to bust through the doors of his local fitness facility while proudly wearing a “Hello Kitty” backpack. And much like last year’s The Naked Magicians, this wild buckaroo seems to strip off a piece of clothing after every trick or two. All the better to solidify his plans for world domination via an “AARP Chippendales”-style production. “Is it getting hot in here, y’all?”
Redneck Comedy Magic is one of this writer’s favorite adults-only comedy shows. Tickets start at only $39.95 for general admission. And with the money you’ll save, you might want to share a round of drinks with the star. He loves to hang around for conversation and pictures after the show. Just pretend that you don’t notice the tutu…
Redneck comedy magic performs nightly at the L.A. Comedy club at The Strat hotel casino. Showtime is at 6pm. Click here for full schedule and details.
VEGAS UNFILTERED BLOG by Sam Novak 