Klok loses Carmen gains Pamela

 

I am sorry to be so slow with this report on last week's press conference at Planet Hollywood/Aladdin about the replacement for Carmen Electra in Hans Klok's "Beauty of Magic." As I am sure you've heard by now the lucky lady is Pam Anderson. This all happened so quickly that walking to the press conference I noticed a promotional banner with Electra was still hanging.

 

Pam Anderson is certainly a fame upgrade from Carmen Electra. But I still have real doubts about the chances for this production. This was especially true after seeing a horrible video clip offered at the press conference of Klok's show. The look and feel was just like flashing back to 1989 and watching young Siegfried: from the choreography, to the staged box tricks to the haircut. But with Hans Klok there is no Roy and no white tigers and, seemingly, nothing at all original or distinguishing. At least, so far. Not that Vegas requires originality. Hardly. But a winning Vegas show does demand you imitate something that is successful now and not recreate something that was hot decades ago. Vegas changes quickly. Even guessing what will be hot in the future doesn't work in Vegas unless you have a lot of money to lose while waiting for the future. More than most places, timing is everything in Las Vegas. There is no room for error on either side. So, Klok may learn that it has been a long time since tourists in Las Vegas enjoyed this style of cheesy, stage prop driven, heavily choreographed magic.

 

It isn't impossible for Klok. Right now, Lance Burton is a headliner able to pull this sort of magic show off full time on the Strip. (But I think Burton's show is the exception that proves the rule, and Burton's show is really one you can take the kids to.) Also, Pam Anderson  has charisma and fame that will help Klok's show get attention, at first. But there is only so much magic the magician's assistant can do for a show's attendance numbers. And, I saw nothing in the preview video or in the couple simple tricks Klok did to expect that he is going to excite an audience away from Burton, let alone really hot shows like Penn & Teller. (And, let's not forget, over at the Luxor, Cirque is working with Criss Angel on an upcoming show.)

 

This all leads to the most depressing moment at the press conference: a mom held her kid up on her shoulder to see, describing Pamela Anderson to the child as "the older blond lady." But there was truth in that, too and it is the same truth, obsolescence, that runs through the entire feeling that this show is giving off. One final problem for Klok: the competition isn't even very far away; magician Steve Wyrick offers a new show at the mall attached to the resort.

(photo by Sarah Gerke)