Apr. 15, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

MIKE WEATHERFORD: 'Hello dere' comedian holds key to longevity

Asking the staff of Ping Pang Pong how the dim sum thing works is starting to turn into one of Marty Allen and Karon Kate Blackwell's stage routines.

The bug-eyed Allen asks what this or that dish is. The server replies in a heavy accent. Allen looks bewildered. Comedians and joke styles change, but miscommunication is eternal.

And it's starting to look as though Allen is too.

The "Hello dere" comedian is 85. But he doesn't want his wife to make that announcement as a nightly part of their new show at the Gold Coast, which opened this weekend and is booked into July.

"Is that what makes me successful?" he asks with a shrug.

It's nice that he's not trading on brazen sentimentality, even though Tony Bennett's 80th birthday seemed perfectly legit for a retail ad campaign. And yet, authenticity helps sell Allen's wild hair -- whisper thin now, but still a signature bird's nest -- the bulging eyeballs and the cuckoo comedy routines.

When Allen & Rossi made their mark as a duo in the Ed Sullivan era, it was Steve Rossi lobbing the soft serves that set off Allen's drunken wine-taster or addled football player. For years now, his wife has served up the punch lines, adding a new dimension to the old routines.

"It's been a long time since Nichols and May, Stiller and Meara, Burns and Allen," he says. "It's a brand-new thing."

The next few weeks will determine if the two still have the strong bond with Las Vegans as when they filled the same cozy Gold Coast showroom in 2000. Locals have been onboard ever since Allen and Rossi (still a Las Vegan as well) reunited at the old Vegas World in 1990.

The strong reaction to Allen and Blackwell's recent New Year's Eve booking surprised Boyd Gaming officials, who were quick to take notice and sign them to replace "Forever Plaid."

But Allen and Blackwell have done almost 300 cruise ship performances since their last Gold Coast stint, suggesting their appeal isn't bound by the county line.

"The kids don't know who we are but it doesn't matter," he says. "They get hysterical laughing because it's physically funny."

What's the secret to his longevity?

"It's easy," says his younger wife, a singer who met him in California more than 25 years ago. "Marty has the ability to sit down in his seat and go sound asleep. We can take a cab in New York City, and you know how loud that is. Eight blocks, and Marty can take a nap."

She says people don't realize how old he is. I wouldn't be surprised if audience members miss the guess by a few years, but I suspect they still know they're cheering on some kind of record here.

As his wife says, "This little baby, he belongs to everybody."


Mike Weatherford's entertainment column appears Thursdays and Sundays.
Contact him at 383-0288 or e-mail him at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com.

Apr. 17, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
NORM: Special gift makes happy day happier
Some birthdays stand out.

Marty Allen's 85th was picture perfect.

A special gift was waiting March 23, the day of his birthday, when the comedy giant and his wife/comedic partner, Kate Blackwell, returned to Las Vegas from their latest cruise ship engagement.

Allen opened up the package to find a long-forgotten photograph.

"I almost fell over," said Allen.

After five decades of hanging in the Milton Berle room at the legendary Friars Club in New York, the photograph showed Allen with fellow comedians Soupy Sales, Henny Youngman and Berle.

The gift was sent by pianist/record producer Jimmy Wisner, who somehow talked the Friars Club into giving up the photo. Wisner is known for his 1961 hit record "Asia Minor."

Allen was a comedian on the brink of a breakout when the photo was taken in the early 1960s. By 1965, Allen and his comedy partner, Steve Rossi, were so hot they were roasted by the Friars.

"Going to the Friars Club was like going to Sardi's. All the biggest stars of show business were there," said Allen.

He and Blackwell opened their "Hello Dere!" show at the Gold Coast showroom on Saturday for an indefinite run.

Las Vegas Sightings - Review Journal
Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine, on hand to celebrate Marty Allen's 85th birthday party at the Gold Coast. Borgnine, 90, won the best-actor Oscar in 1955 for his role in "Marty."

May 01, 2007

Timeless Allen puts on a show for the ages

By Jerry Fink <jerry@lasvegassun.com>
Las Vegas Sun

ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS MORRIS IF YOU GO What: "Hello Dere" starring Marty Allen and Karon Kate Blackwell When: 7:30 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays Where: Gold Coast Tickets: $29.95; 251-3574 Rating: 5 Stars

At $29.95, the Gold Coast is practically giving away tickets to one of the best shows in Las Vegas.

If you aren't already a fan of Marty Allen and his dynamic wife - vocalist/pianist/straight man Karon Kate Blackwell - you will be by the time you leave the showroom.

The couple recently began an open-ended engagement at the Gold Coast.

This is a powerful one-two punch: Allen the tireless comedian who recently celebrated his 85th birthday, and Blackwell, a spirited singer and piano player who takes charge of the stage the moment she walks into the spotlight wearing one of her slinky gowns.

What a contrast.

Blackwell, tall, shapely, groomed.

Allen, short, shapeless, perpetually disheveled and still sporting the trademark haircut that apparently was inspired by contact with an electrical outlet when he was a young man.

They've been together for 23 years.

Allen is as funny as he ever was, but for those who haven't seen the show the big surprise may be Blackwell and how talented she is singing the songs of Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Ray Charles and Tina Turner.

The show opens with Blackwell blowing through songs such as "Johnny B. Goode," "Proud Mary," "Great Balls of Fire," "Alexander's Ragtime Band" - exhibiting not only a potent set of lungs but prowess on the piano.

Allen - who claims to be the love child of comedians Jackie Mason and Phyllis Diller - is still a gem, shining as brightly as ever. Almost 60 years of show business have not tarnished the luster.

He and Blackwell put on a show that is as clean as they come.

While Blackwell changes costumes, Allen fires long bursts of one-liners:

"I was in the elevator with a group of Japanese men who were talking. I said : 'Gentlemen , you're in America now. Speak Spanish.' "

"She was wearing a T-shirt that said 'Guess.' I said, 'Implants.' "

"Guns don't kill people. Husbands who come home early kill people."

"If a guy talks dirty to a girl it's sexual harassment. If a girl talks dirty to a guy, it's $3.99 a minute."

Topping off the fast-paced evening, Allen - who sold dance lessons door to door after World War II - demonstrated he still has a lot of moves in him with a few steps. He's no Fred Astaire, but it was fun to watch.

Bring the kids, the grandparents and anyone else you care about to see "Hello Dere." They will thank you for it.

Postscript: There's no mention of Allen's former foil Steve Rossi in this show. It's almost as if the partnership never existed.

Jerry Fink can be reached at 259-4058 or at jerry@lasvegassun.com

May. 11, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
SHOW REVIEW: 'Hello Dere' an entertaining time trip
Marty Allen, singing wife a good fit for Gold Coast
By MIKE WEATHERFORD
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Marty Allen makes a joke about Hugh Hefner being 80 and still having "a different girl coming to his room every night. Only now they're called nurses."
Allen is 85, four years older than Hefner (who is now 81). The comedian still goes onstage every night to deliver bug-eyed one-liners from another era of show business. Only now his stage partner is not Steve Rossi but Karon Kate Blackwell his singing wife of 23 years.
It's undeniable that part of the appeal of "Hello Dere," the duo's current showcase at the Gold Coast, lies in rooting for these sentimental favorites. They are themselves longtime locals, performing to as many suburban retirees as tourists since 1990, when the couple moved here to play the bygone Vegas World.
It's a relief to say Allen doesn't make you hold your breath for him. The eyes don't quite bulge like they used to and occasionally, his gravelly delivery will test the capacity of the hearing aids in the audience.
But he doesn't look a day over 75 when he's dancing in high heels and a dress, vamping with Blackwell to "Hey Big Spender." Beats a senior fitness class, huh?
Some may find it odd that any mention of Rossi -- the other half of the '60s-era comedy team Allen & Rossi -- has been purged with an efficiency that would make the "1984" Ministry of Truth jealous. The montage of film clips that's de rigueur for most old-timer shows is missing; no Ed Sullivan show the same night as the Beatles, no "Last of the Secret Agents" movie during the spy-mania of 1966.
My guess is that the couple fear it would distract from their own likeable chemistry, the fact that he only stands as tall as her chin and often comes off like a bad little boy being interrogated by the schoolteacher.
The two repackage two Allen & Rossi routines, with Allen as ventriloquist dummy and blotto-faced "wine taster." He also steps out for some traditional stand-up, updating the act with references to global warming, Peyton Manning, Rosie O'Donnell, "American Idol" and "Deal or No Deal."
But mostly, it's up to Allen's vintage mugging and continued likability to sell a barrage of vintage one-liners:
"How do prepare your chicken?"
"We tell 'em straight out, 'You're gonna die.' "
Or, "I got in a taxi and said, 'Take me to where the action is.' He drove me to my house!"
Beyond our proprietary feelings toward the couple, their show is a good fit for the cozy Gold Coast room recently occupied by "Forever Plaid." The combined package is a taste of cruise ship entertainment that's hard to find on the Strip, with Blackwell's Beatles and Stevie Wonder medleys spelling the comedy.
Blackwell spices up her likeable singing by occasionally sitting down at the piano to knock out a few rockabilly licks with the four-piece band. And she informs the crowd that Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A." has been elevated beyond requisite casino standard to the status of "a prayer."
By the time she sings her own composition "Wedding Vows" to Allen at the piano, it would take a hard, cold heart to regret signing up for this time trip. But most people taking this voyage are sold before they walk in.

.

May 2007

BIGGER HAIR & BIGGER LAUGHS - HELLO DERE!
Karon Kate and Marty Allen

Every now and again, Las Vegas audiences are fortunate enough to see a legend. The best part about such an opportunity is just not the bragging rights, but the occasion to truly see what makes a great star and how after so many years, they manage to keep their show current, fresh and funny as ever.

The Gold Coast Hotel and Casino has given Las Vegas that very opportunity and once again managed to bring phenominal talent to their showroom. Hello Dere! starring Marty Allen and Karon Kate is a wonderful walk down memory lane with the perfect mixture of hot topics from today.
I was a big fan of Allen and Rossi as a kid - I think Marty Allen was the first comedian I was ever able to recognize...of course that's no wonder as I believe Mr. Allen is 40% person and 60% hair. He's also 100% funny which makes him 200% but this isn't about my poor math, so we'll just keep going.

The show began with the dynamic singing of Karon Kate Blackwell. It is quite possible that dynamic is to small an adjective as Ms. Blackwell's talent took the audience by storm. You could assume that it was her warmth and soft Mississippi accent that made her powerful and energetic singing stand out more...but it wasn't. Once she took to the piano and gave good ol' Jerry Lee Lewis a run for his money, it was clear - this woman is a force, and a talent, to be reckoned with.

After wowing the audience, Ms. Blackwell introduced the Godfather of comedy, Marty Allen. Marty is living proof that talent is ageless. The self-proclaimed "love child" of Phyllis Diller and Jackie Mason wasted no time in getting the audience laughing to the point of tears. It's safe to say there is not a topic he missed. He covered troll dolls, Playboy, Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush, Rosie, the army, condoms, AT%T, UPS, prostitution, cell phones, Brad Pitt, teenagers, bird-flu, single women, gun control, refrigerators, airlines and of course, age. That, was by the way, was in the first 5 minutes.

He was joined again by Karon Kate and the mix was perfection. Her ability to play 'strait man' to his ever-changing routine is simply amazing. They did a spin on Marty's famous "Wine Taster" routine that had everyone laughing including Ms. Blackwell herself. She reminded everyone that that routine was performed on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964, the same show in which the Beatles made their American debut and Marty Allen introduced himself as Ringo's mother.

The Beatles' mention led into a terrific medley of their songs sung by Karon Kate who was backed by musicians, Tim Fahey, David Kowolski, John Plows and conductor David Dubuque. She also performed some beautiful songs by Irving Berlin and her version of "Big Spender" from Sweet Charity was a sight, and sound, to behold.

She and Marty paired up again for a ventriloquist routine and "Question and Answer" session that was simply priceless. One of the best things about this performance was its testament to humor. Hello Dere! demonstrated without a doubt that a show can be absolutely hysterical without resorting to vulgar humor - a point Mr. Allen made quite proudly>

As I watched the amazing chemistry between Marty and Karon Kate it should come as no surprise to learn not only are they a wonderful duo on stage, they are also a wonderful duo in life. The two have been married for over 20 years and her most popular song "Wedding Vows" was written by her, for their wedding day.

We were able to experience a true entertainment legend, and also able to share in a very special gift. Marty and Karon Kate have spent the last few years performing on cruise ships all around the world. As will happen on tour Marty's 85th birthday was not the event Karon Kate had hoped it to be. Since they are now happily settled back in Las Vegas, she was able to present him with a special birthday surprise - fellow actor Ernest Borgnine, a dear friend, stepped out from the crowd much to the delight of Marty and the rest of the audience. With such amazing talent, every show will offer the audience something amazing to share in.

Photo By Lindsay Hebberd


Oscar winner Ernest Borgnine joins Marty Allen on stage Thursday at the Gold Coast
(Robert Brye photo)

Marty Allen, Karon Kate Are Dynamic Duo at Coast
By Frank H. Lieberman
Marty Allen is the Energizer bunny...he keeps going and going and going. Even at the age of 85, he hasn't slowed down. Allen and his wife, Karon Kate, a bundle of energy herself, are holding forth at the Gold Coast is what is a terrific show that is a classic example of what Las Vegas used to be. It's pure talent giving the audience clean comedy and great music. Its high energy, and at only $29.95 a ticket, possibly the city's greatest bargain.

Allen is a machine gun comedian blasting one-liner after one-liner. Some of the lines are classic, others are new, but they're all funny and they all seem to make sense delivered by someone who looks like a cross between the Pillsbury dough boy and an oversized troll doll. The more Allen delivers, the more you want to reach and hug him. I'm not sure why, but you do.

Karon Kate is the intricate part of the "Hello Dere!" production. Off stage, she's been married to Allen for 23 years...and that has to be a challenge. On stage, she's his foil; his strait woman; the brunt of his delight in tossing adlibs in her direction. Unbelievably, she handles every ploy with ease, though maintaining a strait face isn't always easy for her. But, that's part of the charm of the act.

Karon Kate is a dynamo songstress whether it's belting out 'Proud Mary' 'Johnny B. Goode' and 'Great Balls of Fire' or purring the tunes of Cole Porter or Irving Berlin. She has a twang in her voice that's very pleasent and can play 99s with ease. She also moves around the stage with the prowess of a teen performer and dresses more like a sex kitten. Adding to the evening's professionalism are four top-flight musicians: David Dubuque (conductor/guitar), Tim Fahey (bass/guitar), David Kowolski (keyboards), and John Plows (drums).

May 13, 2007 - Interview with Marty Allen and Karon Kate Blackwell

Views, Reviews, and Interviews
by Dianne R. Davis
diannerd@aol.com
Photos by Dianne or Burt Davis

HELLO DERE!
Marty Allen and Karon Kate talk about life, marriage and their careers.
Marty Answers the Burning Question, Where is dere?
Hello Dere. For the six or seven of you who might not know, that’s been Marty Allen’s trademark greeting throughout his career. How did it begin? I found the answer for the curious among you.
Marty Allen and Karon Kate are currently appearing at the Gold Coast. The venue is a nice change for this couple who spend the majority of their time on the seas, entertaining on cruise ships, but a nice change. The unlikely pair has called Las Vegas home since 1990. Their show is fast- paced, clean, and filled with 90 minutes of great entertainment. Bottom line: He’s funny. His one iners just keep on coming and his skits are old fashioned shtick. She’s a terrific singer, pianist, and straight woman for his physical humor.
Karon Kate and Marty Allen
In addition to being partners on stage, the two have been married for almost 24 years. Marty recently celebrated his 85th birthday. She is a good 20 years his junior. I was privileged to be at his show and birthday reception and see and feel the warmth and good wishes from their many friends. There is no show business pretension with these two. Just nice folks.
DD: Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. And I appreciate people who are on time. Who is the punctual one or are both of you always on time?
MA: We’re petty good on time.
DD: Marty, where is dere? Where did the expression “Hello Dere” come from?
MA: It happened one night when I couldn’t think. I went blank. I looked out into the audience and said, “Hello dere.” They laughed. After the show, people walked over to me and said “Hello dere.” I realized that I had found a catch phrase to become like trade mark. You wait all your life to find this.
DD: You’ve been in the business a long time. What changes have you seen for better or worse? How has comedy changed and how would you like to change it?
MA: Well, the one thing I do is maintain a clean show. Karon and I did over 300 cruise ships, 600 shows, family oriented. I love the possibility that kids can come in and see the show. Some of kids today that are performing are not with it. I maintain that you can do a clean funny show with no vulgarity.
DD: You spend many hours together. What do you do separately?
MA: I read a lot to relax. I try to keep up on what’s happening in the world. I try to find the humor in things to use in the act. Karen writes songs and music
KK: I either exercise like crazy or just do something. Marty walks, he watches television. Then he falls asleep. That’s great. I come home at night, I start futzing. I find something physical to do. Sewing. Cooking. I love to cook anything to do with vegetables and brown rice.
DD:. What do you want people to know about you?
MA: I think they already know about me There is one thing, you can’t be ‘on’ all the time. That would get ridiculous. I have different moods. I can be quiet, read, talk. I’m not always on all the time.
DD: When and where would you want people to ignore you or say hi to you? When should your fans acknowledge you and when should they leave alone?
KK: I think if I am in intense conversation and trying to eat, people should respect that. Neither of us have ever been bothered because you don’t do what we do without the people and you must always remember that. Neither of us ever forgets that and we hope we never do. I don’t want to be rude to anyone. In this business, you must care about people. They can say stupid things sometimes, but that’s because they didn’t know what to say.
I don’t mind. One thing, perhaps partly because of my success, is that I’ll talk to anybody. On ship, they liked the fact that I didn’t stay in my room. I would walk among the people and talk to them. I’ll be gracious to them. And they appreciate that. I really like people.
MA: It isn’t all about how to make money. People should be aware that somebody else is treating them with respect. We try to do that. Over the course of years, I must have taken 3,000 photos with people.
DD: Two of them were with me! Is there someone you would love to meet?
MA: I have many friends that were authors. Sidney Shelton was a good friend. I would have liked to meet Einstein. He was a very interesting person and he had the same hair as me.
You know they have art auctions on the ships. One day, I went over to the guy in charge and asked him if he had sold the picture of my father yet. He had no clue what I was talking about. Then I found the one of Albert Einstein and said, ‘dad, dad’.
KK:I would have loved to have met Katherine Hepburn. I was absolutely knocked out by her. There are so many wonderful people. The prophets. I would have loved to meet Elvis. And Oprah. I would really love to meet Oprah. She is another Mississippi gal, so intelligent and creative. She would be a fun person to sit and talk to about all kind of things. I love her approach to things.
DD: I’d love to meet her too. Let’s see if we can do that someday
DD: Karon, do you have a dress designer?
KK: I have people that I work with. We design and make costumes from scratch. If I am lucky, I sometimes pick up something at Nordstrom’s and then we change it. Sometimes we don’t have to change it. I hate shopping. There’s a wonderful boutique I go to. Helen at West of SoHo is so helpful.
DD: Your show business marriage has stood the test of time. Almost 24 years so far. Who proposed and how?
KK: {lengthy pause} We had started working together. I turned to him and said, ‘What are we going to do?’ He said, ‘I guess we should get married.’
DD: At this point Karon asked Marty who proposed and he replied that, “Somebody called it in.”
DD: What’s your secret for a long marriage?
KK: Marty looks for the funny side of situations. Especially when I want to fight. I think that’s part of it. Laughter.
DD: Who has the final word?
KK: I am actually fairly easy going. We looked for house for eleven months. We lived in a hotel all that time. Finally, when we found one he liked, I said fine, lets buy it. We are good compromisers. When it comes to the show, we really do go back and forth and talk about it. We don’t agree all the time, but we never have huge fights about anything. You know, do you want to be right or do you want to be happy. When all is said and done, most things don’t make that much different.
DD: What charities are you involved in supporting and how?
KK: I’ve always done a lot for Child Haven over the years. These children that are abused.. I try to go about it quietly. Those children are so wonderful. They had luncheon for me once and the children were of all different ages and they are all so polite.
DD: Will you retire?
KK I hope I do one day. I don’t think Marty ever will. I don’t see it happening any time soon. Somebody said to me, why doesn’t Marty retire. Why?! It keeps him young.
MA: One thing about keeping going and entertaining. One day something was pulling on my pants, I looked down. It was little kid who had just seen my show. He said, hey man, you’re awesome.
DD: Right now, you are sharing your talents with Las Vegas residents and visitors. But you spend a lot of time on cruise ships. What’s the appeal?
KK: It’s really exciting, one of these gigantic theaters that seat 1200 in the audience. You do one show and then a second seating. It is exciting, but nothing compares to working in Las Vegas. I just love it.
DD: What do you like best about playing Vegas?
KK: The best part is going home and sleeping in your own bed. Traveling is very difficult.
DD: Are the audiences different? Which do you prefer? Who is your audience?
KK: I find people are the same no matter where. You go out and entertain them. They are a mirror for me. I give what they do. It took me a long time to discover that. I am from the south. We went to Catskills. I tried to be the way I thought they expected. But I learned that we should just be who we are. People are the same all over the world. And I just love entertaining. Both of us are just absolutely so lucky that we’re still able to work in this industry.
DD: We are the lucky ones to be able to enjoy such an entertaining show.

Marty and Karon perform one show nightly Wednesdays through Sundays at the Gold Coast Showroom. Call 702-251-3574 for more information.

By Judy Thorburn - April 28th 2007
Photos by Stephen Thorburn
unless otherwise noted

MARTY ALLEN AND KARON KATE IN HELLO DERE!

From looking at them you might wonder what Marty Allen and Karon Kate have in common. She’s a tall, glamorous singer songwriter from Mississippi and he is the head shorter, much older (although looking decades younger than his 85 years) and well, disheveled looking Jewish comedian with the wild hair. But somehow they click. Not only have Marty and Karon Kate been married for 23 years, as an on stage duo they make up one of the best comedy/straight routines in show business. After years of performing on over 300 cruise ships they are finally back on solid ground, and as Marty announced to the media filled audience the night of April 26, happy to be back home in Las Vegas and performing at the Gold Coast Casino in a show they’ve titled “Hello Dere”, the two words known by fans the world over as Marty’s signature greeting.

Sammy Shore, Ernest Borgnine, Karon Kate Blackwell, Marty Allen and Breck Wall


Marty Allen and Ernest Borgnine








[Photos by Stephen Thorburn]

When Karon Kate isn’t showing her versatility as a singer belting out a variety of songs that range from those she grew up with on the radio (Johnny B. Goode, Proud Mary, Great Balls of Fire) to an Irving Berlin favorite (Always), a medley of Beatles’ hits (All My Lovin’, Can’t Buy Me Love, Elinor Rigby, Let it Be, Yesterday, Hard Day’s Night, Hey Jude) to Wedding Vows, the song she wrote for her wedding, and the closing number, God Bless The U.S.A. dedicated to our troops, the engaging vocalist who occasionally accompanies herself on piano, is joined on stage by Marty, whom she introduced as the “Godfather of Comedy”. At that point Karon Kate plays the straight woman to the very funny man whose appearance is enough to make anyone laugh.

Alone, Marty is a legendary comic force. But together, he and his talented wife are quite a sight for sore eyes as well as the funny bone. Anything goes for a laugh and Marty proves that by donning a curly gray haired wig, a mini dress and garter and singing a duet of Big Spender as Shirley McLaine alongside a straight faced, Karon Kate dressed in one of her many gorgeous gowns. Another shenanigan has Karon Kate as a ventriloquist, with Marty as her very humorous and talkative “dummy”.

Marty’s style of humor is old school, reminiscent of comic greats like Henny Youngman. And his delivery on all the tried and true jokes mixed in with newer up to date material is fast paced and solid. It is remarkable that Marty, at the age when most people have long retired, still has not lost a single comic beat and is still going strong after more than forty years in comedy. I can only add that the combination of Marty’s humor and Karon Kate’s music equals a most enjoyable show that I would recommend to everyone.

As a belated birthday surprise, at the end of Thursday night’s show, Marty was treated to a special visit from his friend legendary actor, Ernest Borgnine, who joined him on stage for a photo op and later attended the after show party reception.

Tickets for “Hello Dere” starring Marty Allen and Karon Kate at the Gold Coast Showroom are $29.95 plus tax. Call 702-251-3574 for more information.

Marty Allen Celebrates His 85th Birthday at Gold Coast
The Restaurant Insider, Loretta St. John, invited me to the press showing of Marty Allen and wife Karon Kate’s new show at The Gold Coast, “Hello Dere”.



Marty Allen best know as half of the Marty Allen- Steve Rossi comedy duo for years on stage, and in film and television. This comedy team has the distinction of performing on the same night as The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, not once but twice.

Marty was celebrating his 85th birthday which we learned later was actually March 23rd and he looked great.



The show opened with his beautiful wife, Karon Kate Blackwell, singing and talking to the audience and warming us up for Marty’s barrage of one liners with Karon playing Steve Rossi’s role as the “Straight Man” or “Straight Woman” in this case.



I found myself laughing uncontrollably at jokes that Loretta, who is somewhat of a comedienne herself, could not believe I had not heard before. She commented that several of the jokes were old jokes, but said Marty probably wrote the joke originally. That is a testament to his longevity in the business. It was an amazing delivery of material that even a much younger person would have had trouble remembering.




[Ernest Borgnine gives Marty Allen a hug as Karon Kate looks on.]





Loretta and I were happy to see two of our musician friends in Marty and Karon’s band. David Kowalski on keyboards and David Dubuc on guitar. David Dubuc worked with my brother, Phil, in Las Vegas years ago with the David St. David Band and I learned that David had worked with Loretta as well during that same time period.



The ninety minute show is split equally between Karon and Marty and provides a great blend of music and laughter. The surprise at the end of the show was Marty’s longtime friend, Ernest Borgnine coming up on stage from the audience. He looked great at age 90.


Marty Allen and Monti Rock III


Loretta St. John, Marty Allen, Karon Kate and Steve Tuminello


Loretta St. John and David Dubuc

We saw a lot of old friends and Loretta’s friend that had invited us, Howard Jochsberger, who was one of the directors of the show.


Loretta St. John and Howard Jochsberger


Helen DiMario and Loretta St. John


Ernest Borgnine and Steve Tuminello


Marty Allen - Loretta St. John and Ernest Borgnine

I talked with my friend, musician/singer Ron Crews, last night and he commented that he and Debbie Sirianni saw “Hello Dere” Sunday night and thoroughly enjoyed the show.





After the show the press filled audience moved upstairs to an after party with food and beverage.



2007 (C) Copyrights Reserved - Photos Courtesy Las Vegas At Its Best.com







Comedians Are Not So Funny Anymore (Sept 2007)
By Vince Addamo

It was wonderful seeing Marty Allen and his wife, Karen Kate perform at the Gold Coast Hotel in Las Vegas. It provided a peek into the past and caused me to reminisce about the old time comedians most of whom have passed on. I could rattle off the names of a dozen old comic’s without blinking an eye: Milton Berle, Red Skelton, Jackie Gleason, Sid Caesar, George Burns, Jack Benny, Steve Allen, Dean Martin, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Johnny Carson, Bob Newhart…. and before I complete this article, I’ll probably think of a dozen more.

How much do you remember about the old comedians? Who was famous for saying, “I’ll kill you…I’ll kill you a million times?” Who played the character Clem Kadiddlehopper? Which comedian had sidekicks named Rochester, Mel Blanc and Harry Vonzel? Do you remember which comedian had the “Man on the Street” routine with Louie Nye, Don Knotts and Tom Posten? Who began his show by sliding down a fire pole? And finally, the comedian of all comedians: who traveled around the world during every war from WWII to the Persian Gulf to entertain our troops? As we used to say as kids, “I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count.”

So, besides laughing hysterically for two hours, what impressed me most about Marty Allen was that he never once uttered a four letter word. Neither did any of the comedians mentioned above. Today’s comics (who would be more aptly described as cynics) attempt to shock their audiences with a steady stream of four letter curse words; their routines apparently designed to mask a lack of talent. Try watching a stand-up tell a joke on TV today and you would be hard pressed to get the joke after all the censor’s bleeps. That is, unless you can read lips. And, rather than entertain, they prefer to impose their political view points on you. Thank goodness for remote control. I guess us old timers are spoiled. Marty Allen, at age 85, is still at his peak. He’s one of the last vestiges of a dying art: the art of being really funny.

Who are the comedians of today? I can’t think of any; at least none that I would waste a half hour to watch on TV or spend $29 plus tax to see in person. And who is entertaining our servicemen in the Middle East? Showtime showed a special with Drew Carey in Iraq. The show was so full of expletives, it could never be shown on regular television. What a shame! We cancelled our subscription to Showtime after watching five minutes of Penn and Teller. Compared to them, the Sopranos would qualify for a bible study session.

Variety shows have succumbed to reality shows. Shows like Fear Factor and Survivor, where tattooed, half naked youths with multiple body piercings, willingly submit themselves to humiliation. Are people really amused by watching someone being forced to lie in a bed of snakes or eat a maggot sandwich?

By the way, answers to the above quiz, in case you didn’t know, are: Milton Berle, Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Steve Allen, Dean Martin and Bob Hope.

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