After accidentally going to the wrong casino, Excalibur headliner Louie Anderson rushed over to the Suncoast to offer a short burst of his humor to the sellout crowd of more than 500.
Backstage, Anderson said: “Vegas gets a bad rap for being shallow and not very community-minded. All the show business people in this town, we are all connected." Nearby, Monte Carlo headliner Lance Burton was polishing a glass to use as a prop as he prepared to take the stage (before rushing off to his own show).
The occasion for this rare Saturday-matinee gathering of elite Vegas talent was a benefit to help defray the medical bills of singer and musician Bill Fayne, the longtime bandleader for Clint Holmes and a member of the popular Las Vegas Tenors. There were so many performers that the show ran an hour longer than the two hours scheduled. Among the 24 performances were slots by Susan Anton and Rick Faugno (from “Jersey Boys" at the Venetian). Of course, local celebrity host Robin Leach kicked things off with a toast to the crowd. “It's part of a long showbiz tradition of helping each other when necessary," he said. “I love this community, and I think it's the most generous we could be privileged to live in."
After offering the toast, Leach was off to another charity event. Some performers who could not make the show sent checks. The result was about $20,000 being raised for Fayne. It was more than anyone expected. Amid a recession even as showrooms are heavily discounting tickets all over town, this show sold out days in advance.
The next day Fayne seemed a bit amazed. “We could have sold out a room twice the size, but who knew?" Often a principal in organizing these benefits in past years, this time Faye was told to keep out and just be the recipient
