Vinnie Favorito

With row upon row of strategically lined theater seats, a two-man stage and the kind of dim, yet cozy lighting you'd associate with a city basement comedy club – you'd never think that O'Shea's' comedy showroom had been anything but. Surprisingly, the intimate uptown venue was actually a former ventriloquist's museum, housing the eerie hand-characters of many a great Vegas entertainer. That was until new owners Caesars Entertainment Corp. revived the showroom, with the intent on it becoming a dedicated comedy venue, that would match the class of the ever popular neighboring O'Sheas Casino. With the help of comedy-legend Vinnie Favorito's long running Vegas success, the O'Sheas Comedy Club transformation was soon complete, and a stellar show took up residence.

Originally hailing from Boston, M.A, Vinnie Favorito's reputation preceded him in Vegas. His iconic brand of down-talking and back chat, with a wedge of expletives thrown in for emphasis has resulted in a likening to the seasoned 'insult-machine' Don Rickles – a man whose knack for contrived 'put-downs', led to a career spanning over fifty years. A frequent face on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson”, Rickles has proven that this caliber of comedy survives the test of time – a legacy which Vinnie Favorito unwittingly continues with his own flavor.

With his sharp tongue and quick-fire audience heckling, Favorito's talents were always going to get him noticed. Plucked from obscurity during the mid-1980's; Favorito found his footing after winning the WZOU 94.5 F.M “Star Search” competition, which in turn heralded numerous guest appearances on “Comedy Central” favorites. Celebrity comedy would also ensue, allowing Favorito to make a name for himself in Hollywood, thanks to his innate skills “roasting” the likes of Jerry Springer and Larry King. It's this brand of 'insult comedy' that has contributed to Favorito's success within uptown Vegas. Likening his audiences to “sitting ducks”, he affirms that no-one, regardless of class, status or background is liable to be spared, should they choose to become a “participant” of his show. Perhaps that is why the “Vinnie Favorito Show” continues to prove so popular. Favorito doesn't treat paying guests like a deserving audience. He prefers to ruffle feathers, serve up the unexpected, and generally lament at their fashion sense – or lack of it!

Vinnie's show has no concrete order-of-play to speak of, however the usual plan of attack is based upon two sets. The first comprises an improvisational 45-minute set of stand-up, featuring an eclectic mix of re-worked classics, and general observational comedy – however it tends to be the second half of the evening, that really gets under the skin of an audience. The no-holds barred 'insult set' has guests shifting nervously in their seats, before Favorito has a chance to stake out his first victim – you just never know if it could be you. Have you worn the right pants? Slicked back your hair? Wiped the beer-froth from your lip during the interval? Such subtle checks in order if you're trying to avoid being the subject of ridicule, but nothing can really guarantee you a pass in this show.

Now in it's sixth year at the intimate O'Sheas Showroom, the “Vinnie Favorito Show” conveys no indication of being past it's prime, or even struggling against it's neighboring headliners. That probably has more than a little to do with the fact that Vinnie Favorito has trodden the boards around Vegas since 1990, amassing a huge following in the process. Charismatic. Eccentric. Call him what you will, but this is one comedian who knows how to maintain a time-honored presence on the 'Strip', with a show now enjoying an open-ended running!