Tom Arnold at the Las Vegas Laugh Factory

Tom Arnold, who has rocked the comedy world for more than 30 years, will make his Las Vegas Laugh Factory debut inside the Tropicana Las Vegas, on Friday, Sept. 15, through Sunday evening. Show times for all three nights are 8:30 p.m.

“We are excited to have Tom Arnold as one of our “Special Event” comedians,” Harry Basil, co-owner, and producer of the Laugh Factory, said. “He, along with Andrew Dice Clay, and Jim Belushi (Jim has been signed to appear in October), gives us a strong presence on the Las Vegas Strip.”.

Arnold began his career in comedy at the University of Iowa before moving to Minneapolis, where he won the Minneapolis Comedy Competition in 1988.  He then moved to Los Angeles to write on the highly successful television series, “Roseanne,” before eventually serving as executive producer for the sitcom.  He went on to star in his own HBO special entitled “Tom Arnold: The Naked Truth,” and then wrote, produced, and starred in his own television series “The Jackie Thomas Show,” “Tom” and “The Tom Show.”

Tom Arnold

Born in Iowa, Tom has established a writing scholarship and runs an acting workshop for students at the Indian Hills Community College in Iowa.  Tom is heavily involved in many charities such as The Race to Erase MS, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Special Olympics, the USO and GLAAD for which he won the Vanguard Award.

Tom Arnold recently returned to his roots as a stand-up comic.  Never scripted, Tom pokes fun at his Midwest past, marital follies, and absurd Hollywood stories.  Just like his past film and television comedy work, Tom is a ball of chaos and charisma on stage.  Showtime premiered his first stand-up comedy special on New Year’s Eve, and he frequently hosts the popular “Laughing with the Stars” weekly comedy shows at The Laugh Factory in West Hollywood featuring supporting acts ranging from rising young comics to all-time favorites.  His shows are famous for their loose atmosphere with Tom breaking down the walls between his fellow comics and the audience.  No one is quite sure what to expect any given night.

As a writer, producer, and actor, Tom Arnold has established himself to both television and film audiences worldwide, having won such awards as the Peabody Award and a Golden Globe Award.  Additionally, he helped put Fox Sports Network on the map with his hosting duties on “Best Damn Sports Show Period.” Arnold currently hosts CMT’s “My Big Redneck Wedding” and “My Big Redneck Vacation,” which premiered at the highest ratings in CMT history.  He received critical praise for his role in “Gardens of the Night,” opposite John Malkovich, “The Great Buck Howard,” starring John Malkovich and Tom Hanks, “Good Dick,” opposite Jason Ritter, and “The Year of Getting to Know Us,” opposite Sharon Stone, Jimmy Fallon, and Lucy Liu.

Tickets may be purchased in advance from Ticketmaster or Troplv.com.

 

THIS AND THAT QUICKLY:

NHRA DENSO Nationals

Four of a kind usually means big money at the local poker tables, but at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, it’ll mean the debut of four-wide drag racing in the western United States.  The speedway announced plans to widen The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to four lanes. Construction is freshly under way, and the first four-wide event will be the NHRA DENSO Nationals April 4-6, 2018.

“Four-wide drag racing has captured the interest of race fans and competitors at Charlotte’s zMAX Dragway,” LVMS president Chris Powell said. “It’s exciting to give everyone on the west coast a chance to see what fans back east have experienced for several years now. Four-wide drag racing was the vision of our chairman, Bruton Smith, and our chief executive officer, Marcus Smith.  They are two of the key reasons that NHRA drag racing has become one of the most popular forms of motorsports in the world.”

NHRA officials expressed excitement about bringing four-wide NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series to the west. “The excitement and sensory overload of four-wide drag racing is one of the most intense displays of motorsports in the country,” said Peter Clifford, NHRA president. “We look forward to presenting the four-wide experience to the dedicated NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series fans in Las Vegas and the surrounding states.”

John Force

Drivers John Force and Antron Brown have had success racing four wide, as each of them has posted victories at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte. Force won the first-ever Funny Car four-wide event in 2010, and Brown is a two-time four-wide winner in Top Fuel. “I’ve got to give credit to Bruton Smith for investing in the sport of NHRA drag racing,” Force said. “His four-lane in Charlotte gave him two races, one with the two-lane in the Countdown and then the four-lane in the spring. It only makes sense that when he designed his Vegas track, from day one he planned on four lanes. That will allow those two races to be even more successful. So, good for you Bruton, and thank you from all of us at John Force Racing.”

Brown is just anxious for the fans to feel the power.  “It will be a lot of fun going to Las Vegas for a four-wide race,” Brown said. “It will give our fans on the West Coast what the East Coast fans have had at Charlotte (since 2010). It will be a real spectacle with four 11,000-horsepower cars launching at the same time. That will shake Vegas down. It will be a really cool experience.”

Tickets for the first-ever four-wide drag race in Las Vegas will be available at this fall’s NHRA Toyota Nationals, which kicks off Oct. 26.

 

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria

Known for its award-winning, coal-fired, brick oven pizza and calzones Grimaldi’s Pizzeria announces its Fall Favorites menu, featuring signature items and classics with a twist. Set to debut September 1.  The appealing menu includes a new “Wedge” Salad complete with romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onions, blue cheese dressing, bacon, and gorgonzola; Buffalo Chicken Pizza, a twist on a classic with Frank’s Red-hot® Sauce, fire braised chicken breast, mozzarella, gorgonzola crumbles and celery all atop Grimaldi’s coal brick-oven pizza crust; delicious new Green Apple Sangria; as well as rich, Caramel Apple Cheesecake featuring diced green apples served on a cinnamon sugar cookie crust topped with a caramel swirl and whipped cream and Chocolate Cheesecake with an Oreo® cookie crust for your sweet tooth.

All guests can enjoy Italian Sodas and Flavored lemonades fused with Monin® peach, green apple, and black cherry purees. For patrons 21 and over, sip on new craft cocktails including New York Sour, Peach Mule, and Black Cherry Gimlet. Grimaldi’s Stoking Social Hour continues throughout each month held every weekday, Monday through Friday, from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. (times may vary by location). Enjoy $2 off draft beers, $2 off glasses of wine (house wines excluded), and $2 off the Grimaldi’s Bruschetta Trio and Antipasto Platters. For $25, the Stoking Social Hour menu features the popular Coalition pairing complete with choice of Bruschetta Trio or small Antipasto platter and a bottle of wine. Starting Sept 1, guests have a choice between two Coalition wines – Tormaresca Chardonnay or Mamma Mia! Red Blend. Additional fan favorites including Chef Selection pizzas, mouth-watering calzones, and a variety of fresh salads will be available throughout the duration of the Fall menu promotion.

 

Kids In The Space Performing Arts Workshop

 

After a brief intermission, young artists from around the valley have a second chance to participate in a unique youth workshop as Las Vegas’ premier arts complex, The Space (3640 Cavaretta Court).  ‘Act Two’ of the popular Kids In The Space Performing Arts Workshop pulls back the curtain on Tuesday, Sept. 26. Kids interested in perfecting their acting skills must be between the ages of eight and 18 and must schedule an audition by contacting [email protected] by Sept. 16. Additional information is also available at www.kidsinthespace.com.

 

During this revival, Kids In The Space welcomes Las Vegas actress and entertainer Charlene Carabeo as their newest instructor joining famed youth theater veteran Todd Hart and founder of The Space Mark Shunock as they spearhead the intensive workshops and inspire kids at every turn. The intensive, six-week workshop offers various classes such as acting, singing, dancing, clowning, and technical theater. Two classes per week are dedicated to art and performance while a Master Class is taken once per week and is dedicated to acting, voice, dance, and more. The workshops help sharpen the skills of young artists, focuses on a variety of performance objectives, and provides the necessary training to better their craft.  At the end of the workshop, students will get to perform individual numbers in the final showcase on the main stage at The Space. In addition, each student will receive a tote bag, binder with curriculum, notes, exercises, a Kids In The Space T-shirt, and a certificate of participation.

 

Admission to the program is audition-based and at the discretion of master teachers.  Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 26 and running through Nov. 4, classes are held three days a week; Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 – 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. – noon. The final showcase is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 4 at noon. For more information, please visit https://www.thespacelv.com.

 

Charlene Carabeo

Carabeo is a thriving Las Vegas entertainer, lead vocalist in Digital City, and is the CEO and president of her own corporation, 2 the NEXT LEVEL. The talented actress has been on Broadway in “Miss Saigon” as well as a part of numerous productions on the Strip including “Peepshow” at Planet Hollywood, “Fantasy” at the Luxor, and “Island Heat” at Treasure Island. With a passion for the arts, music, and children, Carabeo is thrilled to be opening doors and providing the most comprehensive resources and opportunities for all those who aspire to take their passions, desires, and dreams to the next level.

 

Todd Hart

Hart has produced, directed, musically directed, and/or choreographed more than 50 youth productions and has taught numerous classes in acting, improvisation, voice, movement, dance, musical theater, and much more.  Believing all young people have unlimited capabilities, Hart prides himself on helping them achieve their goals.  Some of his former students include Kirstin Maldonado and Mitch Grassi of the Grammy Award-winning Pentatonix, Miguel Cervantes (Hamilton, “Hamilton,” Chicago), Major Attaway and Brian Gonzales (“ALADDIN,” Broadway), Jennifer Stone of Disney’s “The Wizards of Waverly Place,” Jay Johnson (Chip in “On the Town,” Broadway), and Will Ganss of ABC News.

 

Well, gang, that’s it for this week. Better get those tickets early for Tom Arnold.

I’m outa here!

 

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