Vinnie Favorito
Many Las Vegas venues retain the best comedians in the country. Several people recommended Harrah’s Flamingo Casino to see the hottest new comic, Vinnie Favorito. He generated non-stop laughter for ninety minutes using language akin to a drunken sailor. Incredibly, Vinnie made profanity seem appropriate. He’s an equal opportunity offender. His show consists of rapid-fire insults of audience members and their individual ethnicities. If you’re black, Latino, a cop, or teacher, you best hope is that he doesn’t single you out for treatment. The theatre’s one of the smaller rooms so there is no place to hide. The laughter doesn’t subside till he stops on you. This is a close up experience. Every seat in the room affords a full view of the stage. Many would find the show irreverent at best and outright racism at worst. If you’re able to set aside your own preconceived prejudice, the humor will burst forth to entertain and amuse.
He capitalizes on the secrets many speak only in private. Some advice, if he focuses on you, answer his questions clearly and promptly. If you show any weakness, he will exploit your hesitation to the max. Short answers are hard to springboard into a comedic dissection of every thing you stutter. Midway through the show, it seems as if Vinnie is performing in your living room. One almost feels a personal friendship developing, the kind you have with selected friends who are open minded, and can deal with politically incorrect speech.
During the show, Vinnie commented that the Medicine Hat News was interviewing him after the show. We conducted half our conversation in a hilarious public format. He proved as much a gentleman and humanitarian, as comedian. A celebrity who values his fans above all else, realizing those paying to see him, generated his success. He stays outside the exit shaking every hand and waits until the last fan has had their picture taken with him.
When asked during the interview, he identified his favourite charity being breast and ovarian cancer. He spoke reverently, in hushed tones, only experience engenders. The audience witnessed a different side of Vinnie, the real person, by being part of the Medicine Hat News experience.
On a whim, his parents spent sixty dollars on comedian lessons to draw a young person out of his shell. He grew up as an introverted child in a tough part of Boston, unable to speak up for himself. The last job his family foresaw in adulthood was that of a public figure. From that humble beginning, to class clown, all the way to Las Vegas star. Few people are given the opportunity to meet celebrities. I can tell you after being privileged to talk with many they are generally down to earth and approachable. Vinnie has travelled a long road from shy kid, to Las Vegas personality. He’s the kind of guy you’d want to share dinner. I would recommend buying tickets in advance. Chances are the show will be sold out.
