No, I wasn’t talking to myself… but to Las Vegas’ legendary entertainer Frank Marino who appears just as he has for over 20 years as Joan Rivers in the long running show “La Cage” at the Rivera Hotel. Skeptic casino owners first booked the show for only a three-month run but with 20-year-old, Frank Marino’s determination; this was definitely the start of something big. In fact, Frank holds the distinction as the headliner with the most consecutive years running on the Strip, his show, not him literally - otherwise he would be thinner and fitter than he already is.

Listening to Frank as Frank Marino, not Joan Rivers, he sounds like a young New Yorker. Young… which he still is, especially in appearance, even after over 20 years living in Sin City and night after night of demanding shows. I mean, come-on, he started his appearance in La Cage when he was younger than young… where were the child labor laws back then?

Frank recently took time from his busy schedule to give VCO an insight as to who Frank Marino impersonator extronaire is. Frank is a second generation New Yorker. He went, for a short time to the New York Institute of Technology. Also, in his youth, Frank was a junior pharmacist, and LOVED working in the make up department…. Go figure!

When asked how he settled on Joan Rivers, he replied “I could not sing, neither can she and as a kid I always clowned around making family and friends laugh. I tried all of the female comics of which there were not many and found I did Joan best.”  So as they say… the rest is history!

Realizing this is a “grey” area (pardon the pun) but I asked if his show has ever included a male impersonator besides Michael Jackson? (which is at best, is 50/50) “He’s the only one we have done. I guess you can call that kind of impersonator a “Drag King”, Frank added!

I got a very surprising answer to the following question, “Has anyone ever heckled or displayed homophobia or walked out after realizing what the show was about?”. "No one has ever displayed homophobia or got up and walked out because of the shows context. The only hecklers, 3, have been drunks, which most of live acts get from time to time, only 3 in all these years is amazing!”  Frank also related that he is ready for a any homophobic display, having some set replies on hand, but has not been able to use them yet! Maybe one of these nights... “Nice Dress!!” is my reply as part of a joke between VCO founder (Marleen Marino) and I, but, speaking of nice dresses, would you believe Frank’s Bob Mackie gowns, which he changes into before each number EVERY night, cost between $5,000 and $20,000 each! I guess some of our female readers are jealous, I know Marleen is!

I asked Frank if he ever performed for the Queen,  “A Queen, yes, The Queen, no!"

Frank has performed before countless entertainers and celebrities, but one night he saw Whitney Houston sitting in the front row, (unbeknownst to him) “I was SO nervous” he explained. In 1986 Sammy Davis Jr. introduced him from the audience of his show. “He was the first to do that, it was quite an honor” stated Frank.

I always thought that "timing" was one of THE most important things for a comic, so I asked Frank “how did you develop your timing?”, “I just copied everything Joan did, until the night that I first met her, when she filed the lawsuit. After that I just winged it and hoped for the best” he answered. I might add the best is what we get from Frank and his talented cast of accompanying impersonators every performance. 

Frank has worked in several movies as himself and worked on a Pilot Independent film “Satin Lace” which Frank co-stared in, which is still in the works, but to quote him “I just dug a hole for myself. It's hard to believe that someone that is so polished on stage wouldn’t be like-wise in a movie. There is however a TV special in the wings called “Frank, My Way”, which will air on the new Las Vegas channel VTV, so keep a look-out for it!

Frank’s first book, His Majesty, the Queen, was an immediate bestseller. Marino has forever been immortalized with a star along the Las Vegas Walk of Fame, he has a key to the city, and a street bearing his name where he can drive his very own custom-painted love bug Volkswagen, but even more dear to his heart, is that, in 2006, the Mayor of Las Vegas proclaimed February 1st to be “Frank Marino Day”
VERY impressive! Kudos Frank!

Do yourself and all your friends over 21 a favor, catch La Cage starring Frank Marino at the Riv and tell them Frank Marino sent you!

January this year, Vegas Community Online named Frank Marino, Featured Artist of the Month. Frank Marino 01/07 Featured Artist

Frank stated:

"I'm very honored that Vegas Community Online chose me to be featured artist of the month. I've had many great experiences in my 21 years as a Vegas headliner and this is definitely one of the highlights."

A Sneak Peak

Frank Marino