This week, Ira spoke with Kenny Shedd, former (Oakland) Raider and current filmmaker, working on “The Next Dana White.” In this episode of “Talk About Las Vegas With Ira,” Kenny talks about why he decided to become a filmmaker; how he spent 20 years with the San Leandro Police Department; his thoughts on the Raiders moving to Las Vegas; how he came up with the idea for “The Next Dana White,” his first feature film; how he scripted the film to emphasize the characters’ father-daughter relationship more than fight scenes; his development of Las Vegas investors; why he moved his production from the Bay area to Las Vegas; and why attention to detail is important in making movies.
Talking With Michael Shulman – April 29, 2024
This week, Ira spoke with writer, photographer, artist and philanthropist Michael Shulman. In this episode of “Talk About Las Vegas With Ira,” Michael talks about writing a compre-hensive history of Las Vegas entertainment residency for his website -https://www.shulmansays.com - (a version of this article was published in Business Traveler, August 2023); who the first residency headliner was (and this is going back to 1944); how it was originally an amenity to bring in the high roller; how the Rat Pack played a part; Elvis and his residency; why he (Michael) almost got kicked out of the Liberace Museum; the importance of the resident artist; how Celine Dion changed everything in the world of residencies; why Las Vegas is the residency capital of the world; how a residency is a win-win for both the casino and the entertainer; the audience comes to the entertainer rather than the other way around; what performer might have had “the most wonderful” connection with an audience; the most surprising thing he found in his research (and it has to do with Elvis); how strong country has become; the importance of production designers; the criteria for a residency; and the future of residencies.
Talking With Ron Futrell – April 22, 2024
This week, Ira spoke with veteran journalist Ron Futrell, 8NewsNow sports anchor/reporter. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Ron talks about the impending construction of the A’s baseball stadium (which would also serve as a multi-purpose sta-dium); why traveling to Las Vegas for sporting events is becoming a significant part of the new Las Vegas; the reasons he supports the building of the new stadium; how Thomas & Mack is still a viable venue (with the Runnin’ Rebels and National Finals Rodeo); the future of F1 and why it won’t be as disruptive as the initial event; why Las Vegas succeeds with professional sports arenas and stadiums (because of the tourism industry); and the chances of the Vegas Golden Knights winning another Stanley Cup.
Talking With Russell Ferrante – April 15, 2024
(Photo by Roberto Chifarelli)
This week, Ira spoke with Russell Ferrante of the Yellowjackets, performing in Myron’s at The Smith Center April 20. In this episode of “Talk About Las Vegas With Ira,” Rus-sell talks about when he first got involved with music; the formation of the Yellowjackets; how fortunate he is to continue to play music; how he describes the band’s music, which is original and includes group improvisation; why it’s important to respect the music; striving to be “in the moment”; why the Great American Songbook is a jumping off point for jazz musicians; why the band is leaderless; how the Yellowjackets got its name; what he learned from Clifford Coulter from the South Bay; why he also enjoys classical music and is “in awe” of classical composers; how time stops when the group is playing on stage; not letting perfection overwhelm the soul when recording; and meeting and working with some of his icons.