This week, Ira Sternberg spoke with Shep Gordon.
Shep Gordon, in addition to managing many of the top artists who have headlined in Las Vegas, was named one of the 100 most influential people in Rolling Stone magazine; was the subject of the Mike Myers 2013 documentary, “Supermensch The Legend of Shep Gordon” ; and is the author of “They Call Me SuperMensch, A backstage pass to the amazing worlds of film, food, and Rock ’n’ Roll.”
In this 30-minute episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Gordon talks about the balance between living in Hawaii and his frantic career; how he got the title “Super Mensch”; the start of celebrity chefs in Las Vegas, working with Elizabeth Blau (who he credits with fusing the fame of chefs with a winnable business model; working with Raquel Welch on her act for Las Vegas; cooking for the Dalai Lama; and learning to be of service to others.
Gordon is known in the entertainment industry as having an eye for talent and an innate understanding of what people find entertaining. After graduating from SUNY Buffalo, he moved to Los Angeles and in 1969 co-founded Alive Enterprises. Over the years, he has been responsible for managing the careers of Alice Cooper, Groucho Marx, Raquel Welch, Luther Vandross, Kenny Loggins, and countless others.
He’s also credited as creating the celebrity chef, which revolutionized the food industry and turned the culinary arts into the multi-billion dollar industry it is today. His clients included culinary legends Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse, Nobu, Daniel Boulud and many more.
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