This week, Ira Sternberg spoke with Monti Rock III.
In this 30-minute episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Rock talks about his life and career; how he survived his early childhood; the insights he’s gained by turning 80; why his popularity was based on personality and character, not talent; his disappointing first appearance in Las Vegas; what his performance in “Saturday Night Fever” gave him; and the hardest thing about being Monti Rock III.
Monti Rock III, whose real name is Joseph Moses Montanez, Jr., also performed as Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes. He has been part of the Las Vegas scene for several decades. As Rock puts it, he is iconic, legendary, unpredictable, an enigma, undefinable, and a legend in his own mind.
His television appearances from the 60’s were topped by his multitude of appearances on the “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson (a total of 84 times) and his appearance in the cult classic film, “Saturday Night Fever.”
