Vol. 3, No. 10, October 2007
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Star Struck
IP’s ‘Dealertainers’ provide fun while they sling the cards
Pass cards to the blackjack dealer, who mumbles the fabled Elvis phrase, “Thankyouverymuch.”Hear another dealer instruct players to “Knock Three Times,” in perfect intonation. Tony Orlando has checked in.
Go bust and another may say “Schooooooool’s Out For-EVER.” Alice Cooper has spoken.
Welcome to the world where gaming is a gag. It’s the Dealertainer Pit at Imperial Palace, a customer-friendly, interactive casino novelty. Thirty-six employees dress the part of famous people throughout their shift. They augment the in-character role by performing a song every hour. Dealertainers, not to be confused with the property’s Legends in Concert series, operate in a circular pit.
“It’s a genius concept,” says Greg Walker, one of two people who become Elvis Presley for eight hours a day. “The whole idea when this was developed about four years ago by our general manager (Ed Crispell, now vice-president and general manager) was to give people an alternative. Table games were diminishing, so they wanted to attract people back to the games.
“People had become less social with the games, when you consider how much they used the machines, etc. When you play blackjack and rapid roulette, you look around the room now and it’s literally a party.”
With specific planning to boot. The Dealertainers deliver a 25-minute show at the beginning of their shift and then launch their in-character occupation. The nature of their disguise encourages customers to reach out. They’ll ask Elvis the dealer “Don’t Be Cruel” on the next flipped card.
Dealers have an audience, a stage and the need for quick wit. They’ve invited the attention.
“We all love our jobs,” says Sandra Daly, who plays the fashion trendsetter Gwen Stefani. “The statement about finding a job you love you and never working a day in your life is true. When everybody walks away, we hear the same thing: ‘that’s the most fun I’ve had playing blackjack, ever.’”
Dealertainers literally were made, not born. Most had entertainment experience, but needed to learn dealing. Some veteran dealers became performers.
Walker has appeared on the Las Vegas stage for more than 30 years, many at the Holiday Casino. Impersonation runs in the family as his brother once played Rod Stewart for Imperial Palace.
Orlando, the real-life Tony Jordan, performed in the lounge circuit for several years. Daly began as a waitress at Imperial Palace. She was coaxed to sing on stage and then to become a Dealertainer.
Entertainers—entering the business through a unique door—faced real stage fright in learning to deal.
“It was not as easy as you might think,” Walker says. “You have to remember the hands, the changing of the bet and everything. It’s a procedure and it’s a little intimidating at first. Once you get it down, though, you are fine.”
Beaty saw the flip end of the phenomenon. He dealt 20 years before becoming Alice Cooper. Beaty took a humorous approach to the guillotines, fake blood and boa constrictors Cooper brought to his show. He devised a “uniform” and discovered a different customer niche.
“Our customers come more to have a good time than they do to win,” Beaty says. “We don’t see the people with the heavy action, or who are very serious. We have a great time entertaining people. We are given the freedom to do whatever we like regarding the character. That’s why I’ve got the Fishnet hose and the snake around my neck. Like all of us, the snake is an impersonator!”
Dealertainers prepare arduously. They often arrive one hour early to dress. They have purchased equipment needed for their character and invest time outside of the job. Beaty obtained part of his outfit in Tijuana. Jordan attended a recent Tony Orlando show to find pointers for his job persona. But he realizes the most significant aspect of the craft.
“We are not fully in character until we smile,” Jordan says.
The Imperial Palace seeks to expand its Dealertainer base. For prospective entertainers, it’s a foot in the door. Daly, for example, was approached by producers from England to appear in a tribute show in Mallorca, Spain. She spent five months there along with Gary Benson, the young Elvis.
What drives this unique group?
“One word. Greed!” Beaty remarks, bringing laughter from an assembled group of Dealertainers, who receive a little more money for their extended duties. “But seriously, there are some things money can’t buy. There is a picture of my Alice Cooper character now on a taxi. That’s priceless.”
The Dealertainer lineup includes a Stevie Wonder, Bette Midler, Prince, the Blues Brothers and Dolly Parton. The pit is active during the day and night shift. There is no graveyard group yet, but it could happen.
Is there a Boris Karloff in the house?
