Las Vegas Weekly

October 14, 2008 · 9:43 AM

Comic Rodriguez a true cutup as host of The Real Deal at The Venetian

By Robin Leach

Paul Rodriguez has been flushed.

Veteran comic Paul Rodriguez is going “all in” after 20 years of an incredible comedy career -– and in one of the most unusual and unique new shows to ever hit the Strip, he can’t wait to hand $1 million to an audience winner! Previews start today (Tuesday) in Wayne Brady’s showroom at The Venetian for The Real Deal where the audience actually plays against a “final table”of poker pros for the pot!

Photo: Venetian

The set of The Real Deal.

Its the first-ever interactive poker stage show on the Strip, with touch-screen mini-computers at each seat so instead of the audience just sitting and watching the show they play a part in it.

My British mate, Vegas-based network TV designer Andy Walmsley, has constructed a lavish neon-bathed set for the Real Deal, which marries elements of a game show with a World Series of Poker final table drama. It’s the creation of long-respected TV genius Merv Adelson.

Photo: Venetian

The set of The Real Deal at The Venetian.

Paul handles the comedy hosting, while veteran poker princes, Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negraneau, Phil Helmuth, Jennifer Harmon, Phil Laak, Antonio Esfandiari, Scotty Nguyen and Todd Brunson rotate with their card-playing colleagues. They’ll play against the audience, which gets interactive handheld high-tech poker game units. In addition, Paul selects one audience member at random to go on stage to actually sit in on the “final table.”

In an exclusive interview that we’ll run here at Luxe Life on premiere day next Wednesday (Oct. 22), Paul says he will give $1 million to the first audience member at the pro’s table who gets a Royal Flush. Paul, currently riding high in the box-office smash hit movie Beverly Hills Chihuahua, was one of the Original Latin Kings of Comedy. He has appeared in over 30 movies and on numerous TV specials. He’s being allowed to fulfill some previously contracted USO shows for American troops serving overseas, so when he’s away from this new six-day a week gig local comedian Vinnie Favorito will be the backup host. “I’ll live at The Venetian to start with” Paul told me, “and then when all my other travels wind down, I’ll look for a house in Vegas. They tell me it’s a very good time to buy a huge house for almost nothing!”

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