Las Vegas Weekly

June 25, 2009 · 6:33 AM

Exclusive Photo Gallery: Carrot Top wins six-year contract renewal

By Robin Leach

Carrot Top and Luxor executives.

Photo: TVT

It’s an unprecedented six-year contract renewal for zany comedian Carrot Top, and his show at the Luxor will run through 2015 to make a total of 10 years! Luxor President Felix Rappaport confirmed the mega-deal last night onstage with the comic genius at the end of his brilliantly hilarious show. Felix pointed out that in his 20-year comedy career, Carrot Top has played to more than 3 million fans.

Carrot Top, real name Scott Thompson, was presented with a unique pyramid-shaped jack-in-the-box gift, which featured a mini Carrot Top character popping out! The 44-year-old entertainer also was presented with a framed art piece of photographs of key moments and memories since he first arrived at the hotel.

Celebrating at the Cathouse afterward, Carrot Top also was presented with a huge cake and an engraved wine decanter set by the Luxor executives, all of whom donned wacky orange wigs for our exclusive photos! Felix also rolled out Carrot Top’s new in-room Luxor video for which he donated his services, and it’s complete with outtake bleeps, bloopers and flubs. It’s worth checking in just to catch it!

I was the only reporter attending the private celebration party. The comedian introduced me to his mom, who now lives here in Las Vegas from Florida, and his girlfriend of 15 months, Amanda Hogan, who has moved here from New Jersey. Hypnotist Anthony Cools, who headlines at the Paris and is to produce new shows at the Tropicana, introduced the couple.

In an exclusive interview, Carrot Top told me: “I never thought I would get a renewal like this. I thought I’d be out next Wednesday! This is so great. The Luxor has been so supportive. They have been really good to me. When you think the president of the United States only gets four years, you know six years is a tremendous validation. This is pretty remarkable.

Photo: TVT

Carrot Top with the jack-in-the-box gift and Luxor President Felix Rappaport.

“I love Vegas. I have a house here. My mom lives here now. My girlfriend is out here now. I get to go onstage every night and do a show and then go home. On the road, there’s none of that luxury, and here at the Luxor, I get to try new material every night here. Every day in Vegas I add new material. Tonight’s show was 90 percent different from the one you watched three months ago.

“I sort of stumbled on this visual comedy thing. I’d be waiting in comedy clubs in the early days to audition, and there could be 50 to 60 comedians waiting to do their time, and they’d all be the same. So when I came on with a visual Michael Jackson or Bill Clinton joke, it was new and a different take. I stuck with the prop thing, and it worked. I couldn’t be Bill Maher or George Carlin, and people liked it. They’re still coming out because it’s unique and different.

Photo: TVT

Carrot Top, with girlfriend Amanda Hogan and his mother, is presented with a cake.

“I’ve been doing this since 1987, so when you stop and think 3 million people have seen me since then, it blows my mind. I’m a veteran. It’s fun to look back and know how lucky I have been and grown to have fun rather than worrying about every joke. I have the luxury of enjoying what I do. Getting a six-year renewal is a feather in the cap, and I’ve never had that kind of love before. It’s great. Being on the road was fun, but being here and not having to fly with all the wear and tear of traveling, it’s all pretty remarkable.”

A day before, Carrot Top commuted round trip to Los Angeles for The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson but kept completely quiet about the amazing renewal! I thought you’d enjoy this YouTube clip from one of his other recent appearances with Craig:

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter HERE.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter HERE.

— From Vegas Deluxe

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