Las Vegas Weekly

January 12, 2010 · 6:04 PM

Exclusive: Jake Steinfeld to star in unique, one-man Strip show

By Robin Leach

Jake Steinfeld.

Photo: Courtesy

There will be no advertising, there will be no advance publicity, and you probably won’t even find it listed in any entertainment guide, except for the ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN in Vegas DeLuxe! Even stranger is that the tickets will be free and that the beer is comped courtesy of the show.

It’s the most “under the covers” show ever to come to the Strip. In fact, as its star admits, he’s even calling it No Expectations.

Thanks are due in a way to superstar singer Tom Jones, who will vacate the MGM Hollywood Theater stage on Jan. 23 in time for the one-man show, which will be filmed for Showtime starting at 10:30 p.m.

Believe it or not, back in the 1980s, I used to work out five times a week with fitness guru Jake Steinfeld. He was the trainer to the Hollywood stars and got Harrison Ford into shape for all the rigors and risks of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Jake has reigned as a fitness icon for more than 30 years and is responsible for creating the personal fitness training industry and kick starting the keep-fit regimen that’s still going strong today.

Jake hosted his own TV show Body by Jake, launched a line of fitness equipment that’s still on the market and starred on The Family Channel’s Big Brother Jake. Jake had roles in The Money Pit, Coming to America and Ratatouille and started Fit TV and Exercise TV after being CNN’s fitness king. From fitness to showbiz to sports, Jake founded Major League Lacrosse 10 years ago, and then was named by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as chairman of the Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. The entrepreneur also has written nine books and produced numerous videos.

Photo: Courtesy

Jake Steinfeld.

Jake’s “Don’t Quit” motto is the name of his philanthropic foundation. But there’s still a restless edge to him as there has been throughout his life, and now he wants the ultimate challenge of standing on a bare stage and entertaining an audience for 90 minutes. I have known Jake for three decades and featured him on the fourth week of Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous.

Jake called to ask me what he might expect from Las Vegas audiences. It won’t be a motivational speech. It won’t be standup comedy. It won’t be a lecture. He promises me it will be all that and more because he wants you to laugh and cry and walk away a different person. Who knows, he may even do 50 push-ups on one arm just to warm up for the monologue. After talking with him, I had to persuade him to let me share this story!

Jake told me: “For me, this is about moving forward and taking another step in my journey. I want the people who come to see me to feel the same. I want them to be inspired to look in the mirror and take a shot at whatever they haven’t done yet with their life. If I did it, they can, too. But this is not a lecture. This will be funny. I have so much to share of what’s happened to me -- the ups and downs, the humor, the stories. We did this as a kind of a dare, “go on stage and talk,” in Hollywood, and it worked. It clicked, and I said if I was going to launch a new career at this point of my life and do it on television for all to see, I simply had to do it in the biggest arena of all -- the Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas!

“It’s the ultimate ‘take a shot.’ I have no idea where we go from here with it -- a regular run in Vegas, a touring show, London, Broadway. Not a clue, but we’ll do it this one night, record it for TV and see where it next leads. I have no expectations, which is why we’ve called that the name of the show. It’s been like that in life, too, and because I believe everybody can change themselves with positive talk and attitude and succeed like I have. It’ll be as funny as Jeff Foxworthy, with a message as serious as can be that’s its never too late to change your life. Remember: Don’t quit, and you will win.”

Photo: Courtesy

Jake Steinfeld.

Jake has No Expectations for the show, but if this one-off showcase works, he’s prepared to make it a regular feature in Las Vegas. He said: “Then we’ll advertise and promote. For now, this will be under the radar, except I’ll let you tell it how you think best.”

And that’s why you’ll read about this venture here first! Knowing Jake, he’ll win with it at whatever he wants it to become. I can only tell you to go see the start of yet another incredible journey for a real renaissance man.

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 at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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