Las Vegas Weekly

Matt Goss, Strip-bound?

Sources say Matt Goss in talks with Strip casino for his next move

Matt Goss Live From Las Vegas at the Palms.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Reps for Palms' resident crooner Matt Goss have confirmed that the singer's show in the Lounge at the Palms will conclude following his performance Saturday, January 23.

Furthermore, producer Cort McCown tells the Weekly that his live Playboy Comedy show with co-producer Paul Hughes will be returning — now weekly — to that same intimate, 210-seat Lounge at the Palms with 10 p.m. performances Thursdays and Fridays, and 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. shows Saturdays. The new one-year contract begins February 18 with comedian Nick Di Paolo. An official statement was issued by the Palms today announcing the Playboy Comedy show's takeover as "new resident"; there was no mention in the release about the Lounge's current tenant Goss.

"Matt Goss Live from Las Vegas will end its run on Jan 23," Palms Vice President of Entertainment Michael Grego tells the Weekly exclusively, "Matt's a great performer who certainly set the bar high for entertainment in Las Vegas. The concept of The Lounge has been to feature various forms of entertainment and with the Playboy Comedy partnership we can continue that mix for our customers."

Prior to Goss, the Palms had a longstanding relationship with McCown and Hughes' "Hollywood Comedy Tour," which played monthly from March of 2004 to 2006 when the duo introduced the monthly Playboy Comedy Club, which also ran monthly until 2008. Tickets are already on sale on Vegas.com (a sister site of the Weekly) for the Playboy Comedy show in the Lounge at the Palms.

So if Playboy Comedy is in ... where does that put the Gosster?

Two sources at the Palms report that Caesars Palace executives have been in a least four times to see the Brit ply his trade in the Lounge. One source is guessing that Goss might be headed for a showroom at Caesars. Calls left for Caesars representatives were not returned immediately, but a source at Caesars is saying that there indeed have been talks between Goss' camp and Harrah's execs on this matter.

Until yesterday, Palms reps seemed to have him pegged for another tenure on their soil. "As far as I'm concerned, Matt Goss and Playboy Comedy are both going to be at The Palms," Greco said earlier in the week.

Of course, that decision may not have been the Palms' to make. Goss' producer, Robin Antin (also creator of the Pussycat Dolls), last week would not confirm Goss' continued presence at the Palms, saying prophetically, "Matt will continue to play in Las Vegas in 2010."

The increasing interest in Goss' show and his current free-agent status could result in a sort of bidding war. Let's see where Goss next sets down roots.