Brad Garrett is ringmaster in charity head shave on the Strip
We had our eye on Abe. He was near the front of the stage Thursday night at Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at MGM Grand. As is the case for anyone near the stage when Garrett hosts, Abe had taken a comedic battering early in the show.
This was in the St. Baldrick’s shave co-starring Garrett and yours truly. As I settled into my seat onstage, I spotted a man we’d known only as Abe. He sported a healthy beard, or what I like to refer to as “a donation opening.”
“Let’s auction off Abe’s beard!” I called out. “Yes! Do it!” Garrett said. At that moment, another of Garrett’s earlier targets up front pulled a $100 bill from his pocket, shouting “I’m in!” Some chaos ensued, atop the chaos already created by Garrett’s blistering set to open the show, with ticket holders pulling out cash to support the cause.
Abe, his eyes wide with shock, never even made it to the stage. But we did raise a lot of money, $2,505 just from donations from the crowd.
The total included Garrett’s own contribution of $1,500. That figure matched a donation from Feb. 27, made by Vegas’ own Brenda Williams (also known as SinCity Pearl in her burlesque persona). Williams had made her donation during our St. Baldrick’s fundraising/birthday show at Tuscany Suites.
The event at Garrett’s club also was a kickoff event for this year’s St. Baldrick’s Foundation event. The big shave is set for March 19 outside New York-New York’s Nine Fine Irishmen.
As always, proceeds support St. Baldrick’s, which combats all forms of childhood cancer. Since its launch nationally in 2000, St. Baldrick’s has bloomed into the world’s largest volunteer-driven fundraising effort benefiting childhood cancer research. My own campaign continues at StBaldricks.org.
I’ve shaved every year since 2013, usually at Nine Fine Irishman (except for 2021, when the NY-NY event was paused). But we had never shaved during a ticketed show anywhere in Las Vegas. Garrett offered his participation and his comedy club during a phone chat in February. “Let’s do this!” was his call to action.
We waited through Garrett’s hosting stint and sets from featured comic Ryan Belleville and headliner Matt McClowry. I was appreciably nervous, as Garrett is far more effective as a comic actor than an acting barber. That’s why we had MGM Resorts stylist Stacey Smarker nearby to finish the job.
Brian McMullan of McMullan’s Irish Pub on West Tropicana Avenue, who co-founded St. Baldrick’s events in Las Vegas in 2007, spoke of the his history with St. Baldrick’s. He and his wife, Lynn, launched the St. Baldrick’s efforts in Las Vegas after suffering the loss of their daughter, Kyra, to a brain tumor in 1997. She was 2½ years old.
Three years ago, the McMullans established Team Kyra for their annual St. Baldrick’s Foundation Shave event at the pub. This year’s is set for Sept. 17. Overall, the campaign started by the McMullans in Las Vegas has raised more than $6.5 million.
The McMullans and such partners as MGM Resorts International have initiated a powerful communitywide effort for St. Baldrick’s in Las Vegas. Those tourists who lucked their way into Garrett’s room were treated to the charitable side of Vegas. They left smiling, including Abe.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
