Terry Fator offers ‘AGT’ champ Darci Lynne Farmer a Christmas in Vegas

The Kats! Bureau at this writing is the Cantor Gaming sports book at the Palms. To quote an unnamed source watching horse-racing action at Penn National Race Course: “Go five! Go five!”

True to the name, lots of games in one of few spaces in the hotel not undergoing an extensive renovation.

In the offing around the perimeter over the next few months: An expanded buffet, a new concept to replace N9Ne steakhouse, and some new entertainment venture to replace the Lounge, which closed in June.

For the old Lounge space, I’m hoping for a chic, multi-purpose enclave that will cater to high-end players and feature a small area for live entertainment. Maybe a DJ/guitar in the corner, in a space with the same type of vibe at Clique at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, The Dorsey at The Venetian, Parlour at The Mirage and Vista Cocktail Lounge at Caesars Palace. In short, the type of place you’d typically run into Palms General Manager Jon Gray.

More from the scene:

The Fator Factor

Twelve-year-old ventriloquial artist Darci Lynne Farmer won the “America’s Got Talent” championship and became a Strip headliner all at once Wednesday night. She performs at Planet Hollywood Showroom on Nov. 3-4 in “America’s Got Talent Live,” joined by Season 12 singer Angelica Hale, dance group Light Balance and comedian Preacher Lawson.

Farmer will have entered her teens by then; her birthday is Oct. 12. She also won $1 million for her “AGT” triumph.

Farmer, of course, was a favorite of fellow ventriloquist and “AGT” champ Terry Fator, who launched to fame after winning the title in 2007. Fator, who has headlined at The Mirage since 2008, provided a few jokes to Farmer during her “AGT” run. He also appeared as a special guest, toting Winston the Impersonating Turtle, on Wednesday’s finale.

On Thursday, Fator congratulated Farmer in an e-mail statement, and included an offer: “A big congratulations to Darci! She is amazing and I can’t wait to see her on the Vegas stage! I would love for her to come be part of ‘A Very Terry Christmas’ this year at The Mirage. It would be a lot of fun to share the stage again!”

Those dates are Nov. 27 through Christmas Day. Plan accordingly.

P&T hit the jackpot

Penn & Teller unveiled a new slot machine featuring their likenesses on Tuesday afternoon at the Rio. Keeping the event in perspective, Jillette said, “This is it. We’re done. Everything we’ve been working for is in this machine. No more live show. No more ‘Fool Us.’ We’ve got these slot machines.”

Jillette then plugged $100 into his own machine. On the second play, he hit a $186.75 payout (which I think is, like, lining up five Tellers). He cashed a ticket of $186.75.

Away from the slots, in January P&T are due to celebrate their 25th year headlining in Las Vegas and 17th year at the Rio. They opened in 1992 at Bally’s Celebrity Theater. The duo is still in talks to renew their contract at the Penn & Teller Theater at the Rio, and it is conceivable (at least, until they sign) that they could move to a different Caesars Entertainment venue on the Strip. Among those potential venues: Jubilee Theater at Bally’s, where it all started for the duo.

Jillette said he’s happily blithe to contract discussions.

“You think I’m privy to any of this? I’m not,” he said. “I’m on a need-to-know basis.”

More P&T

A great reason to watch the Andrew Dice Clay series on Showtime is to catch unexpected appearances by Vegas stars. Teller was in Sunday night’s episode, in a rare speaking role, as part of the “Vegas 12,” or the dozen secret power brokers who actually run the city. That show, and the series, is worth checking out.

And a note about Jillette’s custom dragon suit, which he wore in the role of Pop, father of Piff the Magic Dragon, at Flamingo Las Vegas on Sept. 12: The costume has 28 pockets. Jillette apparently has lots of phones and keys and wallets and such.

Mr. Las Vegas and The First Lady

Wayne Newton is joining First Lady Melania Trump at the Invictus Games, the annual sports competition for wounded veterans being held in Toronto from Saturday through Sept. 30.

Newton is among those in the presidential delegation for the event. Other invitees, according to the Washington Post, are Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan, Gold Star mom Karen Kelly and ex-pro golfer Nancy Lopez.

Newton, who typically backs Republican office-holders (former Democratic Sen. Harry Reid is a chief exception), has been friendly with the Trump family for years. Newton attended the third presidential debate last October as a guest of then-candidate Donald Trump. Newton has been a longtime supporter of veterans projects, and since 2000 has served as chairman of the USO’s Celebrity Circle, organizing and hosting shows for troops stationed in the Middle East.

In a statement today, Newton thanked Melania Trump for the invitation to join the U.S. delegation, saying, “I have had the great honor and privilege to entertain our men and women in the military in every major confrontation since Vietnam. … Performing for the U.S. Armed Forces has been the highlight of my professional life.

“I think that if I have been given any talent at all in this lifetime, it has been to bring a touch of home to our men and women serving abroad.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.