One of the Las Vegas Strip’s longest-running headliners made a big move last month while bringing back his show after the pandemic forced a long pause in production. Mac King’s seminal family-friendly comedy and magic show has been a prominent part of the entertainment landscape for two decades at Harrah’s, but it was time for a change. The genial King took his talents to the castle, reopening at Excalibur’s Thunderland Showroom.
How did it feel to get back onstage again and do your thing after 16 months without a show in Vegas?
The very first show, I was backstage waiting for them to say, “Please welcome Mac King!” I was standing there with my business partner and he says, “Have fun out there,” and they start the music and the audience is clapping and stomping, and I start bawling. My partner says, “Dude, you better stop crying before they say to come out!” I was just so relieved and happy to be back. The show went OK and the audience seemed to be really happy to be doing it again, but the next show was busier and even better. On the third day, I felt like I was in the groove. I didn’t feel like me until then, so that was great, a big sigh of relief.
When we spoke earlier this year, you were talking about dropping in at some local comedy clubs to sort of shake the rust off before reopening your show.
I did end up doing that. I went downtown to the Delirious Comedy Club at Downtown Grand and did 20 minutes just to get in front of people. It was pretty fun but not as satisfying as I’d hoped, although that was partly about just being rusty.
Your new home on the Strip is the Thunderland Showroom at Excalibur, which is a very different place from the theater at Harrah’s where you performed for more than 20 years.
I’m definitely used to that classic Vegas showroom and this has a more modern feel. We’ve got that big video wall backdrop and I’m really looking forward to exploring that and making it a bigger part of the show. Maybe when I do my trick with the tent we can sort of feel like we’re out in the wilderness. There’s a lot more lighting and the stage is a little more narrow but it’s deeper front to back. I feel at home already.
And obviously Excalibur feels like a great fit for your show because it’s one of the most popular family destinations in Las Vegas.
It’s a really good fit and I’m guessing it’s still one of the busiest intersections in Las Vegas, at Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevard. Plus you have Luxor and Mandalay Bay linked by those indoor passageways.
How was the audience responding during your first week of shows?
It’s clear that it’s not just me who is happy to be back. People are so happy to be in an audience, to be sitting in the dark shoulder to shoulder, clapping and laughing again. The communal feeling of being at a show can be really healing. I don’t want to get too sappy about it but people have been really missing that.
You started the Don’t Everybody Leave YouTube podcast last year with some of your Vegas magic and comedy pals. Are you going to keep it going now that you’re busy with performances again?
I think so. My buddies want to keep doing it and I want to keep doing it, and it’s not a moneymaker and I don’t know how many tickets it will help sell, but it’s really fun. Initially, we did it virtually as just a group of close friends who couldn’t get together anymore, but now we’ve done the last couple shows in person and it’s been a lot of fun. It’s a different dynamic being in the same room, and we’ve had some great guests recently like Clint Holmes and magician Jeff McBride.
Excalibur, 800.745.3000, Ticketmaster
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