Veteran comedian Shayma Tash recently rejoined the long-running and wildly successful revue Fantasy at Luxor, where she trades nights with her friend and longtime Strip headliner Murray Sawchuck in providing a bit of a comedic break from the sexy performance. Tash knows how to appeal to all different types of audiences, after spending years touring comedy clubs across the country and playing the cruise ship circuit, but above all else, she stays true to her unique style, delivery and perspective.

When did you first join the cast of Fantasy?

I started in 2009 when I was still living in L.A., doing a show called Pretty Funny Women. I came in for a week to fill in for the regular comedian, and later when I moved out to Vegas, (producer) Anita (Mann) became aware I was living in Vegas and said, “Hey, why don’t you come in as the swing?” Basically, I’ve been the relief pitcher for quite some time while doing some other shows at other venues on the Strip. I worked for Carrot Top for a while, too. But there’s just something special about working with a bunch of women.

It’s also special because it’s so different from doing regular touring stand-up comedy shows, right?

One of the main things for me is the fact that I get to wear an evening gown. If I want to wear something sexy, as a female comic, that’s not always the most comfortable thing to do—not for me, but for audiences. I think it’s changing, but audiences sometimes tend to put a female comic in a certain category or, historically, put women in a certain category. When you do comedy, you’re supposed to be quirky, not sexy. But this show is giving me the opportunity to express both sides of myself in the same show...

How did those perceptions of women in comedy influence your development?

I tried a lot of different things in terms of image, and I’ve always been mindful of how I would dress. I started more than 20 years ago, and that’s a long time to have to explore different ways to present my material. But wardrobe does come into play because it’s the first thing people see, and they judge you on that. I’ve done everything from jeans and a T-shirt to business casual. I’ve done dresses, stuff that looked like I was going to the club, and now most recently I started wearing a low-cut evening gown. At Fantasy, (the audience) has been dazzled by gorgeous women all night, so if I wear something sexy, it’s not as distracting.

What’s the backstage environment like at Fantasy?

There is so much camaraderie and people are very supportive. That’s something I think is a misconception about an all-female show or all-female anything, that women can’t work well together. I’ve done a lot of different female comedy tours and I’ve always found it to be the opposite. These women are fun, caring, attentive and supportive.

It’s clearly a very special show, or else it wouldn’t have lasted more than 22 years on the Strip.

Job security is very important for a comedian. There are a lot of people like me who have been in the business 20 years and don’t know where the next gig is going to come from. Being involved with something like Fantasy, that is so well-established and is not going anywhere, that’s how I was able to set down roots. Plus, everybody regards it so highly. It just won several different awards, and everybody knows about it.

Luxor, 702.262.4400

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