by | June 29th, 2005
Remember in the movie Cocktail when Tom Cruise was the juggling bartender? Well, that was nothing. The bartenders at the Rio, call themselves BevErtainers and provide live entertainment 24 hours a day in the casino. Every few minutes a bartender will hop up on a small stage throughout the casino floor, sing a song or do a dance, and then go back to serving drinks. I’ve also seen them juggle bottles outside the Seafood Buffet in the Masquerade Village.
Rio Suite Hotel and Casino
3700 W Flamingo Rd
Las Vegas NV 89103
702.252.7777
800.752.9746
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Buyer Beware — Tom Gravinese The No Show Impersonator.
I had a terrible experience — or more accurately a LACK of experience — with Tom during a recent visit to Las Vegas.
He failed to show up for my booking on Saturday October 1st. And for the FIVE DAYS before hand he did not answer my emails or my telephone calls.
As you can imagine I was getting more and more frantic as the week went on. By Friday I was ready to look for someone else. But on advice from a local who’s had experience in such things, I was told “they’re flaky Vegas actors, they don’t return your calls, but they usually turn up”.
Well this one must be flakier than most, because he DIDN’T show up.
On the night, I turned up at the agreed venue - with 28 guests who’d come from across the US and Canada!!!! - but Tom didn’t. Can you imagine the embarassment of having that many guests left hanging??? Thankfully it was a surprise and very few people were aware that Tom was a No Show. I was able to cover his absence - but was bitterly disappointed that he didn’t have the courtesy or professionalism to let me know.
Somehow he couldn’t reply to my email, somehow he couldn’t return my (many!!) phone calls.
The day after, I received a ONE-LINE EMAIL from Tom, which simply said he was sorry he couldn’t make it for “personal reasons”.
I can absolutely understand that personal events crop up, and that promises can’t always be kept. But all it would have taken was one phone call, or one email to explain that he wouldn’t be able to make it. But that was simply too difficult it seems.
And Tom - if you’re reading this - you know what???? My event was personal too. I hired you to perform a tribute to my husband. You didn’t live up to your end of the bargain.
It’s taken until now for Tom to reimburse me my $300 deposit - which he’s had since late June. I guess one thing can be said for him — at least he’s not a complete rip-off artist.
But don’t hire this man or you’ll be sorely disappointed. Just like I was.
Karen P
Sydney, Australia
November 2005
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