“It’s as if I never said goodbye”

by Robin Dorner
Editor in Chief

“These women would come and see my show and then go out and buy the clothes I wear for their husbands in the deep south. Could you imagine a pig farmer in Arkansas wearing this? What a fashion tragedy,” says Michael Airington as Paul Lynde in his new Vegas show.

Pointing to his clothes, but clearly referring to something else, “I love me a good top! I’m always on the lookout for a good top. I’ll be driving down Santa Monica and I’ll see me a hot top and I’ll have to pull over and get it. Yeah. I spend a fortune on tops.

“I don’t want anything too crazy. I don’t want anything too flamboyant. I just want a top that says, ‘groovy.’’’

Those are just a few of the lines from actor Lynde’s many monologues and lines over the years. You remember Lynde - the center square in Hollywood Squares or as Uncle Arthur in Bewitched. You may also recognize him from many roles he played as a character actor.

Airington, a comedian and acclaimed celebrity impersonator, performs Lynde at Bally’s Las Vegas. Airington cleverly uses Lynde’s own words, performance pieces and comedic monologues. He brings to life the actor’s comic genius, taking the audience on a fun and laugh-filled trip through the highs and lows of Lynde's turbulent life.

Lynde was known for his camp and snark as well as his barely in the closet homosexuality.

Lynde died in 1982, but his memory lives on in performances by Airington, who has been in show business since he was 15.

“I did all these voices. I did impressions. I did Paul Lynde and I just thought he was a great character. I saw a show that made me realize I could do a show like this about Paul Lynde,” said Airington.

All the stories Airington tells about Lynde are true. He owns the rights to a live show in perpetuity. He was working on producing a show with another team when he suddenly found he could buy the rights to the story himself.

“I got the whole thing for $121 on EBay,” exclaimed Airington. “A friend called me from DC and said, ‘Go to EBay.’ There was this box for sale from a storage unit.”

By a pure stroke of luck, Airington purchased this box on eBay containing the musical charts for a 16-piece orchestra with handwritten notes from Lynde’s 1976 one-man show. This discovery allowed Airington to reconstruct the one-man show with Lynde’s notes and music charts. The leather folders in which the music was kept are featured in Airington’s Las Vegas show.

“I got the rights from the family – that was another story. I ended up getting a call from his niece and ended up getting the rights. I met her and her sister at the airport in Arizona and the rest was history.

“In life, things work out for a reason,” he added.

Airington got all the great stories of Lynde’s life from the actors he worked with. Throughout the years, many of Lynde’s friends have helped Airington perfect the character, including Peter Marshall, Cloris Leachman, Kaye Ballard, Karen Valentine, Jan Forbes and the late Andy Williams.

“The show was originally centered to the Gen X’ers and baby boomers but we are finding out younger people are liking the show,” said Airington in closing. “They don’t know who Paul Lynde was, but say, ‘You are fucking funny!’”

The Paul Lynde Show plays in the Windows Showroom at Bally’s Las Vegas. Written and performed by Airington, it features voiceovers from Master of The Hollywood Squares himself, Peter Marshall. The legendary comedian will be brought back to life in a one-man show based on his 1976 live theater production of the same name.

Tickets for the show are $39.99 and $49.99 (plus tax and fees)andmay be purchased online at www.ballyslasvegas.com, by calling (702) 777-2782 and (855) 234-7469, or in person at any Las Vegas Caesars Entertainment Box Office.

Bally’s Las Vegas is located on the center of the world-renowned Las Vegas Strip, adjacent from Caesars Palace and next to Paris Las Vegas.

Copyright 2017 The Gayly – May 3, 2017 @ 11 a.m.