Las Vegas show Remembering Red: Beloved comedian Red Skelton graced us with over 30 years of radio and television performances, creating a legion of fans and a number of truly unforgettable characters in the process. Though Red is no longer with us, his legacy lives on through “Remembering Red – A Tribute to Red Skelton.” The brainchild of Brian Hoffman, the Las Vegas show was the logical result of audience feedback consistently linking his appearance and style to that of Red’s. As Brian was a long-time fan and a talented comedian in his own right, he saw the opportunity to celebrate the man with a Las Vegas show that provides a funny and heartwarming reminder of his invaluable contributions to comedy.
What started out as a small gesture to Hoffman’s nightclub fans by ending his stand-up with a Red Skelton impression has turned into a Las Vegas show filled with the spirit of Red’s comedy and delivered in flawless form by one of Vegas’ top talents.
Hoffman’s studied persona is joyfully accurate, recreating Red’s best known characters with the kind of dedication that could only come from a performer that truly loved the man. Notable appearances include Freddie the Freeloader, seagulls Gertrude and Heathcliffe, and the ridiculously named Clem Kadiddlehopper.
With the increasing reliance on vulgarity and controversy to fuel many of modern comedy’s performance efforts, Brian’s Las Vegas show is a refreshing back step to a period where outrageousness and the unexpected stood on their own without the supplemental material that often leaves today’s children and families considerably less options for entertainment.
