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Danny Gans, Entertainer of the Year in Las Vegas

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At the Danny Gans Theater at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada audiences have an opportunity to be dazzled and amazed by Danny Gans, the “Entertainer of the Year”, as he becomes approximately 60 of the 300 celebrated individuals in his internationally acclaimed repertoire. The impersonator is so adept at speaking, singing and moving like his subjects that with your eyes closed, you will think you are listening to Johnny Mathis, Anita Baker, Neil Diamond, or Dean Martin. “The Man of Many Faces”, as he is called, has taken the art of impersonation to a stellar level.

The intriguing question is how did Danny Gans go from the Stratosphere to the Rio to a ten-year contract with his own fifteen million dollar theater at the Mirage? Pretty heady stuff for a man whose dream was to play third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers. As a boy growing up in California he and his father lived and breathed baseball. In fact, Danny was so athletically gifted, he received a draft order from the Kansas City Royals while he was still in high school. An injury prevented him from signing on, so he entered college. This time he turned down an offer from the Chicago White Sox.

Gans kept his focus and his dream came true; he was drafted by the Dodgers. It looked like his future was set until a freak accident derailed a lifetime of hard work. During his first season, Danny collided with another player whose shoe dug into his Achilles tendon, sending him to the hospital and ending his professional baseball career.

The story goes that the exceedingly depressed young baseball player was sharing a hospital room with a man who told him to trust God. God must have something better in store or he wouldn’t have thrown this life-altering monkey wrench into his life. Cliché as it sounds, this became a turning point in Danny’s life. Gans attributes his success as an entertainer to his faith.

During his lengthy two-year recovery, to cheer him up, Danny’s father took him to see Sammy Davis, Jr. perform in Las Vegas. The dye was cast. Sammy Davis, Jr. motivated Danny to develop the talent he had always taken for granted. He loved to entertain people and he had a natural aptitude for making them laugh. In his show he pays a touching tribute to Sammy Davis, Jr.

To reach his goal as an entertainer Danny spent 15 years on the road honing his craft, performing in clubs and becoming one of the most highly paid and sought after performers in corporate entertainment. In 1995 he took his one-man show to Broadway, and it was so well received, the Neiderlanders offered him a one-year extension. Once again, he weighed his options. His family took precedence over life on the road. Las Vegas became home for Gans, wife Julie and their three young children, Amy, Andrew and Emily.

Enter Steve Wynn, savvy businessman and visionary of epic proportions. Wynn reasoned that Siegfried and Roy had made the Mirage an entertainment destination, and that the talented Gans would add a double whammy. Once again, Wynn gambled and won. He signed Danny to a ten-year contract with his own theater. The 1,260 seat custom-built theater is warm and luxurious with deep wine reds and rich dark wood panels. The seven-piece band plays and the audience is primed for the star.

Gans makes an energetic entrance wearing black pants, a black turtleneck and a well-cut black sport jacket. Creating an immediate bond with the audience, using minimal props, his talent is obvious. It is easy to understand why he has been named “Singer of the Year”, “Comedian of the Year”, “Entertainer of the Year”, “Show of the Year”, and most recently, “Showman of the Year”.

As he transitions through Smokey Robinson, Joe Cocker, Blood, Sweat and Tears, the Temptations, James Brown, and Ray Charles, one feels that he is a genuinely happy man. Gans effuses warmth and a passion for his craft. His gestures and dance moves are as accurate as his vocals. His George Burns is funny, and touching. Boomers and their parents could be seen with a nostalgic tear in their eyes. One of the highlights was a duet between Jimmy Stewart and Kermit the Frog. He captured Rod Stewart’s throaty Scotch voice on ‘Have I Told you Lately That I Love You?’, and Bruce Springsteen’s Philly bravado on ‘Glory Days’. There was comedy with Bill Clinton and redneck jokes with Jeff Foxworthy. Using a wig and his profile he captured both Nat King Cole and daughter Natalie Cole. He received a standing ovation for his impression of Savage Garden.

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Linda Lane, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent - Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com

About the Author

Linda Lane, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com Leave your email next to the logo for FREE e travel newsletter.

College branded golf shirts or polo shirts are very popular as they can be worn as casual attire. You will enjoy showing your pride, your loyalty and your enthusiasm for your team even at work.



When you begin your search for college branded golf shirts you will find that you can find an array of shirts not only golf shirts that are college branded. The regular college golf shirt or polo shirt are very comfortable and features a fully embroidered horizontal design on the left chest for your favorite team. The college branded golf shirt or polo shirt features a 7 ounce drop needle knit fabric of 100% cotton and shirt has a 4-button front with ribbed collar and arm. These are very comfortable shirts that can be worn anytime not just during the game.



Other shirts you will find while you are searching for college branded golf shirts include the college branded long sleeve t-shirt, the ladies college branded long sleeve t-shirt, the ladies college branded cap sleeve t-shirt, and the college branded sweater vest.



When you first begin to look at all the different types of college branded shirts that are available you will be amazed. All the top colleges can be found with many different types of shirts to choose from including college branded golf shirts, polo, t-shirts, and even denim. All of these are unique and made for durability. The color fast fabric will ensure that if your team’s colors are red and white that the red and white will not blend into each other when washed causing your college branded golf shirt to turn a nice shade of pink. The embroidery stitching and appliqués are sewn on with the right weight of the thread to last for many years to come. You will enjoy wearing your college branded golf shirts or polo shirts to every game for many years. The only reason you may wish to replace them is because you wore them out by wearing them all the time to show off your team.



If you decide to purchase other shirts instead of just the college branded golf shirts you will love the long sleeve college branded t-shirts. These are great if the weather is just on the chilly side and not cold enough for a college branded hooded sweatshirt. You will love the feel and comfort of these t-shirts and wear them for more occasions than the “big game”.



The quality of all the college branded golf shirts, polo shirts long and short sleeve t-shirts and even the sweater vest are of the best possible fabrics and design. The ladies long sleeve college branded t-shirt is made with 6.5 oz 1×1 rib ring spun cotton. It has a self trim neck and scoop neckline; two needle hemmed sleeve and bottom. The ladies college branded cap sleeve t-shirt is designed the same as the long sleeve and uses the same weight cotton, neckline and hems. The college branded sweater vest is perfect for other cool nights when you just hate to wear a jacket. You will be showing off your team spirit and staying warm at the same time. The embroidered design on the front is created with rayon thread and the complete vest is made with 100 percent acrylic with a self trim V-neck and self trim armhole.



So, as you are looking at all the college branded golf shirts for your favorite team do not forget to look at all the other college branded shirts available. You will be able to find all kinds of shirts for all occasions and for summer or winter. You will always wear your teams name with pride with this awesome college branded golf shirts.

About the Author

Johann Erickson writes for Campus Traditions USA. Please include an active link to our site if you’d like to reprint this article.

When you think about couples who renew their wedding vows, chances are you’re not picturing anyone under the age of 50. But the truth is that it’s never too early to renew your vows - especially if you didn’t get to do exactly what you wanted the first time around. I’m talking about those couples that really wanted to write their own vows, but that got talked out of doing it by family, friends (or even themselves) for a whole host of reasons that “sounded good” at the time.

Does This Sound Like You?

Rick and Holly were recently married, and as much as their day was truly memorable, there was one aspect that really bothered them — their wedding vows. Like many modern-day engaged couples, they wished to write their own vows to make their exchange of love more romantic and personal. However, they were talked out of the idea by Holly’s mother and her maid of honor, Karen.

Holly’s mother believed that writing their own wedding vows was going against tradition, which would be frowned upon by many of the guests attending the ceremony, while Karen felt that writing personal wedding vows was tacky and likely to be longwinded.

Holly carefully considered the opinion of each woman, both of whom she respected and loved very much, as they had been wonderful and exceptionally helpful during the planning of her wedding. She discussed the situation with Rick and found out that he, too, was having mixed feelings about writing their own vows. It seemed his brother Jim and sister-in law Deborah also expressed their distaste concerning the idea.

With a heavy sigh, both Rick and Holly decided that it would probably be best not write their own wedding vows. They tossed away brainstorming ideas, and although neither of them would admit it to the other, they were equally feeling miserable about abandoning their original plan to create their own vows.

Now, here they were, happily married, and yet feeling cheated out of the wedding they had always wanted. Why had they listened to others instead of their own hearts?

Why Not Renew Your Vows on Your Honeymoon? (Yes, Your Honeymoon!)

That is when Rick had a clever idea: what if they renewed their wedding vows on their honeymoon? Holly brightened at this thought, and after a moment of consideration it was settled. Both of them carefully composed personal thoughts that they wished to share with the other, and set the day when they would renew their vows.

Afterwards, Rick and Holly were able to ignore the regret they once felt, as they now had new memories born from the second chance of being able to express the everlasting words of love they had always wanted to share in the presence of others.

If you are one of the unfortunate victims who have listened to others and went with traditional wedding vows instead of your original plan of writing out your own, you can stop regretting and start renewing. That’s right; you can have the wedding you originally wanted by simply renewing your wedding vows.

You will discover that renewing your wedding vows is not a difficult process, and could be even more romantic than the first time you were married. A renewal of vows is a beautiful decision, because it is like saying to your spouse, “I love you even more than the day we were married, and if I had the choice, I would marry you all over again because I can’t imagine my life without you in it. You are the only one for me, and I want the whole world to know.”

If this sounds like something you’re interested in, try searching on the Internet for places that cater to “destination weddings.” After all, you want this to be a special moment - just as special as the day you were originally married.

And in terms of getting down to the business of actually personalizing the words you’re going to say, products like The Ultimate Wedding Vow Toolkit (which I created - more info at http://www.weddingvowtoolkit.com) will walk you through the process step by step.

Good luck…and this time, don’t let anyone talk you out of what you truly want to do!

Chris Simeral is the creator of The Ultimate Wedding Vow Toolkit, a downloadable, step-by-step manual for couples personalizing (or renewing) their wedding vows. Sign up for the free wedding vow mini-course at http://www.WeddingVowToolkit.com.

“It takes a village to raise a child” is more than an African
proverb, and when the village is small and one parent is missing
the task becomes even more challenging. Fortunately, being
proactive and understanding your rights as a parent will help
alleviate any issues that might arise as you take on the role of
single parent. Every child has the right to a parent-child
relationship with both parents, and all three deserve an
opportunity to develop, enjoy and grow in the relationship.

Establishing Paternity 1. Every child has the right to know both
parents and have the father’s name appear on the birth
certificate. Voluntarily establishing paternity is not expensive
and does not have to involve an attorney or attorney fees. Both
parents may contact the State Department/Division of Vital
Records and Health Statistics, Central Paternity Registry, or
the Department of Community Health and request an Affidavit of
Paternity. There may be a small fee for filing this document but
it will ensure legal paternity is established.

Paternity Testing 2. Paternity testing is a series of genetic
tests used to indicate the likelihood that a man is, or is not
the biological father of a child. The most common method used
today is DNA testing which are 99.9 percent accurate in
determining that a man is not the father. The child can be
tested at any age, and the DNA test is obtained by rubbing a
cotton tipped swab on the inside of the check or DNA can be
extracted from blood or other tissues. The court will determine
who will pay for the paternity test. Laboratories performing
paternity test should be accredited by the American Association
of Blood Banks (AABB).

Financial Security 3. The law requires both parents support
their children. This is true even if the pregnancy is unplanned.
Children supported by one parent often do not have enough money
for their needs. A child support order cannot be established if
paternity is not proven.

Survivor & other Benefits 4. Medical and dental insurance may be
available through the non-custodial parent’s employer, union, or
military service. Medical assistance programs may be available
through the local and/or state family/child assistance agencies.
If something should happen to either parent, the child could
qualify for Social Security, pensions, inheritance rights,
veterans’ benefits and life insurance. Paternity must be
established to receive these benefits.

Keep Track of Child Support Information 5. It is imperative that
both parents, (the custodial and non-custodial) keep track of
parent information, parenting time, (visitations), receipt of
child support payments, court ordered or not, names of child
support workers, attorney contacts, names of judges/referees,
docket/court numbers etc. concerning the child support case.
Remember to keep this information in a secure location and let
someone you trust know where this information can be found in
the event of an emergency.

If you are looking forward to the Holidays but dread the stress that comes with them, here a list of 10 tips for stress-free holidays. Go over them daily and apply at least one a day. You will not only have wonderful holidays, but you will also avoid the post-holiday blues that most often happen as a reaction to holiday-induced stress.

1. Go over last year’s holidays and write down 3 things, incidents, or issues around holidays that stressed you outthat’s your lesson not to repeat them or avoid them this year.

2. Write down 3 things you want to enjoy these holidays that involve your family, your relatives, and yourself. No more than 3, please. Keeping it to 3 items, keeps your expectations realistic. Some examples: I want to go skiing with my husband and children and not cook for 28 people. I want to spend Christmas’ Eve at church with my family and not at my cousin’s house. I want to spend only one day on Christmas shopping, instead of four weekends in a row.

3. Write these wishes on a piece of paper and put in on a visible spot. It will be your reminder of what you truly need from these holidays.

4. Under each one of your 3 wishes, write in detail what you must do to make them true. For example: “I want to spend only one day on Christmas shopping.” List what you absolutely need to buy in stores. List what you can buy online. Calculate the time you need. Consider purchasing gift certificates if buying gifts stresses you out.

5. Engage family members in helping you out. Assign specific chores and promise them a reward.

6. Keep your expectations realistic and stay focused on what’s important. Read often items 1, 2, and 3 of this list, to remind yourself of your promises.

7. Say ‘no’ to guilt-driven behaviors. They are the ultimate cause of stress during holidays. For example, if you can’t be around X relative opening gifts under the Christmas tree, be honest to yourself and spend as little time as possible around that person.

8. Watch “Family Man” and “It’s A Wonderful Life” in bed with your family instead of running around, if you are all tired.

9. Spend quiet time and pray.

10. Remember, this too, shall pass. So, make sure to create only good, stress-free memories.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Maria Grace, Ph.D., is an expert at teaching people how to learn lessons from popular movies to find the job, home, relationship, and healthy body and mind they want. She is a Fulbright scholar, licensed psychotherapist, sought-after public speaker and coach, and the author of “Reel Fulfillment: A 12-Step Plan for Transforming Your Life through Movies” (McGraw-Hill, 2005). “Reel Fulfillment” was praised by Publisher’s Weekly as one of the top “self help books out of the self-help box” for 2005-2006.

For more information visit http://www.mariagrace.com and http://www.reelfulfillment.com