What makes you think he did it specifically for his career? Maybe he thought it’d get him laid.
Que? The question was “If he is a hack, why is he a headliner?” and you post 2 freaky-looking pictures* as a response. I don’t follow what you think that means.
Speaking of freaky pictures, when did Carrot Top go all buff? I wouldn’t necessarily jump to the conclusion of steroids, but he certainly is pumped up more than I recall from way back when**.
Also, while I wouldn’t conclude plastic surgery, his eyebrows certainly are F’ed up, and his forehead suggests botox. And the makeup doesn’t help.
Perhaps that explains the botox?
Hmm. I’m not particularly familiar with tour riders and all, but The Smoking Gun seem a bit excessive in their snark. But looking at the Robin Williams and Penn and Teller ones posted (and other stuff I’ve seen on TSG), that seems to be their pattern.
Seriously, can you imagine if he didn’t have that in there? Every venue he performed someone would say, “Hey Mr Top, we got you dessert - Carrot Cake. Get it?” And every one of them would think they were original and funny.
Amusing thought. On the other hand, I can understand why he might want a massage after his show, and why he might prefer female hands be the ones rubbing him up and down, even if it is a legit massage and not code for “happy ending”.
*Any semantic difference between “two freaky-looking pictures of Carrot Top” and “two pictures of freaky-looking Carrot Top” is up to the reader.
** Way back when = late '80’s(?)/early 90’s on Tonight Show. YMMV.
I saw him around 2002 at the OC Fair. I was a bit skeptical at first but I ended up laughing at most of his jokes. It was a really fun, high energy show, and it seemed like everyone was enjoying it (even the too-cool-for-school hipsters). Also, I remember a lot of the performance was actual standup rather than prop gags. Maybe that helped some.
Anyway this was around the time when he just started bulking up, so while he was ripped he still looked human for the most part. His appearance now just freaks me out. There’s no way I would pay $50 to see this dude.
Umm isn’t being a Vegas headliner kind of evidence of being a hack? I mean like Seinfeld and Leno. 
Huh?
Oh, I see what you’re saying…Carrot Top is a Vegas headliner because if you don’t go to see him he will come to your house and beat the crap out of you!
There’s no real incentive to change a Vegas show, since there’s so much entertainment available. If you see The Amazing Johnathan this time, you can see Lance Burton or Carrot Top next time. Shows like this also rely on word-of-mouth buzz and heavy advertising to sell tickets, although I’m sure the casinos comp tickets, as well.
Joe Queenan had a funny bit about Vegas entertainment in Red Lobster, White Trash and the Blue Lagoon. It’s worth checking out.
Robin
Whaaaa???
{choke}
I hear Nathan Lane is pretty good on Broadway but he is certainly uber-annoying everywhere else.
So I give Carrot Top the same benefit of the doubt (though not so much benefit that I would go out of my way to see his show).
Same for Celin Dion. She may not be a brilliant innovator but she is skilled at what she does and her Vegas show was pretty entertaining (my wife dragged me).
Back in the IIRC '90s Vegas tried shifting appeal to family entertainment. You know, bring the kids, see some shows, tour the showy casinos, and spend lots of money. Then a couple years ago they started their, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” ad line. That was an attempt to shift back to the more adult draw.
And I’m a long-haired, tattooed Brunette whose two weeks to the day older than Amy Winehouse, but I’ll be damned if there’s any resemblance there.
That said, Mr. Top is beginning to bear too much of a resemblance to an ugly woman (in the face area, anyhow) for my comfort. It’s weird. Eerie. Unheimlich.
But from what I hear, Smirnoff hasn’t done the “In RUSSIA, X [verb] YOU!” joke in years. He tells stories about being an immigrant comedian dad, or something.
Well, I have to agree about being an innovator. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIKoiT20eS4
Yeah, some of the shows were “family friendly” in that the women would wear pasties instead of going topless. Or so I heard. I didn’t really see many shows. I went to Boylesque at the Silver Slipper and a couple of others. I had other things to do with my money, and if I wanted to see a show, there was always people watching on the street for FREE.
I cringed.
And for some reason, I hate it when people cover songs and change the gender in the lyrics.
Blasphemy! Good to see they wised up.
I went to Vegas many times pre-1995 and only a couple since.
Ahhhh pre 1995…where you could get all you could eat steak and lobster for $5.99…