Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Television |
| Founded | August 10, 1998 |
| Defunct | June 30, 1999 |
| Headquarters | Las Vegas , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Penn and Teller (presenters, co-executive producers, writers), Paul Buccieri (executive producer), Robert Weiss (executive producer), Michael L. Weinberg (supervising producer) |
| Products | Variety television show |
Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular was a variety television series from the United States, presented by Penn and Teller, which aired on the FX network between August 10, 1998, and June 30, 1999. The program sought to bring back the traditional variety show style exemplified by programs such as The Ed Sullivan Show.
Description
Running for an hour each episode, Sin City Spectacular showcased unusual and sideshow-inspired performances, including acts like Katzen, the tattooed lady known for consuming insects, alongside her spouse the Enigma, who performed sword swallowing and displayed implanted horns on his forehead. Various celebrities revealed surprising abilities; for instance, actor French Stewart engaged in singing and dancing, Andy Dick performed tap dance routines, and Jerry Springer sang amidst choreographed altercations reminiscent of The Jerry Springer Show.
Musical segments featured Fred, a barbershop quartet delivering a rendition of "I Wanna Be Sedated"; Michael McKean portrayed Edgar Allan Poe and transitioned into disco with the Eight Deadly Sin Dancers; comedian Carlos Alazraqui presented an S&M-themed reinterpretation of Irish River Dancing—concepts crafted by writer Martin Olson. Esteemed musicians such as Dr. John and John Popper also made appearances, with Popper improvising harmonica alongside Penn’s narration and Teller’s card manipulation. Additional performers included comedians Kevin Meaney, Don Novello, Otto and George, Bobcat Goldthwait, Eric Idle, and Martin Mull.
Every episode commenced with a solo performance by Penn and Teller. Some routines like "Cuffed to a Creep" and "Balloon of Blood" were adapted from their live shows, while others—including Teller's "zippo lighter" act—were developed expressly for television.
Filming took place at the MGM Grand Las Vegas. After its initial season, FX opted not to continue the series.
Crew
- Bruce Gowers, Kent Weed, Ron de Moraes – Directors
- Michael L. Weinberg – Supervising Producer
- Paul Buccieri – Executive Producer
- Robert Weiss – Executive Producer
- Carole Propp – Coordinating Producer
- Penn & Teller – Co-Executive Producers / Writers
- Martin Olson – Producer / Writer
- Colman deKay – Writing Supervisor
- Jamy Ian Swiss – Writer
- Michael Goudeau – Writer
- Gary Stockdale – Composer, Music Director
- Bruce Ryan – Production Design
- Birgitte Mann – Costume Design
- Tiger Martina – Choreographer
- Skip Burrows – Property Master, Special Effects
- John Monarch – Production Manager
- Kent Belli – Production Accountant
- Veronica Garrison – Las Vegas Production Coordinator
- Mark McQuown – Construction Coordinator
- Kieran Healy – Lighting
- Laurie D. Muslow – Talent Executive
Nomination
- At the 1999 51st Primetime Emmy Awards, Sin City Spectacular earned a nomination for Outstanding Music and Lyrics.