In the tough Las Vegas show business market, some entertainers are participating in what is called "four-walling." All it means is that instead of being hired and paid by the casino, they pay for the stage themselves and are responsible for the marketing and all the people they need to put their show on.
While this is a tough way to go, some have done it and been very successful.
One of the prime examples of success in this arena is George Wallace, a comedian that rents out the Flamingo Hotel and Casino, five nights a week. He was at one time a writer of jokes for Redd Foxx.
It's a tough gig as he goes around pumping hands with all the Las Vegas concierges and rides around in taxis and limos talking up his shows. He'll even get up a 4 a.m. to do some spots on the radio.
Along with all of that he spends thousands of dollars on billboards, newspaper and radio ads.
KTLA mentions that "Now he draws laughs with a grumpy shtick of his own, a harangue on subjects ranging from a nephew in baggy pants — "I wanted to kick his tail, but I didn't know where it was" — to indulgent ministers who preach "six commandments and four do-the-best-you-cans."
"Performers like Wallace, who is entering his third year at the Flamingo, can make four-walling pay if they sell enough tickets to make their rent and payroll, which for him is no small matter. Wallace oversees a staff of 14, including stagehands, light operators and even the maitre d' who seats his customers."
"While some four-wallers can turn a profit, they can also lose big — running through a bankroll in a hurry. And in the brutal economics of Las Vegas show business, even if they pay the rent, entertainers risk being tossed out if they do not bring in enough people. Casinos not only expect customers to go to the show, but also to arrive early or stay afterward — preferably both — and gamble."
This is becoming increasingly popular among hotels and casinos because of the guarantees the rent and puts most of the responsibility for marketing upon the performer, in contrast to the normal contract where the entertainer is guaranteed a specific fee for their work.
While this is a great way to enter this tough market if you really believe in yourself and the product you offer, it is still a hard way to make it as a number of aging stars trying to re-establish a foothold in the business have found out.
A reality check if you ever consider this is that only around 10% of those who attempt this will be successful.
Still, if you're good at what you do, and have an entrepreneurial spirit, your odds can increase and who knows what can happen unless you try.
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