Review of the Mac King Comedy Magic Show at Harrah's in Las Vegas

After my wife and I recently visited Las Vegas with our 3-year-old son, one lesson immediately became apparent...Never visit Las Vegas with a 3-year-old! Despite trying to make the city more "family friendly" in recent years, it simply is problematic to bring the little ones with you. We had to gamble in shifts, and the variety of shows geared toward kids was limited. Our best bet (no pun intended) appeared to be The Mac King Comedy Magic Show at Harrah's. The show plays Tuesday through Saturday at 1:00pm and 3:00pm daily. The admission price is $24.95, plus tax and fees. However, if you stay at the Harrah's Hotel, tickets are free, provided you purchase a drink at $11 each (for either alcoholic or non-alcoholic).

We chose the 1:00pm show, grabbed a couple of margaritas and a lemonade, and waited for the performance. Mac King appeared promptly at 1:00, with his suitcase of tricks. He spoke with a deliberate delivery and slight hint of a southern accent ("I'm a product of the Kentucky public school system. Unfortunately, that's true"). He was dressed in gaudy plaid suit which he claimed belonged to his grandpa, and joked that it used to be grandma's couch. The sleight of hand tricks included the following:

* An audience member invited on stage chooses a card from a standard deck and ultimately he makes it appear from an unopened mini box of Fruit Loops cereal.

* Sets up a tent with a light inside and invites an 11-year-old girl on-stage. He proceeds to make shadow puppets by sticking his hand inside a hole in the tent. First, he shows the formation of the animal with his hands to the audience and then places them inside the tent to reveal a complicated image. The trick culminates with Mac saying he would make a bear shadow, shows his hands to the girl and asks if she is scared. After she replies no, he says she should be, and a man in a bear suit storms out of the tent as he places his hands through the hole.

* Claims to have found a cure for hiccups and produces a large paper bag and places it over his head. He then spends around a few times and, with his back toward the audience, crushes the bag down to his shoulders - seemingly making his head disappear!

My favorite trick of the day was when Mac invited another audience member on-stage and asked if she ever went fishing when she was young. After the affirmative, he replied, "I used to fish too when I was a little girl." He then produced a fishing pole and used a piece of a Fig Newton (a recurring theme of the show) as bait. He said he would fish in mid-air and waved the pole around and suddenly a goldfish appeared on the line! Mac took it off the line and placed it in a glass which the volunteer held. He subsequently announced he had a great way to freak out your friends and took a potato peeler and carrot from the suitcase. He then took a strip of carrot peeling and bit it to form the shape of a goldfish. He placed it in a fresh glass of water and told the crowd to take the fish shaped carrot and wiggle your hands slightly to make it appear moving. Next he placed it on his tongue and began to chew, but then hesitated as he chomped and pulled out a real goldfish!

The show is billed as appropriate for anyone 5-years-old and up. Although there were a few salty bits (Mac making a playing card repeatedly appear inside the fly of his pants for a female volunteer, and then suggesting she smell the card), I would agree this is indeed appropriate for kids. My little guy certainly loved the show and was excited to meet him in person on the way out of the auditorium.

Overall, I would give the show ***½ out of 4 stars. Even if you do not have kids, it is a great way to spend an afternoon in Las Vegas.