Although the "Entertainer of the Year" accolade was frequently cited both when Gans was alive and after his sudden demise on May 1, it has proven difficult to source. Both the Las Vegas Review-Journal and PR Newswire simply quoted it without attribution and they were far from alone in that respect. News outlets were at odds whether Gans had been "named" or "voted" the honor.
Neither the Los Angeles Times nor the New York Times even referenced it in their obituaries of the longtime Strip entertainer, who was just settling into a new headliner gig at Encore.
We contacted Gans’ business partner, Chip Lightman, who said the tagline was based on an R-J poll that Gans won 12 out of the 13 times he appeared. "The exact wording was always ‘Entertainer of the Year’ or ‘Best All-Around Entertainer,’" Lightman told LVA.
To be doubly certain, we also contacted the R-J’s Mike Weatherford, whose features editor happened to have been researching the same topic as we had. The official answer is as follows.
Danny Gans appeared in the Las Vegas Review-Journal Best of Las Vegas readers' poll 15 times between 1997 and this year, primarily as Best All-Around Performer. Readers voted him that title 10 times, including this year, while the R-J staff chose him twice, most recently in 2000. Readers chose Gans as Best Comedian from 1999 to 2001 and as Best Singer in 1999. Here's a breakdown:
* 2009: Best All-Around Performer (readers)
* 2008: Best All-Around Performer (readers)
* 2006: Best All-Around Performer (readers)
* 2005: Best All-Around Performer (readers)
* 2003: Best All-Around Performer (readers)
* 2002: Best All-Around Las Vegas Performer (readers)
* 2001: Best All-Around Las Vegas Performer, Best Comedian (readers)
* 2000: Best All-Around Las Vegas Performer (readers, Review-Journal staff), Best Comedian (readers)
* 1999: Best All-Around Las Vegas Performer, Best Comedian, Best Singer (readers)
* 1998: Best All-Around Las Vegas Performer (readers, Review-Journal staff)
* 1997: Best All-Around Las Vegas Performer (Review-Journal staff)
So that’s 11 "bests," some voted and some designated by committee. How "Best All-Around Performer" morphed into "Entertainer of the Year" remains a mystery.
