Comic Preacher Lawson settles down to host ‘America’s Got Talent’ in Vegas

Preacher Lawson knows however to live. But the “where” stumps him.

“I don’t cognize wherever to live, and request assistance with that, absolutely,” says Lawson, a nonrecreational stand-up comic accustomed to zigzagging the country. He’s astir to halt that run-around to big “America’s Got Talent Live!” astatine Luxor Theater. The amusement premieres Nov. 4.

A Season 12 finalist, Lawson heads up a amusement that includes the Season 15 champ, spoken-word creator Brandon Leake, successful its opening cast. Former “AGT” finalists oregon champions successful the lineup see vocalist Kodi Lee, information duo Deadly Games, show artists Duo Transcend, the mentalist squad The Clairvoiyants, shadow-performance troupe The Silhouettes and Ukrainian LED creation troupe Light Balance. As we say, the bequest of “The Ed Sullivan Show” is harmless arsenic agelong arsenic “AGT” is around.

The 30-year-old Lawson has been penning jokes since property 16, and performing since helium was 18. He took clip for a chat precocious astatine NBC’s “AGT” venue, Dolby Theatre successful Los Angeles.

Johnny Kats: When was your past quality successful Vegas?

Preacher Lawson: You’ve got me. It was a club. One of the salient ones.

Brad Garrett’s?

No, no, no. Something else. My representation is trash erstwhile it comes to this stuff. Wait, similar Jimmy something.

Kimmel’s? Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club?

That’s it (laughs)! This is what happens erstwhile you’re connected the road. You bash a antithetic authorities each week. I could person seen you past week, but it mightiness look similar 5 years ago. It is simply a brainsick life.

I’ve seen comics look astatine their notes to cognize what metropolis they’re in, what nighttime it is. It’s tough. But it each stops for you beauteous soon. You’ll beryllium a Las Vegas resident.

It’s wild. We had this Zoom gathering and they told me. I was super-excited, to beryllium successful Las Vegas, successful 1 place. That is large for me. I deliberation it’s large for immoderate comic to person a location for a while. I’m decidedly looking guardant to being successful 1 spot.

What bash you deliberation of the show’s chances successful Las Vegas?

I mean, are you kidding maine (laughs)? It’s “AGT” successful Las Vegas. It’s a location run, right? We person the Luxor, the pyramid, and we’re talking “AGT,” the No. 1 amusement this summer. Being disposable to spell to astatine immoderate constituent aft we unfastened successful November, they tin conscionable alert to Vegas and spot it live. It’s going to bash well.

What is your role, exactly, arsenic host?

I’m going to beryllium doing jokes, making you laugh. I’m going to unfastened it up with immoderate energy. Do immoderate clip astatine the apical and conscionable travel backmost and interact with the contestants. Make it a amusive show.

Are you readying to bash Vegas-specific worldly astatine Luxor?

Maybe, due to the fact that I bash privation to effort to marque it look similar each amusement is unique. That’s what I’m similar erstwhile I’m connected the road. So if I’m successful Vegas, I’ll person immoderate references that marque it much of an intimate experience. People volition cognize I unrecorded successful Las Vegas.

How agelong is your committedness successful the show?

I person a six-month contract, but I deliberation I tin beryllium determination possibly a twelvemonth if it goes well.

But I’ll archer you what I’m looking guardant to most, you know, too being capable to execute successful Vegas. I’m looking guardant to being successful 1 spot.

You could beryllium a Vegas prima by then

Yeah, maybe. The amusement is truly the star. Everything I person going close present is due to the fact that of “AGT.”

You get to absorption connected your enactment and not each the hassles of travel, right?

I spell to each these comic clubs each astir the country. What I hatred is the plane. I hatred getting connected it, doing TSA pre-check. I hate, you know, checking bags. I hatred landing and being successful a antithetic clip zone. I don’t similar going consecutive disconnected the level to spell connected signifier aft trying to slumber connected the bed. The mode I look astatine it, that’s the work. Being onstage is the fun.

John Katsilometes’ file runs regular successful the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast tin beryllium recovered astatine reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him astatine jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats connected Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 connected Instagram.