The individual accused of, and who has denied, attempting to blackmail Scott Thompson has a history on the Strip dating to the previous millennium.
Long before being known as a litigant against prop comic Carrot Top, Brian Evans was once the crooner-in-residence at Desert Inn’s Starlight Lounge (the resort demolished in favor of Wynn/Encore). We first encountered Evans in the fall of 1998, unearthing standards six nights a week at the resort’s jewel-box showroom.
The budding crooner cut an album, “Live at the Desert Inn,” during his D.I. run, which ended in 2000.
Years later, Evans began working with Thompson during the comic’s Luxor residency. The two recorded a pair of music videos. Evans opened for Thompson at Atrium Showroom in 2014 and 2015, and on the road.
Evans’ name has resurfaced as Thompson reportedly attempted suicide Friday afternoon at his Las Vegas home. Evans had sued Thompson in July in Florida federal court, accusing the comic of sending an unsolicited video of himself engaging in a sex act with an individual “significantly younger” than Thompson.
Evans said he was “shocked, disturbed and offended” at the content. He signed a settlement agreement with the headliner in 2024 “concerning future professional assistance and entertainment opportunities.” Evans had made it known in 2019 he was wanted to return to performing in Las Vegas, but nothing ever materialized.
In a Sept. 3 filing, Thompson’s Orlando, Fla.-based attorney Ronnie Bitman issued a claim that Evans threatened to enter sexually explicit recordings of Thompson on a USB drive into court, where the material would be picked up by media outlets.
In the filing, Evans’ is alleged to have emailed he would resolve the matter for $500,000.
But Evans said in a TMZ report, “I never threatened — ever — to post any video anywhere in exchange for a settlement.” He he has not return a request for further comment.
In his zigzagging career, the 56-year-old Evans has teamed with “Star Trek” legend William Shatner, who played home-plate umpire in 2013 video titled, “At Fenway,” a tribute to Fenway Park. (Shatner has moved on to form a heavy metal band and headlined Sunday night at “Riot Fest” in Chicago.)
Evans also worked frequently with Thompson, who for years supported his career. Evans came into the comedian’s life a little more than a decade ago.
The singer had been billed as an occasional opener for the comic at Luxor and on the road. In 2015, two cut the video “Creature at the Bates Motel” of “Psycho” fame. In 2021, Thompson recorded a promotion clip for, and appeared in, Evans’ “Beautiful Game,” the first jazz song about soccer. Ice-T and Lou Diamond Phillips also took part in the project.
Evans also ran for Congress four times times (for both major parties) after moving to Maui.
The entertainer ran for the U.S. Senate as a Democrat in 2004 and 2014, losing in an effort to take the late Sen. Daniel Inouye’s seat. He switched parties to Republican in 2018, falling in a long-shot campaign against then-Democrat Tulsi Gabbard.
The Honolulu Civil Beat referred to Evans as “a gay, anti-Trump, pro-abortion rights Republican.” In 2020, Evans was back as a Democrat, finishing a distant second to Kaialiʻi Kahele, who would serve a single term in the House.
But Evans has since presented himself as a busy entertainer. He has opened for several big-name performers, dating to Lou Rawls, Dionne Warwick, Frankie Valli and Burt Bacharach. He cut a video in Bogota, Colombia, in November 2021, singing “New York, New York.”
The project was another of Evans’ “firsts,” as the first time an American crooner had sung the song in Colombia.
Evans’ YouTube description says the performance was his “first (but not last)” in Bogota. In his credits, he mentions his previous projects and collaborators. Name-checked in that lineup: Carrot Top.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.