Terry Fator Show Closes Overnight at Strat Ending 18-Year Strip Run
Ventriloquist Terry Fator’s show has abruptly closed at Strat.
The “America’s Got Talent” winner turned his 15 minutes of fame into an admirable run on the Las Vegas Strip that lasted 18 years.
The closure at Strat on Sep. 23, 2025, is described as “the beginning of an exciting new chapter.” Which is P.R. speak for “Let’s not talk about why the show closed, shan’t we”? Sorry, we’re here for the awkward.
The fact is Fator’s show at Strat closed because it wasn’t selling tickets. Which, granted, would be a weird thing to include in a news release.
Strat’s showroom is operated by producer Adam Steck and his SPI Entertainment. You fail to sell enough tickets, you’re out. Because it’s a “four-wall” deal, performers pay Steck to play the room, Strat is the landlord.
Other shows at Strat, including “MJ Live,” “iLuminate” and Frankie Moreno have closed due to the same malady.
Anyway, the bottom line is that while Fator’s story in Vegas has come to an inauspicious end, he and his off-stage drama have made an impression on the town.
Because he did impressions.
Again, not appreciated enough.
After winning “America’s Got Talent” in 2007, he snagged a gig at the Hilton (now Westgate), performing three shows a month.
The rumor was Fator had to pull a lot of strings to get that job. (It’s a joke. Take all the time you need.)
In 2008, he landed a bigtime headliner deal at the now-closed Mirage. He was a big draw for many years, though reviews were mixed. Many praised his technical skill, others criticized the show as stale and lacking edge. Some audience members said Fator’s act was “homophobic, sexist, racist and downright offensive.” In Vegas, money talks, and the show made money.
Fator’s stint at Mirage ended in 2019.
Since then, he’s performed in smaller venues like New York-New York’s Liberty Loft.
He began his residency at Strat in May 2024.
Fator’s time in Vegas has been punctuated by headline-making personal and professional challenges.
In 2011, he was sued by his former manager, John McEntee, over commissions. In 2017, another legal battle erupted when his longtime personal assistant accused him of wrongful termination and a hostile work environment.
Fator’s first marriage, to Melinda Fator, ended in 2010 after nearly 20 years. Almost immediately afterward, he made headlines for proposing to his girlfriend and undeniable hottie, Taylor Makakoa, during a live Mirage performance. Their marriage ended in divorce in 2015. Shocker.
Not long after, Fator married Angie McWhorter, his former assistant. Fator clearly missed the memo about not shitting where you eat. (Sorry, Mom. Feel free to replace with “dipping one’s pen in the company ink.”)
Fator and McWhorter’s split in 2020 got ugly. McWhorter accused Fator of “cruel and inhuman treatment.” We can only assume she was referring to being forced to attend shows with singing puppets.
Terry Fator’s success and tribulations definitely fall into the category of “Only in Vegas.” The next chapter is likely to be labeled “Only in Branson.”
The news release about the show closing at Strat claims Fator “will continue to maintain a strong presence in Las Vegas,” which means he’ll probably include a couple of nights in Vegas in his touring schedule.
While Fator’s Las Vegas run ended with a sudden whimper rather than a bang, anyone who can last nearly two decades in a market this cutthroat and competitive deserves kudos. Love his shtick or loathe it, Fator earned his place in the pantheon of Strip headliners who defied the odds and cashed in on their unique talents.
And if you think we’ve been looking for an excuse to use the word “pantheon” in a story just to impress the ladies, you would be both rude and correct.
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