Leonid is on a roll.

It was only a matter of time before the rest of the world discovered Leonid the Magnificent .  His life has changed dramatically since he became something of a fixture on NBC's "America's Got Talent."  Everywhere he goes in New York City, he's recognized, and he's been flown to Greece as a guest star on "Greece Has Talent" and other international cities for appearances. He's back for the second season of "Got Talent," but the most exciting news, he said, is an offer to do a reality show. He's staying quiet about that until he gets more details.

The tall Russian who honed his outrageous sword-balancing, hula hoop-shaking act in the drag clubs in Miami returns to the "Madhouse" at the Hard Rock Hotel for tonight's grand opening. Jeff Beacher, who created the "Madhouse" five years ago in New York City, didn't see a showstopper the first time he saw Leonid at an audition for a pre-Grammys show at Madison Square Garden. But his partner did. "He said, 'This is the guy who will change the history'" of the "Madhouse." Beacher wasn't convinced. Then he heard some bizarre music, he heard a roar, and he turned around to see a naked Leonid on stage.

-"MAXIM" magazine

 July  4 , 2007

What's in the Box?   Young Simon Hammerstein is bringing' back vaudeville (of a sort) for ourgilded age. By William Van Meter

"... The socialite Fabiola Beracasa is throwing a birthday party for her boyfriend, Jason Beckman, and 1 a. m. the lights dim and everyone races to the railing to watch Leonid the Magnificent, a Russian-born gymnast. Euro-disco thumps from the speakers, and Leonid emerges with two blonde dancers in corsets. He is six-seven and is wearing turquise platform boots, a red-sequened G-string with a swinging racoon tail, and nothing else except makeup.                  After a series of gimnastic gyrations, Leonid whips out three silver hula hoops and whirls in them simultaneously. "Simon, it was amazing. So beautiful," says Uma Thurman, who came with her boyfriend, the hotelier Andre Balazs, to check out the space.

- JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE  ABC 

Weeknight 12-05AM  08.17.06

    LEONID'S NIGHT              Leonid the Magnificent returns to television! Our favorite act of the year freaks Jimmy and Paul Reubens out.

- AMERICA"S GOT TALENT , LEONID THE MAGNIFICENT NBC

DAVID & GOLIATH          Yikes! Leonid the Magnificent thanks Hasselhoff the only way he knows: with freakish hilarity.

NEVER SAY DIE               Where did this guy come from? Leonid the Magnificent gives an emotional plea to keep his hopes alive.

- PEOPLE magazine

July 16, 2006

- TV GUIDE  magazine

July 31, 2006

A REALY BIG SHOW           ... Consider Leonid the Magnificent, a juggler/acrobatic import from Siberia who favors platform heels and angel's wings and was discribed by Morgan as "Victoria's Secret from hell." As Warwick puts it, "When it's good, it's great. And when it's bad, it's fabulous."          by Deborah Starr Seibel

-FORTUNE magazine

01. 23.06.

BUSINESS LIFE                              There are really two Las Vegases. The first is that mythic patch of Nevada desert called the Strip, whose best-known monuments are a New York skyline and an Egyptian temple.                                          

 The other is Oscar Goodman's Vegas-a real metropolis of 518,000 souls that stands just a few minutes' drive from the tourist mecca. As mayor and mascot of one of the fastest-growing cities in America, Goodman wants the world to know about his part of town, where an expanding array of stores, restaurants, galleries, bars, and casinos are open for business. To that end, he recently rounded up a few friends-including one Elvis impersonator, two showgirls, three burlesque performers, a glittering exotic dancer named Leonard the Magnificent, and four-foot-tall Little Tim, whom the mayor calls his "good-luck piece"-for a personal tour of his favorite haunts.

Office politics: The mayor and his martini: Goodman cruises with Ann, Porsha, and Elvis: Leonard the Magnificent: a mayor bobblehead at Hogs&Heifers



-STAR magazine 

10.10.05.

Paris Hilton,24, made a new friend at a performance at Beacher's Madhouse at the Hard Rock Hotel&Casino in Las Vegas on Sept. 24- and it wasn't the monkey! Legendary Vegas showman Leonid The Magnificent (clad only in ittybitty Speedos) dragged her onstage and started dirty dancing with her!"My fiance is going to kill me for this!" a laughing Hilton told the crowd.    

- NEW YORK POST

September 26, 2005  

HIGH OVER PARIS
PARIS Hilton found herself under a gyrating, near-7-foot-tall, cross-dressing performer at Las Vegas variety show "Beacher's Madhouse" the other night at the Hard Rock. Leonid the Magnificent — in a white thong, yards of silver chains and gobs of makeup — pulled Paris out of the audience, laid her down on the stage, and swiveled his nether-regions over her as he hula-hooped and balanced swords, The Post's Stefan C. Friedman reports. As Leonid tried to de-top her in front of the crowd, Paris playfully whined, "My fiancé's going to kill me!" 

- OCEAN DRIVE magazine 

February 2006, Miami

- MIAMI HERALD
Sealing the dealed Ocean Drive bash 

by Lesley Abravanel 02.2006

  Speaking of Ocean Drive Magazine, its weekend of festivities attracted a montley crew of celebs as usual. Spotted in the crowd at the Beacher's Madhouse show on Friday. Trick Daddy, Chris Katten, Dwyane Wade and Paris Hilton's producer ex, ScottStorch. Deco Drive co-anchor Louis Aquirre was beckoned onstage by legendary Vegas  showman Leonid The Magnificent and bumped and grinded and strutted his staff. ...

- What's on,  The Las Vegas guide

October 11-24, 2005

  Cruising the Strip and Finding What's Hip.       The beguiling Paris showed she's a good sport when host Jeff Beacher's 7-foot-tall, cross-dressing performer Leonid the Magnificent pulled the haute heiress onstage for an impromptu, uh, number. Leonid laid her flat onstage and swiveled suggestively over the prone Paris.                                                                            

 As she left the stage, with barely a blush, she reportedly thought of her betrothed, Paris Lastis, saying, "My fiance's going to kill me."                

Strip Search by Kimberley McGee

- "Las Vegas Sun"  Rewiev -journal

09.28.05

NORM: A Friday madhouse at the Madhouse
Paris Hilton nearly has wardrobe malfunction.
Tara Reid makes the rounds Friday night.
Mariah Carey at Jermaine Dupri's birthday bash.
        With a potential TV deal on the line, comedy show producer Jeff Beacher couldn't have scripted a wilder scenario.
        There was Paris Hilton being carried onstage during the season-opening show of "Beacher's Madhouse" on Friday, with Ted Harbert, president and CEO of E! Networks, in the audience to determine whether to make the "Madhouse" a cable network staple.
        With Hilton serving as the ultimate good sport, Beacher's anything-goes show took its zaniest spin at The Joint, the Hard Rock Hotel's show venue.
        Late in the show, Leonid the Magnificent, a 6-foot-9-inch Russian who wears boas and feathery wings while balancing a sword on his forehead, went into the crowd, scooped up Hilton and brought her onstage.
        After Hilton spanked Leonid's bare bottom, he propped her up on her hands and knees like a show pony and climbed on, flattening the elegantly dressed heiress face first. Then Leonid laid down on her back, and, umm, we'll leave it at that.
        When the horseplay ended, Hilton was frantically trying to prevent a wardrobe malfunction, using both hands to keep the top of her dress from falling down. "My fiance is going to kill me for that," said Hilton, as she stepped off the stage. 
           The crowd loved it, and so, apparently, did Harbert. After the show, he gave a thumbs-up to Beacher and Hard Rock execs Peter and Harry Morton for a weekly "Madhouse" deal on E!
          If the deal gets inked, Beacher told me the show will start filming this fall and air in February.
        "It will be like `Saturday Night Live' with celebrity hosts, stand-up comedians and musical performances," said Beacher, who brought the "Madhouse" from New York City in early 2004.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Sep-25-Sun-

- "Las Vegas Sun" Review- journal

05. 25. 05

Sightings 
  ... At attorney David Chesnoff's 50th birthday party at Pure nightclub (Caesars Palace) on Friday: Music mogul Suge Knight, turned away at the door for wearing sneakers, returning later in proper footwear to join the rooftop bash. Among Chesnoff's guests from 30 states: Court TV anchor Rikki Klieman, who is married to Los Angeles Police Chief Bill Bratton; brother Richard Chesnoff, former senior editor of U.S. News and World Report; Mayor Oscar Goodman; John Momet; Rob Murdoch; Tom Breitling; and Tim Poster. But the star of the show, after Chesnoff, was Leonid the Magnificent, the towering Russian who, among other things, balances a sword on a sword on a knife held in his teeth. Leonid was among two dozen or so members of Beacher's Madhouse, the zany show at the Hard Rock Hotel. ...  Norm Clarke

   David Chesnoff and Leonid The Magnificent at the "Pure" night club Caesars Palace, Las Vegas



Las Vegas Review-journal, 03.20.05

The Scene and Heard                          Is Leonid the Magnificent, one of the featured acts in "Beacher's Madhouse" at the Hard Rock Hotel, about to jump ship? Almost 7 feet tall, rapler-thin and wearing only short shorts, the Russian performer balances a sword on a knife held in his teeth...

LAS VEGAS SUN

02. 18-20. 2005           

 Leonid the Magnificent balances a sword on a knife hold in his mouth during his segment of "Beacher's Madhouse" at the Joint on Saturday.                     Sam Morris/ Las Vegas Sun

 RUSSIAN PODIUM magazine , 10, 2007 Moscow

-Sunligth News

05. 02. 2006

Mayor Brian P. Stack& Board of Commissioners proudly present      A production of Grace Theatre Workshop, Inc. in conjunction with LT Entertainment Corp., Taras Kardashov, producer  of Vedas Vegas Vegas, musical extravaganza. Starring Leonid Filatov, directly from headlining at the Hard Rock Hotel& Casino in Las Vegas and appearing on the Jay Leno Show.     May 6, 2006 Union City, NJ


DOMINICAN TIMES NEWS

"...exitoso espectaculo.."

SUNLIGHT NEWS

10.10.2004

" The musical extravaganza came to completely wow a sold out audience.It featured an incredible cast, Leonid Filatov, an accomplished all-around performer, was breathtaking with his circus skills... you had to see it to believe it. The Leo-Leopatra Dancers where exquisite to watch. Very impressive was an acapella tap number performed by Amy Smith. Another dance number that was especially outstanding was odagio performed by Megan Smith, Leonid Filatov, and Alexander Anatska. The comedy antics of five-time ACE Award winning actress, Lilia Veiga, were very well received, as well the juggling of Andrew Vinokurov who dazzled as he executed a jump rope routine as he danced around on a unicycle.

  The voice of Lucio Fernandez was greeted with cheers. His song and dance number "Copacabana" with the Leo-Leopatra Dancers was a show stopper. The Union City Orchestra was sensational, easily playing both the Broadway show tunes and Latin dance rhythms.

The entire production was superb. It was a sold out house of well over fourteen hundred... The cast was awarded by   long standing ovation at show'send... well deserved I must add."

NEW TIMES

Miami, November 2001

 "...Sun-baked skin and bright blond hair-Leonid Filatov looks like a younger Siegfried and Roy, but he is Russian not German. His extravagant musical revue "Leo-Leopatra" does include exciting dancers, amazing costumes, and dynamic songs. Acrobat, swords balancer, and fire (and other objects) juggler, Leonid Filatov is a star!"            

EL  ESPECIALITO

Union City, New York, 2004

"La presentacion del espectaculo... fue un exito total. Con la masiva asistencia de publico en el (teatro), la obra teatral hizo gozar a todos con su colorida y majestuosa presentacion, digna de grandes teatros del mundo. Por su orquestra, el baile, los trajes, la comedia y los cantantes, la revista musical transporto a todo el publico a un show musical de la ciudad de Las Vegas, sin salir de Nueva Jersey. Las bailarinas y los malabaristas demonstraron toda su capacidad para lograr grandes aplausos del publico asistente..."

"El grand espectaculo... solamente puede recibir calificativos de maravilloso, espectacular y muy bello. Lucio Fernandez se lucio en la presentacion porque demonstro lo polifacetico que es en el arte, con su actuacion, baile y canto... Tambien vale la pena resaltar el trabajo de la Orquesta de Union City... que nos pusieron a bailar en nuestros asientos. Pero la sensacion de la noche fue la presentacion de Leonid Filatov con su numeros acrobaticos y sus bellas bailarinas Leo-Leopatra, con sus inolvidables vestuarios que hacen del espectaculo una verdadera sinfonia de color."

CONTOUR magazine

Miami, October 2000

Leonid The Magnificent’s biggest fan!!    " To my Russian friend, Leonid! Thanks for helping make America's Got Talent No. 1. 'We go to different clubs' - Best Line Of The Season Keep smiling!  " DAVID HASSELHOFF What else's been said about Leonid The Magnificent: America's Got Talent Season One Finale, Wildcard Show, Aug06:- "Entertainment Sensation!" - NBC producers "He's the 30 faces of Eve... you don't know what's in there, it's like the Exorcist!"; "Victoria's Secret takes on new meaning..." "I want to 'X' you out if only to keep you away from us! Anyway, you're very, very, very, very, VERY entertaining!" - David Hasselhof "There're many things I look for in my Christmas stocking, and you're definitely not one of them!" - Piers Morgan "You've outdone yourself tonight... Green is your color!" - Regis Philbin America's Got Talent Season One audition round, Jun06:- "Victoria's Secret from hell!"; "You'd be perfect for the top of my Christmas Tree!"; "You look magnificent - that's the magnificent part of it!" "Being a star is sometimes having passion, raw emotion, determination and hunger, and you’re ticking all those boxes…" - Pier's Morgan "I just have a gut-feelin' about this Leonid The Magnificent guy. I think he's great..." - Brandy Norwood "Hasselhoff, here's someone bigger even than you!" - Regis Philbin America's Got Season Two, audition round, Jun07 "Orrrrhhhh... Fabulous!" "You're truly magnificent! I can see you heading up the next gay parade in New York. You'd be fantaaastic!" "It was just like Spinal Tap. It was fantastic!" - Sharon Osbourne "Leonid is mesmerizing. Nobody really understands Leonid, he just comes on and does his thing. But his thing is quite entertaining. I love it!" - Piers Morgan "If he gets through, I'll quit the show!.. He belongs to a mental institution!" - David Hasselhoff "..I could see bits of Leonid's body not even death will be able to erase from my mind's eye.." - Capital Times 'Tube-Talk' columnist (New Zealand), reviewing AGT1 audition, Aug07 ".. the absolute highlight of last year's season (of America's Got Talent).." - MAXIM magazine writer, Jul07 ".. the glittered and the SUPERGAY Russian who did a split while jamming a big sword in his mouth... I know, nice family show, NBC!!" - What The Buck show, Jul07 "Leonid's on a roll. It was a only a matter of time before the world discovered Leonid The Magnificent." - Norm Clarke, Las Vegas Review Journal, Jul07. ".. I think they should just give the title to Leonid The Magnificent and be done with it. He's the one guy everyone can remember from either season (of America's Got Talent)." - realitysteve.com, Jul07 "..it was amazing. So beautiful!" - Uma Thurman, after Leonid's performance at The Box, Manhattan, Dec06. "They call me CINDERELLA MAN." - Leonid of fellow immigrants who were inspired by his success. "What is Leonid? Imagine if the "Rocky Horror Picture Show"'s Dr. Frankenfurter had sex with a green parrot -- this would be their love child. " - Friday Funnies, Aug06. ".. the REAL Frankenfurter. Rocky Horror, eat your heart out!" - hotsaucy.com, Aug06 "Fashion Superstar!" - Jimmy Kimmel Live, Aug06. ".. our favorite act of the year.." - TV's Top 5, AOL television, Aug06 "Where did this guy come from??" - TV's Top 5, AOL television, Jun06 "When it's good, it's great. And when it's bad, it's fabulous!" - TVGuide Magazine, Jul06 "I thought I would profile one of the acts here (Leonid's AGT1 audition). I'm doing this because I know your lives would be a complete and utter loss if you lacked this information!...  Utter genius!.. " - lonestarsteve.com, Jul06 "Leonid the Magnificent, a Russian juggler who wore wings and little else, helped keep America's Got Talent a hot property in it's 2nd week" - Hal Boedeker, the TVGUY, Jun06 "He's a bit of an enigma. I only know 3 things about him: he comes from Siberia, he's one of the nicest people I've ever met, and the women just love him!" - Raphael Berko, a producer of THE FANTASY PARTY (NYC) "Leonid The Magnificent makes Liberace look mainstream!" - Erotic Exotic Ball 2006. "So, in honor of Independence Day, here's a clip of Leonid The Magnificent, who is truly what America is all about..." - Amelie Gillete, AVclub.com ".. Legendary Vegas showman, Leonid The Magnificent.." - Star Magazine, Oct05 "..the star of the show.. was Leonid The Magnificent.." - Norm Clarke, LasVegas Review Journal, May05 (event at 'Pure' nightclub) "THIS MAN WAS EVEN MORE, THAN I EXPECTED!" "You should be on America's Idol!" - Jay Leno, Tonight's Show, May05 "I thought I should do something to top that... hulahoop guy. Whew! That was something!" - Teri Hatcher, coming on after Leonid on Jay Leno's Tonight Show, May05 "This is the guy who will change the history of the Madhouse!" - partner of Jeff Beachers, at a NYC audition, 2002. "Leonid Filatov is a star!" - New Times Miami, Nov01 "The Russian Sensation in Miami!" - CONTOUR magazine, Miami, Oct00.

©2007  leonidthemagnificentfanclub.com

 

Leonid The Magnificent - The Soup