The Entertainer Natale-A shining talent beyond compare By Amy De Vour Of the Print The stage is darkened, the audience sits tittering quietly. [The sound of a. growing thunderstorm envelopes the loom; an ever-increasing stacatto rhythm of a jungle drum filters in. Then, there is a fleeting fan fare. “Ladies and gentlemen, having no choice we present to you tonight, at our own risk, the fantastically funny, the unbelievably talented, the incredibly sexy, ha ha ha, excuse me, Natale! What exactly is a Natale? Natale, pronounced Nah-tah- lee is the current entertainer at Mama - Lena’s Italian Restaurant and Lounge. This one-man act brings the appeal of great music, the mystery of magic, and the fun of comedy to Oregon City in a Las Vegas style show. The Italian Stallion towers at an unbeljevable 6’5”, this is documented by a wooden pla que hanging on the wall of his set. Natale is the epitome of clean fun. He leads his “dirty- minded” audience to the very edge of the gutter and lets them decide whether or not to jump in; usually they plunge in. Says Natale, “I’ve got the cleanest show in the West and the dirtiest audience, I love ’em! The audience is constantly having their “leg”pulled in some way or another, and they love it. On one occasion, Natale, seemingly oblivious to his au dience picked out a twangy country tune. He stops abrupt ly, much to the chagrin of a lady exiting on the sly to the bathroom, and yells, “Lady, where do you think you are go ing? You come back here and raise your hand.” More often than not, the victim of Natale’s teasing will shuffle back to their seat. It’s hard to escape without everyone being notified of your attempted departure. Then, after what seems to be an eter nity, Natale says mercifully, “Okay, lady, you can go now.’-’ Donning a black felt cowboy hat, and “strapping” on his “gee-tare,” Natale becomes an amazirigly-real Johnny Cash, making the female section of the audience squeal with anticipation. Just as easily, he sports a thick black moustache and a “wop” hat and croons a sweet “Return to Sorento.” Not neglecting the male sector, he dedicates a love song to a man in his audience. Thoroughly embarrassed, the man seems to melt into the floor. Says Natale with sheepish feminity, “That doesn’t make him a bad per son.” But poking fun at everybody is all in fun, which according to Natale, is the way it should be. Natale’s magic is more than a mystery, for he performs mind illusions that leave the au dience wondering, How did he do that? or as Natale puts it “Why did he do that?” Proving that Italians can turn “anything” on, Natale entertains as the great Elvis Presley, an impression that reflects the gyrating King. “Elvis used to throw scarves, I can’t afford that so I throw what I’ve got the most of.” He says, laughing, picking up a roil of Natale embossed toilet tissue, complete with' his picture and he says, “Here’s looking at you.” In all fairness, Natale gives the audience what is called a “practice” scream when he does Elvis. “Don’t scream until you see my body,” Natale teases. He jumps out from behind his organ and the screams echo throughout the lounge. V “Can you imagine a grown man doing this for a liv ing?” he questions his au dience. Everyone laughs, but what many don’t realize is that there is a real heart-felt reason for Natale’s 26-year involvement in show business. “I wanted to help people; I was going to be a doctor, but there was too much pressure involved. So, I enter tain, and in a way I help peo ple, I make them happy,” he says. Natale’s music is so full, one hardly remembers he is an individual, not a group of musi cians. With the aid of an elec tric drummer and an instru ment called a “vocoder” (which provides one or many voices) Natale sings his way into your heart. His costumes are sequen- ed and sparkled, and his j lighting and prop manipulation are fantastic. Natale entertains at Mama Lena’s, 895 Molalla Ave., in Oregon City, Tuesday through Saturday with two shows per evening, the first of which begins at 9 p.m. Natale will continue through the end of July with a vacation from Dec. 19 - Jan. 19. Natale closes his show with a love song to his au dience entitled, “A Magic Mystery.” He thanks the Lord for his talents. Natale is truly amazing and talented. Come in and see him, he’ll make you smile and more importantly, he’ll leave you feeling good! Foreign students adapt to new religion and beliefs Rfy Tracy Tiegland R)f the Print There are many students •at Clackamas that people refer Boldly to as “boat people,” Not Rnany people really know much ■bout them or take the time to Hind out. They just Acknowledge the fact that they ■re from another place with a ■ifferent background. These people have gone ■rough many changes since Homing to America and for Home Indochinese, they have ■ven undergone a change in ■heir religious beliefs. Most East Asian countries Relieve in Buddhism, where in HXmerica, Christianity is the Heading religion. Of the three people from Bifferent parts of Indochina in- Herviewed, each represented a ■inique lifestyle, although with Borne parallels. Kao Sori Saechao from Hdein has been particularly in- Herested in finding out about Rhe difference in religious Beliefs between Mein and the ■Jnited States. Kao talked vaguely about Riis old beliefs. He respectfully Believed in the religion that his Barents taught him as a child. ■Vhen asked exactly what he Believed in when he lived in Wednesday, Nov. 25, 1981 Mein , he got a puzzled look on his face and commented, “My religions confused me, I.never knew what to believe.” The name of his religion is Annimist. Kao could not really explain his religion, but remarked, “to know the religion you must study many years.” The Oregon City First Baptist Church sponsored Kao and his family to come to America. That was the first time Kao was introduced to God, the Father of Christianity. Kao had never been around Christianity before and it overwhelmed him and today Kao is happy to tell people that he and his family are Chris tians. For Kao it was an easy decision to become a Christian and give up his family’s tradi tional beliefs of Annimist, because he never understood them fully. Kao stated happily, “It is so evident. that God brought me to. this country,” Kao was asked about his‘ children, and what he would raise them to believe. He stated logically, “My children will believe in God, because I do.” Savat Keo from Cam bodia, shared how he combin ed his old and new beliefs, to In Viet Nam, Buddah people,” they aré not just In get that happy medium. Savat was a Buddhist reigns, just as it does in Mein dochinese. They are many monk for three years when he and Cambodia, with a scatter varieties of people with a new, lived in Cambodia. He studied ing of Christians. Hung did not sometimes, scary life ahead of Buddhism faithfully and follow either Buddah or Chris them in this new country. dedicated his life to it. When tianity in Viet Nam, and he Some of those people might Savat came to Oregon in hasn’t decided to now that he is find a comfort in believing in August of 1980, he started at in the States. It has nevex been God while still others prefer to bring with them their own tradi tending the Hilltop Community an “important part” of his life. tions. These are not just “boat Friends. Church. Now Savat considers himself a Christian. However, he stated, a bit con cerned, “We keep a part of Buddah. The part that is good for us. We threw some of it away so we wouldn’t get in trouble with American laws.” Savat doesn’t seem com pletely satisfied with what the Western World’s “Christianity” has to offer. Therefore, Bud dah remains a small part of his life. Savat is anxious to learn all about Christianity. He is amaz ed at how much there is to learn. Savat was asked, “how will you raise your daughter, Christian or Buddah?” Savat did not seem concerned about the fact that he had mixed two religions, and he doesn’t think it will be confusing to his daughter. He stated confident ly, “my child will be a Christian.” Finally, Hung Nguyn of Viet Nam expressed a totally different view from Kao and THIS LITTLE ONE will be raised with the newly adapted tradition and beliefs of his mother; a student here at the Savat. college. Page 7