Entertainment

If you're a fan of Monty Python, or even if you aren't, don't miss Spamalot (see listings) at Wynn Las Vegas. The whole cast is excellent, but John O'Hurley as King Arthur is a standout. I talked with O'Hurley the other night in his dressing room before the show.

He went from stand-up to starring in one of television's hottest shows for nine seasons and being the highest paid performer in television history at $1.8 million an episode. I'm talking about Ray Romano who will be appearing June 1-2 at The Mirage in Las Vegas. Despite becoming a very rich guy from "Everybody Loves Raymond" he still loves doing stand-up comedy and is a regular at the Las Vegas resort.

Hard to believe that perennial Strip favorite performer Danny Gans celebrated seven years performing at The Mirage last week. April 4, to be exact. Since 2000, Gans has performed nightly in the 1,265-seat Danny Gans Theatre, a stage built specifically for him and named in his honor. To be honest, when he first went there, despite how good he was, I never thought he'd last this long. Goes to show how much I know.

Las Vegas, as its self proclaimed title of Entertainment Capital of the World denotes, has always offered a wide array of talent, from singing headliners to magicians, to productions shows like those offered by Cirque du Soleil, and more recently, Broadway shows. But it also has been home to those acts that play to smaller audiences in smaller venues, but are just as entertaining and in some cases have proved their popularity through their longevity.

There are a lot of funny guys around and one of the funniest is an alumni of Saturday Night Live who's brought his brand of humor to the Las Vegas Hilton for an indeterminate run in the resort's Shimmer Cabaret. His name is Joe Piscopo and he had them rolling in the aisles when I dropped into see him the other night.

I'm happy to hear that one of my favorite shows is back at the Gold Coast following a short holiday hiatus. It will remain there through April 1. I'm talking about Forever Plaid, a show that played to a full house for years at the Flamingo before leaving for a few years and returning to the Gold Coast about two years ago. Unfortunately, it will be leaving again following their April 1 performance unless they can find a gig at another hotel.

As another year came to a close I couldn't help thinking how the growth of the casino industry has given a big boost to the live music business, especially for entertainers who we have loved to see and hear over the years, but because of their age, haven't had any venues to strut their stuff.

Casinos have changed all that, welcoming groups like Steely Dan, Aerosmith, Chicago, The Beach Boys and Four Seasons. How many of us grew up with these groups, still know the words to all their songs and the great memories they bring?

If you're an Art Garfunkel fan, or were a fan of Simon & Garfunkel, you'll be able to catch up with the talented singer/songwriter in the next month as he appears at the Chumash Casino in Southern California January 5th and at the Las Vegas Hilton January 12th.

Everybody loves-Brad? Indeed they do. Best known for his role as the lovable big brother from the wildly popular TV sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, Brad Garrett takes the stage at the Seminole Hard Rock in Miami on December 29. If you haven't had the opportunity to see him live, you're in for a real treat.

One of the most successful comedians in the country will be playing the Pechanga Resort and Casino in southern California December 1st and 2nd and it's a show you don't want to miss. Jerry Seinfeld, star of the long-running hit TV series, Seinfeld, is still as popular today as he was when sitcom ended in1998. He maintains a huge TV audience (and revenues) through syndication-even more than most current TV shows produce. But watching his reruns on your living room TV set can't compare to watching him live on stage.