Sitcom star James takes the stage at Desert Inn

     Kevin James headlines the Crystal Showroom at the Desert Inn, 3145 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Feb. 12 and 13.
      Shows begin at 9 p.m. and tickets are $40. Reservations may be secured with a credit card by calling Crystal Showroom Reservations at 733-4566 or (800) 634-6909.
      James also can be seen on his CBS television series, "The King of Queens." On the show, he portrays Doug Heffernan, a delivery-service driver who shares a house with his aspiring-paralegal wife Carrie (Leah Remini), as well as her father (Jerry Stiller).
      James, like so many sitcom stars before him, got his start in stand-up comedy. Shortly after attending Cortland State University in New York, he began going to clubs with his brother, stand-up comic Gary Valentine, and found that he had a knack for comedy.
      He got his big break at the 1996 "Just for Laughs" Montreal Comedy Festival and was chosen as a recurring cast member for the CBS comedy, "Everybody Loves Raymond," with his friend and star of the show, Ray Romano.
      Additional television credits for James include "Cosby," "The Late Show With David Letterman" and "Hollywood Squares."
      Raised in Stony Brook, N.Y., James now resides in Los Angeles.