One of Don Rickles' signature lines is, "It's not the money, it's the love of you people."

Saying goodbye to the Stardust last weekend, the 80-year-old comedian sounded kinda like he meant it.

"Mr. Warmth" paid his onstage goodbyes to the Desert Inn back in 2000. He is about to outlast another of the few casinos that were here when he started working the Sahara in May 1959.

Rickles must be setting a record here. What other headliner has worked the Strip year in and year out for 47 years? Instead of the usual grand entrance -- storming in from the wings to commence chewing tail -- Rickles first made a well-deserved victory lap on the semicircular ramp extending from the Stardust stage, shaking hands with the faithful.

For years, Rickles' act has been the same blend of patter songs ("I'm a nice guy ... a polite guy") and old-school ethnic insult humor: "There's a real Italian, you can smell the oil right here. ... There's a definite odor in this area. Like a Polack gone bad."

No one gets offended anymore. As Rickles said, "Hey lady, this is what you're gonna hear. If you're waitin' for Billy Graham to come in and make a kid walk again, forget about it."

But last weekend was different. Rickles had more bounce in his stride than when I last saw him a couple of years ago. Perhaps the presence of cameras -- director John Landis is filming a documentary about him -- turned up the dial on that mysterious wellspring aging entertainers tap when they step into the spotlight.

He was more wistful, too. Some of the act now dials down to a reflective tone, underscored by piano tinkling, as Rickles talks about Sinatra and Las Vegas.

"We had such good times here," he said of the Stardust and its "Chinese luau restaurant," Aku-Aku. "I used to parade these boards, 47 years now. ... It's great to still be working and still having people show up. And I think of Vegas and I think, 'If only I had invested in something, I wouldn't be telling you this story up here.' "

That he didn't make a bigger deal of the Stardust closing may be in deference to his friends Tim Conway and Harvey Korman, or Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, who close the room Oct. 28. "There's a lot of shows to see yet, (but) I'm going and I'm going to take everything in our dressing room."

But Rickles just has to come back again, at least once each year until 2009. Granted, it won't be the same if Boyd moved him over to a comparably new place such as The Orleans, but it would keep the record alive.

It's a race to see if Rickles can stay one bounce ahead of the wrecking ball at the Flamingo, Riviera and Tropicana. And if the Sahara is still around in 2009, it should be honored to reserve a date for a 50-year victory lap.

Mike Weatherford's entertainment column appears Thursdays and Sundays. Contact him at 383-0288 or e-mail him at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com.