'THE AMAZING JOHNATHAN SHOW' 9 p.m. Fridays through Tuesdays in Harmon Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. South, $67.90-$78.90 (836-0836).
LOUIE ANDERSON 7 p.m. Saturdays through Thursdays in the Thunder From Down Under Showroom at Excalibur, 3850 Las Vegas Blvd. South, $62.90. No one younger than 18 will be admitted (597-7600). (B) Las Vegas has been a consistent part of Anderson's up-and-down career since 1987, so he's an old smoothie at crowd banter and casino gambling jokes. His written material has taken on more of an edge while losing most of the self-pity, and topics such as his heart surgery are more universal than they once were. (M.W. 4/14/06)
ROSEANNE BARR 9:30 p.m. Saturdays through Wednesdays in the Congo Showroom at the Sahara, 2535 Las Vegas Blvd. South, $59.50 (737-2515).
WAYNE BRADY -- 'MAKING IT UP' 9 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays in the Showroom at The Venetian, $54-$98 (414-9000).
CARROT TOP 8 p.m. Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays through Fridays, and 9 p.m. Saturday in the Atrium Showroom at Luxor, 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. South, $57.95-$68.95. No one younger than 18 will be admitted (262-4400). (B) The comedian synonymous with "prop comedy" is still best when he's hauling out the visual gags, though he often settles for mere sound, lighting, wind and pyrotechnic effects to augment his stand-up routines. It all somehow rises to the energy level of the manic and perturbed comic, who makes his career-long lack of respect part of the act as well. (2/10/06 M.W.)
THE COMEDY STOP 8 and 10:30 p.m daily at the Tropicana, 3801 Las Vegas Blvd. South, $19.95, includes one drink (739-2714). Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are two-for-one locals appreciation nights.
ANTHONY COOLS 9 p.m. Thursdays through Tuesdays in the Anthony Cools Experience at Paris Las Vegas, 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. South, $52.75-$85.75 (877-374-7469).
'DR. SCOTT LEWIS: OUTRAGEOUS COMEDY HYPNOSIS SHOW'
9 p.m. Mondays in the Le Bistro Theatre at the Riviera, 2901 Las Vegas Blvd. South, $29.25-$36.95 (794-9433).
VINNIE FAVORITO 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and 8:30 p.m. Sundays in the O'Sheas Theatre, 3555 Las Vegas Blvd. South, $45.60-$56.60. No one younger than 18 will be admitted (733-3333). (B) The obscure little theater at O'Shea's means no one is safe from a comedian who is at his best sparring with patrons in off-the-cuff banter, packed with ethnic jokes and Don Rickles-style putdown humor. (1/13/06 M.W.)
THE IMPROV 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays at Harrah's Las Vegas, 3475 Las Vegas Blvd. South, $31.95 (369-5111).
'THE RONN LUCAS SHOW' 1 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays in the Thunder From Down Under Showroom at Excalibur, 3850 Las Vegas Blvd. South, $36.45-$47.45 (597-7600).
POPOVICH COMEDY PET THEATER 4 p.m. Fridays through Mondays, 4 and 5:30 p.m. Thursdays in the V Theater at the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, 3663 Las Vegas Blvd. South, $40-$54 (932-1818). (B) Gregory Popovich, a veteran of the Moscow State Circus, offers a throwback to European circus arts mostly left behind in the era of Cirque du Soleil's hip makeovers. The human cast is upstaged by trained dogs and cats in a show that's musty but somehow irresistible. (7/21/06 M.W.)
THE RIVIERA COMEDY CLUB 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. daily at the Riviera Comedy Club, 2901 Las Vegas Blvd. South, $25.95 (794-9433). Stand-up comics Dom Irrera, Bruce Clark and Lisa Mende will perform today through Sunday; Joey Vega, Vince Dantona and David Huntsberger perform Monday through May 18.
RITA RUDNER 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday in the Main Showroom at Harrah's Las Vegas, 3475 Las Vegas Blvd. South, $59.40 (369-5111).
(B) The mild queen of a coarse town, Rita Rudner has been offering incisive couples comedy to Las Vegas audiences as a resident headliner since 2000. The stylish, mannered comedian with the lilting voice creates a distinctive persona. First-time patrons will recognize the truth in the domestic humor, though repeat customers may find many jokes as familiar as the subject matter. (1/12/07 M.W.)
THE SECOND CITY 8 p.m. Thursdays through Tuesdays, and 10 p.m. Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays in the Theatre at Flamingo Las Vegas, 3555 Las Vegas Blvd. South, $57.10. No one younger than 15 admitted (733-3333). (A-) The Chicago comedy troupe packs a breathtaking amount of sketch comedy into a 75-minute revue that subversively sneaks bright ideas into the R-rated raunch. The comic quintet writes its own material that goes for the head as well as the gut, creating a singular form of theatrical comedy. (6/22/07 M.W.)
BOBBY SLAYTON 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays in the Night Owl Showroom at Hooters Hotel, 115 E. Tropicana Ave., $42.90 (866-584-6687). (B) The "Pit Bull of Comedy" dishes out the raunchy insult humor to front-row victims, but the veteran stand-up is most compelling when telling the raw truth about himself. The outrageous material is grounded in just enough authentic detail to give it an honest edge. (5/4/07 M.W.)
GEORGE WALLACE 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays in the Showroom at Flamingo Las Vegas, 3555 Las Vegas Blvd. South, $73.60-$90.15 (733-3333). (B+) The veteran stand-up has turned himself into the comic equivalent of a TV game show host, giving away $100 bills at the end of his show and proving himself a true friend of the tourist. With his catch-phrase "I be thinkin'," Wallace creates a loose vibe full of populist opinion and observations on life's little annoyances, and usually a "Yo' mama" joke or two. (2/3/06 M.W.)
WHISKEY PETE'S COMEDY CLUB 10 p.m. Saturdays at Whiskey Pete's, 31700 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Primm, $16.95 (679-5160). All reviews are by Las Vegas Review-Journal critics. The date at the end of the capsule review indicates when the original review appeared. Opinions by R-J entertainment writers Mike Weatherford (M.W.) or Carol Cling (C.C.) are indicated by initials. Older reviews are not dated.
