Cable Guy brings Christmas to summer

It's a bit late for Christmas in July. But Christmas in August? Git 'er done!

That's the plan for "The Larry the Cable Guy Christmas Spectacular," an hourlong VH1 special scheduled to air in early December.

The variety show includes spoofs of Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol," a Nativity scene, letters to Santa Claus -- even a Dean Martin-style celebrity "roast."

Larry "based it on the old-time Christmas specials" with such '60s TV favorites as Andy Williams and Dean Martin, explains Lee Rolontz, VH1's senior vice president of original productions. Except that "everything about it throws the old-time Christmas special on its head."

The show tapes at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Palms' Pearl Theater, with Kid Rock and local headliners Penn Jillette, George Wallace and Carrot Top leading the guest list, along with Tony Orlando, Flavor Flav, Jamie Kennedy, Lisa Lampanelli, Jim Breuer, George Wendt and others.

If you'd like free tickets (and you're at least 18), sign up online at www.seatfiller.com or e-mail audience@seatfiller.com.

Other locations for the special range from the Palms' new Playboy Club to backstage areas at The Pearl and the Imperial Palace's "Legends in Concert," plus Ben Norton Productions, where more than 40 vintage vehicles will add atmosphere.

Stand the heat: If you love to cook and long to hear chef Gordon Ramsay bellowing in your face, now's your chance: Ramsay's Fox series, "Hell's Kitchen," will hold a casting call from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday at The Mirage's Jet nightclub.

Applications (for those 21 and over) are available at www.fox.com/hellskitchen.

Face the music: Another Fox series, "Don't Forget the Lyrics," searches for contestants from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday in The Venetian's Ballroom D. (Lines form at 10 a.m.)

For more information, click on www.fox.com/dontforget or call the casting hot line at (323) 785-2270.

Viva Oslo: Speaking of reality TV, the 10th and final episode of the Norwegian dating show "Who's the One for Tor?" visits, focusing on the romantic quest of music journalist Tor Milde, a former judge on Norway's "American Idol" equivalent.

Las Vegas is one of four stops on "the musical road trip" Tor and his chosen lady are sharing, explains location manager Peter Blanck, along with Nashville, Memphis and Los Angeles.

Mind the "Gap": Also on the overseas front, British-based Bellyache Productions is scheduled to shoot "Keith Lemon's Gap Year," an upcoming 'round-the-world travel series spotlighting the title character -- alias British comedian Leigh Francis, who portrayed the character (and several others) in two previous comedy series.

Carol Cling's Shooting Stars column appears Mondays. Contact her at 383-0272 or e-mail her at ccling@reviewjournal.com.