Idol maintains ‘hope about life’

I asked Billy Idol to tell me his ultimate advice on life. He says: Try to get into a line of work that feels like a hobby.

"My dream was to be onstage playing in a great band. It's come true a thousand times. That's the difference that propels you onward -- doing what you love," Idol says.

"That in itself gives you a lot of hope about life. I can imagine if you have a (expletive) job you hate, and that's not what your dream was, you have to manage how horrible that would be."

Idol, performing Saturday at the Palms, says he's lucky his dream lets him travel the globe.

"We went around Moscow on motorcycles" recently, Idol says. "We went around some Temple of Poseidon in Athens."

What is Idol's wisdom about people he has met the world over?

"I see people dissatisfied and struggling. It makes you realize how similar people are, not dissimilar. People have the same problems. (Knowing) that made me realize: That's why the (punk) songs work everywhere.

"Whatever we were feeling in London in 1977 is happening everywhere."

Idol was in the seminal punk band Generation X in 1977. He will perform some X songs with solo classics at the Palms' Pearl. He's always a fun show, that Billy Idol.

SPOT THE HOOKER

Tonight and Saturday, "My Boys" actors Mike Bunin and Jamie Kaler do stand-up at Playboy Comedy Lounge at the Palms.

Bunin grew up in Vegas, studied speech and debate at UNLV, then became a top improvisational actor through Chicago's Second City and L.A.'s IO West.

The other day, I told Bunin I'm terrible at spotting hookers unless they're wearing boas. He said he's good at it. The last time he was at Bellagio, he and a buddy got a wink from a hot girl. Bunin kept walking. His buddy was confused. Bunin informed him:

"I go, 'Let me get this straight, dude. That girl -- the prettiest girl you've ever seen -- chose the two guys who look like they're here for the chess club convention to say hello to. I think we can guess she's 'working.' "

FUNDRAISING BALL

Aid for AIDS of Nevada's Black & White Party fundraiser goes to The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel on Saturday. Chris Saldana of KLAS-TV, Channel 8, hosts, with appearances by AFAN heroes Penn & Teller, plus the "Men of X," "X Burlesque" and "Crazy Horse Paris." Tickets cost $40. It goes
9 p.m.-1 a.m.

Doug Elfman's column appears Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. E-mail him at delfman@reviewjournal.com. He blogs at reviewjournal.com/elfman.