Jerry Lewis, once again, for the kids

Jerry Lewis is setting up another MDA Telethon at South Point. If you want to sit in the audience, seats are free from 9 p.m. Sunday to 2 p.m. Monday.

Via-satellite performances are scheduled from Celine Dion, Kid Rock, 3 Doors Down, Ludacris and others.

Some Vegas names on tap at South Point include George Wallace and Lance Burton.

But Lewis says the celebrity lineup "doesn't mean anything" compared to children with muscular dystrophy.

"The stars of the show" are Jerry's Kids, he says. "They're older. Sadly, not a lot of them are still with me. But I get a whole slew of new ones."

Lewis says he has happily created "the best vaudeville show on television," as he paraphrases TV critic Tom Shales. The 211/2-hour fundraiser starts at 6 p.m. on KTNV-TV, Channel 13, which will do some localizing at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Lewis, 82, offers up a fascinating backstage interview that runs here Monday, touching on the telethon, his friendship with John F. Kennedy, and his take on sprawling Las Vegas.

THE BIG SPIN

Paul Oakenfold, who is maybe the biggest DJ name in the world now, begins a half-year Las Vegas residency every Saturday in Rain at the Palms.

He might miss some Saturdays while he tours with Madonna. But he'll send Perfecto-brand DJ friends here, such as David Guetta, Pete Tong and Tiësto.

Oak is out promoting Rain as "one of the only clubs playing an international sound," while he gives interviews around the world: "I'm doing my best to put (Vegas) on the map" as an international capital of club music. And he is looking for locals like mad.

"I want the locals to be proud of this. I know how important they are. When I did my residency in Ibiza (Spain), certainly the locals were a big part of it." (Rain opens at 10 p.m.)

LIVING LOUNGE

The superfun Richard Cheese and Lounge Against The Machine play at 11:30 p.m. today and Sunday in AJ's Steakhouse at the Hard Rock Hotel ($42-$71.50; 693-5066).

In tux, Cheese sings inspired lounge covers of pop songs such as "Don't Cha," "Baby Got Back" and "Down With the Sickness."

Fans are usually choice for people-watching.

"Our crowds these days are a great mix," he says, of "some tattoos, some business suits, some fake breasts, some real ones. We actually had a guy show up at a show in Chicago with a tattoo on his leg of me. Seriously. Crazy."

Doug Elfman's column appears on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Contact him at 702-383-0391 and delfman@reviewjournal.com. He blogs at reviewjournal.com/elfman.