Laughlin Entertainer: Cover Stories

For those who want stand-up, Laughlin delivers. Thanks to two of the local casinos, comedy is alive and well via shows featuring top comics on the national scene.

* River Palms

River Palms is the home to the River Palms Comedy Room, a site that started presenting comedy just about a year ago and has been staging comics five nights a week ever since.

The Comedy Room is produced by Daniel Celario, a former comedian who utilizes his contacts to book some of the top comics predominantly out of the Las Vegas and Los Angeles markets. Each of the comics has appeared on national TV shows and major comedy clubs.

Shows are presented in The Comedy Room, Tuesdays through Saturdays at 9 p.m. Tickets are $17.95 for general seating and $22.95 for preferred seating with members of either the River Palms or Tropicana Express Players Club receiving two-for-one tickets (pick up discount vouchers at the Players Club booths). Cocktail service is available during the shows.

For tickets, see the River Palms main casino cage (2nd Level) or call 1-866-448-7849 or 702-474-4000; or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

The comedians taking the microphone during the dates of this issue of the Laughlin entertainer, are:

* Eric Lyden, Rob Sherwood and Bert Eaton-July 16-19;

* Dennis Blair and Dennis Gaxiola-July 22-26.

* Harrah's Laughlin

Harrah's Laughlin has turned the Fiesta Showroom into a comedy club for the month of July featuring stand-up comics who have appeared on “Last Comic Standing.” The July series goes under the banner “LAUGHlin Out Loud.”

Comedians Kivi Rogers and Tess Drake finish out their engagement Wednesday, July 16, before turning the stage over to Don Friesen and Daniel Kinno who perform, July 19-23. (NOTE: Todd Glass was scheduled to appear for the July 19-23 dates but due to a last minute TV deal had to cancel).

“LAUGHlin Out Loud” showtimes are 8 p.m. for Sun-Wed shows and 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. for Saturday shows. Tickets are $15.95/$20.85 and $25.95. Locals with valid ID receive $5 off ticket price.

The Laughlin entertainer talked to some of the comics appearing at the two comedy clubs. Here is more on what they had to say.

Rob Sherwood

River Palms Comedy Room

Rob Sherwood was born in New York, raised in Florida, and is presently living in Las Vegas. He has been doing stand-up for over ten years and is currently working on a TV project called Comedy Show n' Tell for the new Las Vegas Television Network. Here's his take...

On getting started in comedy...

I was a professional stage hand working in a comedy club. I saw a lot of comedians coming through, and I thought, “I can do that.” So I started doing the open mic thing, writing my own jokes-and the next thing I knew, I was a comedian.

On the passing of George Carlin and those who influenced Sherwood...

It was sad. HBO has been running a lot of his specials. Watching them makes you want to do one of two things-either quit or work harder. He was so good. He was on his own plateau.

I admired Richard Pryor, too. I think Pryor was a better performer, but as far as writing, no one could equal George. He was second to none. He was on a pedestal and now it's empty.

George Carlin didn't care about anything except making people think. And that's what comedy is supposed to be about-making people think. A lot of comedians play it too safe-or you have places that tell you don't do this and don't do that. George Carlin didn't care-to the point he got fired from the MGM.

As I said, I also liked Richard Pryor-and like Robert Klein.

When I worked in comedy clubs, I was seeing comics people didn't know yet. One I met and got to know early in his career was Ray Romano. We have since become good friends. He was working where I was doing the sound. He was really funny, he told a lot of family jokes, he was clean and very likable on stage. We thought this guy might make it. We didn't expect him to be an icon of American pop culture. His show is on all the time. It's like the “I Love Lucy” of this generation.

On his style of comedy...

It's observational-things that go on around me. It's about my kids and my wife-on being married. There's a lot of humor there. I do topical stuff just because it's right there. I tell casino jokes, anything that pops into my head. There's no formula. I don't use props or play guitar.

I'm not trying to offend anyone, but I try to make them think. It connects with a lot of people because we all go through the same experiences.

On making a living in the business...

It's tough. There are so many comics and a lot of the clubs are limited in what they can do. I'm making a living at it. I'm not rich but I'm keeping my head above water and always trying to get to the next level.

It used to be if you got one shot on “The Tonight Show,” you were famous. One shot on “The Tonight Show now, doesn't do anything. There's a good chance no one will know who you are. These days it takes a lot of TV exposure-and with cable and movies-it's hard to get over that hump.

On the comedy scene today...

The field has gotten quite saturated and a lot of them are not that good. Too bad there's not someone to go around putting tags on some of them saying, “You shouldn't do this any more,” it would thin the herd. But as long as there are guys willing to work for little money, other guys will hire them and it hurts comedy. At the Comedy Room within the River Palms, people will find all the comics are strong.

I think people should support live comedy by going to shows any chance they get. It's important to see an art form live. Sometimes they go to one show that's not good and vow to never go back. Give it a shot, go to as many as you can. See different people, different acts. I opened for Carrot Top, who is really different and it was still really fun-completely different from George Carlin-but it opens your horizons, gives you a new experience.

On which comedian today makes you laugh your butt off...

A. I just went and saw Carl LaBove-he used to work with Sam Kinison-in Vegas and I laughed real hard for the first time in a long time. Another one I love is Lewis Black. He can make me laugh.

On the theory that if you were given carte blanche to have your own sitcom tomorrow, what would the premise be and who would you have co-star with you...

If I came up with that idea I wouldn't be doing this. But if I did a sitcom, it would have to revolve around my life and what I've done. It would be a show business-based sitcom. If I had a co-star, Britney Spears, because she needs the help.

Don Friesen

Harrah's

Don Friesen grew up in Fresno, California and dreamed of someday playing centerfield for the San Francisco Giants. That career choice threw him a curve ball-literally. He couldn't hit it.

While attending USC, he took an improv class and discovered that he not only had a passion for comedy, he also had quite a knack for it. He quickly became a national headliner, and in 1999, won the San Francisco International Comedy Competition, the same competition that helped launch the careers of Robin Williams, Dana Carvey and Ellen DeGeneres. He would become the only comic ever to win the competition twice when he did so a few years later.

The Laughlin entertainer recently talked with Don Friesen and this is his take...

On getting started in comedy...

I was a business major at USC, and I was flat broke on the verge of bankruptcy and I thought, “Hey, maybe business isn't my thing.” So I decided to take an improv class just for fun and it scared the hell out of me-but I absolutely loved it! I ended up starting an improv troupe on campus called Commedus Interruptus-which amazingly is still going stronger than when I left it. I transitioned into stand-up after graduation.

A marriage, about 10 jobs and maybe 300 open mics later, I got my first paid gig and I was officially a road comic and on my way.

On George Carlin...

It was sad of course to see him go. The man was a comedy legend. I had just met him for the first time a few months back and he couldn't have been a nicer, more down to earth guy. He was truly an amazing comic. Guys who are successful as him eventually stop writing at some point in their career, usually after two or three specials at most-but he was this guy who never stopped writing, performing, taking chances onstage. He was an incredible testament to creativity and a relentless work ethic. Even at the very end, he was still at the top of his game.

On Friesen's style of humor...

Those who are not aware typically don't get my humor, even if it's explained to them.... Sorry, couldn't resist. It's basically a satire of my life as a suburban husband and dad... which actually doesn't sound very funny now that I put it on paper... but it is.

It's been described as clever and relatable-and highly-caffeinated. It's also been described as very theatrical. Like a one-man show. The two comedians I draw the most comparisons to are Jim Carrey because of my broad physicality and Brian Regan because I work clean and mostly make fun of myself.

On your influences...

Growing up-Bill Cosby, Steve Martin, Woody Allen. As a young comic-Brian Regan and Monty Python, especially Monty Python. I always loved the way they counterbalanced these amazing contradictions: smart yet silly, sophisticated yet broad. It's a challenging approach, but if you can pull it off, there's nothing quite like it.

On making a living in the business...

Of course the joke answer is: depends on what you call a living.

But seriously, it's absolutely possible. I know a ton of guys who are anywhere from scraping by to making a modest living doing stand-up-and a handful that are doing very well for themselves. I also know guys who have been doing it for 15 years and have hardly made a dime, so, results may vary. The one truism is that no matter how talented you are, you probably won't get rich doing comedy and even if you end up doing well, you will almost always struggle to get by for at least the first 3-5 years or so.

On which comedian today makes you laugh your butt off?

There are so many, but off hand, Brian Regan (redundant, but you asked), Greg Hahn, Andy Kindler, and James P. Connolly just to name a few.

On if you were given carte blanche to have your own sitcom tomorrow, what would the premise be and who would you have co-star with you?

Why, do you know somebody?....

Actually, I'm working on several ideas and don't want to give too much away. But in general, I think it's a good idea to write something that reflects your life, so the most likely premises for me would revolve around being the fun dad/good cop who evades most questions from the kids with answers like “ask your mom” and “I don't see why not.” I would likely play a guy who everyone finds funny except his wife.

As far as co-stars: I haven't gotten past the flesh-out-the-concept phase-but as a wish list, any chance to work with, say, John Lithgow, Will Ferrell or Ben Stiller would be incredible.

On the comedy scene today?

Hmmm, that's a pretty broad question. As far as live comedy, it's good news/bad news: there are a lot of clubs out there--definitely more than there were when I started in the mid-90s. But many of them are very low paying and most comics who want to make decent money need to not only be very funny, but find an angle to promote themselves. Maybe it was inevitable with the advent of the Internet, but most successful comedians probably spend a lot more of their time than they would care to on self-promotion.

And then some of the top clubs in the country that pay the best have unfortunately become so caught up in a cycle of what I would call the “special event” approach to comedy, that they're not necessarily out there looking for the best comedians but rather are looking for the most marketable.

I'm hoping to see it trend more heavily towards the quality of the show, because I think that's what ultimately brings people back. Then again, what do I know? I'm the one who was going bankrupt in business school.

The good thing is that there's a lot more stand-up on TV than there has been for awhile, so that bodes well for the young guys coming up that are looking for some national exposure and a crack at their first TV credits.

Daniel Kinno

Harrah's

Born in the former Soviet Republic city of Minsk, Daniel Kinno moved to America in 1996, first settling in Columbus, Ohio.

A quick study, he took to comedy well and soon was catapulted to the forefront of comics for his acclaimed performance at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, Canada as part of the New Faces showcase. The Hollywood Reporter described him as having “killed with a charming and smart act” that went to creating the “biggest buzz” of the deal-making festival. This led to Kinno performing on stages across America, whether in comedy clubs with top headliners or starring on the college circuit. He can be recognized from television where his stand-up has been featured on MTV, The Game Show Network and The WB.

Kinno currently resides in Los Angeles.

The Laughlin entertainer recently talked with Daniel Kinno and this is his take...

On getting started in comedy...

I was born in Russia. My parents moved me to America so I could have a better future. I became a stand-up comic, so the joke's on them. The real answer is that in high school I was in a speech class and my coach thought I was funny, so she suggested I do stand-up. No horrible career advice for me-no college-I should be a comedian. At least it worked out. I have no complaints. I started that summer, working at it. I didn't take myself seriously until my early '20s. I've been a professional for about six or seven years.

On George Carlin...

Carlin was one of those people that it is impossible to say how much he contributed to stand-up comedy. He was stand-up comedy. He embodied it. You never thought George Carlin wouldn't be around. I don't know one comic that was not influenced by him.

On your influences...

Who else, George Carlin. His was the first comedy album I heard in English and he's responsible in part for me being a comedian.

On your humor for those who are not aware...

I talk about everything-my Russian background and the process of coming from Russia to America. That's a large part of my show.

On making a living in the business...

I wish people had more appreciation for what we do. Stand-up comedy in a lot of ways is treated like a side show attraction. When people go to a theater to see a play, it's like a treat, a cool night out. Comedy in some respects has lost its allure. I wish comedy was treated like a play more often.

On which comedian today makes you laugh your butt off?

Todd Glass makes me laugh very hard. So does Jimmy Dore, Greg Geraldo and Andy Kindler.

On the comedy scene today...

The comedy scene today is great. People are coming to comedy clubs a lot in L.A. They're always packed and thriving.

What I don't like about comedy is where it's divided. There's Latino comedy channels, black comedy channels, etc. I wish comedians would try to appeal to everybody. It's limited the people who come to see you. Maybe that's the purpose. Maybe I should just do Russian comedy...