‘Hartbeat Weekend’ returning in July
THE Kats Comedy Hut leads with its heart, and Hart, a couple of weeks ahead of Valentine’s Day. The audience is pumped up about a comedian loved by filmgoers, stand-up audiences and commercial watchers. Read on …
Kevin’s weekender
I can confidently impart that Kevin Hart’s “Hartbeat Weekend” is set to return to the Strip on July 6, 7 and 8 at Resorts World Theatre. There will be a roast, a poker tournament, and events during the day and night at Zouk Nightclub and Ayu Dayclub.
Hart is expected to perform several weekends this year at Resorts World Theatre, where he has headlined four times, including New Year’s Eve weekend. He previously hosted “Hartbeat Weekend” during his days headlining the Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
Hart recorded his upcoming Peacock comedy special, which is to debut in April, in November at Resorts World. He and “Saturday Night Live’s” Kenan Thompson co-hosted “2022 Back That Year Up,” also on Peacock.
Wallace goes ‘Clean’
George Wallace’s “Clean Slate” sitcom is on pace to finish shooting in May, then premiere — where, where kids? — on Peacock. The series is from Norman Lear’s Act III production company. Peacock, the NBC Universal streaming service, might then pick it up as a summer replacement or release it in the fall.
Laverne Cox co-stars in the half-hour comedy. Wallace plays a car wash owner from Alabama named Henry, who is eager to reunite with his teenage son, who is returning home after 17 years. But the son is a transsexual daughter, played by Cox.
Wallace is also reinforcing his plans to return to performance in Las Vegas, where he was most recently in residency at the Westgate Cabaret. He didn’t return after the pandemic shutdown.
“I’m telling you, it’s going to be something big, around the time I finish this show,” Wallace said, in a phone chat from Atlanta, referring to “Clean Slate’s” shooting schedule. “I’m coming back. It’s gonna be on the Strip. That is still my town, and this will be bigger and better than ever.”
It’s a Cabaret
Marsha Warfield (from the original “Night Court”) headlines with the longtime Las Vegas performer Kathleen Dunbar and Kirk Mchenry as the featured comics Feb. 9 to 11 during opening weekend at the Comedy Cabaret
at the Westgate Cabaret. All shows start at 10 p.m.; go to Westgateresorts.com for tickets and info.
Derek Richards headlines Feb. 16 to 18, with Dunbar and Ron Coleman on the bill. Dennis Blair, who opened for George Carlin for 18 years, headlines Feb. 23 to 25. Chris Clark and Mike Davis are featured. If you’re wondering if that’s the same Mike Davis who works for Fox 5, it is. Davis has performed stand-up before, we understand. But he has not faced the withering heckling assault I have planned for that weekend.
What Works in Vegas
Jon Lovitz at the Laugh Factory at the Tropicana. Boosted by appearances on “The Howard Stern Show” and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” where he portrayed embattled Rep. George Santos, Lovitz sold out Saturday and almost went to capacity Thursday and Friday.
His extended engagement runs at 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and
Lovitz is back Feb. 16 to 18. He’s booked once a month through May. Look for an extension into the summer.
Buzz for ‘AGT’ comic
Mike E. Winfield, the comic from Season 17 of “America’s Got Talent” and Simon Cowell’s Golden Buzzer recipient on the current season of “America’s Got Talent: All-stars,” is guest-hosting “America’s Got Talent Superstars Live” at Luxor through Feb. 12.
Winfield is part of an updated roster with percussion group Pack Drumline and aerialist Aidan Bryant, plus long-running cast members Kodi Lee, Light Balance and The Silhouettes.
Winfield had an occasional role on “The Office” and was a member of “Brad Paisley’s Comedy Rodeo” on Netflix. Winfield was a club comic for 20 years before breaking on “AGT.” Judge Howie Mandel, a frequent Strip headliner, offered him a spot as his opening act if he didn’t win the “All-stars” title.
Catch the namesake
Jill Kimmel, of the comedic Kimmel family, was to headline Jimmy Kimmel’s Club on Thursday night. Jimmy’s sister Jill, a recurring comic at the club, returns April 6.
Cool Hang Alert
Aaron Fuller’s
Ashley and ensemble continues to serve as the house band at Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club from 7 to 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Fun follows funny at BGCC.