Las Vegas Weekly

January 13, 2009 · 12:51 PM

Strip Scribbles: Caveman wins permanent new home after three-week tryout

By Robin Leach

Kevin Burke and Robin Leach are flanked by cavewomen.

Photo: TVT

Tonight marks the start of a new permanent performance run for Defending the Caveman, the smash hit from Broadway about the sexes and their differences. Its new home is at the Excalibur every day at 3 p.m., with additional performances at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Since Caveman debuted downtown at the Golden Nugget last June, it has racked up 700 near sellout performances. The one-man show, which stars Kevin Burke, was forced to move when comedy impressionist Gordie Brown was inked to a long-term contract, returning him to the Nugget after his tour opening for Celine Dion.

Kevin won a three-week test run over the holidays at the Excalibur and passed with flying colors. “We are thrilled Defending the Caveman will remain at our property,” said Excalibur President Renee West. “We’re confident our guests, like the millions who have already seen the show, will relate to the show’s universal themes and humor.”

Defending the Caveman is a hilariously insightful play about the ways men and women relate. It offers sidesplitting opinions on contemporary feminism, masculine sensitivity and the erogenous zone. The longest-running solo play in Broadway history, Caveman originally opened in San Francisco in 1991 and moved to Broadway in 1995. Since its debut, more than 8 million people have seen the show worldwide. Actor-comedian Kevin had starred in the Broadway play since 2003 before bringing the show to Las Vegas. With both the afternoon and evening performances, he still has time to zip back downtown for his nightly standup comedy routines. Click HERE for our story about his nightly dash to make his 9:15 p.m. call downtown.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

The divine Bette Midler.

*When Caesars Palace headliner Bette Midler is honored at Saturday’s Nevada Ballet Theater Black and White Ball, our friends Zowie Bowie will provide the musical entertainment. Bette will rush to the nearby ballroom to pick up her award after completing her show there in The Colosseum. That means she’ll miss the welcome reception and Chris Phillips and Marley Taylor’s guest performance, but she can catch them every weekend when they headline up at the Red Rock in Summerlin.

Photo: Hew Burney/www.hewburney.com

Jason Giambi celebrates his birthday at Wasted Space.

Photo: Hew Burney/www.hewburney.com

Jason Giambi at Wasted Space.

*Former New York Yankee Jason Giambi had a double celebration at his partner Carey Hart’s Wasted Space at the Hard Rock Hotel. First he celebrated his 38th birthday with his wife and friends, and then after the cake, he had champagne to celebrate his new multimillion-dollar, one-year contract to play for the Oakland A’s!

Photo: N9NE Group

Chef Barry Dakake and Drew Carey at N9Ne Steakhouse in the Palms.

Star surveillance

The stars are shining bright at George Maloof’s Palms! R&B superstar Usher lunched at Iron Chef Kerry Simon’s poolside restaurant at the Palms Place, and hip-hop superstar Ludacris played blackjack in the Playboy Club where he stuck to Fiji water and a good red wine. Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine arrived there at midnight with six friends and, for his 90-minute visit, stuck to Fiji water. TV funnyman Drew Carey dined at N9NE Steakhouse and insisted on a photo with chef Barry Dakake before going up to play blackjack in the Playboy Club. Also mingling with the bob-tailed bunnies were Santo Domingo friends and baseball stars David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox and Hanley Ramirez of the Florida Marlins and, at a separate table, NFL linebacker Joey Porter of the Miami Dolphins.

Photo: N9NE Group

David Hasselhoff and friends at the Palms.

Photo: N9NE Group

Joey Fatone at the Palms.

Upstairs in Moon, actor-singer David Hasselhoff took over a dance floor table with 11 friends. Also there was Joey Fatone, former Dancing With the Stars runner-up and ’N Syncer. Miami Dolphins player pals Jake Long and Anthony Fasso arrived at 3 a.m. in another group of 12 and stayed there dancing until the club called it a night an hour later … Over at the Ghostbar, mixed martial arts fighter Ryan “Darth” Bader, who won the light heavyweight crown on Spike TV’s Ultimate Fighter, hung out with UFC fighter C.B. Dalloway for two hours before hitting the casino floor.

Photo: Night Vissions LLC

C.B. Dollaway and Ryan "Darth" Bader.

Tonight’s tip

He started out as a teen wannabe magician but wound up as a standup comedy star. Anthony Griffin, who appeared in the recent film Apostles of Comedy, starts a six-night run at the Improv Comedy Club at Harrah’s with supporting acts Daniel Kinno and Joan Fagan. … Age ov Reason figures out all the answers at Carey Hart’s Wasted Space in the Hard Rock Hotel.

Photo: Miss America Organization

Miss America Kirsten Haglund.

Tomorrow’s tease

The 52 contestants for this year’s Miss America Pageant arrive on the Strip. Kirsten Haglund ends her yearlong reign and takes off her tiara. As one girl gets ready to follow in her high heels, Kirsten talks candidly about her 12-month tour of duty! Plus, is that President-elect Barack Obama on the Strip or his amazing lookalike?

— From Vegas Deluxe

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