Las Vegas Weekly

May 31, 2010 · 1:06 PM

Chelsea Handler unleashed: From PG-rated talker to R-rated standup

By Don Chareunsy

Chelsea Handler and Chuy Bravo at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace on Nov. 14, 2009.

Photo: Scott Harrison/Retna/www.harrisonphotos.com

By Don Chareunsy, Vegas DeLuxe editor

Chelsea Handler is not for the faint of heart or the politically correct crowd.

The Chelsea Lately host on E! Entertainment, comedienne and bestselling author took to The Colosseum stage in Caesars Palace on Saturday night as part of her Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang Tour after an introduction by sidekick “Mexican midget” Chuy Bravo and unleashed a 75-minute monologue that was heavy on F-bombs, skewering and sex.

Handler, who could be Elizabeth Banks’ (surprisingly younger) sister or Joan Rivers’ daughter, didn’t mince words in ridiculing the likes of Jesse James (which led to a disposable plastic glove subbing as a condom for a not-so-well-endowed man), Angelina Jolie (Pax and Maddox were part of the ridiculing), Star Jones and Karl Rove (who Handler beat on the The New York Times bestseller list). She went into vivid detail about her former relationship with Ted Harbert, CEO of Comcast Entertainment Group -- which oversees E! Entertainment -- that included chocolate cake subbing for fecal matter.

Photo: Al Powers

Chelsea Handler and Chuy Bravo at Tao in The Venetian.

But it was her comments about Asian Americans, Mexicans and blacks that drew mixed and/or the loudest reaction from her self-described audience of mostly girls, mothers, sluts, gay guys and men who were dragged to her show by their wives and girlfriends. She criticized blacks for being late, giving their children crazy names and not being able to see them in the dark; Asian Americans for being bad drivers, smelling like egg rolls and lacking a sense of humor; and Mexicans for being lazy. Her response to a man who yelled out, “Chelsea, it’s my birthday!”? “Why don’t you try to suck your own dick!”

And if that wasn’t enough, Handler had an extended story about female masturbation that began when she was a young girl. Don’t worry, guys: Handler talked plenty about male masturbation and genitalia, too. Handler loathes cats and has little love for PETA (“I would eat a cat in front of them if I could.”)

Handler, who was at The Colosseum back in November and at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel last summer, sold out the 4,500-seat theater Saturday night.

Opening comic and Chelsea Lately regular Sarah Colonna has a similar style to Handler, as well as common content (sex, sluts, annoying friends and drinking), so there was a sense of deja vu when Handler hit the stage after her funny opening video montage set to DJ David Guetta’s “Sexy Bitch.” Colonna walked onstage nearly 30 minutes after the 10:30 p.m. scheduled start time, which might explain some audience members leaving before the show ended and the entire audience quickly exiting with no interest in an encore.

Photo: Bob Burchess/FotoBob.com/Pure Management Group

Chelsea Handler and Jenny McCarthy at Pure in Caesars Palace on May 30, 2010.

MISCELLANEOUS

Chuy entered The Colosseum right after my arrival, and I walked by Jenny McCarthy, who looked stunning, after the show was over about 12:45 a.m. Handler and McCarthy partied after the show just up the way at Pure in Caesars Palace, where Shaggy was the guest host and performer.

Senior Editor John Katsilometes interviewed Handler ahead of her performance for The Kats Report on LasVegasSun.com.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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