Comedy revue pushing the envelope

Leave it to the Second City comedy troupe to say the words Don Imus can't and then a few more, when it launches a deliberately provocative new edition Monday.

The home office in Chicago "definitely sent me out this time to even push the envelope farther than I did last time. That was actually my assignment," says returning director Jim Carlson, who helped the five-member troupe assemble the sketch-comedy revue that officially debuts Monday.

About this time each year, the current cast members write a new show, introduced a segment at a time, gradually replacing the revue before it. Last summer's effort was arguably the smartest show to play year-round on the Strip, with a high raunch factor making the topical commentary easy to digest.

Second City has been at Flamingo Las Vegas since early 2001, and "it's our desire to do more of what we really do," Carlson says. "This show would absolutely hold up in Chicago. It's not just 'a Las Vegas Second City show.' There's no qualifier."

For its first couple of years on the Strip, Second City included improvisational "games" in the vein of Comedy Sportz or much of Wayne Brady's current Venetian revue. There still are improvised moments, but "no games where we explain to the audience, 'We're now going to improvise for you,' " Carlson says.

One skit that has walked the line with preview audiences is inspired by the scandal that cost radio host Imus his job. The sketch is set at a corporate human resources meeting where a rappin' instructional film reviews "the words that white guys have said recently that have gotten them in trouble," Carlson explains.

"We're protesting word police," he says of the sketch. "In our opinion, you give words more power by saying you're not allowed to say them. You give racists more power when they use them. We're not calling anybody these names, we're just using the words as words. We're pushing a hard line (but) the audience seemed to understand what we're doing." ...

"Monty Python's Spamalot" will lose two shows from its schedule, going from nine to seven each week starting June 26. Steve Wynn of Wynn Las Vegas apparently was prophetic when he noted before the Broadway hit's local opening that nightclubs were hurting the late performances of ticketed shows up and down the Strip. There now will be just one 10 p.m. show each week, on Saturday, instead of three.

"Spamalot" also has a sneaky price increase that goes into effect Sunday. Advertised prices of $69, 89 and $99 won't change, but patrons will now pay the 10 percent entertainment tax on each ticket. ...

Gerry McCambridge, better known as "The Mentalist," brings his mind-reading act to Hooters Hotel, sharing the Night Owl Showroom with comedian Bobby Slayton. McCambridge introduced his mentalism with a 47-week run at the Rampart Casino. The Hooters show opens June 19, with tickets priced at $37; McCambridge will perform Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays. ...

There's a lot of juggling at Steve Wyrick's theater in the Miracle Mile mall at Planet Hollywood, and at this writing the pins were still in the air. But it sounds like singer Martin Nievera will give his 5 p.m. show at least one more month's effort. Ventriloquist Ronn Lucas is said to be jumping ship for an afternoon show in the Luxor theater shared by Carrot Top and "Fantasy." Lucas' publicist at Preferred Public Relations called that one "an unfounded rumor" last week. The Russian clown show "Aga-Boom" will probably replace Lucas. ...

"Aga-Boom" wouldn't be the only Russian circus performers in the mall. Gregory Popovich is into the second summer of his "Comedy Pet Theater" inside the V Theater, and no doubt hoping that "America's Got Talent" will give him the same boost magician Nathan Burton, his theater roommate, received from the NBC talent contest last year.

Popovich is one of several last Vegas performers that can be spotted in teasers for the show that returned Tuesday. Greek Isles magician Kevin James and prop comic Joe Trammel of "V -- The Ultimate Variety Show" also appear to be involved. Burton returns in some type of mentor capacity.

Popovich has a fallback TV show, a new Saturday morning effort on cable's Las Vegas One. ...

Finally, say what you will about the Hans Klok magic show at Planet Hollywood, but it was a classy gesture to invite most of the other local magicians to the big opening-night bash last weekend. Since Klok wheeled out illusions already seen up and down the Strip, it was only fair to invite his predecessors to the party.

Among those spotted before or after the show: Mac King, Nathan Burton, Rick Thomas, Steve Dacri and Jason Byrne. The goodwill gesture apparently was coordinated by Bill Smith, who works behind the scenes building illusions for most of the acts.

Mike Weatherford's entertainment column appears Thursdays and Sundays. Contact him at 383-0288 or e-mail him at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com.