Comedy, R&B icons extend Las Vegas Strip residency

The Kats Comedy Hut has been off-line for a time. But we are proud to beat Laugh Factory back to the stage in Las Vegas. Some updates from the frivolity front:

Love the laughter

The Toni Braxton-Cedric The Entertainer pairing of “Love & Laughter,” an inspired concept and welcome hit, returns to The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on (great call here) Valentine’s Day. The half dozen shows run Feb. 14-15, May 9-10, July 11-12 (tickets on sale 10 a.m. Friday at Ticketmaster.com).

Braxton is of course the “Unbreak My Heart” hitmaker and a dazzling stage presence. Cedric is of course an alum of the“Original Kings of Comedy” tour and a great comic actor (proven in the “Barbershop” series). He’s also a pretty good dancer in the show’s “Black Magic Live” male revue.

I caught this show this year and came away with an appreciation for the co-stars’ symbiotic stage skills. Cedric does the funny and does his best to play showman. Braxton is a wonderful performer who does her best to tell jokes (well, at least one). The formula packs the place.

N8 is GR8

Top comic Nate Bargatze is coming back to Encore Theater in a big-bad way in 2025. His “Big Dumb Eyes World Tour” plays Wynn’s headlining venue 16 dates, from Jan. 8 (Elvis’s birthday) through March 22.

Bargatze hosted “Saturday Night Live” on Oct. 5, his first stint as host in a year. From here, the 45-year-old stand-up is one of the show’s best hosts ever. His recurring appearance as George Washington in “Washington’s Dream” is an instant classic.

Find that on YouTube, and find him on the Strip. Plenty of chances.

B.K. to RWLV

Another favorite comic (and actor, podcast host and author) headlines “Bert Kreischer: Double Down” at Resorts World Theatre on March 21-22. Kreischer this year completed filming for his upcoming sixth Netflix special recorded in his hometown of Tampa, Fla.

The back-to-back shows are tied to March Madness, as we nod to the creator of that phrase and Las Vegas resident, Brent Musburger.

Packing the trunk

After a nearly 10-year run, Elsie, the African Spotted Pygmy Elephant, is being put to pasture. Penn & Teller have closed their show at the Rio, and also on Broadway, by making Elsie vanish from a cage in the middle of the stage.

The premise is Elsie (who might be a cow adorned with trunk and elephant-style ears) was raised on the Secret Pasture of Penn & Teller. The beast has been brought to the stage in the same way Siegfried & Roy used to present white tigers.

But the Elsie number has finally outlived fans’ memory of Siegfried & Roy, and their Secret Garden. The guys didn’t need to milk this act any longer.

Carrot Tip?

Carrot Top has a new addition to his fabled green room at Luxor: A tip jar.

This came about organically. The prop comic, legal name of Scott Thompson, tells a new joke about how he attempted to tip a pilot while departing a recent flight. Pilots are rarely offered, and typically don’t accept, gratuities.

After the pilot bit, the comedian walks through the crowd to fist-bump and say hello to ticket-holders. Some have handed him cash as a gratuity, playing off the previous routine.

In a well-placed coincidence, Carrot Top’s brother, Garret Thompson (aka Garrett Top) is a former Air Force fighter pilot and current commercial pilot. He’s never been tipped. But his brother has been, and has maybe $100 in the jar. We say, play it on red, redhead.

Wayne and Elvis at MGM

If you haven’t yet, check out my colleague Rick Velotta’s story about the early days of the MGM Grand Adventures theme park. None other than a pre-fame Wayne Brady performed in the free, “Grandmosphere” showcases and a “Legends In Concert” production.

Brady mastered the character Elvis Jackson. The King in Brady’s hands was wild, a crowd favorite when the great improv comic was featured from 1993-‘95. Long before he was on “Whose Line Is It Anyway” and hosting “Let’s Make a Deal.”

Brady was also a headliner in the early days at Sands Showroom at The Venetian, today’s Summit Showroom; and a star in Aces of Comedy at The Mirage. I would love to see him back here. Suffice to say I am keeping track of his career, related to the Strip.

Cool Hang Alert

Vegas comic Jason Harris says he saw a post for the “Jason Harris Power Hour,” and thought, “What luck! That’s my name!”

Harris seized the opportunity to headlining the series, which kicks off 11:30 p.m. Dec. 19 at Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club and runs alternate weeks. “Power Hour” is a sort of a comedy late-night happy hour, with food and drink specials, tickets that start at $15 (a mere pittance) … In short, value everywhere.

Harris is also back with “Eat This Comedy” night at Ada’s at 410 S. Rampart Blvd., Suite 120, at 6 p.m. Sunday. This is a comedy lineup of local favorites, Mary Upchurch, Steven Roberts and Gabe Nolasco, complemented by a selection of Ada’s dishes. Enjoy some Cornish hen with your Nolasco. And hit the Harris IG feed @jasonharriscomedy for intel.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.