Sebastian Maniscalco still has firm grip on the Strip

Sebastian Maniscalco cut back on his schedule to enjoy normal life, for a time.

He’ll be golfing while visiting Vegas this weekend.

“Is that even possible, in the heat?” Maniscalco, headlining Encore Theater on Friday and Saturday night, asks rhetorically. “My tee time is 8:30, 9 o’clock …”

It’ll be hot, especially on the back nine. But the comic will play anyway. He’s what we can call a good golfer, for a stand-up. He’s a 21 handicap, getting back on the links after overcoming sciatic pain in his back and left leg over the past two years.

“I got that under control and I started golfing again,” Maniscalco says. “But listen, if you golf with me, it’s not like I’m holding up play. If I shoot it I can’t find it, I’m moving on. I’m not sitting there trying to sink a 3-foot putt.”

Golfers understand that approach. And performers understand why Maniscalco wants to experience real moments in everyday living. He’d been so busy through the pandemic he’d sapped his material.

“I did take some some other summer shows, I picked up a few local gigs, I was in Highland (N.C) and Northern California, and in San Diego this past weekend,” Maniscalco says. “But right now I’m in Santa Barbara, with my family. We might go to the zoo tomorrow. So I’m definitely doing things outside of the world of stand up, enjoying myself and in the process look at things that might be a little bit funny.”

The 50-year-old Maniscalco is surpassing 50 shows at Encore Theater this weekend and says he is committed to continuing at the Wynn into 2024. He has a history in Vegas dating about two decades, a lineage of playing hotels and venues that no longer exist.

The “Irishman” actor performed 14 shows a week at the Riviera Comedy club, opened for Andrew Dice Clay at the Stardust, and Playboy Comedy Club at the Palms. His recurring run at the Colosseum in 2017-2018 coincided with his rise as an arena headliner.

The guy who toiled at the Riv’s cozy comedy club is now Madison Square Garden four times in 2019. But independent of that success, Maniscalco has developed a unique relationship in Las Vegas, for generations a hotbed of great stand-up comedy. His most recent Netflix special was recorded at Encore Theater, with the comic dressed in a full tux.

“Comedy has always been very prevalent in Las Vegas, since the days of the Rat Pack, Don Rickles and Frank Sinatra going to see Don Rickles wherever he was performing, and Joan Rivers headlining,” Maniscalco says. “You could go down the list of people who performed in Las Vegas comedically, and the newer generation coming in, keeping that tradition alive, has been great.”

“I think if some of those guys were alive today, they would be flabbergasted that comedians have sold out thousands of seats in in a theater, or even T-Mobile Arena. Comedy has really, really taken off.”

Maniscalco’s “How To Be a Bookie,” finished just before the writers’ and actors’ strike, is set to air at a date to be determined. Maniscalco is cast opposite premieres Omar J. Dorsey (“Queen Sugar,” “Power Book III: Raising Kanan”) in a buddy comedy.

“I am a bookie in Los Angeles, navigating the waters of legal gambling — it’s not legal in L.A., yet — but basically navigating through that world,” Maniscalco says. “I think it’s extremely funny and I can’t wait for people to see it.”

Cooper’s fete

On the topic of Las Vegas and comedy …

The great comic actor and stand-up Pat Cooper was remembered on Sunday at Italian American Club. A remarkable turnout of vintage-Vegas comics paid tribute to Cooper, who died June 6 at age 93 in his Las Vegas home.

Cooper’s widow, Emily Conner, assembled a group of Cooper’s friends in the IAC Showroom. About 150 folks turned out.

Cooper’s contemporaries in the Vegas entertainment community Shecky Greene, Jimmie Walker, Pete Barbutti, Dennis Bono, Vinny Adinolfi and Nelson Sardelli all paid tribute.

Cooper was known to say whatever he thought, at the moment, no filter. Walker, a TV star in the 1970s on the groundbreaking sitcom “Good Times,” arrived at the podium with that same mindset.

“Me and Freddie Prinze, at one time, we were the youngest guys. Now, I’m the oldest guy, still going at it, still working,” the 76-year-old Walker said. “It’s interesting, talking to the young guys, they have no respect for where comedy came from. They think comedy started with Dave Chappelle. He’s fabulous, but Dave Chappelle learned from these guys.”

Walker gestured to the table of Greene and Barbutti, then up, to Cooper. The crowd applauded, in what would be Cooper’s final show.

Cranston, Paul … and you

Rarely has a non-drinker plugged a booze brand so periodically. We speak of Tres Hombres Mezcal, starring “Breaking Bad” cohorts Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul. The actors served Tres Hombres cocktails in the lounge of the terrific Ocean Prime on the Strip on July 26.

The duo are are on a tour of Vegas restaurants, bars and nightspots. We’ve caught them four times, in all, pitching their brand as they’ve crisscrossed the city.

It’s gotten so familiar I mentioned to Cranston that the last time I’d seen him was with the Mayors Goodman at The Mob Museum. He asked how they were and I told him it was Oscar’s 84th birthday, that day. “Give him my best!” the onetime Walter White said. And there you have it.

What works in Vegas

Kelly Clarkson’s show at Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood. The venue opened up its balcony for ticketed seating, indicating the lower level sold out. That’s the first time the balcony has been seated since the Scorpions headlined the venue in March 2022. Backstreet Boys also pushed the limits of sales in the venue. More later on Clarkson, who is a gem. Great voice. Total command of the stage. Funny enough to be a stand-up.

Cool Hang Alert

Darryl Williams, a masterful bass player, headlines Gambit Henderson at 8 p.m. Saturday. Williams was Clint Holmes’ bassist when Holmes opened at Golden Nugget in 2000. Go to AEGrouplv.com 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 Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.