Wisdom from 3 Doors Down: Video games silence the crazy voice in your head

3 Doors Down guitarist Chris Henderson makes a compelling case for why video games are good for you: Games silence the crazy voice in your head.

“If you sat and listened to what your brain told you day in and day out, it would drive you nuts,” Henderson told me this week.

“Think about the little voice in your head. That dude — even when you’re by yourself — you’ve got this other person with you at all time, and he’s a (expletive) idiot,” he says.

“When you’re sitting around playing video games, you can disconnect from that part of your brain. It becomes about what you’re doing. You can live in the moment.”

3 Doors Down (“It’s Not My Time,” “Here Without You,” “Kryptonite”) returns to Vegas Saturday to stage an acoustic show at Green Valley Ranch.

Since the band is on the road, Henderson is away from his beloved Xbox 360 in the recording studio, and his Xbox One at home. He and bassist Justin Biltonen are the band’s main gamers.

“We’re playing (“Call of Duty: Ghosts”) right now, and we’re all up in that thing.”

Do games affect their music?

“I don’t think so. I never thought of it like that. I’ll pay attention next time and see if it does anything.”

PENN &TELLER, FILMMAKERS

Rio illusionists Penn &Teller have been nominated for the British equivalent of the Oscars, scooping up a BAFTA nomination for their documentary “Tim’s Vermeer.”

The film follows a Texas guy (the inventor of the “video toaster”) as he researches the painting technique of Dutch master Johannes Vermeer.

“Tim’s Vermeer” hits theaters Jan. 31 and has a 90 percent rave rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Entertainment Weekly calling it “exquisitely fun.” The BAFTAs happen Feb. 16. Oscar nominations will be announced Jan. 16.

DOTTED LINES

Andrew Dice Clay has extended his Hard Rock Hotel contract through at least March. Clay delivered an acclaimed performance in Woody Allen’s 2013 film “Blue Jasmine.” The longtime Las Vegan records a podcast here called “Rollin’ with Dice and Wheels.”

Claire Sinclair, the 2011 Playmate of the Year, has signed up for a second-year contract in the Stratosphere’s “Pin Up” show. Among Strip stars, she has the most entertaining Instagram in Vegas.

SIGHTINGS

Ne-Yo dined Tuesday at Eiffel Tower restaurant in Paris.

Imagine Dragons played a corporate show in the Hard Rock Hotel, and singer Dan Reynolds led a party of eight into Culinary Dropout.

Shaquille O’Neal ate at 35 Steaks + Martinis.

Justin Bieber stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel on Monday and Tuesday. He hung there with dad Jeremy, rapper Xavier “Lil Za” Smith, and his manager. He commanded a table Tuesday at Culinary Dropout while also ordering food from Nobu and Mr. Lucky’s. Food, food, food! Justin’s dad went to Body English nightclub for a corporate show featuring Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Guitarist Joe King of The Fray took his fiancée, “Vampire Diaries’ ” Candice Accola, to David Copperfield’s MGM show on Monday.

Nick Cannon DJ’d on Tuesday at 1 Oak nightclub for a corporate party promoting a tablet, after he ate at Stack. Wife Mariah Carey wasn’t around.

Kathy Griffin performed for a private McAfee software show at Delmonico’s Steakhouse on Tuesday in The Venetian.

Doug Elfman’s column appears on Page 3A in the main section on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. He also writes for Neon on Fridays. Email him at delfman@reviewjournal.com. He blogs at reviewjournal.com/elfman.