Columnist Joe Delaney: Tragedy is easy, comedy is tough

Joe Delaney

Friday, Dec. 20, 1996 | 3:43 a.m.

MAKING PEOPLE LAUGH -- honest, heartfelt laughter as opposed to the usual present-day scatology and cheap shots, is the most difficult of all the performing arts. ... It can be beneficial to the laugher and very rewarding, personally and materially, to the comedic artist. ... Laughter has healing powers; it can mitigate, alleviate, making difficult situations tolerable.

Las Vegas is fortunate this weekend before Christmas in having two very funny people -- gentle, warm, sensitive comedians -- working in town: Louie Anderson with his "Holiday Special" at Bally's through Christmas Day, and the very ladylike Rita Rudner, through Sunday (Desert Inn).

Both came up the hard way, discovering their comedic talents en route, on a dare, in Anderson's case, and by aspiring to be a dancer as Rudner did. ... Both are successful basically by being themselves on stage.

Hail, Shecky

Tuesday at Caesars Palace, one of the major comedic factors in the original success and growth of Las Vegas entertainment, Shecky Greene, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at a banquet, part of the Governor's Conference on Travel and Tourism. ... Gov. Bob Miller made the presentation, and a number of entertainment greats were on hand. ... Las Vegas own Pete Barbutti hosted in his usual fine humorous style.

From the 1950s through the 1970s and into the 1980s, Greene working in a lounge, such as the Tropicana or, later, the Riviera, was more important to the action in the casino than the main-room show. ... He was an important reason to visit Las Vegas.

Very physical, mostly impromptu, mostly comedy veritas, Greene is the funniest comedian I've ever seen work in-person anywhere. ... He makes a too-rare appearance at the Tropicana on Dec. 28; don't miss him.

LV today

Las Vegas has become the comedy-club capital. ... Budd (Improv) Friedman tested the area first but it was in a remote location. ... Mitzi Shore, once married to comedian Sammy Shore, mother of Pauly Shore, brought her LA Comedy Store to the Dunes in 1984. ... During the next six years, she introduced a number of comedic stars of today.

Louie Anderson, Roseanne Barr, John Caponera, Andrew Dice Clay, Barry Diamond, Arsenio Hall, Finis Henderson, the late Sam Kinison, John Mendoza and Yakov Smirnoff are just a few of Mitzi's LV minions. ... David Letterman, Howie Mandel and Robin Williams are prominent LA alumni. ... Richard Pryor still works out there.

Mitzi's Comedy Stores are still active in LA and La Jolla, Calif. ... Las Vegas has clubs at Buffalo Bill's on weekends plus, on the Strip, Harrah's, the Maxim, MGM Grand, Riviera and Tropicana.

In conclusion

Some of the best laughs in LV today can be had in the afternoon with the world-class comedy-magic of Nick Lewin (Maxim); long-run revue champion "Bottoms Up" (Riviera) and as part of the excellent variety entertainment in "Viva Las Vegas" (Stratosphere); the tab is just under $10 at each. ... Enjoy. ... Merry Christmas. ... See you next Thursday.