New Harrah’s production a ‘hilarious hodgepodge’

Joe Delaney

Friday, Oct. 22, 1999 | 10:29 a.m.

"Washington Sex Capades 2000," a very funny, topical revue, co-starring Steve Rossi, Sandy Hackett and the Walkers -- Kathy, Greg and Bill -- is performed at 5 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays, in Harrah's Improv Showroom. The tab is a modest $16.95. The production opened well and continues to build nicely in its third week.

The title catches the eye, but in fairness it only tells part of the story. Rossi, Hackett and the Walkers have assembled a potent political and performance pastiche, an oft-times hilarious hodgepodge, adding excellent impressions to the current events mix that includes topics that may have not yet made the late TV news programs.

Like George Burns, Bud Abbott, Dean Martin, Dan Rowan and other great straight men, Steve Rossi, who headlined in Las Vegas for years with Marty Allen, has excellent comedy sense. He is an easy, articulate, personable emcee who also can do impressions of Johnny Mathis, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett and John Wayne, each singing eight bars of the Erroll Garner classic, "Misty." Rossi also scores with his own voice on the standard "More," a big hit for him, from the film "Mondo Cane."

Hackett is younger but equally versatile as a producer, standup comedian, character actor and television host, very much his own comedic persona. Here he portrays two characters with Rossi as his interviewer-straight man; George W. Bush's "other brother Sy," complete with serape, sombrero and Mexican accent a la Mel Blanc, in a partial reprise of the "Cy-Si-Sue" routine with Jack Benny. The second segment, with Hackett as White House sex therapist Dr. Syakawa, has classic overtones.

The Walkers are excellent impressionists. Kathy and her two brothers, Greg and Bill, are accurate, funny and occasionally devastating in their depictions. Kathy's Barbra Streisand earned her a standing ovation, and an eye-popping Cher, who was joined in a visit from beyond by Sonny Bono, was slotted next to closing. Her Joan Rivers early in the show could use some judicious material pruning. Greg's "Peg of My Heart" on the harmonica was a strong instrumental interlude.

The laughs are nonstop. Some jokes are not new, but all are good. (A good joke that you've never heard before qualifies as a new joke.) The real test is the audience. The assemblage at the show caught laughed consistently, loud and long. Word of mouth should help. By now Harrah's should be convinced the show has staying power and make sure the visitors know that it is a worthy addition to its other offerings, "Spellbound" and the Improv comedy club.

As good as it is, it still must be considered a work in progress, ready to make use of the day's news as it occurs. With a presidential election campaign coming up in 2000, this is a show that could change constantly, building a regular following for a production that will be freshened daily. I expected to enjoy the show; it exceeded my expectations.