Spade plays whole deck

Friday, Feb. 24, 2006 | 8:35 a.m.

Who: David Spade

Comedian David Spade has come a long way since his rise to national recognition on "Saturday Night Live," beginning in 1990 and continuing through the '96 season. Today he is a star of the screen - both big and small - and also a popular comedian who performs at the Mirage every couple of months.

His next gig here will be today and Saturday.

"Originally I got hired by 'Saturday Night Live' as a writer, but i didn't want to just be a writer," Spade said during a telephone interview from his home in Los Angeles. "I'm a performer, a stand-up comic, and i had to sit on the bench that first year."

He performed in front of the camera three times that year, the rest of the work was writing.

But then, the second year he came into his own.

"It was fun," he said, noting that each era has had a different troupe of comics who seem to stand out more than others. "Eddie Murphy's era came before me. Will Ferrell came after me.

"Mine was me, Chris Farley, Chris rock, Rob Schneider, Adam Sandler."

During his six-year run on the series he perfected a sarcastic, smart-aleck character. Among his more memorable performances were as a flight attendant; a receptionist for Dick Clark who asks celebrities "And you are?" and the sardonic reporter on "Hollywood Minute."

Spade also did a number of impressions, including Michael J. Fox, Kurt Cobain and Tom Petty.

"The guys on the show were great - we were bad," Spade said.

After leaving in 1995, he returned twice to host.

"It was fun, but hard to get that right," he said.

After leaving the show he co-starred in the hit TV series "Just Shoot Me" for six years, playing the same sort of sarcastic character he had developed on "SNL."

"That was an interesting situation," Spade said. "The show's creator almost had the show on the schedule, but it was just not quite there yet, creatively. He had four people in the cast - four good actors, but you need one kind of goofball."

Spade became the goofball.

"It was a good fit," he said. "I did six superfun years. It's still on every night in reruns."

When the show left the air in 2003, he joined the cast of "8 Simple rules" after the sudden death of the series' star, John ritter. The show lasted a season and a half.

Last year he began starring in "The Showbiz Show With David Spade" for Comedy Central.

"We're in our second season," he said. "The first show airs March 23."

In addition to television, Spade has been spending time in front of motion picture cameras. Among his most recent films are "Joe Dirt" (2001) and "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star" (2003).

He made two films with the late Chris Farley, his close friend and fellow "SNL" performer, who died in 1997 - "Black Sheep" (1996) and "Tommy boy" (1995).

He recently completed filming "The Benchwarmers" with another "SNL" alum, Rob Schneider. it is scheduled to open April 7.

"After this one comes out we're going to do another 'Joe Dirt' movie," Spade said. He also is seen regularly in TV commercials for Capitol One.

When he isn't filming movies, TV series or commercials, Spade likes to keep his stand-up comedy routine honed.

He performs about 20 dates a year.

"About half of them are in Vegas, and half are everywhere else," Spade said.

He says he likes to perform here more than other places. "It's an easy flight; good crowds, good restaurants," he said. "It's fun to hang there."

For the past few years he has been performing exclusively at the Mirage, although not by design.

"I'm just lucky to get a place like the Mirage," he said. "i haven't looked for anyplace else.

"The Danny Gans Theater is a beautiful showroom, and it's fun for me."

Spade performed in Las Vegas in the late '80s, before he joined "SNL."

He said he was paid $500 a week at the Improv at the Riviera. Steve Schirripa, a co-star of the HBO series "The Sopranos," was entertainment director of the riviera during that period.

They remain friends. "Steve is humble, a cool guy," Spade said.

When he isn't working he says he enjoys spending time with some of the friends he has made over the years, such as Chris Rock, also an alumnus of SNL.

"I do see him a lot," Spade said. "He's good to bounce ideas off of - he's smart and funny and he gives a good, honest reaction to the things I do."

'Sellout Comedy Tour'

"The Sellout Comedy Tour," featuring Vince Morris, B.T., Louis Johnson Jr. and Billy d. Washington, will be at Boulder Station for one performance at 8 p.m. March 3. Tickets are $20. For information, call 547-5300.

Fattburger

The San Diego blues band Fattburger will perform at 8 p.m. March 10 in Club Tequila at Fiesta rancho.

Fattburger is known for its fusion of blues, Latin rhythm and jazz.

Tickets are $15 to $25. For information, call 547-5300.

Jerry Fink can be reached at 259-4058 or at jerry@lasvegassun.com.