John Katsilometes checks in on the Second City troupe, which is still topically timely at Flamingo Las Vegas

Sunday, April 29, 2007 | 7:28 a.m.

It didn't take long for one of the Strip's more inventive productions, the Second City, to invoke the Don Imus controversy in its show at Flamingo Las Vegas.

And rather than merely slip in a single Imus joke, the quick-response quintet built a full production number out of the ill-fated Imus' remarks about the Rutgers women's basketball team. Second City cast members Ryan Archibald, Paul Mattingly and Craig Uhlir - all a John Tesh shade of white - perform a rap song whose title seems to be "Words White Guys Can't Say." It's harsh but hilarious and stops short of the n-bomb, and any aspiring talk radio hosts should obtain a copy of those lyrics. It could save a career.

NoteMart

More from the Flamingo: The valet staff benefits from one of the best views for any in the city. Just beyond the vehicle drop-off/pick-up area is the hotel's 15-acre Lagoon Pool area, which on Friday was teeming with beautiful tourists. As one remarked as he grabbed my claim ticket, it is the best time of the year to work as a Flamingo valet ...

On next month's agenda, basketball in the street - friend or foe?: Two weeks ago Panorama Towers developer and renowned jet-setter Laurence Hallier attended a homeowners association meeting for Tower 1. One of the hot topics was construction of the tower's pool and whether it would be finished by summer. It will, said Hallier, who deserves credit for taking time to preside over notoriously taxing HOA meetings ...

Look for long-standing, locals'-favorite tavern Four Kegs at 267 N. Jones Blvd. on Monday night's episode of "Diners, Dives and Drive-Ins," hosted by Guy Fieri on the Food Network. Fieri combs the country on a quest for the best Italian food, and he took a shine to Four Kegs' stromboli and pizza. The show airs at 10 p.m. on Cox Cable channel 42 ...

The staff at Nevada Public Radio is still abuzz over the appearance of John O'Hurley last week on Dave Berns' "State of Nevada" show on KNPR. O'Hurley, in the studio to talk up "Monty Python's Spamalot," blew in without an entourage or publicist and upon arrival proudly waved his official NPR parking pass to inform the staff his car would not be towed. During the interview, O'Hurley unexpectedly vaulted into a long J. Peterman monologue that was cut from an episode of "Seinfeld" 10 years ago and recited the piece word-for-word ...

Sometimes the best mail is not e-mail: A card arrived Friday from comic Cork Proctor. Just a hand-scrawled note of thanks for mentioning his role in last Sunday's Meatball Awards, but I had to laugh at his business card, on which he is identified as "Roastmaster General of the United States." Proctor is a five-star general, according to the card, so we sa-lute! ...

Observation from the Pamela Anderson/Hans Klok news conference announcing Anderson as the special guest star in Klok's upcoming illusion show at Planet Hollywood: How is she going to react to sharing the stage with someone who has better hair than she does? ...

He poses a provocative question: A man scooting along at a rapid clip in a white convertible Porsche Carrera with the vanity plate YW8.