LOOKING IN ON: ENTERTAINMENT

Friday, Sept. 14, 2007 | 7:38 a.m.

Comedian Gabriel Iglesias moves quickly for being so "fluffy," the term he prefers instead of fat.

The 31-year-old comic bounces onto the stage in his trademark loud Hawaiian shirts.

"Every time I go onstage it's therapy," Iglesias says by telephone from his home in Los Angeles.

He's been getting a lot of therapy during the past 10 years, performing 40 weeks a year.

"I never go longer than a week without being onstage."

This weekend, he'll be at the Monte Carlo. He performed in Las Vegas at last year's comedy festival and pops up with some frequency at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay and other local venues.

"Initially, for me, jumping into comedy was just a hobby, just something I wanted to do," says the former cell phone salesman who counts Robin Williams, Bill Cosby and Paul Rodriguez among his mentors. "I never thought I would make a career out of it.

"The whole reason I got into stand-up was not to work. I hated work. I got into it because I was lazy. I wanted to do something fun and something where I could get free sodas and free food and stay out late."

Details: Gabriel Iglesias and Joey Medina; 9 tonight and Saturday; Monte Carlo's Lance Burton Theatre; $50.55 to $54.95; 730-7160

'Phantom' settles in

Anthony Crivello is settling into "Phantom, the Las Vegas Spectacular."

"It looks like we're going to be in for long run," says Crivello, who portrays the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical at the Venetian.

He's settling into the Las Vegas Valley as well with a home near Red Rock and adapting to the peculiarities of the high desert climate.

"Winter is really dry," Crivello says. "Dropping from 75 during the day to 35 at night takes all the moisture out of the air. It takes more hydrating in the winter months."

In New York professional singers start "judging their voices" about 10 a.m. to determine how to prepare for the evening performance. "Not in Las Vegas," Crivello says. "It's 3 in the afternoon before you can start judging."

In addition to settling into the musical and his home, Crivello is becoming more involved in community activities.

"I'm trying to do more stuff with the community," Crivello says. "It's all part of the ball game. The show, of course, occupies a good deal of time, but I'm trying to do more."

On Tuesday , he'll sing "Music of the Night" at a promotional event at Findlay Cadillac.

Details: 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday; 993 Auto Show Drive, Henderson; reservations required, 558-2600.

Around town

Tribute artist Jay White spent two days in Hollywood portraying Neil Diamond in the Ron Howard film "Frost/Nixon." White helps turn back the clock to 1977 and set the stage for David Frost's interview with President Richard Nixon during the post-Watergate era. As he did in the Broadway hit, Frank Langella portrays Nixon Praise from Roger Ebert on former Las Vegan Monty Lapica's "Self-Medicated": "On the basis of this film, Monty Lapica, at 24, has a career ahead of him as a director, an actor or both. He also has a life ahead of him, which the film does a great deal to make clear." Robin Leach lends his celebrity to help the not so rich and famous. A special-edition Montblanc pen bearing his signature sells for $615, with $149 from each sale donated to UNICEF through Dec. 31. Leach showed up Saturday at the Montblanc boutique at the Forum Shops at Caesars to kick off the global campaign promoting children's literacy Veteran game show hosts Bob Eubanks of "The Newlywed Game," Chuck Woolery of "Love Connection" and Jamie Farr of "The Gong Show" will host "The $250,000 Ultimate Game Show" at the Las Vegas Hilton beginning Oct. 8. At each show, an audience member will have the chance to win $250,000. If that person wins $250,000, every audience member who has a valid ticket for that show will also win $100. For show tickets, call 732-5755 Members of the casts of "Mamma Mia! , " "The Producers," "Spamalot" and "Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular" will perform "God Lives in Glass" to benefit Las Vegas Teen Crisis at 3 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Clark County Library, 1430 E. Flamingo Road. Minimum donation is $35; call 597-1588 for information.