1
Get dissected. Lisa Lampanelli is one of those comics who make audience members wary of sitting up front. She’s bold and brassy, and she makes no bones about seeking out crowd-work victims to serve as frames of reference as she methodically and gleefully dissects racial and sexual stereotypes. Little wonder she’s a shoo-in on any roast dais, or that they call her the female Rickles. On second thought, who wouldn’t want to be up close and personal for that? January 19, 8 and 10:30 p.m., $30-$42. House of Blues, 632-7600.
2
Endorse a model. The writers’ strike having opened the flood gates to reality-TV fever (did you catch Clash of the Choirs? Nah, we didn’t think so), The Bank at Bellagio is throwing its hat into the ring with Las Vegas’ Top Model. While the event has nothing to do with television and won’t involve any live modeling, it does enlist your help in choosing Vegas’ Top Model from among 25 hotties. The five premier modeling agencies in Las Vegas have posted the portfolios of their top five ladies at www.LightGroup.com/topmodel. Voters can weigh in through Sunday, January 20, when the winner will be announced that night at The Bank’s industry party, the Top Model receiving $5,000 cash.
3
See a bloodbath. UFC Fight Night is Wednesday. At the Pearl. Inside the Palms. The girls will be there, the party-goers will be there, rising stars Nate Diaz, Alvin Robinson, Thiago Taveres and Alberto Crane will be there. Will you? January 23. Doors open at 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at any Palms box office, or through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com or 474-4000).
4
Take a jazz history lesson. The renowned Monterey Jazz Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary in September, and a crack group of festival alumni—trumpeter Terence Blanchard, saxophonist James Moody, pianist Benny Green, bassist Derrick Hodge, drummer Kendrick Scott and vocalist Nnenna Freelon—are marking the occasion with a 10-week nationwide tour. It’s a can’t-miss for jazz heads, and a recommended intro course for anyone curious what the genre has to offer. January 20, 8 p.m., $40-$85. Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall at UNLV, 895-2787.
5
Endorse a candidate. Do something different: Go caucus this Saturday at your local precinct. In a year in which the races for both the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations are so close that your vote just might be the deciding factor, it should be a blast. Caucus occurs on January 19. Republicans must report to their precinct between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Democrats must report to their precinct no later than 11 a.m. Find your local precinct at www.nvdems.com or
www.nvgopcaucus.com.
6
Celebrate Jewish cinema. For seven years now, the Las Vegas Jewish Film Festival has been showcasing important, challenging independent and foreign films about Jewish culture and history, often bringing movies to Vegas that have not yet received distribution in the U.S. Although it’s focused on the Jewish experience, the festival should appeal to anyone who’s interested in worthwhile films outside the mainstream, and the selection is always carefully considered and spot-on. Films show through January 20 at various times at the Summerlin Library Theater, and on January 27 at 1 and 4 p.m. at UNLV’s Student Union Theater. Select screenings are free; others are $10. For more info visit www.desertspace.org/film_festival/index.html.