Versatile Charlie Prose will make his annual stop at Don Laughlin's Riverside, Jan. 15-Feb. 2 except for Fridays. Tickets are $27.50, call 1-800-227-3849.

Prose holds the record for most performances in Don's Celebrity Theatre. With his unique blend of homespun comedy, energetic piano stylings and romantic songs, Prose is described as the entertainment world's answer to the Swiss army knife.

Born Charles Procopio and raised in the small coal mining community of Mt. Carmel, Pa., Prose's first exposure to music came early when his dad brought home a piano that he bought for $15 from a bar. Prose, the youngest of four boys, showed an interest in music. At age five, he began lessons in classical piano, and at 13 he bought a used saxophone from a Nabisco cookie salesman.

While in college at Elizabethtown College, Prose played the Central Pennsylvania club circuit and was often called upon to do a "show" with some jokes mixed in with music and some parodies. His humor is culled from real life: marriage, kids, growing up; things everyone of every age can relate to.

Prose's shows are "one big happy party," and he enjoys a unique relationship with his fans that visit him and say hello after his shows. Every fan letter that Charlie receives is answered in an attempt to keep in personal touch with his fans.

Prose's comedy recordings have sold millions of copies and he has produced two full-length videos, "An Evening With Charlie Prose" and "Love and Laughter With Charlie Prose," both of which have gone over the million dollar mark in sales and been certified platinum.

The Avi recently held a ribbon cutting for its newly completed parking garage facility. The garage is part of a $31 million expansion project, which broke ground last June. The three-story facility accommodates an additional 633 vehicles with 80 VIP reserved parking spaces for top Advantage Club players to be accessed by exclusive personal key cards and an additional 112 valet space. The exterior art design was inspired by the beadwork of Norge Betty Barrackman, 78, a noted artist from the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe.

The Avi's annual "Dixieland Jazz Festival" featuring the Dixieland jazz bands of Night Blooming Jazzmen and The Chicago Five will be playing free shows on Jan. 7 and 8, at the ArrowWeed Lounge and River Garden Pavilion.

The Oatman Wild West Gunfights take place daily in Arizona at the historic mining town of Oatman located 18 miles east of Bullhead City. Three Wild West gunfighter groups - The Oatman Ghostriders, Bitter Creek and The Outlaws- perform a variety of staged Old West gunfights on the Main Street, which is historic Route 66. This historic mining town was born in 1906 as a tent camp for miners and today offers visitors quaint shops, restaurants, and saloons with live entertainment. A town trademark is the wild burros roaming the street.

Gunfights take place daily at 10:45 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. with special consideration for weather conditions and special events.

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"A Really Big Shew, America's Favorite Variety Show" is back from their holiday break in the Club Flamingo Showroom. The show has a new cast line up including dog acrobats, ventriloquist acts and a tribute to Jerry Lee Lewis. Jerry Hoban, the comedic Ed Sullivan, has returned to host the show again. Show times are 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. nightly. Tickets are $14.95, call 800-435-8469.

"A Really Big Shew" runs through April with cast changes approximately every eight weeks. The show is a tribute to Ed Sullivan and features an assortment of variety acts: music, comedy, impersonations, dancing, juggling, magic and more.

Returning for his third year with the cast, impressionist and character actor Hoban entertains audiences as the one and only Ed Sullivan. Hoban is no stranger to playing Sullivan, for he portrayed the variety show host in the hit movie "Pulp Fiction" with John Travolta and Uma Thurman. You may have also seen Hoban in one of the many television commercials.

Bob Moore's Amazing Mongrels will be bouncing through the air jumping through hoops and ropes. Moore's talented cast of dogs have been rescued from dog pounds across the nation and taught the tricks of the trade. Anywhere from 10 to 12 furry four-legged characters are on stage at one time performing tricks.

Ventriloquist Pete Michaels shares his diverse range of impersonations. Michaels' original and innovative use of custom made masks re-unites Sonny & Cher via one of the most hilarious bits of audience participation you've ever seen. Michaels has the uncanny ability to sing the opera likeness of Luciano Pavarotti without moving his lips. Other singing impersonations Michaels has to his credit include Mario Lanza, Michael Crawford and Al Jolson. Having mastered his craft, Michaels is able to perform dead-on impressions of comedians like Jackie Mason, Jackie Gleason and many more.

"Great Balls of Fire," Lance Lipinsky explodes on stage as the rebellious wild man of Rock & Roll, Jerry Lee Lewis. Lipinsky takes the audience on a fast paced ride belting out rockin' Lewis hits while really playing live boogie-woogie style piano. Lipinsky recently won first place at a nationwide "Killer Kontest" in Memphis, Tenn., at Jerry Lee Lewis' actual 67th birthday party and World Fan Club Convention performing with original members of the Jerry Lee Lewis band.

Sullivan's trusty side kick Topo Gigio will also be making a guest appearance during the show. The Italian mouse made over 50 appearances on the original "Ed Sullivan Show." In addition, there will be special guest surprises by other personalities during the show's run at the Flamingo.

Harrah's poker room offers the "23 Jewels on the River" Texas Hold 'Em promotion in which players receive bonus cash prizes for hitting qualifying hands during regular poker play. There is no hand to beat to claim the prizes. Players simply hit one of the 23 possible winning hands (thus "jewels") and claim the progressive pot designated by the hand from $50- $399. The hands are: ten straight flush possibilities - all suits qualify; and 13 four-of-a-kind possibilities. The progressive pool is displayed within the room and represents 70 percent of the monies collected minus funds set aside for secondary pool promotions.

Winter Break is a citywide festival targeted for the 50-plus age group with all kinds of activities, seminars, events, shows, contests and more. The events take place at various casino and area sites from Jan. 6-12.

The Colorado Belle will begin the citywide Winter Break celebration with a one-man art show and watercolor painting demonstrations by Nevada's fine artist Mark Vranesh on Jan. 7 and 8, 2006. Vranesh will display his work and paint from 2 to 4 p.m. each day on the Belle's "D" Deck. During the show, Vranesh will accept sign-ups for his craft workshops to be held from 11:30 to 2:30 p.m., Jan. 9-11.

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