Dane just wants to hug you. (Photos by Erik Kabik | Retna)

We’ll say this about Dane Cook — as long as he’s in town the same weekend as Carlos Mencia, at least he’s not the worst comic in the city. So that’s something, right? Actually, that’s a pretty good plan for any kind of traveling performer. Find the person worst at whatever it is you do, and then book your shows opposite them all over the country. It’s like figuring out a way to only play the Raiders all year.

Cook was at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel Friday and Saturday night where he looks like he was laying off the hair gel a little bit. Man, next thing you know he might actually shave.

By Jason Scavone

Apparently Dane Cook is going as Clive Owen from Inside Man for Halloween.

Big weekend for comedy as The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel brings in Dane Cook, who was just here for the Agassi Grand Slam for Children a couple weeks ago and in May before that. Oh, hell with it. We’ll just go ahead and start the rumor that Dane Cook has a gambling problem. That’s responsible, right? Also headlining tonight are Carlos Mencia at Treasure Island, Dennis Miller at the Orleans and Howie Mandel at the Hollywood Theater. Plus Jamie Foxx, who usually does some comedy in his show, is blaming it on the a-a-a-ah-a-ah-a-ah-ah-ah-a-a-a-a-ah-ah-ah-lcohol at the Colosseum inside Caesars Palace. Click for more words and pictures »

By Jason Scavone

Even if it’s just a wig, please Andre, bring back the headband and Tom Keifer-in-Cinderella hair.

Kudos to John Daly for having the stones to go head-to-head Saturday with Andre Agassi’s 14th Annual Grand Slam for Children by hosting his 3rd Annual Beer Ball for Surly Teens. You don’t win the Claret Jug through stars, concerts and charity. You do it the old-fashioned way: Drinking High Life out of a can while you smoke Parliaments and hit buckets of balls.

We’ll concede, however, that Agassi’s event is probably more noteworthy. The charity gala benefiting the Andre Agassi Foundation is bringing in Tim McGraw, Brian McKnight, Lionel Richie and Dane Cook for a concert, cocktail reception and live auction at Wynn Las Vegas, all at the low, low price of $17,500 for the cheapest remaining table (sets of two gold level seats are still available for $3,500.)

Presenters and talent will get to hit up a gifting suite from Distinctive Assets — the company that handles suites for the Grammys and others — that will include, among other things, Bluetooth earpieces, tequila, bottle service at Blush and “a complete set of SUDDfx hair styling products.” Now we know how they got Dane Cook here. (HEY! Does anyone remember when they’d get GIFT BAGS after a show and you’d be all like I don’t drink tequila, brah, but my deliberately mussed hair has gone droopy from the stage sweat.)

By Jason Scavone

Comedy nerds are getting angry at the picture already.

Doing three shows at The Pearl inside the Palms is well outside the realm of possibility for most comedians, but most comedians aren’t Dane Cook. It’s hard to argue his popularity, but to comedy insiders, it’s also hard to explain his popularity.

His movies, like Employee of the Month and My Best Friend’s Girls have been panned. He’s been accused of stealing jokes from the widely acclaimed Louis CK. Other comics take frequent swipes. Daniel Tosh Twittered about Cook’s new special and invoked his name to quiet a heckler at his recent House of Blues show. Zach Galifianakis, at The Comedy Festival two years ago, held up a sign reading “Dane Cook must be stopped” to thunderous applause. In a story in the Chicago Tribune, former Las Vegan Doug Stanhope said, “”It’s just so American. Dane Cook just takes nonsense and falls down a flight of stairs while saying it and acts like you’re laughing because of what he said. He presents himself as though he’s a legitimate raconteur. He acts like there’s substance, but there’s none. … I don’t hate Dane Cook. I hate the people that laugh at Dane Cook.”

Yet despite the critics, his record sales are bulletproof. Retaliation went double platinum. Rock records don’t even do that anymore.

He’s playing Friday, Saturday and Sunday at The Pearl at 8, 11 and 8 p.m., respectively. Tickets range from $79 to $154. We had the chance to talk to him about the evolution of his act, how success affects comedy and, of course, about the hate. Click for more words and pictures »

By Jason Scavone