Columnist Joe Delaney: Carlin's HBO special titled after Buckley gag?

"You Are All Diseased" is the title of George Carlin's hot new HBO comedy special, playing on the cable network during February. ... Carlin is performing through March 3, no dark nights, in Bally's Jubilee Room. ... The show "Jubilee" is on at 7:30 p.m., except on Fridays. ... Carlin appears headed for new comedic peaks.

Lord Buckley, one of the most innovative of the 1950s comedians, was appearing with the Woody Herman orchestra on a theater tour. ... It was a Friday opening, first show, 11 a.m., in the Adams Theatre in Newark, N.J., one of the toughest, rowdiest audiences in the eastern U.S.

There had been a serious fire in another Newark theater a week or so earlier and each theater had numerous "No smoking" signs. ... There was also a trailer on the subject and heavy penalties if one were caught smoking. ... Buckley had 15 minutes; this is what happened.

We were there

Buckley walked onstage, no introduction, wearing African khakis and a pith helmet, smoking an un-lettered cigarette. ... At the microphone, he took a deep, long drag, exhaled and pushed the smoke out toward the audience. ... His first word, "Suffer." ... This caused at least 10 minutes of sustained booing. ... The audience paused for its collective breath.

Buckley leaned into the microphone and said "You are all diseased." ... The boos suddenly turned to cheers and he departed to a standing ovation. ... He repeated this every show, six shows a day, for the entire week. ... I doubt that George Carlin ever heard of this incident. ... I'm grateful to him for the recollection.

During my six decades in almost every phase of the entertainment business, there have been a number of memorable moments. ... I will share a few of them with you in future columns.

Local events

Ireland's foremost poet Seamus (pronounced Shay-mus) Heaney speaks this evening at 7:30 in UNLV's Classroom Building Complex A-106. ... Admission is free, but seating is limited, get there early. ... Heaney was born in Belfast but has lived in Dublin since 1976. ... He teaches regularly at Harvard University. ... In 1995, he was awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature.

Robert Tracy, associate dean, UNLV's College of Fine Arts, is responsible for what has become an Irish Art Festival. ... In addition to the Heaney lecture, there will be a series of art exhibitions in various Clark County library galleries, featuring the works of 12 contemporary Irish and Northern Irish female artists.

Exhibitions are set at the Rainbow Library through April 28; Enterprise, Tuesday -April 27; Summerlin, March 2-May 4; and Sunrise, March 4-May 2. ... Several artists will be appearing here the first week in March.

More events

Las Vegas' Sons and Daughters of Erin will honor labor leader Claude "Blackie" Evans as their Humanitarian of the Year with a dinner and entertainment 7 p.m. Saturday, Maxim Hotel. ... Brendan Boyer and the Irish Show Band and the Fern Adair Dancers will perform. ... Evans will also serve as Grand Marshal in this year's St. Patrick's Day Parade.

The stars of Doyle's Irish Cabaret, direct from Dublin's Burlington Hotel, will perform March 15 at Arizona Charlie's. ... Tickets are available at the Arizona Charlie's box office.

TV personality Tony Sacca and Passion, plus comedian Sandy Hackett have 8 and 11 p.m. shows on Mondays (Boardwalk Casino). ... P.J. Belly and his Texas Thunder are the nightly attraction in Arizona Charlie's Naughty Ladies Saloon through Feb. 28. ... "Gris Gris" is another UNLV world premiere production, this weekend and next, Black Box Theatre.

Friday addenda

Wayne Newton, Glenn Smith, Kenny Kerr, Nicky Dewhurst and the Siegfried & Roy production show dancers will perform at 3 p.m. in Caesars Palace this Sunday in the 24th annual Concert of Love for Opportunity Village; a blue ribbon event for a most worthy community cause (see story on 1E). ... If you cannot attend, send whatever you can afford to Opportunity Village.

The Asylum presents "A Thing Of Beauty," this weekend and next, Winchester Center. ... The Sugarhill Gang appears at Ra, the Luxor's night club, starting at 10 this evening. ... Super Diamond performs two free shows Saturday, 7 and 9 p.m., Palace Station. ... See you Thursday.

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