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The Horseshoe Casino has upped the ante with more A-list names to headline shows next month at the property's soon-to-open performing arts arena The Venue.

A glossy color pamphlet was sent last week to guests who hold the casino's "Total Rewards" cards and on the Harrah's mailing list.

Headed for Hammond are Jay Leno for an Aug. 22 show and comedienne Sarah Silverman, scheduled for an Aug. 29 show.

Until the new entertainment barge officially opens Aug. 8, which will allow access to the new theater and box office, a temporary box office has been set up in the Horseshoe pavilion.

Silverman, 37, of course, has been all over the news since last week when her publicist acknowledged her client's four-year romance with late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was over. Silverman and Kimmel and their perfect-match relationship had received plenty of positive attention by the press and fans during the past year because of their lighthearted approach to celebrity dating. Most notably, Silverman created a spoof song and video with actor Matt Damon pretending they were having an affair. Kimmel countered with his own version pretending to romantically link himself to Ben Affleck.

The mailed brochure also noted that the opening night performance by Bette Midler is already sold out, as is the Aug. 9 concert by Billy Corgan and The Smashing Pumpkins.

The Venue's general admission floor can fit up to 2,400 people.

Tickets for concerts, produced by Horseshoe, Harrah's Entertainment and in conjunction with AEG Live, are available via Ticketmaster and at www.thevenue-chicago.com.

Tickets, which went on sale 10 a.m. Friday, for Leno's 8 p.m. performance are $50 to $100. Prices and the sale date for Silverman will be released to the public on Monday.

Another big birthday

On the subject of great Las Vegas headliners, funny lady and friend Phyllis Diller celebrated her 91st birthday last Thursday surrounded by a sea of flower arrangements, gifts and greetings from her fans, famous friends and family.

When I called to wish her birthday blessings, not only was she full of energy and pep, but she was also close to the phone for an interview with Maya Angelou for an upcoming magazine story.

A great interview

As you can see from today's Sunday Arts & Entertainment cover in The Times, I interviewed the always nice and interesting Michael MeKean aka Lenny of "Laverne & Shirley" TV fame. He delivers a powerful performance in Steppenwolf's new play "Superior Donuts," which continues in Chicago through Aug. 24. It should be no surprise he's so talented, since he learned from the best.

His good friend and costar Betty Garrett, who turns 90 next year, was an accomplished stage and screen star before her roles as neighbor Irene Lorenzo on "All in the Family" and then on "Laverne & Shirley" as landlady Edna Babish.

She was married to Larry Parks, star of "The Jolson Story"(1946) and "Jolson Sings Again" (1949), but in 1951, Parks became one of the blacklisted "Hollywood 19" to be brought before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Needless to say, the couple's career never recovered, and Parks died in 1975.

"Betty has had an amazing life and career," McKean told me.

"And after her husband was blacklisted, they basically supported themselves and their two kids by performing on the road in their own stage show."

Last year, Garrett finally was awarded her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.

celebBirthdays

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Bundchen is 28. Actor John Francis Daley ("Freaks and Geeks") is 23. Dancer-country singer Julianne Hough ("Dancing with the Stars") is 20. Scout Larue Willis (daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore) is 16. Actress Billi Bruno ("According to Jim") is 12.