Hi-flying Bill Burr

Bill Burr is most well-known as a stand-up comic, but when I spoke with him recently, I had to ask about his aviation skills.

The comedian got his helicopter pilot's license in May, a feat he calls the "greatest accomplishment of my adult life." (I'm an aviation buff myself.)

Burr performs Friday, Nov. 6 at the Wells Fargo Center (3601 Broad St.), and he gave me a sneak peek as to what we can expect.

"I've got everything from sinking cruise ships to talking gorillas," he quipped.

Part of what prompted Burr to get a helicopter license was a bit he did about a guy jumping out of a helicopter to off himself.

"How I led into that was my fear of living in Los Angeles and going through the drought and how hard it would be to get out of that city," he said.

"The helicopter is the ultimate 'F--- this, I'm out.' "

Burr, originally from Massachusetts, has a brother who is a selectman in a small town there, but he said he rarely uses his brother's political activity for comedy fodder.

"The way they have to handle heckling versus the way a comedian handles it is interesting to me. The way he handles it is amazing," Burr said.

He also told me he's looking forward to coming to the East Coast. "Living in Los Angeles, I always get excited to come back east," he said. "The funniest people in this country live in New York, Boston or Philadelphia."

Check out Burr every week on his "Monday Morning Podcast," where he talks about his recent funny experiences, current events, sports and going on tour.

Pat Sajak and Vanna White were in town yesterday to film an upcoming episode of "Wheel of Fortune" focused on our fair city. Producers were shooting for the opening sequence in South Philly last night.

"I'm losing so much money because they've had the streets blocked off for the last two days - I could use all the press I could get," laughed Frank Olivieri, owner of Pat's King of Steaks (1301 E. Passyunk Ave.), when I called for comment. "I'm still recovering from pope weekend."

Olivieri said that he's heard the episode will also feature Ralph's Italian Restaurant (760 S. 9th St.). The Philly "Wheel of Fortune" will air in May on 6ABC and will feature all-Philly contestants.

Join the Bearded Ladies cabaret tonight for a Halloween-themed party promising to scare the pants off you.

"Boo! At Bahdeebahdu" is a benefit for the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania. For $100 per person, "Scary monsters and super creeps" will offer food from Joshua's Catering, craft beer from Tired Hands Fermentaria, wine from Moore Brothers and entertainment by, of course, those Bearded Ladies. It's from 6 to 9 p.m. at Bahdeebahdu (1522 N. American St.), a studio in Northern Liberties. Costumes are welcome but not required. Tickets are $100 a person at aidslawpa.org.

Are you kitten me? Kitten play dates? You read that right. Normally, I'd think this was a shabby PR pitch for my tabby column, but really it's particularly fetching and rather the cat's meow.

All puns aside, today is National Cat Day. Using the Uber cellphone app, cat lovers can book 15 minutes of playtime with adoptable kittens at offices in Center City and nearby neighborhoods from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It costs $30, but proceeds benefit the Pennsylvania SPCA.

Young felines with names like Cindy Clawford and Pablo Picatso will be delivered via Uber to your office (offices only, though, no residences). If you make a kitten love connection, that's great, too.

They're all adoptable from the SPCA's Fishtown location (1546 Frankford Ave.).

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