Las Vegas Weekly

February 3, 2009 · 4:05 PM

A Facebook-ian look at Random Vegas

By John Katsilometes

Elvis Presley at the International in 1970.

Photo: Promotional

John has mentioned Las Vegas in his note 25 Random Things About Las Vegas:

1. The House always wins, unless it has been foreclosed on.

2. Motley Crue frontman and Las Vegas resident Vince Neil, who owns Vince Neil Ink at O’Shea’s, has sound advice for anyone getting a tattoo for the first time: “Know that it’s going to hurt, a LOT!

Photo: Scott Doctor/www.greatscottstudios.com

Motley Crue frontman and Las Vegas resident Vince Neil.

3. Six years ago during a screening of Seabiscuit at Regal Cinemas Village Square, Siegfried & Roy manager Bernie Yuman rose from his seat and pumped his fists in the air during the dramatic Seabiscuit-War Admiral race scene (I know this because I was seated two rows behind Yuman and shouted, “Hey! Bernie! Seabiscuit wins!” as he rooted for the underdog racehorse).

4. The more you learn about Vegas cab drivers, the more you understand how blue-collar workers can still wield power in a metropolitan area.

Photo: Allison Duck

Yup, that's Tommy. Rocking.

5. Tommy Rocker’s real name is Thomas Greenough, he was once a top distance runner and he still drives the vintage Volkswagen bus he drove to Vegas when he moved here from Eugene, Ore.

6. During a 2001 show by Spinal Tap at the House of Blues, the first number, “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight,” was rendered nearly inaudible for a faulty sound board and an angry David St. Hubbins threatened to wade into the crowd to take action.

7. They say the deuce is the “dealer’s ace,” but think about it: The ace is the dealer’s ace.

8. The story about Wayne Newton walking into Johnny Carson’s office at the NBC studios in Burbank and threatening to knock Carson on his ass for telling jokes about Newton actually happened.

9. In revamping his stage act for Las Vegas, Elvis Presley studied the dance moves of Tom Jones.

10. The first date for LVCVA President Rossi Ralenkotter and now-wife, Mary Jo, was the 1964 Beatles concert at the Las Vegas Convention Center. He was 17, she was 15 and had never screamed during a concert before.

Photo: John Katsilometes

Jim Rogers plays to the news crews.

11. Chancellor Jim Rogers, who has made millions in the media as the owner of Sunbelt Communications, claims not to carry a cell phone.

12. County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani worked as as the first female bartender at Jubilation, which became the iconic Shark Club on the Strip, while working her way through UNLV.

13. Bobby Darin once challenged anyone in his inattentive audience at the Flamingo to fight him after his show.

Photo: Denise Truscello

Kid Rock and George Maloof.

14. The Maloof family, owners of the Palms began their rise to prominence in the late-1800s with a small general store in Las Vegas, N.M.

15. Some onlookers on site the night the Stardust was imploded complained of a persistent, hacking cough in the days after the event, a condition I called “Stardust Lungs,” having inhaled dust from the fallen resort.

16. Tiger Woods strongly considered attending UNLV before selecting Stanford because of the Rebels’ beautiful home course, Shadow Creek.

17. There are between 750 and 800 12-step recovery meetings every week in the greater Las Vegas area.

Photo: Beverly Poppe

Oscar Goodman in classic martini-hoist mode.

18. Mayor Oscar Goodman is considering going back into legal practice after his term ends (and if he doesn’t run for governor) to specialize in defending politicians who have been indicted.

19. One of the more factually wayward film scenes set in Vegas came from 3000 Miles to Graceland, when a quartet of Elvis impressionists led by Nicolas Cage strut down Fremont Street, as Fremont Street Experience light show glows from above, and make a hard right … into the Riviera.

20. During a 1998 show at The Joint, Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson was nearly clocked by a water bottle thrown by a fan and threatened to wade into the crowd to take action.

Photo: Frankie's Tiki Room

Frankie's Tiki Room and Double Down Saloon owner P Moss.

21. On his cell phone, P. Moss has a photo of the infamous Double Down Skeleton posed in a very naughty fashion with a person Moss calls a “Double Down slut,” (he also says the image was “the toast of London” during his recent vacation there).

22. Listen closely to the Desert Inn public-address system in old episodes of Vega$, and you’ll hear then-hotel president Burton Cohen frequently summoned to various parts of the casino, which was part of the deal the producers made with the hotel to film on location there.

23. A lot of old-timers who have seen comics come and go in Vegas claim that no one was funnier than Red Skelton at the Sands.

24. Years ago, a visitor to Caesars Palace knocked himself out after slamming his head into the left hand of the statue of Joe Louis near the casino's sports book.

25. What I am most proud of in the time I have lived in Las Vegas is, about four years ago I pushed the Nevada Department of Transportation to fix the typo in the “Caesar’s Palace” road sign on Flamingo Road, west of the Strip, which leads into the hotel. It now reads, “Caesars Palace,” and Bobby Shelton, I thank you.

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