The Vegas losers of 2007
04:00 PM PT, Dec 14 2007
"It was in the city of shame that I found I wasn't to blame. I was looking for a weird thing to do. I discovered it had to be you." -- Robyn Hitchcock
Here is my annual subjective ranking of people who shamed themselves in Vegas this year with particular aplomb:
7. No charges have been filed against David Copperfield. But since FBI agents raided his Vegas warehouse in October, the swirl of allegations has already forever changed how the world sees the illusionist.
Here is my annual subjective ranking of people who shamed themselves in Vegas this year with particular aplomb:
7. No charges have been filed against David Copperfield. But since FBI agents raided his Vegas warehouse in October, the swirl of allegations has already forever changed how the world sees the illusionist.
6. Michael Jackson came to Vegas looking for a big production show deal to resurrect his career. Or not. There was a lot of press at first, but then his spokesperson denied that Jackson was in Vegas trying to shop a show. On the other hand, she made a new startling claim: that numerous unsolicited (yet unspecified) Vegas offers for a Jackson show had come to the former entertainer. This announcement was greeted with widespread disbelief and scoffing locally. In fact, no resort would admit to making any offer to Michael Jackson, and nobody believed a resort was going to make an offer to hire Michael Jackson. Then there was talk of a Jackson Family reunion. But eventually, like a gambler who went through his bankroll, Jackson quietly moved on from Vegas.
But his real moment of shame came in May when there was an odd and controversial auction of Michael Jackson's weird stuff at the Hard Rock.
But his real moment of shame came in May when there was an odd and controversial auction of Michael Jackson's weird stuff at the Hard Rock.
5. Heidi Fleiss came to Southern Nevada to open a stud farm. Instead, she opened a laundromat.
4. Harrah's executive Jan Jones (a former mayor of Las Vegas) in an interview with a British newspaper in January made local headlines by offering this quote: "Celine Dion's husband is a big gambler. He probably gambles $1m a week. But he can afford to." Of course, Caesars, where Celine Dion performs to tremendous ear-shattering success, is a Harrah's property, too. Jones quickly had a new quote for the press: "Shame on me."
3. O.J. Simpson starred in an audio tape made at Palace Station. But his biggest loss might be ahead of him in 2008 when he faces a trial in Vegas.
2. David Hasselhoff found eating a burger vastly overshadowed his appearance in "The Producers" at Paris Las Vegas.
1. It was the year of the Britastrophes. How to choose one? Let's not count her lackluster VMA appearance at the Palms. Or even her overpriced, make-believe singing show at House of Blues in Mandalay Bay. I don't even blame Britney for allegedly throwing a tantrum at paparazzi photographers at the Wynn (I am glad Vegas usually lacks them). Britney's greatest hit this year in Vegas started on morning one of 2007 by her memorably passing out/taking a nap at Pure. The unconscious Britney greeting the New Year was ultimate Vegas loser moment in 2007.
4. Harrah's executive Jan Jones (a former mayor of Las Vegas) in an interview with a British newspaper in January made local headlines by offering this quote: "Celine Dion's husband is a big gambler. He probably gambles $1m a week. But he can afford to." Of course, Caesars, where Celine Dion performs to tremendous ear-shattering success, is a Harrah's property, too. Jones quickly had a new quote for the press: "Shame on me."
3. O.J. Simpson starred in an audio tape made at Palace Station. But his biggest loss might be ahead of him in 2008 when he faces a trial in Vegas.
2. David Hasselhoff found eating a burger vastly overshadowed his appearance in "The Producers" at Paris Las Vegas.
1. It was the year of the Britastrophes. How to choose one? Let's not count her lackluster VMA appearance at the Palms. Or even her overpriced, make-believe singing show at House of Blues in Mandalay Bay. I don't even blame Britney for allegedly throwing a tantrum at paparazzi photographers at the Wynn (I am glad Vegas usually lacks them). Britney's greatest hit this year in Vegas started on morning one of 2007 by her memorably passing out/taking a nap at Pure. The unconscious Britney greeting the New Year was ultimate Vegas loser moment in 2007.
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Hey, I passed out in a bar once, and nobody wrote about it until now.
Posted by: Squeege | December 17, 2007 at 02:46 PM
Slow news day or what?
Posted by: Joe Blow | December 17, 2007 at 03:13 PM
This is just bad writing on so many levels: Incomplete reporting (laziness?), washed up celebrities eating burgers, doing laundry, and looking for work, and "When (insert name of washed up celebrity) did x, it was bad, but what was really bad was when they did y and z."
Posted by: Kevin | December 17, 2007 at 11:44 PM