Trying to find Heidi Fleiss
July 21, 2008 | 12:39
pm
Usually when it comes to media coverage, Heidi Fleiss likes plenty of it. But she is sure not acting like someone with a new show, "Heidi Fleiss: The Would-Be Madam of Crystal," premiering tonight on HBO.
I am trying to reach Fleiss to interview her for the Buffet. I am curious about her thoughts on the HBO film, following her attempt to open a stud farm in Pahrump. The Los Angeles Times reported that she cut ties with the filmmakers months into the taping, and that has Las Vegas Review-Journal television critic Christopher Lawrence, who previewed the 70-minute documentary, openly wondering if the filmmakers are trying to make Fleiss look bad. Lawrence writes:
"I'm not sure if filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato -- whose previous documentary subjects have included Tammy Faye Bakker, Monica Lewinsky and the movie 'Deep Throat' -- set out to make Fleiss look bad, if they couldn't resist once they got to Pahrump, or maybe that's really the best they could make the troubled former 'Hollywood Madam' look."
As I predicted on the Buffet in 2005 when I gave my opinon that the entire stud farm notion was a publicity stunt, nothing has ever come of Fleiss' idea. She never even filed a license application to open the business, despite telling me a few times that she was about to file. In fact, the only people to invest in the stud farm dream besides Fleiss were at HBO, for what they paid her and spent to make this television show. No expert on Nevada's brothel code ever thought it would open, and that is even without a person running the operation who was a convicted felon of the type explicitly banned by the code. In other words, the stud farm run was only remotely likely in the wildest dreams of Fleiss and HBO executives.
In the years she has been in Pahrump, I've had my own occasionally odd interviews with Fleiss. The last time we spoke, earlier this year, was in the wake of the Eliot Spitzer scandal in March. But now her cellphone number that she has had for years is no longer assigned. In the past, Fleiss' cell number has often been temporarily disconnected; now it appears to not be associated with any account. That is a first. So I have e-mailed her and also left a message for her at Dirty Laundry, the laundromat she owns in Pahrump.
As soon as I reach her, I will post for you.
I am trying to reach Fleiss to interview her for the Buffet. I am curious about her thoughts on the HBO film, following her attempt to open a stud farm in Pahrump. The Los Angeles Times reported that she cut ties with the filmmakers months into the taping, and that has Las Vegas Review-Journal television critic Christopher Lawrence, who previewed the 70-minute documentary, openly wondering if the filmmakers are trying to make Fleiss look bad. Lawrence writes:
"I'm not sure if filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato -- whose previous documentary subjects have included Tammy Faye Bakker, Monica Lewinsky and the movie 'Deep Throat' -- set out to make Fleiss look bad, if they couldn't resist once they got to Pahrump, or maybe that's really the best they could make the troubled former 'Hollywood Madam' look."
As I predicted on the Buffet in 2005 when I gave my opinon that the entire stud farm notion was a publicity stunt, nothing has ever come of Fleiss' idea. She never even filed a license application to open the business, despite telling me a few times that she was about to file. In fact, the only people to invest in the stud farm dream besides Fleiss were at HBO, for what they paid her and spent to make this television show. No expert on Nevada's brothel code ever thought it would open, and that is even without a person running the operation who was a convicted felon of the type explicitly banned by the code. In other words, the stud farm run was only remotely likely in the wildest dreams of Fleiss and HBO executives.
In the years she has been in Pahrump, I've had my own occasionally odd interviews with Fleiss. The last time we spoke, earlier this year, was in the wake of the Eliot Spitzer scandal in March. But now her cellphone number that she has had for years is no longer assigned. In the past, Fleiss' cell number has often been temporarily disconnected; now it appears to not be associated with any account. That is a first. So I have e-mailed her and also left a message for her at Dirty Laundry, the laundromat she owns in Pahrump.
As soon as I reach her, I will post for you.
I was actually watching the documentary on Heidi Fleiss and she seems like a very nice person.
Posted by: search engine placement | July 21, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Saw the show whatever I was more trying to find her for her new love in birds, but if she is missing what or who is taking care of the birds I just thought since she was a new bird person so to speak she may have needed a few tips on that I wanted nothing and wanted to give her nothing but any help or tips on the birds I have been raising birds for 20 years.
Posted by: Patty | July 22, 2008 at 04:58 AM
The film about Heidi showed her vulnerability and sensitivity. I thought she was very open and honest about who and what she is which I really admired. I hope she can overcome her drug use and can be there for the beautiful birds. They need her.....and she needs them. I wish her success and good luck.
Posted by: Sunny Begonia | July 22, 2008 at 08:24 AM
I watched the show and was anticipating a picture of a saavy business minded woman. What I saw was a sad life, destroyed by drugs. That girl is a mess. She shouldnt even be operating a lemonade stand, let alone a brothel.
Posted by: Hilly | July 22, 2008 at 05:40 PM
Can't the LA Times pay to send you 2 hours to Pahrump to see if she is still there? After all the free press from HBO it seems strange that the idea has simply disappeared. Then again, it does seem like a loser to begin with - is there a market for women interested in paying for sex? I'm curious to know what has come of Heidi and the brothel; but to report simply that her cell phone doesn't work and she hasn't filed an application seems like incomplete investigative journalism. Finish the job please.
Posted by: Ray | July 22, 2008 at 10:25 PM
there is nothing better for healing the soul than having pets... a beautiful rat got me off of all the stupid drugs and I wept openly when she talked about Dalton dying. I hope that Heidi is doing ok and that she finds some peace.
Posted by: Tiffany | July 22, 2008 at 10:33 PM
Well, I'm disappointed. Of course there is a market for women to pay for sex. Yeah, yeah, I hear you saying "Women just have to stop at any street corner to get sex." I'm talking about GOOD sex. SATISFYING sex. That's much more rare, especially with no strings attached. Hell, sometimes you can't even get that when you're in a relationship.
Sexual relief is well worth paying for.
Posted by: Wendy | July 23, 2008 at 04:04 PM
Okay, as a former CR LADY, I was still working when Heidi had her stud farm idea. I saw her a couple of times at the Ranch; what I saw was a sad blur, for she was not even supposed to set foot in a brothel. She looked really bad, and the rumor at that point was that she wanted the Ranch. Even that idea sounded silly to me. As for a market for a stud farm, I'm not sure if it would work or not; there are too many more variables that must be factored into that kind of experience than for a normal brothel experience.
And why is it that a laundromat called "Dirty Laundry" owned by Heidi sounds like a front?
Posted by: Kristi | July 26, 2008 at 11:36 AM
no, we didnt try and make heidi look bad at all. if you want to reach heidi call us; we have her current mobile number
Posted by: fenton | July 29, 2008 at 01:49 PM
I, too, saw the documentary on HBO. I was very saddened to see her overall decline. It seems that she wants to be sharp, on point, and on top as she was when she was running her business in Ca. in her twenties. It's simply not possible for her to go back to that place, ever, under these circumstances.
Regarding the brothel, yes, I do believe that there is a market out there where some women would pay for this service, however limited. If it came to fruition, I would bet that 80 percent of her paying customers would be men, regardless if that were not her vision. That would be the target audience that would've eventually contributed to the success of the establishment and pay the bills.
Posted by: Ashleigh | August 08, 2008 at 11:06 PM
I saw the documentary and felt very heartfelt about the whole thing...I love birds and have had many over the years, and know how attached you can get! I felt like I wanted to e-mail her to offer my support, in a loving way...but my attemps to find an e-mail address were not successful. There seems to be no way to contact her even on her website...Can anyone help????
Posted by: Judy | August 11, 2008 at 04:19 PM
She is a strong woman, she should realize. It makes me proud being one. I am sure she will succeed in anything she lays her hands on, if only she uses all her strength to overcome her substance dependency.
Posted by: G. Matthews | August 13, 2008 at 07:32 PM
What I saw in the documentry was a addict struggling in the grip of a progressive diesase.
I wish her luck. She has a good soul and I hope she get the help she needs,
Posted by: tony | August 23, 2008 at 10:50 AM
I saw her on Monday August 11th when I was visiting Pahrump. (I was shocked to just bump into her like that!) She was playing blackjack at Terrible's & then went over to the Nugget to play later on.
It seems the locals in Pahrump really love her. Go figure
Posted by: Carlie | August 28, 2008 at 04:28 PM
Hi Richard,
Thanks for the article.
If you find her, could you please tell her that I love her and that I want she is always healty and happy.
Thanks
Posted by: Carlos Espinosa | December 18, 2008 at 08:32 PM
Need to find her HAVE ALOT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT
Posted by: Lee Ann H | September 19, 2009 at 01:03 AM