If terms like "street art" seem a little disingenuous, I have to admit graffiti was never an issue that has really upset me much. But some jerks going at the iconic "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign Monday really upset me and a lot of people I have spoken to about this vandalism. Like many cities, we have graffiti everywhere, but no one has ever vandalized the welcome sign before in the memory of anyone I reached, and it seems likely that this may not have ever happened before. Take that in for a moment: Since the sign was first created to greet tourists in 1959, no one has put graffiti on it despite the countless alcohol-soaked tourists who must have posed with the welcome sign over the years. I don't even think a fraternity has ever stolen it as a prank. This is one bit of Las Vegas history that no one has suggested replacing or taking to the Neon Boneyard (though it gets moved south occasionally to keep pace with the growth of the Strip). The welcome sign is the one link with old Vegas that remains totally relevant in 2009.

I guess my surprise is that kids don't scribble their initials on the sign more often, because it is so accessible and popular. But until Monday, the Betty Willis design has received nothing but respect from tourists and locals. I always smile when I drive past it going to and from work. Buffet photographer Sarah Gerke was out there this morning, and most of the scribbled initials left by the vandals had already been removed. But there is still some graffiti you can see in the lower left corner of the photo. A cleaning crew should finish restoring the sign today, according to the Review-Journal, which also has a shot of the more extensive graffiti, since removed, placed on the sign.

I should say I have almost never seen the sign alone no matter what hour I drive past it. I always see tourists who are posing with the sign, or wedding parties gathered there. But at 3 or 4 in the morning, you just have to trust that no one wants to do something like this, as there is nothing stopping them. My worry is that if this begins to happen more often the welcome sign will not remain as accessible as it is now. This is a tiny sign somewhat defenseless 24/7 on Las Vegas Boulevard. But it is also a crucial part of the Vegas experience. It demarcates nothing in reality as it sits on no real border, but that makes it an even more perfect greeting to the Strip's fantasy kingdom.

Sad that someone(s) thought this was a cool thing to do.

Photo credit: Sarah Gerke

I have to admit that I did not work hard this past weekend. I did not intend to work at all. I had fun. I live in Vegas, and mostly my work is fun. I get to enjoy Vegas all year.  But this weekend I had friends in town and events I wanted to be at for reasons not work-related. 

Of course, I did do some work, if you can call it work. I made it to "Crazy Horse" with Carmen Electra. She looked fabulous, and that is hard for a 37-year-old woman being framed by young dancers barely into their 20s. But Electra has enough energy and joy in her role to make the moments she is on stage bring the production to life. Sadly, there are not enough of those moments. The show is far duller than I remembered it. The full topless views have increased over the last year, as if uncovering the dancers covers that this show is dedicated to sensuality and aesthetics from another era. Every number goes on too long (the full length of a song), continuing after the presentation and dance moves have been fully exhausted. The light projecting off the bodies of the dancers reminds me of dated psychedelic films. Andy Warhol would be a fan of "Crazy Horse." On the other hand, fans of Warhol's movies are very few, and for good reason. "Crazy Horse" has the same problem: all surface with little to hold your attention. The variety act has gone from a mini-Michael Jackson doll to a mini-Elvis Presley doll. The worst numbers I think are supposed to be the comic relief: cabaret-style songs with a topless dancer pretending to sing about being a naughty girl who is looking for a man with a big wallet.

"Crazy Horse" has some of the best-looking showgirls to be seen on the Strip, and I am told that the dancing talent required to appear in the show is incredible. But "Crazy Horse" is too attached to its traditions to keep up with Vegas in 2009. One hopes with that much beauty and talent on staff, a better show than "Crazy Horse" can be created.  Electra is worth seeing, but otherwise the happy-to-be- middlebrow approach of "Peepshow" works far better. Tonight is Electra's last scheduled night.

My favorite adult show of all time in Vegas is "Fashionistas," created by pornographer John Stagliano. After the show closed in 2008, Stagliano became a social friend of mine, and so I no longer cover him for that reason. Therefore, I did not intend to write about the dinner he invited me to on Saturday night for a libertarian convention called FreedomFest, billed as "The World's Largest Gathering of Free Minds." But I can't resist.

In a case brought under the Bush Justice Department and not dropped by the Obama administration, Stagliano has been indicted on charges of distributing obscenity. On the other hand, I got the feeling a lot of the people around us would be happy to see him rot in jail despite all the calls for freedom. Liberal values were frequently mocked by the speakers. And one of the keynote speakers, some cable anchor whom I had never seen or heard of before, explicitly referred to "left-wing" social liberalism as being part of the agenda ruining the country. While one would think there would be a lot of calls for freedom at FreedomFest, a war against cap-and-trade and marginal tax rates were really what the libertarians talking wanted to embrace. (Shouldn't there have been at least one "freedom-lover" calling for the charges against him to be be dropped, or am I just biased as his friend?)

"Obamaism" was frequently invoked and applauded by the well-heeled crowd that I estimate was about 1,000 folks. But because Barack Obama has only been president a few months, I searched for a definition among everyone I met there. Most people seemed as unclear as I am about its meaning, but despite working as an applause line, as a word, "Obamaism" is really just finding its legs, they admitted. 

Adjacent to me was Steve Forbes. Though inches from each other, Forbes and Stagliano did not speak together. That would have been an interesting conversation to hear and tell you about. Forbes did, however, give a speech to much applause and calls for him to run for president. He sounded like he was running. He was upset about the status quo and taxes  -- very upset about taxes -- but said he has faith in the American people.

Then came the inductions into the freedom-lovers hall of fame. I perked up when H.L. Mencken was inducted. I wonder if the Sage of Baltimore would have approved? Thoughts?

But my favorite moment was at the end (before a Beatles tribute band came out to play "Twist and Shout"). Everyone was asked to sing the festival's theme song "Freedom and Gold." So, indicted pornographer John Stagliano and former Republican presidential candidate Steve Forbes (two men who probably agree on little outside of hating marginal tax rates) were brought together by the power of music and lyrics supplied on the back of the menu (and yes, that chicken breast at FreedomFest was free-range). And all sang: "Now who are the enemies of liberty's soul? Taxation, inflation and government control." 

Meanwhile, although she turned me down for an interview, so I do not know if she was at the FreedomFest banquet, Meghan McCain was in Vegas this weekend sending out Tweets. Sunday night, her final Tweet: "Off to see peepshow, already saw the sexy, sultry, amazingly fetishy zumanity. Hope Holly's bump and grind is just as good!"

One wonders if she would be this honest if her dad was in the White House.

Photo: Carmen Electra. Credit: Sarah Gerke

Two big Vegas players are included on the money end of the Jackson saga. Colony Capital, a partial owner of the Las Vegas Hilton (where Elvis performed), bailed Neverland out of foreclosure. And AEG, which books and produces Cher and Bette Midler at Caesars and Santana at the Hard Rock, was the promoter behind the London concerts. Both companies seem to be caught having to choose between losing millions and/or engaging in desperate acts to squeeze money from what has been left behind (rehearsal footage and an empty mansion). No doubt anything they do to recoup their money many will see as in questionable taste.

Remember Jackson declared in a statement released after Neverland was searched that he would never consider the place home again. Did he ever even return there? And releasing any of the rehearsal footage of a perfectionist is not at all an appropriate coda. And even as a tribute show, there is no Michael Jackson concert in London without Michael Jackson. That is the thing about unique talents: They are irreplaceable.

Certainly, given the Vegas angles, this city is as obsessed with Jackson as any other place right now. But there is other news in the Entertainment Capital of the World. For starters the city is gearing up (click for complete list of activities) for July 4 weekend in a rough economy. And when, like me, you live across the street from a casino you get letters like this in the mail:

"Dear Neighbor:
On Saturday July 4, 2009 a special event will take place at Green Valley Ranch. This event will feature a fireworks display, and due to your close proximity to Green Valley Ranch, we would like to make you aware of the event. The fireworks will begin at 9:30 p.m. and last approximately 10 minutes..."

The Las Vegas Sun and Review-Journal have stories on what seems the incredible incompetence that in part led to abandoning building many floors at one of the towers at CityCenter (pictured) on the Strip. The local word among politicians and casino insiders is that the success of this mega-resort of all mega-resorts is the best hope to revive Las Vegas. The idea is that interest in the new destination resort will fill the city with so many tourists that all boats lift on the rising tide. Surely a tide metaphor is a dangerous place to be in a desert landscape?

Every day we have thousands of rooms on the Strip going unused in this economy, and while how many rooms CityCenter adds to that total depends who you ask on what day the answer is certainly thousands more rooms. Therefore isn't this more likely to be a problem than a solution? We will see. CityCenter at least is set to start opening before the end of the year, unlike two other multibillion-dollar projects in Vegas with one defaulting on loans (Cosmopolitan) and the other going into bankruptcy (Fontainebleau).

Lance Burton, the longtime headliner at Monte Carlo, put to bed rumors of his retirement by announcing a new contract that will keep him at Monte Carlo for as long as six more years. Burton does the best traditional magic show in Vegas. If you have kids who have never seen a magic show, then Burton is the big-production show that you should make their first experience. I am thrilled he is staying in the neighborhood.

Speaking of things kids will love, I finally made it to "The Lion King" at Mandalay Bay.  It has not received the Vegas treatment like "Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular." This is a replication of the Broadway show including intermission. Therefore I feel no particular need to review it with detail. But I found "Lion King" fun and joyful, and I suspect based on a thick crowd on a Monday, a traditionally slow night on the Strip, the show will enjoy a long run in Vegas. Whatever Broadway-Vegas problems other shows at other casinos have faced, Mandalay Bay has proven immune, previously enjoying a long run for "Mamma Mia" also at full production length.

This blog has been honored with two recent mentions in the news. One of my favorite blogs is David McKee's Stiffs & Georges. His focus is on the big picture of casino operations, and I was pleased the Buffet was named by him one of the essential Vegas blogs. Check out his entire list, and be sure to read his blog if you care at all about who is winning your money at the top of the food chain and what they are doing with it (these days, stay one step ahead of debt, mostly). Also, Review-Journal's Norm Clarke quoted this blog this morning while covering Criss Angel's shameless season-opener plan for his cable series.

Photo: Sarah Gerke

In a town that worships fame, there are few, if any, residents more revered than Andre Agassi.  Here, he is more than a celebrity. He's a local boy who not only made good, but who also gives back to his community. Agassi doesn't travel the celebrity circuit in Vegas; he almost never turns up on red carpets at openings. He's also very private, rarely granting interviews to the media. Agassi comes across as someone who guards his privacy. But that privacy is being threatened by a lawsuit against his wife.

Some background:

To the best of my memory, I have only interviewed Andre Agassi once in the last decade while covering  Vegas. And, of course, the occasion for our 2007 interview was Agassi's annual charity concert (Sheryl Crow  performed at the 2008 benefit) and dinner that raises money for the Andre Agassi Foundation.

That event, Andre Agassi's Grand Slam for Children, now at Wynn, has been THE gathering of the local elite in Vegas for 13 years now.

The Agassi Foundation benefit is also the only time I know of that the retired tennis player uses his lifetime network of Vegas connections to produce what Vegas calls juice. Agassi has a lot of juice. The result is wealthy donors and companies (including executives from many Strip casinos) sponsor tables at the event. Over the years, the Grand Slam events have helped Agassi raise tens of millions for the foundation.

Philanthropy is not all Agassi does. He's known locally as an investor in projects. The behind-the-scenes player on the business side for Andre Agassi was childhood friend Perry Rogers. Rogers received enough credit for Agassi's perceived investment smarts to be included in a New York Times article (along with Agassi) in a May profile looking at the next generation of Vegas moguls.

But in October, Agassi and Rogers announced they were ending their business relationship. They made a point of emphasizing how amicable the split was and how the friendship was intact. In fact, Rogers in October insisted that preserving the friendship was the paramount objective for them both. Now comes the news that Rogers has filed a lawsuit against Agassi's wife, retired pro tennis player Stefanie Graf, for the tiny, tiny sum of $50,000. To compare: A Diamond Level table at  Agassi's Grand Slam for Children cost $85,000 this year.

OK, $50,000 is still a lot of money to me. But reading the four-page lawsuit (posted by the Las Vegas Sun), one discovers that, for Rogers, the payments represent less than two months' pay from Graf. In fact, she did not even commence paying Rogers until 2007 when one of Graf's accounts hit the magic $20-million mark. From that point on, she paid him her 15% until the time of her husband's split with Rogers in October. Therefore, the money sought represents only what's owed for the last couple months. So, maybe it would be better to say, rather than $50,000 being a tiny sum, this seems a tiny reason to file a lawsuit against the wife of your lifelong friend.

Then again, at four pages, the lawsuit was clearly written to give away as little information as possible. For example, one glaring omission: There is no mention of what Rogers' contributions were or the significance of the $20 million that resulted in the the allegedly owed payments.  I suspect this lawsuit is more about Rogers showing his willingness to use the courts and place matters in the public arena than about his desire to recoup the $50,000 he feels owed.

That seems to be how Agassi is taking the lawsuit. In a statement that appears in Norm Clarke's Review-Journal column, Agassi says: "I am both saddened and disappointed to learn that Perry has filed a lawsuit and sadder still that he has sued my wife, Stefanie. I remain hopeful that we will be able to resolve our business issues with minimal damage to our families and mutual friends." It will be noted that Agassi's statement does not mention preserving his own friendship with Rogers.

Photo: Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf. Credit: Sarah Gerke

What is the difference between a great writer and a regular person? Perhaps, thinking of Spinoza and imagining fiction in even the most banal Vegas experience: a visit to the Liberace Museum. On Saturday night, Joyce Carol Oates gave her first Las Vegas reading, attracting about 400 people to hear the acclaimed author. Before the reading of a story centered on Emily Dickinson, Oates told the audience her reaction to earlier in the day becoming one of the countless tourists to visit the Liberace Museum:

“It was so interesting, and I could imagine a person writing a story about it. When you first come in, it is so campy and extravagant and fantastic. And then, as you really look into it -- there is a guide who talks about the life, particularly the end of the life of Liberace -- it suddenly takes a turn and becomes very poignant. It becomes almost an emblem of the human spirit with a focus on Liberace’s great courage and chutzpah. As Spinoza said, we yearn to persist in our being, and almost to the very day he was dying of AIDS, he was still performing and still himself. And I think any of us who are writers or artists or human beings can find a resonance in that.”

For Sunday night, she told me while signing books after the reading, her plan was to see Mystere. I wonder what she made of Cirque?

I want to stop writing about how Las Vegas treats homeless people, especially this time of year. But the sadistic approach that is consistently being taken by authorities here is just too shameful. The first sentence in the Review-Journal story says it all: "Las Vegas city marshals jailed three homeless men last week for violating a nonexistent ordinance."

Meet the Vegas Patriot Act. It's aimed not at terrorists but the weakest most vulnerable members of our society. There can be few worse places to find yourself in life than washed up and homeless on the streets of this city. Try imagining what that must be like for a minute.

Everyone grasps that this problem is complex. But Las Vegas is clearly a wealthy city that can afford some carrots instead of beating people with unconstitutional sticks until they go live on the streets of another town. We are a city that should be truly compassionate, since if you've lived here for any length of time you will know someone who fell on hard times thanks to the games we play, the activities we advertise and the culture we have. You will know people who fell lower than they ever thought they could go — further down than even you thought they would go — and kept falling.

In Las Vegas, the tumble from apparent riches to total rags can be as quick as it is steep. Perhaps, therefore, a little mercy is in order. Indeed, mercy should be a special part of the Las Vegas approach to how to help those at the bottom.

Robin Leach apparently has the inside Vegas track on the most anticipated breakup since Michael Jackson/Lisa Marie Presley. On his blog, Luxe Life, Leach teases today with:

"Luxe Life has all the details tomorrow of a possible collision between the furious feuding couple right here in Vegas along with the financial breakdown of that supposedly ironclad airtight prenup. That's likely to ace Federline out of a hoped-for $10-million payday as he throws his own custody battle for their two babies as a bargaining chip into the ugly fight. "

You got to love the consonance and assonance! Meanwhile, Britney and Mr. Britney-No-More are both rumored to be looking into gigs in Vegas.

I called David Saxe, the just-ousted operator of the V Theater, lots. Then I heard there was a meeting between the warring factions at the V Theater that ended at 11 a.m. So I waited and tried again a short while after that.

Saxe eventually answered and sort of complimented me on my persistence. Saxe said he was in the middle of a meeting with his lawyer. His voice was hoarse. And, while he didn't quite promise to call me back, I waited a decent interval of billable hours and tried him again. But now I have just heard from his publicist that David Saxe will have a statement for media tomorrow.