Premiers tonight. Starring James Cann as a casino security chief.

O.K. I'll be the first with my two cents in the hat. I really enjoyed this show. I will have to see how it unfolds for a few weeks to see if I will be a serious "series" fan. Of corse I am so sick to death of so called reality TV I may just be glad to see some good production.

I got kind of the Oceans 11 feel, but a Sapranos type influence too. Anyway I liked it and will watch it again

Next week the Fear Factor is again in LasVegas. Will we catch LVC in the background of any stunts

I had to tape this show and I watched it tonight. I liked it a lot.

The only things that bothered me were all the great looking females with little or no clothes on and the mistakes the camera person made like shooting the reflection of the naked girl's bosom in the window. I HATE when that happens. I had to rewind the tape and watch it in slow-motion to make sure it wasn't an optical illusion!

I have some questions about the new Vegas TV show that I thought was so great the other nite.

Maybe someone can help me by answering the following questions:

1. Who is the "dead guy" you see lying out there in the desert that appeared in the opening and closing sequences? The star of the show calls him on his cell phone at the very end. Can someone explain what that's all about or will it be answered in a future segment?

2. What is the story on "Bunny Shoe Man"? Was he really a bit on the "funny side" or was that merely an act so he could con the casino somehow?
And how did he manage to win all the money at BlackJack anyway? Was he cheating or just plain lucky? He looked pretty squared away when the security guy offered him a ride when he saw him walking down the Strip. Is there more to Bunney Shoe Man than I seem to comprehend?

3. Exactly how did that "cheat" work who was partnered up with the Casino Car Jockey? If he had a camera in his finger, what was he photographing and who told him what to do? I can't figure out how that one worked at all.

4. Are there really that many prostitutes in casino lobbies? Don't the hotels attempt to police their activities just a little bit? Maybe is was a prostitute convention that week.

5. How come that casino security guy never gets caught in the traffic along the Strip?

6.What hotel/casino is getting the most publicity from this great series? Is it being filmed in one, a few, or many of the casinos along the Strip.

Got more questions, but I'll wait for next week.

Oh, yea, I really do like that "speeding camera" technique that was used so well throught the story. I especially enjoyed it when the camera was speeding into town and the airplane landed overhead. Some real thought went into that shot and I hope we see more originality of that sort in future screenings.

Right now I'm developing an original idea based on an old time security guy working in one of the smaller joints down on Fremont Street. It will employ a celler cast of four and filmed in 8 mm to get the budget under $450 a month.

Submission of story ideas would be appreciated and you will be compensated with a line or two at the end of the credits.

Thanks, Will

Will,

1. I think the dead guy is his brother. If you remember when he was talking to his father at the truck. The father asked him to please call his brother.

2. I thought Bunny Show was just a wierdo who got lucky. It appeared at the end of the show that he might be someone the security guy knew.

3. The camera in the end of his finger was able to see the next card in the shoe.

4. I have seen many prostitutes in several casinos before. I'd guess they're not discouraged to be there because of adding to the mystique of Vegas. Also, I'd guess someone's getting a little something from them.

5. Because it's TV!.

6. I haven't been able to pick up a certain casino they're trying to emulate.

Will,
Ditto Jeff of #1 & #2.
#3 I think the camera feed was picked up by the valet. He then gave that info to the player. I remember them saying in the security room that they could detect signals in and out of the casino.
#4 My brother told me that he has been approched several times. I think alot of these "ladies for rent" watch the tables for bankrolls also.
#5 Ditto Jeff again
#6 Is this filmed in a real casino or on a set? Kat

Thanks, Senator and Kat. Interesting responses and clarifies a lot which I will look for in upcoming "chapters".

SO you think the "dead guy" may be his brother? I don't think the show would be as depressing as that but you may be right. Or maybe the brother is just still asleep with a ferocious hangover and the story will explain how he ended up out there.

It would be great to see that the Security guy knows Bunny Shoe Man and is an accomplice with him in casino scams, but that doesn't seen too logical either.

What is TVI?

It is somewaht obvious to me that the casino scenes and the hotel lobby scenes are actually filmed on location.

I hope that this show does not leave us hanging on these questions.

Will,

Guess that wasn't real clear. What you read as TVI was TV!. (television !)

As in, it ain't the real world.

Thanks , Senator. I should mention that I have noticed the Mandalay Bay (interior) in a number of scenes.

Might be a fun thing to list those interior shots we notice each week as it does appear that this show will use a variety of hotel/casinos for their interior shots.

Might be fun to even mention the bars used in the series.

Or any casino/hotel employee we recognize on screen or in the backgrounds.

Billhere verifies in his latest newsletter that it is indeed Mandalay Bay.

Bob

Thanks on the Mandalay Bay verification, Bob.

Here is some info on tonite's show as resported by the TV guide thingamagig on AOL.

"The body of Danny's childhood friend is found in the desert; Ed conceals the identity of an ultraconservative senator; Mary contends with an actor who takes his role as King Arthur too seriously."

So now we know who the dead guy is with the ringing telephone in his pocket. It is not his brother, but a childhood friend.

I guess he will eventually solve that situation.

DOn't fail to watch it tonite... Monday, 29 Sept.

Posted with permission from steve MrVegas98@aol.com
Everything Las Vegas: Issue # 380
September 30th, 2003

I would like to start off the newsletter with a few comments on the new TV show "Las Vegas." Could it be that I am the only person that thinks this show is bad? To me the show is slower than the elevators
at the Imperial Palace! James Caan looks like he has a severe case of gastritis. And there is no substance to the plot.

Last nights episode featured a mentally impaired Sir Lancelot/Knight in shining armor character who saves the outdoor surfing contest by pulling his sword from the jammed up machines that run the wave pool.
WOW! We were led to believe that the malfunction was his fault from the start as he threw the sword in the pool in the first place. Now what is a Knight from the Excalibur doing in the pool at Mandalay Bay? Maybe I ought to apply for a job on the show as a technical advisor?

I wonder if my friends Johnny Avello from Bally's or Jay Kornegy at the I.P. are taking bets on how long this show will last? The only thing positive about the show are the women..all knockouts.

Let me see if I've got this straight?

MrVegas, who writes about a town in the middle of the desert that has erupting volcanos, pirate battles (I know they're over), Egyptian pyramids, a New York skyline, and who knows how many Elvis's, thinks things in this show are too unbelievable?

"I wonder if my friends Johnny Avello from Bally's or Jay Kornegy at the I.P. are taking bets on how long this show will last? The only thing positive about the show are the women..all knockouts." And how long did Bay Watch run?

The show's entertainment! I'm going to enjoy it as I think many other people will.

Like it or not, you gotta love it!

The second installment opened with a shot of a golf ball and the camera followed it someplace.

I like that kind of Special FX.

This time the story wasn't too spectacular and they should have deleted everything to with that "King" character.

But we did find out that the dead body in the desert by the golf course is the guy's (what's his name? - Danny?) best old time friend who owned someone some gambling funds or something like that. (I was changing back and forth to see the ladies on Temptation Islandso you gotta exccuse me if I missed some "punch lines").

Do we have any idea who the "killer" is yet?

And the Caan character (name? Ed?) felt that he had an obligation to protect and serve his old time CIA buddy until about ten minutes before the final commercial. What was it that made him change his mind?

That was pretty up to date with the situation in Toledo(?) in which the Chief of Police killed his wife and then himself. He was also protected by the City Fathers.

And is that political critter going to be able to bring about his downfall?

And who is the black guy in the series? I heard something about the fact that he wanted to "paint his car". (Danny's car, I guess!) What's that all about? I must have missed his introduction into the series.

Reality check - It takes me about five minutes to walk from the casino to the wave pool. These TV critters must be wearing roller skates.

I still like this show a lot, but I really don't believe too many self respecting surfing champions would be too proud riding those "baby waves" in the Mandalay pool.

Jeff,
I haven't watched the show as of yet. But from all the comments here, It seems to me that this is a SOAP, So I most likely won't watch it, and I love Vegas as much as anyone.

Larry,

I wouldn't call this a SOAP. Although I do see why some might.

The second show had a weaker story line than the first IMO. Also had much less skin.

The Las Vegas setting and abundance of T&A will only carry the show so far with most people. Of course, it's enough for a pig like me.

It seems they're starting to build background on the characters as the show goes. They have a good mix that should be able to work and make an interesting show.

Maybe the writers and producers are reading this thread and will contact us for advice!

"Maybe the writers and producers are reading this thread and will contact us for advice!"

I think that would be helpful, Jim, but very unlikely.

I have family members in the TV series production industry and they get so wrapped up produceing that first season's episodes that they have little time to actually do anything but produce the scripts as they are written.

If the show is a success this first season, they just might take the time to take a look at interesting pro and con statements such as are being expressed here.

If I had the opportunity I would have definitely written out the King character, but no others so far.

I'm actually enjoying this show and its Special FX that have been starting each episode off.

I do hope that they eventually develope each of the characters we have met so far.

One of the best jobs in LV (I have been told) is that of a "car jockey" - valet. In fact it is so prestigious money-wise that the valet services are usually offered to family members or the good old boys who have some "in" with Casino Management.

So I am sure that the Guy in Charge of Valet Services will be developed fully in a future episode.

In fact, does anyone have the facts on the financial hierarchy in LV town? Just what positions in town pay the highest salaries?

I bet ya no one makes more that the top three stars in this TV series.

Not including the elephant who works for peanuts.

Hi all,
Well I've seen both episodes so far and I love it.Just the LV scenery alone is great plus they seem to have all the best looking babes around in the backround in most scenes.It's better then looking at pictures of LV.and they move all over town so you can get your LV.fix till your next trip? BTW.that Sen.Kennedy gets around......I thought he just bothered folks here in the east but in that last show I see he visits LV too.<G>
Bob NY.

If you missed the first two shows, they're being rebroadcast, back-to-back, tonight.

I didn't catch all of episode #4, because the phone was constantly ringing with friends advising me to watch episode #4.

But if I understand it right, Cann set up a sting operation to catch the big time Las Vegas cheater who never stepped foot inside a casino and he did this all without telling Danny(?).

And the boss's daughter was a hit at her new job and made some major changes within a couple of hours. (I didn't follow that one too closely.)

But the little I did manage to watch was among the best I have seen of this series.

I really enjoy this show. Next episode the phone gets unplugged.

BTW, I have read a couple of books about attempts to cheat the casinos at the tables. The most elaborate scheme involved some type of computer apparatus in a shoe that allowed the cheat at the table to broadcast the cards to the cheat in the truck outside, but I forget the details and the title of the book is beyond recall.... "Ergonomic Pie" or something like that.

Nowadays, the gangs just jump into the casino cage and make a dash with the money. In the good old days, they would get as far as the parking lot and not a step beyond until they were found in a hole in the desert behind the next casino.

More civilized now, I guess.

Will,

I thought this last show had the best story lines so far. I think they've got a winner.

I agree, Senator.

How about if we attempted to offer some suggested story lines that the writers might use in future episodes?

Here's one:

Former Mafia King Pin and 1950's big time gambler returns to LV and acts like the place has never changed. He's a little senile now so he sees the new LV like it was way back then and acts accordingly.

His son and daughter ask favors of the present casino owners to placate their dad because this will be dad's last visit to the town he helped place on the map before he returns to Florida to pass the remaining days of his life.

SO the casinos agree and all sorts of complications develope.

I'll let the writers decide what those complications should be. But it should be a mix of seriousness and laughs.

Another possible story line.

A punk kid inherits controlling interest in the Hotel/Casino on his 21st birthday and decides to make major changes to attract more clientel his own age.

His first act as the new boss is to fire anyone over 30 and offer comped rooms to 21 - 29 year old guests who agree to gamble for a minimum of four hours a day during their stay.

Most within this age group don't know how to gamble so the casino makes millions over their expected take.

His far out decisions meet with major success financially and the episode ends when he is asked to run for Mayor of the City.

At the end, someone wakes up and pinches himself.

I heard yesterday that the response to this show is so good that they are making a full season of shows. YEAH...Vegas FIX!

They're doing some strange things. Pool episodes in the first episodes were at Mandalay Bay. Last night's pool shots were at Green Valley Ranch. I feel sorry for the casting director who had to line up all the girls to fill those bikinis! I give this episode a 9 on the jiggle meter.

Maybe its just me but I find the show plastic and un-realistic. They show casinos filled with well dressed beautiful people when in reality most people are in jeans and t-shirts.
The story line is pathetic and I've never liked James Caans ability to overact. Other than that the show is fine.

boater--plastic and un-realistic?--that's why i go to vegas!<G>

Thanks DAG, I was afraid I was the only one!

After seeing last show, Tim said he wanted to stay at that hotel (but we couldn't figure out which one it was). Said he never sees that many good looking girls at the pool where we stay. I've been wanting to try GVR, now maybe he will change is mind..... hhmmmmm.....

Carol,

I've stayed at GVR several times and never saw the pool looking quite like that!

Just for the record, the most recent story was about a creep who drugged Ed's daughter. I won't go into the details of a very sick subject but it is a fact and it does happen frequently.

I loved the part where she beat the hell out of him while he was trying to get her into the car.

In my opinion, the ending was a bit of a let-down.

New Subject - This show gave Green Valley Ranch some great publicity and I understand that the bar at GVR is very popular for the younger party crowd on certain occasions.

Last July we drove on over to GVR to check it out. It is a beautiful casino but it was around noon and appeared to be completely deserted except for a few hearty sun worshippers around the very attractive but treeless pool area.

Take a ride out there and check it out, but try to visit when the bar is happening. I think its called "Whiskey".

Will,

The full name of that bar is Whiskey Sky. Great place to sit on the patio, watch the sun go down and the Vegas lights come on.

Thanks, Senator! Gonna have a martini there the next time I visit.

Just to keep this subject current, the most recent episode had Ed supposedly taking a Hawaii vacation with his wife and leaving Danny in charge of Casino Security. (Am I getting these names correctly?)

Actually Ed and his wife are settled down in some cheap motel down the road and observing how Danny handles pre-arranged problems at the Casino.

I watched this one with half an eye so I didn't catch all the details but Danny finds out what's up and pulls a fast one on Ed.

Am I missing anything?

I still like this show.

Will,

That was pretty much it. Anothe cute part was the young hottie casino host had some high rollers coming in. A couple from the same city with the same last name arrived a day earlier and she mistook them for the high rollers.

Oh, yea, Senator, I had forgotten about the mistaken identity part.

That happened to me a while back when Jack Dempsey mistakenly introduced me to a bunch of ladies at his niteclub in NYC as "Earl Wilson's son".

As soon as they heard that, these Broadway Flooozies (as Jack so affectionately referred to them) were all over me until I correctly restated
my real name which has a slight resemblence to "Earl Wilson".

Jack felt bad enough to join me at the bar for a round of drinks on him and a personally signed copy of his book, and a full behind the scenes story of the "Broadway babes".

Couple of other times, I was mistaken as Willie Nelson's son in Las Vegas but it never did get me backstage to meet him.

I loved Louis Armstrong the best but was never able to pass as one of his relations, so I never managed to meet him personally.

Did manage to spend some quiet moments with Kim Novak while she was getting her makeup redone between scenes of Pal Joey. I simply pretended I was reajusting some wires before the next take and we had a very decent conversation.

At Universal Studios before it was as big as it was today, I used to sneak into the lot with the early morning crew. A brown paper lunch bag was the key to getting in past the guard.

I did this so often that the regulars (the little people as well as the stars) thought I was some executive's kid so I was eventually welcome everywhere and met most of the major stars back then including Edward Everette Horton, Pat Boone, Pan Austin, Doug McClure, Rosaline Russell, Jim Drurey and many others.

Acting is a hell of an easy racket if you ask me. The only problem seems to be to stay in demand for your next million dollar paycheck.

That's about it for my mistaken Identity adventures.

Las Vegas TV show - Monday evening,Nov 10......

Nov 10, Marine Corps Birthday and Danny was a Marine and never even mentioned it! Somebody messed up there!

Did a lot of channel switching last nite between Las Vegas and The New Joe Millionaire so I'm not really up on last nite's episode but I'll give it a try in the hoopes that Senator will complete the picture....

Danny gets "duped" by a pretty lady who is really a con-artist in association with her likewise con-artist boyfriend.

He falls for her and goes after the guy who is giving her a bad time (her con artist associate) and ends up giving the guy his $12,000 wrist watch as ordered by Ed (his boss) to cease and desist. (Or something like that).

Side story is about a guy and his wife who love Wayne Newton, get comped to his show, and end up staying in LV doing a Wayne Newton impersonation in the casino.

I kind of missed this part but the watch that Danny gave the con was really not the real $12,000 watch he gave him but a fake watch worth lots less. (How did that work out?)

Ends up with Danny catching the con artists kissing on the GreyHound bus celebrating their con as Danny and the cops walk down the aisle and place them under arrest.

Senator, can you elaborate and fill in the details. I still like this show but could it be possible that only you and I are watching it?

No - I'm watching too. I watched the whole episode and I couldn't figure out how they did the watch switch. Unless the Danny and Ed character made the switch before talking to the hoodlum type.

Do the casino interiors look like Monte Carlo to you? I've not been in there ---- or are they shooting the interiors someplace else. I know they've been mixing it up with the swimming pool shots.

Also - was that really Wayne Newton's theatre?

I'm enjoying the series. Pretty city, pretty people - what's not to like?

Well I watched an episode the other night and again last night and now I'm hooked. It really does serve as a mini fix while waiting for the real thing. I have last nights episode on tape if you want me to bring it and you guys can analyze it to figure out the great watch switch.

Bob

I tape the show as it is on when there is something else we watch! Kestral: I am almost sure (at least I would bet on it) that was NOT the Stardust's Wayne Newton theater! It is kind of a hokkie show but I still like to watch it!!

I think that Wayne Newton "Showroom" was a studio shot as the tables were spaced wide apart and I have never seen that in a real Las Vegas showroom unless it's closed, completely empty, and all the furniture has been removed to clean the carpeting.

Looks to me like most of the interiors are being shot at the Mandalay Bay, but once again, I could be wrong.

Sorry for being slow on this. I play poker on Monday nights and didn't get a chance to watch the last episode till last night.

Will, you might not have caught that the girl who 'duped' Danny (among other things) , also pulled a con on Ed's daughter.

The watch thing is one of those artistic license things with TV, they would have had to been set up with a fake watch before entering the room which is kind of hokey.

I don't know if that was teh real Wayne Newton theatre but I agree that the tables were spaced quite far apart. The last time I saw Wayne was at the Luxor and actually, those tables were spaced pretty far apart.

Great selection of eye candy for us male pigs again (OINK)

Well Jeff, Danny's pretty easy on the eyes,too!

(I'm assuming you were talking about the other characters :rolleyes: )

I have question about last nights show (11/17/03)?
Was I not paying attention or did that soon to be twenty one year old hit the jackpot on one (1) dollar invested?? I may have been looking at another part of someone or another part of her?..... :rolleyes:

I plan to watch my tape tonight, I'll let you know.

The Nov 17 episode of Las Vegas was a number of stories within the story.

Let me see if I caught them all while switching back and forth between LV and the Joe Millionaire extravaganza...

The main story concerned a stalker stalking a Diva who was making a comeback in the casino showroom. I dispised that Diva so much that I was rooting for the stalker but they managed to subdue him beore he got his first shot off.

Better luck next time.

A minor subplot concerned Ed's former female partner in crime and his concern that his wife would be upset.

The confusing story within this story was the rich guy who took all the comps and set himself up in the high roller's suite with his own furniture but never gambled.

This part concerned itself with how the casino gets rid of a rich person taking advantage of the casino (that's a switch), and how to do it politely.

As it turns out, the rich guy finally discloses that he is the majority owner of the casino and is in fact the boss of everyone who works within the joint.

I have no idea why he didn't tell eveyone that in the first place, but he finally manages to let everyone know while they are in the process of tossing him out on his keester!

Then he manages to give Ed a promotion and a bigger salary.

I must have missed the whys and wherefores of this part somewhere along the story-line.

Another story within the story was the winning of the $100,000 jackpot by a young lady who was three minutes shy of her 21st birthday.

Needless to say, she was underage at the time of the win so they could not pay her without causing a stink with the Gaming Commission.

Actually she could have been arrested.

How they eventually solve this problem, got a resounding cheer from me heard around the neighborhood.

Did I miss anything?

I did think that the part where Danny offered to shake the owner's hand was ignored was very realistic and done well.

Oh yes, I failed to mention the guest appearances of Penn and Teller and all the Maloof brothers (owners of The Palms, etc).

I assume we will be seeing more guest apperances if the series continues.

We saw the girl insert one bill into the slot machine. It could have been a One, Five, Ten, etc.

Will,

The new owner didn't want to reveal himself until he saw how the staff would handle the situation he presented them. All the time assuming he was in fact a whale.

It appears the guest appearances will be regular. Last week Wayne Newton, this week Penn & Teller.

I was disapointed at the lack of bikinis this week.

You wanted to see Newton or Penn & Teller in bikinis?

Daisy, I've seen their show and it wouldn't be any worse.

All talk and little action. Fell asleep more than once.

I saw Penn & Teller as part of the a variety show (possibly Caesars Magical Empire), and I enjoyed them, but there's no way I'd pay $80 to see their show at the Rio!

I missed the most recent issue of Las Vegas. The episode which featured the two Chinese daughters of the rich Chinese high roller.

Can someone fill me in on the details of this one?

I like this show and hate to miss the storyline.

OK Will,
I finally broke down and watched the darn thing. I thought it was all corn ball stuff. But, hey I hated Danny gans, so take it with a grain of salt.

The one security guy has to baby sit these two hot looking women, they are a hand full. Someone makes an atempt on the old asians life. Turns out it's the duaghters who hired the hit. He was gambling away the family fortune. Sub plot with a bunch of people getting married, One future husband goes crazy on the dice table and loose a chunk of money, hie future bride gets mad and flirts with a fireman striper. They make up having sex in some resturant booth. Both proclaiming thier love for each other....Like I said...corn ball.

I don't expect to watch this show on a regular basis.

And, another "guest appearance" - Hugh Hefner as the justice of the peace who marries all the couples.

Hmm. Didn't think of him as a Las Vegan - well I guess its the attitude.

Yeah, Lee - it is cornball. But it's pretty looking cornball!

Kes

(wow this thread is getting to be a loooong scroll down!)

Thanks for the info. I screwed up recording it somehow.

You're right about this thread getting too long. I'm going to close it and start another.