April 1st is almost upon us. So This Week in Gambling, we’re looking at several bizarre Las Vegas April Fools stories which may or may not be true. From jet skis in the Bellagio fountains to men performing as showgirls, can you tell which stories are true and which are just for fools?
Las Vegas is a big city. Big money, big resorts, and big rumors. We’re sharing three stories about Las Vegas which may or may not be true. And you’ll find out which is which in just a moment. Let’s begin at the famous welcome to Las Vegas sign, but probably not the one you’re thinking of. You see, America has two cities named Las Vegas. One in Nevada and the other 600 m away in New Mexico.
Supposedly, the less famous town also has a welcome site built in 2002 that borrows from Sin City and Bugs Bunny, letting anyone who ended up there by mistake know they made a wrong turn in Albuquerque. While humorous and clever, the question remains, is this true or just another Las Vegas April Fools?
Heading back to Sin City, we arrive at the Bellagio, or more specifically the man-made lake out front. And in June of 2010, Sir Richard Branson decided it was time to go jet skiing there. For some reason, he thought it would be good publicity to ride a jet ski through the Bellagio Lake while wearing a tuxedo and a wet suit. Branson dodged the fountains as he went with a flight attendant standing on the back. And all of that to celebrate the launch of Virgin Atlantic’s non-stop service to Las Vegas.
If you think that sounds too weird to be true, then let’s transition to a story from 1988 when the famous Crazy Girls topless show opened at Riviera. But rumor has it that one of those crazy girls was actually a crazy guy. Even if you don’t remember the show, you might recall the famous bronze statue of all the girls backsides. And when Crazy Girls opened, dancer Jahna Steele was named the sexiest showgirl on the strip. But she had a secret. She wasn’t actually born a girl. And trust me when I say that having a transgender woman headlining a Vegas topless show was a much bigger deal in the late 80s. Eventually her secret was exposed on a national television news program and Jana was fired.
Finally, this week, it’s time to find out just which of these stories are true and which are simply Las Vegas April Fools? First up, the welcome to Las Vegas sign in New Mexico. That, my friends, is completely false. As funny as it is, the photo of this sign is fake. But it’s been floating around the web making people laugh for a few years now. And who knows, maybe someday they’ll actually build the real sign.
Next, Sir Richard Branson driving a jet ski in the Bellagio Lake? Well, this one is no Las Vegas April Fools! It’s actually true. Branson drove a jet ski around with a flight attendant standing on the back all as a publicity stunt, eventually falling into the water. Bruno Mars also rode a jet ski in the Bellagio Lake for a music video a few years later. And what about the crazy guy who became the sexiest showgirl in town? Well, my friends, this one is completely true. Janice Steel was born John Matheny in San Antonio. And after gender reassignment surgery, Steel moved to Vegas, starring in the topless show until the tabloid TV program, A Current Affair, expose the truth in 1992.
