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Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman ProudPhilistine

March 2, 2009

Although he&;s been trying to bring world-class medical facilities to Las Vegas, Mayor Oscar Goodman&;s civic boosterism doesn&;t extend to the arts. &;I don&;t see a museum for art as necessary downtown.  The masters are on the Strip.  There&;s also round-trip airfare to Los Angeles.  It&;s not necessary to have a art museum.  I want a mob museum.&;   The dismissiveness of this statement is reminscent of Hermann Goring&;s &;Every time I hear the word &;culture&; I reach for my revolver.&; Former mob lawyer Goodman (full disclosure: I&;ve interviewed him and like him) does like to play the buffoon with his love of gin, showgirls and frequently politically-incorrect statements, like wanting to hang graffitti &;artists&; by their thumbs or inviting Miss America contestants to a bikini party in a pool full of gin.  But he&;s not stupid; a mob museum would  be more unique, probably a better tourist draw and certainly a better representative of how Las Vegans want to see themselves and their founding fathers. After all, what can you expect in a city where even the term &;college girl&;  (live to your room) is proudly pornographic?

Tags:arts-decline, Las Vegas, Las-Vegas-founding-fathers, Miss-America, mob-museum Posted in Las Vegas, public-relations-disaster, Travel | Leave a Comment &;