2025-08-21-Las-Vegas-Weekly

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INTERIM PUBLISHER

MARIA BLONDEAUX maria.blondeaux@gmgvegas.com

EDITOR SHANNON MILLER shannon.miller@gmgvegas.com

EDITORIAL

Senior Editor GEOFF CARTER (geo .carter@gmgvegas.com)

Managing Editor BROCK RADKE (brock.radke@gmgvegas.com)

Arts & Entertainment Editor AMBER SAMPSON (amber.sampson@gmgvegas.com)

Sta Writer GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ (gabriela.rodriguez@gmgvegas.com)

Sta Writer TYLER SCHNEIDER (tyler.schneider@gmgvegas.com)

Contributing Writers KYLE CHOUINARD, GRACE DA ROCHA,HILLARY DAVIS, KATIE ANN MCCARVER

Contributing Editors RAY BREWER, JUSTIN HAGER, CASE KEEFER, DAVE MONDT

O ce Coordinator NADINE GUY

Editorial Intern JULIA ARENSON

CREATIVE

Las Vegas Weekly Art Director CORLENE BYRD (corlene.byrd@gmgvegas.com)

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DIGITAL

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ADVERTISING & MARKETING

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18 SHOWGIRLS ARE FOREVER

COVER ART Photo by Jerry Ghionis/Courtesy

The classic revues are long gone but the Las Vegas showgirl lives on through symbolism, revived costumes and contemporary performance.

08

The City of Las Vegas holds the Arts & Culture Summit with heavy hitters from the scene, Men I Trust brings ethereal indie-pop to the Theater at Virgin and more.

14 FITNESS & OUTDOORS

Lee Canyon helps mountain bikers new and experienced engage in the fast-growing sport.

28 NEWS

How do public radio and TV stations that serve Southern Nevada plan to navigate federal funding cuts?

30 SPORTS

Why UNLV football’s ascent has only just begun.

32 THE STRIP Podcasters and social media stars bring their viral antics to live shows on the Boulevard.

36 FOOD & DRINK Wynn’s latest offering Pisces offers Mediterranean seafood worth celebrating.

Want More? Visit us at

SUPERGUIDE

THURSDAY AUG 21

CITY OF LAS VEGAS ARTS & CULTURE SUMMIT

With the growth of the Arts District and a proper Museum of Art on the way, Las Vegas is in the midst of a renaissance. To bolster the creative ecosystem, the City of Las Vegas is hosting the third annual Arts & Culture Summit for members of the local arts community to connect, collaborate and share knowledge. The full day of events includes a welcome from Mayor Shelley Berkley, lunch, performances, panels, breakout sessions and an evening reception. Panels will focus on museum and civic partnerships and the film industry, with speakers including Michael Govan, CEO of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and Shahab Zargari from the UNLV College of Fine Arts. Breakout sessions will focus on growing relationships with galleries, mentorships and teaching with speakers including Chase McCurdy of ThirtyThree Gallery, Colette LaBou of Black Mountain Institute, Fawn Douglas of Nuwu Art, Krystal Ramirez of UNLV, Sarah O’Connell of Eat More Art and author Vogue Robinson, former Clark County Poet Laureate. 8 a.m., $25, Historic Fifth Street School, lasvegasnevada.gov. –Shannon Miller

LAS VEGAS ACES VS. PHOENIX MERCURY

7 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, ticketmaster.com

LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL

8 p.m., & 8/22, Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, supersummertheatre.org

SCORPIONS

8 p.m., & 8/23, PH Live, ticketmaster.com.

LAS VEGAS SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL

Thru 8/24, times vary, Mandalay Bay, vegassongwriters.com.

ROUGE ROUNDUP

With Harmony Shay, Sierra Black, DJ Lucky Lou, 8 p.m., Rouge Room, rougeroomlv.com.

PAISLEY FIELDS

8 p.m., the Gri n, dice.fm.

SNEAKER FORMAL

With DJ Pu y, 10:30 p.m., Tao Nightclub, taogroup.com

HI I’M GHOST

With Internet Kids, Monstr, 10 p.m., We All Scream, tixr.com

FRIDAY AUG 22

MEN I TRUST

The music of Men I Trust falls somewhere between a hazy, jazz-inflected fever dream and a languid, outstretched afternoon on a sun-bleached deck. The band orbits around guitarist Emmanuelle “Emma” Proulx’s airy, ethereal vocals, the kind that swirl with an enigma of emotions. Bandmates Dragos Chiriac (keyboard) and Jessy Caron (guitar/bass) have evolved their playing in pursuit of that sound, jamming out lush favorites like “Show Me How,” “Numb” and “Carried Away” in the time Men I Trust has been a band. The Canadian indie-pop trio plays by its own rules, having released six studio albums independently, two of which—Equus Caballus and Equus Asinus—came out this year. The Equus tour fully encompasses this duality in Men I Trust’s discography, delivering twice the material for fans who can’t seem to get enough. With Strongboi, 8 p.m., $48+, Theater at Virgin, axs.com. –Amber Sampson

BACKSTREET BOYS Thru 8/24, 8 p.m., Sphere, ticketmaster.com.

SUICIDEBOYS With Night Lovell, Germ, Joeyy, 6:30 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

BRUNO MARS 9 p.m., & 8/23, 8/26-8/27, Dolby Live, ticketmaster.com.

MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD With Tank & The Bangas, 7 p.m., Bel-Aire Backyard, axs.com.

STEEL PANTHER 8 p.m., House of Blues, ticketmaster.com.

AMARIONETTE With Anres, Diver, 8 p.m., the Usual Place, dice.fm.

LEWIS BLACK 8 p.m., Palazzo Theatre, ticketmaster.com.

ILLENIUM 10:30 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com

NOIZU 10 p.m., Substance, seetickets.us

DOMINA 10 p.m., Discopussy, posh.vip

SATURDAY AUG 23

UNLV FOOTBALL VS. IDAHO STATE 1 p.m., Allegiant Stadium, unlvtickets.com

LAS VEGAS

LIGHTS VS. NORTH CAROLINA FC

7:30 p.m., Cashman Field, lasvegaslightsfc.com

MARK NORMAND

7:30 p.m., Palazzo Theatre, ticketmaster.com.

RON WHITE

8 p.m., the Chelsea, ticketmaster.com.

TOTO

With Christopher Cross, Men at Work, 7 p.m., BleauLive Theater, ticketmaster.com.

BURTON CUMMINGS

8 p.m., Pearl Concert Theater, axs.com.

TIM HEIDECKER AND THE VERY GOOD BAND

7 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com.

BRUCE DICKINSON

7 p.m., House of Blues, ticketmaster.com.

PABLO CRUISE

8 p.m., Chrome Showroom, ticketmaster.com.

THE BONES

9:30 p.m., Copa Room, tuscanylv.com.

MUSIC ON THE MOUNTAIN: RED EYE GIN 1 p.m., Lee Canyon, leecanyonlv.com.

METRO BOOMIN 11 a.m., LIV Beach, livnightclub.com

ZEDD

11 a.m., Palm Tree Beach Club, taogroup.com

KASKADE Noon, Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv.com

SICKICK

10:30 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com

HANNAH LEON

With Anna Farfan, 11:30 p.m., Club Ego, posh.vip

GUCCI MANE 10:30 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com

MARSHMELLO

10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com

DEORRO

10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com

DON TOLIVER 10:30 p.m., LIV Nightclub, livnightclub.com

REGGAE BASH WORLD

10 p.m., Substance, seetickets.us

DJ DIESEL

You’ve got to give it up to Shaquille O’Neal. At 53 years old and primarily visible these days as the funny piece of the broadcasting team of Inside the NBA , Shaq continues to grab headlines in the business world (his Big Chicken fast-casual franchise is developing 350 locations across the country) and for sharing interesting parts of his very famous life (most recently, how free throws made him nervous, and how a dependency on painkillers made him scared for his health after retiring as a player). In Vegas, we know him and love him as DJ Diesel, a veteran resident artist at Wynn Nightlife venues XS and Encore Beach Club, the latter of which hosts another party-starting session from the Hall of Fame hooper. And Diesel is one of the better nicknames Shaq has given himself, way better than the most recent, The Black Kelce Brother. 10:30 p.m., $35-$50+, Encore Beach Club, wynnnightlife.com. –Brock Radke

SUPERGUIDE

SUNDAY AUG 24

MONDAY AUG 25

SWEET FLOW YOGA

11 a.m., Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum, ritadeaninabbeymuseum.org

TYGA

11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, taogroup.com

SIDEPIECE 11:30 a.m., LIV Beach, livnightclub.com

FAMILY RAVE 1 p.m., the Portal at Area15, area15.com

BOB MOSES 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com

(Courtesy)

BUENA VISTA ORCHESTRA 8 p.m., Encore Theater, ticketmaster.com.

EXHIBIT: HOME

MEANS NEVADA BY SARAH ROBLES

Thru 11/2, times vary, Sahara West Library, thelibrarydistrict.org

NEVADA WATERCOLOR SOCIETY FALL EXHIBIT

Thru 10/25, times vary, Sahara West Library, thelibrarydistrict.org

WORLD’S BEST MAI TAI COMPETITION 10 a.m., Palms Pool, palms.com

DRIPHAUS WITH FATHER KAPP & FRIENDS 10 a.m., Bel-Aire Backyard, belairebackyardlv.com

ERIC FORBES 11 a.m., Marquee Dayclub, taogroup.com.

DJ CUTSWELL 10:30 p.m., Jewel Nightclub, taogroup.com.

SUPERGUIDE

TUESDAY AUG 26

LAS VEGAS AVIATORS VS. IOWA CUBS Thru 8/30, 7:05 p.m. (& 8/31, 6:05 p.m.), Las Vegas Ballpark, ticketmaster.com

BANDANAS & BARBECUE

FARM DINNER Ticket times vary, Honey Salt, honeysalt.com.

VICKI BARBOLAK 8 p.m., Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster.com.

GREG WILSON With Tony B., thru 8/31, 8 p.m., LA Comedy Club, bestvegascomedy.com.

BONICS 10 p.m., On the Record, ontherecordlv.com.

MIKEY FRANCIS

10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com.

WEDNESDAY AUG 27

MODEST MOUSE

Modest Mouse has never been a band to sit still and remains one of indie rock’s most unpredictable and electrifying live acts. Frontman Isaac Brock delivers each set like a man trying to outrun his own thoughts, with twitchy ri s, shouted mantras and sudden left-turns into chaos. Even after decades of evolution, they still hit with the same strange intensity. Their latest album, The Golden Casket, adds layers of wonky synths and shimmering unease, exploring themes of technology, disconnection and hope in decay. It’s a dense, nervy listen that translates into an even wilder set. Opening the night is Friko, a Chicago trio blending folk earnestness with post-punk tension and cinematic, emotional highs. 7 p.m., $60+, Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com. –Gabriela Rodriguez

CAITLIN EDWARDS With Marc-Alan Prince, Desert Island Boys, The Minges, 9 p.m., Red Dwarf, reddwarflv.com.

SH3

7:30 p.m., Bootlegger, bootleggerlasvegas.com.

OFF THE RAILS

7 p.m., Sand Dollar Downtown, thesanddollarlv.com.

DR. HARPO & THE ACE TONES

8 p.m., Fat Cat Lounge, fatcatlv.com.

JUNGLE

10:30 p.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com

JKRAZY

10 p.m., On the Record, ontherecordlv.com. (Courtesy/Henry Cromett

FITNESS & OUTDOORS MT. CHARLESTON

CALL OF THE

Lee Canyon’s mountain bike trail system o ers programs for all experience levels

BY TYLER SCHNEIDER

Lee Canyon’s ve-trail mountain bike park is hosting its rst racing series this summer and fall. Viva La Gravity, which will have its nal event of the season in the last week of September, is geared toward locals and features six separate divisions for riders of all ages, genders and skill levels.

Lee Canyon marketing director and avid mountain biker Johnny DeGeorge tells the Weekly he helped develop the concept based on his own racing experiences.

“It was really aimed to serve the folks that come to the park every day, but the participation so far has greatly exceeded anything I was hoping for,” he says, adding that around 90 riders signed up for each of the rst two events.

For those who aren’t nearly as eager to barrel down steep dirt slopes to see who can get to the bottom rst, DeGeorge o ers a few alternative methods for beginners to get in gear for one of the Valley’s fastest growing pastimes.

FOR NEW RIDERS

MOUNTAIN

If you’ve never tried mountain biking before, DeGeorge touts the Experience Downhill package ($49-$79) as the best bet way to nd your footing in small groups of ve people or less.

“It’s very much an introductory course where a newer mountain biker gets to go out with an experienced guide to learn the ropes and get comfortable on the bike,” DeGeorge says.

The program equips participants with an appropriately sized rental bike and a full set of

MOUNTAIN

safety gear before sending them on a two-hour jaunt where they’ll master the basics with an expert instructor. Anyone over the age of 10 can sign up, but those under 12 will need an adult to accompany them.

FOR YOUTH RIDERS

Riders between the ages of 10 and 14 can also take part in a four-week Saturday program called Downhill Trailblazers ($189). DeGeorge describes it as a “mix of instruction and community building.”

“We know that the gear investment can sometimes be a holdback for kids who want an introductory experience to the sport, and that’s all provided with this program,” DeGeorge says. “It helps pave the way and set the tone for them to pursue their adventure more independently after that.”

FOR THE LADIES

Women on Wheels began as an informal, female-led group ride.

“We’re just trying to raise more awareness through our advertising and promotional channels to encourage more women be a part of this community and grow the women’s scene here.”

The free Sunday sessions are set to continue through at least the end of fall.

For more information or to sign up for an upcoming course or event, visit leecanyonlv.com.

TAKE A HIKE

3 of our favorite Mt. Charleston trails

Hiking is a great workout that requires minimal gear (mostly hiking shoes and some comfortable clothes). But precautions should still be taken, especially when hiking in the desert.

Be sure to check the forecast: although temperatures at Lee Canyon are typically 30 degrees cooler than in Las Vegas, that’s not exactly helpful when it’s 120 degrees in town.

Bring plenty of water, electrolytes, sun protection (long sleeves, hats, sunglasses and sunscreen) and a first-aid kit.

MODERATE

Cathedral Rock Trail, a 2.8-mile out-and-back hike, packs a punch with nearly 1,000 feet of elevation gain. You’ll power through ponderosa pine and aspen, past wildflowers and a seasonal waterfall before tackling steep switchbacks to the summit. After the trek you’re rewarded with panoramic views of Kyle Canyon and a wide, rocky perch perfect for a wellearned break. –GR

DIFFICULT

Be aware of flash flood warnings. And never disturb wildlife. Know your limits and be safe!

EASY

Ideal for families, beginners, and those seeking a relaxed nature walk, Deer Creek Trail is a 1-mile round trip that follows an old campground road alongside Deer Creek. Expect a shaded path, gentle terrain and a peaceful stream where birds and kids alike can gather. This hike is great for strollers and accessible to all ages. –Gabriela Rodriguez

Be prepared to wake up early for Gri th Peak Trail, as the trailhead parking lot at Cathedral Rock fills up by 6:30 a.m. This strenuous, 9.7-mile roundtrip travels through forests of ponderosa pines, white fir, gnarled bristlecone and quaking aspen. If you can heed your alarm clock and withstand the journey, you’ll be rewarded with some of the best views in Southern Nevada.

–Shannon Miller

Visit gomtcharleston.com for more trails and information.

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EXPLORE OUR COMPLETE EVENTS CALENDAR

Although the classic revues are no more, the Vegas showgirl lives on in different forms

BY SHANNON MILLER

“I feel sad for anyone who didn’t get to experience it. Because you can talk about it, but you can’t really explain it.”

Dita Von Teese describes Jubilee, known as the last classic showgirl production on the Las Vegas Strip, as one of her “favorite things to do” when she would visit Vegas in the ‘90s and 2000s. She recalls a scene that reenacted the sinking of the Titanic, and I nod politely.

I’m too embarrassed to tell her that I’m one of the people she pities. My Catholic parents didn’t see the value in exposing me to women exposing their breasts onstage. And by the time I would have been able to take myself to a show, Jubilee had closed in 2016, putting to rest a legacy of topless performers dripping in decadent costumes entertaining Vegas showgoers since the ‘50s.

But where one era ends, another begins. Von Teese, the queen of burlesque who has brought her own inspired show to the Strip— first at the Horseshoe in the former Jubilee Theater and now at the Venetian—says the spirit of the showgirl lives on through symbolism, revived costumes and contemporary performance.

“I never claimed to be fully creating a replica of Jubilee. I never wanted to do that. ... I have a different outlook on it. But I do

respect it very much. And believe me, I would love it if the curtains opened on Jubilee and we had a time machine and could look at the Lido de Paris and see these shows again,” she tells the Weekly Von Teese’s current burlesque show, which opened in September 2024 at Voltaire and has been extended through October of this year, might be the closest we can get to a showgirl spectacular given that it uses the original, ridiculously expensive and elaborate costumes that were worn in Jubilee (more on that later).

Topless revues on the Strip—like Fantasy at Luxor and X Burlesque, X Country and X Rocks at Caesars Entertainment properties—also bring us closer to one of the essential characteristics of the classic showgirl, her bare chest sans pasties. A few variety shows like Vegas! The Show at Saxe Theater maintain her presence in a supporting role.

Honorary recognitions also keep showgirls on our minds and lips. Fantasy producer Anita Mann successfully petitioned the National Day Archives in Washington to designate May 24 as National Showgirl Day, which was celebrated by generations of showgirls this year with a Champagne pop at Luxor’s Atrium Showroom. And the iconic Crazy Girls statue—a bronze lifecast of seven thong-clad dancers that used to grace the

entrance at the Riviera—recently came out of storage to be installed at Circa Downtown.

Showgirl symbolism is alive and well in Las Vegas and pop culture, as seen in YESCO’s 2022 installation of 50-foot showgirls near the Las Vegas Boulevard Gateway Arches. The Golden Knights have the Vegas Belles. And showgirls appeared in the Killers’ music video for “The Man” well before Taylor Swift summoned their spirit for the name of her next album.

THE AUTHENTIC VEGAS SHOWGIRL

There’s no doubt the showgirl is revered and remembered. But are we remembering her correctly?

Gia Coppola’s 2024 film The Last Showgirl, set in Las Vegas and inspired by Jubilee’s closing, captures what purists were holding onto during the closing of the last classic showgirl revue on the Strip. After learning that the fictional Razzle Dazzle will be closing in two weeks, the younger showgirls are trying out for other shows. Pamela Anderson’s character, Shelly, a more seasoned showgirl who has been with Razzle Dazzle since its early days, calls those other shows “low class.”

The Crazy Girls “No Ifs, Ands, or Butts” statue was at the Riviera until the casino closed in 2015, then the bronze lifecast moved with the show to Planet Hollywood. It remained there until the show’s closing in 2021. After years in storage, the statue found a new home at Circa in 2025.

The younger girls ask what sets Razzle Dazzle apart.

“This show’s famous. It’s just tradition. It has roots in France. It’s the last remaining descendent of Parisian Lido culture. ... The glamor is undeniable,” Shelly says, lamenting contemporary Vegas’ flouting of its heritage.

But to younger people who never experienced any of the classic shows, what does that tradition entail?

In the beginning, the concept of showgirls were an invention of white men like Jack Entratter (who hand picked the Copa Girls at the Sands) and other male entertainment executives at casinos. If you look at photos from the shows in the ’50s, you’ll notice showgirls were all white, with the exception of the Black showgirls who performed at the Westside’s

short-lived Moulin Rouge. Even after Vegas’ desegregation in 1960, performers of color were still separated from white performers in shows like Hallelujah Hollywood, and until the early 2000s, Jubilee

Physical requirements had a dual purpose—to satisfy the status quo beauty standards of the time, and to ensure that the showgirls could wear and carry the massive, heavy costumes.

To be hired, women had to be at least 5-foot-8. Scars, tan lines and tattoos were not allowed.

Employment applications often included lines for their age, weight, hair, eye and skin colors, and measurements of bust, waist and hips. As one 1981 “personal appearance notice” preserved by Nevada State Museum advises, “a weight reduction” was required of

dancers who didn’t maintain the standards.

Grant Philipo, CEO of the Las Vegas Showgirl Museum, is well versed in the history and traditions of showgirls in Vegas and has strong convictions about the definition of that word and the vocation it describes.

“She had to be topless. ... Technically, if you look up the history and follow it from the 1800s until now, that was the requirement,” he says. “If you want to say, ‘She’s showing and she’s a girl, [so] she’s a showgirl,’ that is a different category. ... It was a big decision for a lot of women to make. They had to think hard about, do I show my breasts or don’t I? And there was the stigma that if she did, she was somehow tainted.”

The mislabeling of clothed dancers as “showgirls” partly stems

from how the productions were marketed, he adds. “Walkers,” who were extremely tall, fully clothed women, were photographed more widely for ads and news.

Arguing for a more inclusive definition, some may cite the El Rancho Girls or Copa Girls of the ’40s and ’50s who weren’t topless, but did expose a gratuitous amount of skin (by those days’ standards). “They were chorus girls,” Philipo says. Not every cast member in a showgirl production was actually a showgirl proper.

In The Last Showgirl, Shelly mentioned glamor, which was largely signaled through extravagant costumes and sets. Philipo, a costume designer and former performer, estimates that some of the backpacks (steel-framed accessories typically with feathers, crystals and other decorative

elements radiating outward) in Jubilee cost as much as $50,000. The shows themselves cost millions to produce.

Shelly also mentioned the French influence on the brand of the Las Vegas showgirl, but before discussing that, the influence of New York’s burlesque scene should be noted. It was New York burlesque producer Harold Minsky who brought the first topless show to the Strip with Minsky’s Follies, which opened at the Dunes in 1957.

Then came the large productions, which often boasted on their marquees that they were “direct from Paris.” The dancers of Lido de Paris (opened in 1958 at the Stardust) were trained at the famed Madame Bluebell’s Paris headquarters, and the costumes and sets originated from the city as well. At Folies Bergere at the Tropicana, the famous Parisian can-can line was adopted. And Casino de Paris (opened in 1963 at the Dunes) featured French singer Line Renaud.

The traditional Las Vegas showgirl had many rules. She had to be “beautiful,” young, tall, French-inspired. And shows were spectacular with intricate sets and sometimes more than 100 cast members.

But as tastes changed over time, the showgirl and her shows also changed. To survive, she couldn’t stay the same.

TO BREAK THE RULES ...

Philipo recalls a time when stage productions were more abundant in Las Vegas.

“I came here in ’76. ... That’s when they used to have lounge shows that went until 8 a.m. So you could plan your entire night by maybe going to one or two of the really big shows. And then you would just go to different casinos and go to their lounge shows. ... They were just small versions of the big shows,” he says.

From the originals of the ’50s and ’60s to Hallelujah Hollywood in the ’70s to Jubilee and Crazy Girls in the ’80s to Enter the Night in the ’90s, Vegas revues evolved. New music, new costumes and new acts circulated throughout new productions and editions. Fantasy’s Mann, who has choreographed countless Strip shows including Minsky’s Follies in 1974, recalls how her show changed through the decades.

“When I started Fantasy in 1999, it was more of the traditional showgirl. And as it kept evolving, and the music that I felt I wanted to put into the show, you can’t

do it in those headdresses. You can’t do full-out dancing in those costumes,” she says. “So I started changing a number every few weeks, changing choreography, putting in more dancing. And now it’s evolved to still pay tribute to showgirls.”

Eventually, the showgirl spectacular—the one with the headdresses—was deemed obsolete and too expensive. It’s no coincidence that Folies Bergere, the longest-running show in Las Vegas history, closed in 2009 during the global financial crisis.

“That era of spending millions of dollars on costumes is finished,” Von Teese says. “You’ll never find somebody investing that much in beautiful costumes with 40-ply ostrich [feathers] ever again. It would be very hard to imagine somebody caring enough to do that in this day and age.”

The exact formula for a showgirl spectacular might be something of the past. But that doesn’t mean the ingredients have expired. The “rules” for what makes a showgirl

inspired Von Teese’s show at Voltaire inside the Venetian.

“I actually really love all of the different rules that the showgirls have. I did go very deep into the history to understand where I wanted to break the rules and where I wanted to respect them,” she says.

Although burlesque at its core, Von Teese’s show nods to the Las Vegas showgirl with the “unbelievably decadent” Bob Mackie and Pete Menefee-designed costumes dripping with crystals and swelling with feathers, 20-pound headpieces included. A staircase—a staple in revues like Jubilee—appears as well. And she nods to “cliches” in Vegas history with a big-band version of “Viva Las Vegas” playing in opening and closing numbers, in which she and 15 performers gracefully saunter across the stage in costumes once worn in Jubilee

Before she encountered them, the prized costumes were simply forgotten and shoved in a basement, according to Von Teese. When she was scoping the Jubilee

“You can’t scrimp on this stu . The extravagance of it all is so important. It’s part of this ‘Look, but do not touch.’ It’s this real heightened decadence that would take your breath away.

That’s the thing that’s hard to

achieve.”

–DITA VON TEESE

Theater at Horseshoe as a potential spot for her show, she asked what happened to them.

“I walked downstairs and it was crazy—dead cockroaches everywhere. There was a massive liquid soap spill that looked like it had been there for years. ... So we revived the costumes,” she says. “It was fun for me to see how they’re made. Because we see a lot of modern reproductions of showgirl costumes. And it’s usually like, let’s glue some rhinestones on a bra or bikini and call it a day. But it’s very different. The bras are made with incredible soldering work. If you got to see any of it up close,

it’s really a heavy duty [job].”

Bringing the costumes back to life is about much more than the costume itself. Von Teese says she feels the weight of “generations of women” who wore them before her—their skill, strength and perseverance. She brings that each time she puts the costume on.

“I remember the first time I put [it on] ... I was like, I don’t know if I can wear this. The girls that wore this were so much taller than me,” says Von Teese, who stands 5-foot-3. “I remember it being very hard at first. But anything is hard at first if it’s worth doing.”

As for breaking with tradition, Von Teese brings in the American-style burlesque she is known for. The acts are held together by playful, tantalizing disrobing, leaving only pasties and G-strings by the end. And Voltaire’s catwalk allows performers to get up close, at times dusting audience members with their feathered costumes and thrusting pelvises at eye level.

“Showgirls and burlesque, they need to evolve. They need to change. They need to become relevant. So for me, some of the things that needed to go out the window were the weight, age and body type stereotypes of the showgirl, and also gender,” says the 52-year-old Von Teese.

She caught flack from showgirl “purists” criticizing her decision to use performers who didn’t fit the height, weight and age requirements of the past. She put men in costumes traditionally worn by women. And she sought and selected a multicultural cast spanning a variety of sizes.

“You have to stand for what you believe in and not worry too much about what everyone else thinks. I think I’ve taken a good stance on reconciling the two,” Von Teese says.

She acknowledges her show’s limits—that it’s not a re-creation of a classic million-dollar show. But above all, the showgirl’s glamor is left intact in Von Teese’s reinvention.

“I wish there was somebody who wanted to create an amazing, fully fledged showgirl revue in the right way. But they’re going to need a s**t-ton of money,” she says. “That’s one of the things that made it special. You can’t scrimp on this stuff. The extravagance of it all is so important. It’s part of this, ‘Look, but do not touch.’ It’s this real heightened decadence that would take your breath away. That’s the thing that’s hard to achieve.”

ETERNAL GLORY

Philipo says that since the golden age of the showgirl, Las Vegas has gone in a direction that no longer supports her existence. The family-friendly Vegas era, the dominance of nightclubs since the ’90s and the more recent appetite for interactive entertainment contributed to her decline on the city’s stages. In the past, casinos competed with each other for who had the biggest, best show, but today they just aren’t willing to spend as much or in the same ways to entertain guests, he says. And ironically, the hospitality capital of the world has become less hospitable to visitors across the economic spectrum.

“Fred Doumani [who owned the Tropicana from 1974 to 1979] says, back in his day ... our desire was, ‘How much can we give you, and how little do you have to pay for it?’ Now, it’s just the opposite. It’s ... how much can we get o you nancially, and give you as little as

humanly possible?” Philipo says. Losing showgirl productions is about more than just the bottom line. There’s also the loss of what she represented—beauty, glamor and, most importantly, empowerment. That’s what performers, artists and historians have held onto since the closing of Jubilee.

many people that are a part of it.”

Las Vegas without the showgirl. ... [And] they’re still around. They always will be.”

The showgirl is unforgettable. She’s eternally in our cultural memory. And her work has made lasting impressions and even changed lives.

There’s a relevant scene in The Last Showgirl where Shelly is accused of devoting too much to her career and not enough to her family. Why is she so upset that the last classic revue is ending? Why is she so committed to it?

“I love the show. I feel so good about myself in the show. And you ... can’t understand. The costumes, the sets, being bathed in that light night after night, feeling seen, feeling beautiful. That is powerful. And I can’t imagine my life without it,” Shelly says. She underscores how the very act of being a showgirl is transformative and enriching—a point that Mann of Fantasy made at the celebration of the inaugural National Showgirl Day.

As Philipo seeks out a public venue to operate the Las Vegas Showgirl Museum—currently run out of a private residence that Boy-lesque Kenny Kerr—he also vows to bring a classic revue back to the Strip.

Showgirl Museum—currently once belonged to star to

“Showgirls represented the

Burlesque

Not only are showgirls a part of Vegas history, many of them have made signi cant contributions to the city’s entertainment scene. On the day celebrating the Crazy Girls statue’s return, former cast member Angela Stabile recalls working at the show in her 20s and early 30s to put herself through school. She went on to create and produce the family of revues.

“It’s a symbol of women’s strength, empowerment, beauty, courage—having the courage and the desire and the tenacity to say, ‘This is beautiful. I feel elegant. I feel beautiful. I want other women to feel beautiful when they look at me and to aspire to be as beautiful as they can be on the inside and out,’” she says. “And when they’re onstage, it’s a glory for them. They are living a moment every night or every day that gives them satisfaction. And hopefully, the audience also feels that

words ‘Las Vegas,’ they have the vision of a showgirl. She’s the icon that everybody thinks of,” says Philipo, 67. “As long as I’m alive, I’m bringing her back, along with the showboys. ... It’s very important to me that people not forget her because of everything she did for Las Vegas. And there’s been so

X Rocks X Burlesque X Rocks because it’s

class and elegance of this town— the fact that anybody, anywhere in the world, the minute you say the words ‘Las Vegas,’ they have the been

“We’re celebrating our 23rd year on the Strip. ... In and we actually do a tribute number to the showgirl. We have full showgirl costumes at because it’s at the Horseshoe. We use the iconic costumes and keep them alive,” Stabile

Jubilee costumes alive,” Stabile says. “It wouldn’t be living a moment every night or every day that gives them satisfaction. And hopefully, empowerment.”

IN THE NEWS

Las Vegas breaks ground on medical center

The City of Las Vegas broke ground on August 18 on a new Recuperative Care Center that will expand support services and double bed capacity for people experiencing homelessness who have serious illnesses or injuries. The original facility was torn down earlier this summer to make way for the new center.

Construction on the expanded facility is expected to begin this month and wrap up by the end of next year, according to Rosa Cortez, deputy director of public works for the City of Las Vegas, who spoke at the groundbreaking. The state provided the city with a grant to help with the reconstruction.

“It is important for us to recognize that not everybody has the advantages that we all do, and we will do every-

thing we can to ensure those of us that are unhoused and have medical issues have a place to recuperate,” Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley said.

The original 40-bed facility, just off North Main Street Downtown, opened in 2021 as the first center of its kind in Southern Nevada to provide safe recovery services for homeless individuals, city officials said. The new facility will double that capacity to 80 beds and enable new programs such as mental health transition services.

Homelessness has been a growing issue in Southern Nevada, with 7,906 people reported to have experienced being unhoused on a single night in January 2024, the last year of available data according to the Southern Nevada Point-in-Time Count. The number was up 20% from the 2023 count.

City officials said the Recuperative Care Center had a 52% success rate for placing people into housing after they were medically cleared and discharged from the program.

Only those who have been referred by a hospital, outreach group or shelter and meet medical criteria can be taken into the center. Patients are allowed to decline services, but those who accept them receive medical assessments, a bed and clothing, storage for their personal items and intensive case management until they’re discharged.

While the new center is being built, a temporary location has been set up across the street on the second floor of the city’s Health and Wellness Clinic at North Main Street and Foremaster Lane. –Grace Da Rocha

HOT RODS Formula 1 kicked off a 100-day countdown until race day at the Grand Prix Plaza on August 14 with several festivities including the 100 Nights Until Lights Out car show, presented with local group Las Vegas Car Meets. The 100-vehicle show was staged along the pit lane and included contests for low car limbo, best in class and best in show. The Las Vegas Grand Prix will take place on the Strip November 20-22.

“Tools such as this location-sharing feature have the capability to harm social media users, especially our children and other vulnerable populations. I urge Meta and Instagram to release this feature responsibly and to inform their userbase of the protections they can access.”

AND CAT ADOPTION FEES WAIVED

The City of Henderson is waiving adoption fees for dogs and cats adopted by Henderson residents through September 1.

City officials said the waived fees are a “proactive” step to ensure the Henderson Animal Protection Services facility is operating at a “healthy capacity.”

Eligible residents may adopt one dog and one cat with waived fees. Proof of residency (valid photo ID and a utility or mobile phone bill showing the same name and residential address in Henderson) is required at the time of adoption.

Adoptable animals can be found at cityofhenderson.com/ adopt. –Staff

VIEWERS LIKE US

How local public radio and TV stations plan to navigate federal funding cuts

BY TYLER SCHNEIDER

In the half-decade since Mare Mazur became the president of Vegas PBS, the regional Emmy Award-winning TV executive managed to skillfully navigate her network through the pandemic, diversify its funding streams and extend its streak as one of the top-ten most-watched PBS stations nationwide to 15 consecutive years.

Lately, however, Mazur and her team have been preparing to tackle an entirely different challenge. Congressional Republicans clawed back more than $9 billion in public funds and programs by narrowly passing the Rescissions Act of 2025 last month. The cuts include $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which has played an instrumental role in supporting PBS and National Public Radio outlets since 1967.

tive blow of $7.5 million, according to a statement from Democratic U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto.

Cortez Masto and fellow Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen from Nevada sided against the cuts when they were approved via a 51-48 Senate vote on July 17. An initial June vote in the House of Representatives also saw all four of Nevada’s elected officials rally against the cuts, but Republican Rep. Mark Amodei eventually joined 215 of his GOP peers to pass it through the House in conjunction with the Senate vote last month.

“What I can control is what we do in our marketplace. How can we try and make lemonade out of this bushel of lemons? What new local programming could we be investing in if there’s less coming from the national producers? How can we get out into the communities where we haven’t had the capacity in the past? We’re looking at all those opportunities,” Mazur says.

In response, the CPB announced it would embark on an “orderly winddown” of operations through early 2026, including gutting most of its staff by September 30.

Now, Vegas PBS and other Valley public media nonprofits like Nevada Public Radio are facing an unprecedented chapter as they look to offset annual funding shortfalls of 12% and 8%, respectively, in 2026 and 2027.

“I think we were put on notice even before this administration took office,” Mazur says. “When they published Project 2025, there was an entire section dedicated to why CPB, PBS and NPR should be defunded, and we went into the New Year expecting that there would be some kind of effort there.”

She wishes her suspicions weren’t true.

“It’s very sad for me. The public owns these airways and likes our work, and I feel like that relationship in this public-private partnership is now being forgotten and ignored,” she says.

Mazur says Vegas PBS will lose roughly $3.8 million over the next two fiscal years, while Nevada Public Radio CEO Favian Perez says the station will see $800,000 less over the same period. All in all, Silver State public television and radio operators are set to suffer a collec-

In a June 12 statement—a month before Amodei rescinded his opposition—he cited concerns over the services his primarily rural constituents would lose if he didn’t take a stand. This notably includes a series of emergency alert systems administered through the national public media network.

“I agree we must make meaningful cuts to shrink our federal deficit. However, I would be doing a disservice to the thousands of rural constituents in my district if I did not fight to keep their access to the rest of the world and news on the air,” Amodei wrote before he changed course.

Later, after flipping his vote, Amodei wrote in a follow-up statement that he would “continue to fight for our local broadcasters in the months ahead.”

“We will have at least three more opportunities—through the Appropriations Committee markup process, voting on the House floor and conferencing with the Senate—to ensure that local broadcasting is still supported in [fiscal year 2026],” Amodei wrote. He was unavailable to respond to the Weekly’s request for comment.

Mazur isn’t banking on a deus ex machina anytime soon. While she believes Vegas PBS’ relative funding “surplus” will help it stay afloat for the foreseeable future, she adds that her funding losses essentially slash what they would have paid annually in PBS dues.

For her, that membership is crucial because it helps Vegas PBS leverage additional funding and support. Now, she says the station will be “doubling down on our commitment to local [programming]” to help mitigate the fallout.

Nevada Public Radio is taking a similar approach. Craig Knight, general manager of Las Vegas-based NPR affiliate station KCEP Power 88.1 FM, wrote in an email that his station now “stands at a crossroads” as it explores “short and long-term strategies to sustain its mission.”

These efforts include ramping up local fundraising drives, bolstering its network of public and private partnerships and committing itself to digital expansion to bring more younger listeners into the fold. Knight tells the Weekly that listeners can expect to learn more details about this campaign by the time KCEP celebrates its 53rd anniversary on October 7.

Mazur, who says Vegas PBS reaches 86.6% of Nevada, stresses that the “transmission capacity is not going to be impacted in any way, shape or form.” While she may not have anticipated these cuts when she took over in 2020, her proactive leadership helped pad the coffers enough to keep them going for the foreseeable future.

“The market’s been good to us, we’ve had savings along the way, and the endowment has enough of a surplus to carry us through—which means we don’t have to react in panic,” Mazur says. “So while we absolutely need to recoup this money and find other funding sources, we do have the ability to be methodical and strategic about it.”

Still, Vegas PBS, Nevada Public Radio and their affiliates all say that public contributions from viewers and listeners are more important than ever.

“I’ve already received calls from old and new donors alike,” Mazur says. “This has really galvanized a lot of people and put a big spotlight on what’s in jeopardy of being lost.”

STAY POSITIVE

Five reasons to believe UNLV football ascent has only just begun

BY CASE KEEFER

Optimism remains a foreign concept to some UNLV football fans.

The Scarlet and Gray transcended a reputation as one of the worst college football programs in the nation the last two years with backto-back winning seasons for the first time since 1980. But memories like waiting 24 years between postseason victories until last December’s Los Angeles Bowl win over California still linger.

The question is if this is the season it all falls apart again, with the architect of the recent success—coach Barry Odom—having departed for Purdue, gutting UNLV’s roster in the process.

The Rebels rank 132nd in the nation out of 136 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in returning production per ESPN’s SP+ ratings.

But fear not, and forget the past. Here are five reasons to believe in UNLV going into its season opener on August 23 against Idaho State at Allegiant Stadium, and why the best days are still ahead.

DAN MULLEN IS THE MAN

RUNNING BACKS GALORE

Trivia question: Which coach helmed the rst-ever team rated No. 1 in the College Football Playo Rankings?

Yes, it was new UNLV coach Dan Mullen when the system was unveiled in 2014 while he was at Mississippi State with Dallas Cowboys star Dak Prescott as his quarterback. Mullen won two national championships as o ensive coordinator at Florida, in 2006 and 2008, and nearly brought the Gators to the CFP in 2019. The 53-year-old has the best resume for a UNLV coach since John Robinson was hired in 1999. Going from Odom to Mullen is not a downgrade.

The Rebels may not be bringing back many of the same players, but at least junior running back Jai’Den

Thomas is one of them.

The Atlanta native broke out with 918 yards on 164 carries last year and earned All Mountain West honorable mention status going into this season.

A SPECIAL EDGE

UNLV elded one of the best special teams units in the nation over the last two seasons, and new coordinator Adam Scheier is emphasizing maintaining the same high standard despite all the personnel turnover.

He’s not the only veteran ball carrier who could shred defenses. The Rebels also plan to heavily feature a pair of senior transfers in Utah’s Jaylon Glover and Penn State’s Keyvone Lee. Freshman Kamran Williams and sophomore Darrien Jones have also turned heads at training camp.

There’s particular buzz on the impact junior receiver DeAngelo Irvin could have as a returner considering he excelled in limited opportunities the last two seasons backing up transferred star Jacob DeJesus.

The Rebels also lost standout kicker Caden Chittenden to the transfer portal but replaced him with proven Memphis/Ole Miss kicker Caden Costa. Mullen meanwhile handpicked freshman punter Cameron Brown out of a prep program in his native Australia.

NEWFOUND HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE

Home eld advantage might be more valuable in college football than any other sport, and for years, the Rebels didn’t have much of it at Sam Boyd Stadium.

NATIONAL PLAUDITS

That’s changed at Allegiant, which has started to draw larger crowds with UNLV playing meaningful games more often. That was readily apparent last year, especially in a late October loss to Boise State when UNLV announced a program record attendance of 42,228 people. The Rebels have gone 9-4 in their home building over the last two years, and that mark only gures to rise.

UNLV had never been ranked before last season when it broke into both the Associated Press and the Coaches’ polls midseason. The Rebels wound up nishing No. 23 and No. 24 respectively. Those placements may soon be the norm rather a rarity. UNLV fell just short of the top 25 polls going into this season but received votes in both. That means those who follow the sport the closest professionally believe in the program’s transformation, and you should too.

Podcasters and social media stars usher in a new trend in live entertainment

BY AMBER SAMPSON

This June, the Venetian hosted a big name in today’s entertainment landscape, and it wasn’t world-class magician Shin Lim, nor burlesque icon Dita Von Teese.

It was MomTok. The popular TikTok stars and reality TV subjects in Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives packed the 1,800-seat Palazzo Theatre, joining a growing wave of podcasters and social media personalities now commanding the same stages as traditional Vegas acts.

“We just had a show earlier this year with the Sturniolo Triplets and those guys are very popular on the internet with their TikTok and all their social media following, but they did a show that was very similar to MomTok. It sold out in under an hour,” says Jesse Summers, talent buyer for Live Nation Las Vegas. “It just shows that these artists are big and their fans want to see them.”

Summers, who typically books comedians for the Venetian, sees a noticeable shift. TikTok, YouTube and podcasting have launched these different personalities into the mainstream and the live entertainment landscape, and they’re bringing their devoted audiences along for the ride.

MomTok: The Unholy Tea drew such a sizable crowd, the ticketing line spilled out of the Palazzo Theatre, bringing casino floor traffic to a halt.

Summers says the fan-centric aspect has driven demand for these kinds of shows, and they’ve become a Strip-wide phenomenon. Popular true crime podcast Crime Junkies unearthed an exclusive case at Resorts World in May, and the paranormal-themed pod And That’s Why We Drink also spooked listeners at House of Blues that month. Pod Meets World delivered everything fans of the 1990s sitcom Boy Meets World could want to Palazzo Theatre in June.

“It was a fabulous show,” Summers says. “They brought a lot of attention to different episodes, and they had messages from other actors who were on the show. It was just a very eclectic mix of content, but it was really for the fans. It was almost like one giant episode of the actual podcast.”

Adam Steck, founder and CEO of SPI Entertainment, embraces this trend. Earlier this month, SPI partnered with the Strat to bring the Lawrence Brothers’ Brotherly Love Podcast Live to the millennial crowd.

“There’s traditional entertainment, which I think will always be a staple. Vegas is built on live entertainment ... but you have to have your eyes and ears on what’s different and what’s unique,” says Steck. “People like nostalgia. You want to relive your childhood moments, and this is a different way of doing it.”

Steck says such celebrity podcasters have built-in audiences to bolster the live shows and promote them virally, and each show brings its own flavor. Brotherly Love featured guest appearances by TLC’s Chilli, Debbie Gibson, Boy Meets World’s Daniel Fishel and Vegas drag legend Frank Marino, along with an in-depth Q&A.

“We’re breaking the fourth wall. It’s like giving the audience a group hug. Everybody’s together. The audience is involved and engaged,” says Steck. “And with these podcasts, if you’re a super fan, you can ask, ‘Hey, what happened on Blossom this ep? What happened on Boy Meets World? Everybody’s got their questions, which everybody gets to answer.”

The Strip will soon see more digital stars take the stage. The Cosmopolitan has booked a live show of The Basement Yard Podcast for August 31. The pipeline is also full at Venetian, with rising comic Matt Mathews and TikTok star comedian Morgan Jay returning in December. MGM Grand will host a live iteration of Dimension 20’s popular Dungeons & Dragons role-playing series on November 1.

“This is the new trend, and the sky’s the limit,” Steck says. “There’s so many podcasts out there. There’s so many personalities. It’s who wants to come to Vegas and monetize it, and come to the entertainment capital of the world and be a shiny diamond in the middle of a big, massive ring.”

A historian’s search and new exhibit reveal the real identity of Miss Atomic Bomb

BY JULIA ARENSON

to give both of them the recognition they deserved,” Friedrichs tells the

Nuclear testing wasn’t the only thing that went underground in the 1950s in Las Vegas. The true identity of the woman in the Atomic Age’s most iconic photograph was also buried.

But her identity proved to be much less accessible than her famous photo. Friedrichs’ curiosity about this showgirl-turned Vegas legend hit a dead end when his search led him to the model’s unattached stage name.

“It was everywhere, but nobody knew who it was,” he says, “It’s one of 100 top photographs in the Smithsonian collection. And that’s saying something.”

On May 24, 1957, a Sands Copa Room showgirl posed in a white mushroom cloud swimsuit at the Nevada Test Site. Arms raised to the sky with the expansive desert behind her, the model who performed under the stage name Lee A. Merlin coined an explosive image taken by Las Vegas News Bureau photographer Don English.

It quickly became the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s most popular photo. “Miss Atomic Bomb” became the face of Las Vegas’ atomic tourism and entertainment o erings at a time when the city was experiencing an eruption of growth. There was only one thing missing—this iconic face had no real name.

Today, a local exhibit sheds light on one historian’s quest to uncover her true identity. This summer, the Atomic Museum opened the Miss Atomic Bomb exhibit, featuring a collection of artifacts that tell a more complete story of the woman, including letters from former showgirls and current pop culture references to the nuclear age.

He didn’t give up hope of nding her identity. Instead, his determination to locate her only grew. But even after Friedrichs enlisted the help of English and a local detective agency, the trail remained cold. Interviews with former Sands showgirls only con rmed her stage name and revealed that she was, in fact, the Sands’ lead dancer.

Nearly 25 years later, long after the opening of the Atomic Museum, Friedrichs caught an unlikely break. He was giving a presentation at the museum in which he mentioned his so-far-unsuccessful search to nd Miss Atomic Bomb. He concluded the speech the same way he always did, with a casual question, “Are you going to help me nd her?”

Little did he know, he would soon receive an answer. Days later, an audience member who had found an obituary for Anna Lee Ecker—the married name of the lead dancer at the Sands Hotel who they believed was Lee A. Merlin. She had passed away in 2001 after a battle with cancer.

“Miss Atomic Bomb really captures what Vegas was like in the ‘50s. It has the atomic testing element, it has the glamor, it has the excitement and enthusiasm,” says Joseph Kent, the museum’s chief community o cer and curator.

ATOMIC BOMB: ICON OF THE ATOMIC AGE

Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m., $15-29. Atomic Museum, atomicmuseum. vegas.

After tracking down family members and connections, Friedrichs nally found a relative of Anna’s who was able to divulge her maiden name: Anna Lee Mahoney. His 25-year search had culminated in a bittersweet revelation; Anna’s legacy would be remembered for years to come, but she herself would never know the extent to which her contributions were commemorated.

The investigation began with Atomic Museum founding member and historian Robert Friedrichs. Before the musuem’s opening, Friedrichs thought back to the photo: What if “Miss Atomic Bomb” and her photographer English could attend the museum’s grand opening?

“It just seemed that it was the right thing to do

Anna’s who was able to divulge her maiden name:

The major economic growth and recognition Vegas experienced during the nuclear testing era can largely be attributed to the marketing power of photos such as Miss Atomic Bomb. And thanks to Freidrichs’ work and the Atomic Museum exhibit, we now can properly acknowledge the icon at the helm of this cultural explosion.

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Wynn’s latest o ering Pisces brings chef Martin Heierling back to the Strip

BY JIM BEGLEY

This should go without saying, but Wynn Las Vegas will never be mistaken for Casino Royale, home of the $4 foot-long hot dog. So it’s no surprise that the new Pisces Bar & Seafare eschews a ordability for quality—and truly excels as a special-occasion destination.

Taking over former seafood stalwart Lakeside, Pisces is helmed by Martin Heierling, marking the chef’s welcome return to Las Vegas after leading Strip restaurants years ago at Bellagio and Vdara. He hasn’t lost a step, unveiling a diverse Mediterranean menu welcoming pescatarians and full-blooded omnivores alike.

A trio of shell sh tower options, the cornerstone of any Strip seafood restaurant, o er an opening glimpse of aquatic options at a range of prices, from the $225 Voyage up to a cool $1,000 for the Siren’s O ering. You needn’t submit to the siren’s song to get your ll of curry-tinged mussels and buttery king crab.

Speaking of sirens, you should absolutely succumb to the Spirit of the Sea ($24). Pisces’ take on a dirty martini using Greek olive vodka Kástra Elión is a superb, subtly spicy cocktail garnished with a spicy pepper-stu ed olive and a demure caperberry. This is my drink of the summer, and it should be yours, too.

Complimentary pane sfogliato (Greek for pu pastry bread), the Balkan lovechild of monkey bread and brioche, starts your meal, served with a pair of delicious spreads—

roasted red pepper tirokafteri and roasted eggplant melitzanosalata. Try not to ll up on it so you don’t miss out on caviar and Jamón Ibérico croquetas ($48), a destination dish if there ever was one. Savory and nutty, it’s everything you want in a bite.

Equally successful is the king salmon crudo ($32). The subtle funkiness exuded from the aged sh is contrasted by accents of chili and lime, the perfect example of Heierling’s ability to coax myriad avors from a single bite. Since Pisces is not simply a seafood restaurant but a Mediterranean one, the sh averse shouldn’t shy away. I rarely suggest a restaurant’s chicken dish, but the shawarma paillard ($45) is remarkable, a do-it-yourself dish swaddled in za’atar-laden joujou bread. Even more impressive are the grilled lamb chops ($95) adorned with harissa chili crisps and tzatziki. Another dish worth celebrating: the spicy lobster spaghettini ($75), the only pasta not made in-house, o ers a fun presentation in a lobster shell while delivering balanced heat. Ultimately, this is Pisces, a special dining destination for special occasions, one where I look forward to celebrating again and again.

Sunday-Thursday, 4:30-10 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 4:30-10:30 p.m.

THE DOG DAYS AT THE

DOBERMAN

DOBERMAN DRAWING ROOM

1025 S. First St., dobermandtlv. com. Daily, 5 p.m.-2 a.m.

BY GEOFF CARTER

With its ornate doorbell, the Doberman Drawing Room looks like a private club. But this Arts District bar isn’t members-only; anyone can enter with a reservation. You should get in there—not just to experience its genteel deportment, antiques-rich décor and tasty tinned sh, but because the Doberman’s head of beverage is Juyoung Kang, a legit cocktail wizard. No (pointy) cap. Kang’s outstanding drink menu favors natural ingredients, bright tastes and worldly in uences.

On a recent visit I enjoyed the winsome, summery Otter Festival ($20)— lemongrass shochu, white cacao, yuzu, elder ower and matcha, topped with a velvety foam. The Caninha ($20), an inventive variant on Brazil’s national beverage the Caipirinha, blends cachaça—a fermented sugarcane spirit—with lime, coconut, honey, assorted spices and herbs and a splash of tonic. The result is a smooth, splendidly balanced potation that I actually prefer to the Caipirinha, but please don’t tell Rio de Janeiro.

Kang’s love of horchata nds perfect expression in the Sahara ($20)—tequila blanco, cantaloupe, hibiscus, rice milk and cinnamon, topped with a game-changing sprinkle of peanuts. And abstainers can pick up a Good Vibrations ($16): tomato, lychee, lemongrass, strawberry, white pepper and sumac. It’s a tall, cool glass of sorcery.

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Xanadu rock gp.

Undone actress Salazar

92 The “D.W.” of D.W. Griffith? 96 Having two sharps, like Bach’s most famous Mass

“Certainly!”

Novelist Fannie

Rocket interceptor, for short 103 Mauna -104 Explorer of kiddie TV

105 The “W.H.” of W.H. Auden? 111 Meryl Streep’s alma mater 114 Tokyo Stock Exchange index 117 1985 Kate Nelligan film 118 Actress Vardalos

119 The “P.T.” of P.T. Barnum?

123 Having the most thatch, say

Choir male 125 2001 scandal corporation 126 “That’s my aim”

Remains

Speckled horses

DOWN 1 Rib eye, e.g.

Austinite, e.g.

Poblano chili pepper

RSVP encl.

Thickly laid-on

1,103, in old Rome 7 Something really funny 8 Comic Judy

Notable span 10 Peanut or soybean

Tibia’s locale

Curt denial

ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): When glassmakers cool a new piece, they don’t simply leave it to harden. They place it in an annealing oven, where the temperature drops gradually. This strengthens the glass. I love the intensity you’ve recently expressed, but now it’s time to gradually cool down. Transform your fervor into an enduring reservoir of power.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):To paraphrase Rumi, “Don’t get lost in your pain. Know that one day your pain will become your cure.” You’ve arrived at this pivotal moment. A wound you’ve carried for a long time is about to mature into a gift. Shed the assumption that you will be forever cursed by this hurt. Open your heart and harvest the healing.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Tibetan Buddhist temples feature statues of fierce guardian spirits that scare away negative forces. I invite you to be your own threshold guardian, informed with fierce clarity. Don’t let the blithe aspect of your personality compromise your interests by being too accommodating. Stand at your gate and say, “I protect this. I cherish this. I won’t dilute this.”

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You use your imagination to generate visions of things that don’t exist yet, and this is especially crucial right now. The coming months will be fertile for shaping the life you want to live for the next 10 years. If I can help you keep your imagination filled with positive expectations, you are more likely to devise marvelous self-fulfilling prophecies.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In traditional Chinese medicine, the heart is the seat of joy and the sovereign that listens to the other organs. As you move from attracting novelty to building stability, cultivate extra heart-centered leadership. Make decisions based on love and compassion, not just rational analysis. Be in service to wholeness rather than temporary advantage.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In Mesoamerican myth, the god Quetzalcoatl journeys to the underworld to recover old bones needed to create new life. Draw inspiration from this story. You’ve been gathering pieces of the past not out of obligation but as raw material. Now is the time for reassembly. You won’t rebuild the same old thing. Use your history to design your future.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Each of us has a variety of faces. Our identity is multifaceted. I think you should make a special point of celebrating this truth in the coming weeks. Now is an excellent time to explore and honor your many selves. Take full advantage of your inner diversity and enjoy revealing the full array of truths you contain.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In the Upanishads, ananda means bliss in the sense of deep, ecstatic knowing. You are close to attracting this glorious experience, not just fleetingly, but for a while. You will glide into alignments that feel like coming home to your eternal self. Treasure these divine gifts. Immerse yourself with total welcome and gratitude. Let ananda inform your next steps.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In Daoist cosmology, life is characterized by cyclical, flowing patterns. With this in mind, make the spiral your symbol of power. It may feel like you’re revisiting old ground, but I guarantee it’s not mere repetition. An interesting form of evolution is underway. You’re returning to longstanding challenges armed with fresh wisdom.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Inuit artworks are often made from materials available in their environment, like driftwood and caribou bones. This is evidence of their resourcefulness. Borrow their approach. Create your practical magic by relying on what’s already available. Be enterprising as you generate usefulness and fun out of scraps and leftovers.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The medieval alchemists had a central principle: “Seek out the lower reaches of the earth, perfect them and you will find the hidden stone.” I invite you on a similar underground quest. The purpose isn’t to wallow in worry, but to retrieve a treasure. Some magnificence beneath your surface life is buried, and it’s time you went and got it.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In ancient Greece, the god Janus presided over doorways. He had two faces, one looking forward, one gazing backward. This is your Janus phase. Peer behind you with curiosity and compassion. What cycle has ended? What wisdom has settled? Then face the future with eager intention and confidence.

BACKSTORY

THE RUN FOR A MILLION | SOUTH POINT | AUGUST 14, 2025 In horse cutting, a horse and its rider function like a pair of scissors “cutting” a cow away and keeping it away from its herd. It’s a task that’s even more tricky when it’s confined to South Point Arena and Equestrian Center’s 250-by-125-foot show floor. But rider Cody Hedlund and horse Konna (pictured) managed to place seventh in one of the many reining competitions in Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan’s Run for a Million event this month. Rider Michael Cooper and horse Bella Louella won the $50,000 first-place prize. These competitors were a testament to equestrian power and skill—no horsing around.

–Shannon Miller