{"id":7652,"date":"2014-07-11T17:16:53","date_gmt":"2014-07-11T17:16:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/2014\/07\/11\/ae-the-naked-truth-where-does-vegas-draw-the-line-when-it-comes-to-nudity-onstage\/"},"modified":"2014-07-11T17:16:53","modified_gmt":"2014-07-11T17:16:53","slug":"ae-the-naked-truth-where-does-vegas-draw-the-line-when-it-comes-to-nudity-onstage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/2014\/07\/11\/ae-the-naked-truth-where-does-vegas-draw-the-line-when-it-comes-to-nudity-onstage\/","title":{"rendered":"AE THE NAKED TRUTH: WHERE DOES VEGAS DRAW THE LINE WHEN IT COMES TO NUDITY ONSTAGE?"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n\tModel: Melody Sweets, \u201cThe Green Fairy\u201d in Absinthe at Caesars Palace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\tMark AdamsThu, Jul 10, 2014 (midnight)
\n\tThe lights have long past dimmed and we\u2019re well into the show. A performer takes center stage, illuminated in spotlight, flashing the audience a smile somewhere between sweet and sultry. She holds a red handkerchief in her hand, the color vibrant against the subtlety of a black, pin-striped skirt suit.<\/p>\n

\tSuddenly the crimson cloth is gone, and then it reappears. Under the lapel, through the bodice, out the lapel. The jacket comes off. We\u2019re being teased.<\/p>\n

\tThat hanky keeps vanishing, resurfacing each time in a new article of clothing, and with each flash of red, another piece of her sexy business-casual getup hits the floor.<\/p>\n

\tThe whispers soften as the performance transfixes the audience. Eventually, she\u2019s down to just a thong. Surely, she won\u2019t take that off, right?<\/p>\n

\tBut there\u2019s that smirk, and once again the scarlet silk has vanished. She reaches down to tease it out of her underwear, and then \u2026 her panties come off.<\/p>\n

\tIs she covered? There\u2019s quite a bit of, um, hair there. It almost looks fake, like \u2026 a wig?<\/p>\n

\tGlancing around the room, I see a collage of stunned expressions. I\u2019m not the only one who wasn\u2019t expecting that. And every face is painted with the same thought: Is that real?<\/p>\n

\tBut before we have time to consider the full-frontal nudity we just experienced, to really take in that surprising dose of skin, the dancer retreats backstage and the Vegas Nocturne theater at Rose. Rabbit. Lie. goes black.<\/p>\n

\n\tOf course, Las Vegas is known for its Sin City reputation, fueled by gentlemen\u2019s clubs, sex shops, Strip party palaces and a healthy embrace of sex as a sales tool (not to mention the widespread and incorrect perception that prostitution is legal). Ample alcohol provides social lubrication for every situation, showgirls go topless every night of the week, servers look like models and advertisements for local clubs don\u2019t leave much to the imagination. To top it off, our town\u2019s debauchery is a central character in movies like The Hangover and the iconic LVCVA ads that have given tourists an \u201canything goes\u201d permission slip on the Strip.<\/p>\n

\tBut despite Vegas\u2019 sexy sensory overload, a web of rules and regulations governs how much clothing can be stripped off in casino productions, an answer to the question hanging over the end of that Vegas Nocturne act: How naked can you actually get on a Las Vegas Strip stage?<\/p>\n

\tShowgirls have been taking off their sequined brassieres for decades here, as the feather boa-clad beauties became a fixture of Strip entertainment in the 1950s. Chorus lines would hit the stage in elaborate headdresses and embellished panties\u2014and not much else\u2014in shows like Lido de Paris at the Stardust or Les Folies Bergere, which closed in 2009 after 49 years at the Tropicana. Topless performers remain a big piece of the Vegas entertainment puzzle today (albeit with fewer feathers) in shows like Fantasy at the Luxor, the Flamingo\u2019s X Burlesque, the Riviera\u2019s iconic Crazy Girls, the new Sydney After Dark at Planet Hollywood and Jubilee at Bally\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\tJubilee\u2019s iconic showgirls are just as topless as the lovely ladies down the street at D\u00e9j\u00e0 Vu and Olympic Gardens, but they don\u2019t dance under the same strict guidelines and regulations. That\u2019s because Clark County differentiates between the showrooms that host Jubilee and Fantasy and the erotic dance establishments where strippers go to work.<\/p>\n

\tShowrooms must have a minimum of 125 seats, and their patrons are assigned ticketed chairs or escorted by an usher. Those aren\u2019t just perks; they\u2019re requirements, and there are more. Showrooms offering topless entertainment must also have a liquor license, their performers must remain onstage and not engage in physical contact with the audience, and tipping performers is strictly prohibited. Oh, and they can\u2019t be seen outside the showroom while topless, so don\u2019t expect to find them handing out promotional fliers for their shows.<\/p>\n

\tTopless revues, production shows, nightclub performances and other forms of entertainment also have to comply with federal, state and local laws regarding obscenity and lewdness. In basic terms, Nevada law defines \u201cobscene\u201d as any item, material or performance that an average person today would find \u201cappeals to prurient interest,\u201d that \u201clacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value\u201d and either: \u201c1. Depicts or describes in a patently offensive way ultimate sexual acts, normal or perverted, actual or simulated or 2. Depicts or describes in a patently offensive way masturbation, excretory functions, sadism or masochism or 3. Lewdly exhibits the genitals.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tHow, then, does Rose. Rabbit. Lie.\u2019s unsuited dancer get past that last requirement?<\/p>\n

\t\u201cWhen we came to Vegas and we wanted to do that act, we investigated using a merkin and decided that was the correct way to go,\u201d says Vegas Nocturne producer Ross Mollison, referring to the pubic wig that fools audiences four nights a week (reports this week indicated the show is facing a potential closure and\/or move to another property, rumored to be SLS). \u201cYou always have to be cognizant of what the casino gaming regulations are \u2026 and because we\u2019ve worked in Vegas now for a number of years, we\u2019re used to that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe producer is exactly right. While production shows must abide by local, state and federal standards for their own well-being, if they are housed in casinos, their landlords\u2019 standing with the Nevada Gaming Control Board is also at stake. According to GCB Chief of Enforcement Karl Bennison, the Board holds all licensees responsible for their tenants\u2014so if Zumanity gets a little too sensual, MGM Resorts, along with Cirque du Soleil, is on the legal hook.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cThe bottom line about obscenity is that it\u2019s just a misdemeanor, the bigger question is how does that impact gaming … that\u2019s the tail wagging the dog,\u201d says Dayvid Figler, a local attorney and former municipal judge. \u201cIt\u2019s really, really hard to define what is illegal obscenity versus free expression … I don\u2019t think that anyone seriously takes the threat of an obscenity prosecution in Nevada these days, but they are worried about that secondary impact on gaming because they don\u2019t want to lose the license of the hotel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tAccording to its regulations, the Gaming Control Board can pursue disciplinary action against a licensee if the Board deems an activity an \u201cunsuitable method of operation,\u201d including activities that are detrimental to \u201cthe public health, safety, morals, good order and general welfare\u201d of Nevadans or activities \u201cthat would reflect or tend to reflect discredit\u201d on the state or gaming industry.<\/p>\n

\tLicensees are also required to abide by federal, state and local laws and regulations, and the Board can consider the \u201cfailure to exercise discretion and sound judgment to prevent incidents\u201d that would reflect on the state\u2019s reputation or harm the development of the gaming industry as grounds for disciplinary action. Bennison says the GCB uses municipal codes to determine violations \u201cwhen it comes to nudity or lewdness or anything related.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cThe Board regulations don\u2019t address nudity specifically, but they do talk about exercising discretion and sound judgment to prevent incidents which might reflect on the repute of the state of Nevada.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThat\u2019s right, folks\u2014even in a place notorious and revered for its sexuality and decadence, the Silver State\u2019s reputation remains a consideration.<\/p>\n

\tIt\u2019s the attack of the 50-foot zombie! Okay, she\u2019s probably only 5-foot-9\u2014but she towers above the scattering of Ken dolls below her. It\u2019s a scene right out of Godzilla, staged at the V Theater in Zombie Burlesque.<\/p>\n

\tWith the Las Vegas skyline at her feet, she begins furiously plucking up Barbie\u2019s plastic friends, only to rip their heads off and drop them to the ground. Everyone is watching, eyes glued to the blonde beauty, as she strides across the stage, wreaking havoc on Mattel\u2019s golden boys.<\/p>\n

\tDid I mention she\u2019s only in panties and pasties?<\/p>\n

\tThough a Clark County representative said women wearing pasties are technically considered topless, a rep for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department explained that the tiny coverings provide enough coverage to be legal\u2014whether the wearer is onstage or walking down the Strip.<\/p>\n

\n\tBut while shows like Zombie Burlesque, Zumanity, Absinthe and Vegas Nocturne tailor their acts to local regulations, something occasionally crosses the line. And casino operators don\u2019t take kindly to such infractions.<\/p>\n

\tThe risqu\u00e9, theatrical Act Nightclub\u2014an offshoot of the much naughtier Box nightclubs in London and New York City owned by Simon Hammerstein\u2014closed in October 2013 a few weeks shy of its first anniversary. News reports indicated that Palazzo, Act\u2019s resident casino, had pursued legal action to evict the club in Clark County District Court, arguing that it staged acts in violation of the state\u2019s obscenity laws. An official reason for its closure wasn\u2019t released, and Bennison says he wasn\u2019t aware of any investigation into Palazzo over the goings-on at the nightspot.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cMy understanding is that the licensee themselves looked into it and made a decision and took action,\u201d Bennison says. \u201cSomething may occur within a licensed resort; it\u2019s how the licensee reacts to it, also, that plays into whether the Board will be concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tSpeaking generally about the Board\u2019s process of dealing with a complaint, Bennison says courses of action range from addressing the issue verbally to a full investigation, sometimes alongside Metro or other law or code enforcement agencies.<\/p>\n

\tIf a violation is found, Bennison says, the Board begins formal correspondence to identify the problem and possible solutions. If a violation is severe enough, the Board may hand it off to the attorney general\u2019s office, fine the licensee or revoke the license (though that last step is extremely rare, Bennison adds).<\/p>\n

\tClark County Public Information Officer Dan Kulin says the Department of Business License would be involved with the correction of an infraction pertaining to obscenity. The county begins with a notice of violation, which is followed by a citation, which could ultimately result in a business license suspension or revocation.<\/p>\n

\tWhile some shows on the Strip have a reputation for envelope-pushing performances that feel like they might suddenly cross the line into extremely explicit territory, with reputations (and licenses) at stake, even the production shows known for raunch seem to err on the side of caution.<\/p>\n

\tStill, I can\u2019t help thinking back to that act at Rose. Rabbit. Lie., and the shock in the room as the panties hit the stage. Perhaps racy performances are even racier in Las Vegas. Perhaps we have a higher tolerance for nudity, innuendo and even the odd pubic wig.<\/p>\n

\tOr not.<\/p>\n

\tVegas Nocturne production company Spiegelworld used the exact same striptease act in a New York City production of Absinthe in 2006\u2014sans merkin. Local regulations didn\u2019t mandate any covering for the performance, perhaps thanks to the regularity, ubiquity even, of nudity on Broadway and off.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cYou could go right back to productions like Oh! Calcutta! or Hair, which were on Broadway in the \u201960s, and I don\u2019t think you could probably do those in Las Vegas in a casino on the Strip in 2014,\u201d says Spiegelworld\u2019s Mollison. \u201cBecause they were fully naked onstage and that\u2019s just the way it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tBut Mollison says he wasn\u2019t discouraged by the sanitized Sin City Strip\u2019s creative restraint. \u201cI just find ways to assimilate a similar sort of experience for our audience and still meet the requirements, which I think we have perfectly done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tHe\u2019s about to try the same thing in Tokyo, launching a production there called Empire, which usually involves full-frontal male nudity. While the act will be scaled down for Japanese audiences, its Australian tour showed crowds the full monty.<\/p>\n

\tStill, even if the striptease at Rose. Rabbit. Lie. uses some smoke and mirrors, isn\u2019t that, itself, authentically Las Vegan?<\/p>\n

\t\u201cIt seriously doesn\u2019t really matter that she\u2019s not nude,\u201d Mollison says. \u201cIt\u2019s just fun the way it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Replies:<\/h3>\n

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Model: Melody Sweets, \u201cThe Green Fairy\u201d in Absinthe at Caesars Palace. Mark AdamsThu, Jul 10, 2014 (midnight) The lights have long past dimmed and we\u2019re well into the show. A performer takes center stage, illuminated in spotlight, flashing the audience…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latest-casino-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7652","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7652"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7652\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7652"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7652"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7652"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}