A reviewer recently commented on the Preface of my book where I describe a long list of strange and unusual patrons who might be spotted in a typical casino. Among many others, I mention: millionaires, Japanese businessmen, reality TV aficionados, dog owners, surfers, fat guys who are good at racquetball, newlyweds, vegetarians, hillbillies, telephone call center operators from New Delhi, pro bowlers, chain smokers, worthless co-workers who say, “I can’t do anything in the morning until I get my caffeine fix,” farmers, weight-watchers, tourists, hot dog vendors, people who still like Family Circus, Buddhists, Avon ladies, tweeters, and just plain ugly people. I haven’t met all the unique blackjack players in the world, but I’ve seen enough of them to make a relatively credible claim. The book reviewer told me that he had experienced the opposite phenomena throughout the years at the casino—to him, the patrons always seemed to be the same, ordinary looking people day in and day out.
What do you think? Does the normal casino look like a public library, or does it resemble a zoo exhibit? Before you answer, I offer photographic proof to support my claim:
http://gwiggy3.home.comcast.net/~gwiggy3/Kinky.JPG
The gentleman in the photos was playing blackjack at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, January 19th, 2013. Before commenting on his atypical attire, I must first let you know that the Adult Video News (AVN) Awards were being hosted by the Hard Rock the same weekend that my son and I visited there. Everywhere you looked in the hotel lobby and casino, there were porn actresses falling out of the clothes, porn merchants promoting their products/websites, and porn fans gawking at everyone and everything. There were also a couple booths in which merchants were promoting what could only be described as “dungeon leisure wear.” I suspect this gentleman was working one of these booths earlier—or maybe, shopping there.
He was a distinguished looking man, approximately seventy years old. He could’ve been anyone’s grandpa or their retired high school principal. From the waist up, he looked like an older Ozzie Nelson or Mister Rogers complete with long-sleeved, button-up sweater. From the waist down, he was kinky as hell—sporting a leather smock like the type worn by the torturers in the movie “Hostel.” He also wore knee-high patent leather boots with five-inch heels and gold spurs. I don’t know much about the practice of S&M, but I suspect that this gentleman was one of their Lifetime Achievement Award winners. When I first saw him at the blackjack table, I didn’t know whether to chuckle or run for my life. I imagine that other players at his table might’ve been afraid to say “hit me” on their hand while in the presence of this master. Or maybe they would love just that! After all, it was the weekend that the porn Oscars were being awarded.
Glen Wiggy
Author of "1536 Free Waters and Other Blackjack Endeavors--Finding Profit and Humor in Card-Counting"
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Originally Posted by glenwiggy
What about an AP? I hear there are those local AP's that dress as cowboys in December when the Rodeo is in town, dress in Nascar garb in March when Nascar comes to town, dress as geeks in early January, when the Consumer Electronic Show takes over the town, dress up for halloween and try to blend in with every other group or convention. Why not the Porn crowd?
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