I’ve been to Las Vegas three times since Christmas. I know exactly what you’re thinking. Three trips to Vegas in five weeks!? IsMichael is one of those high rollers you see in the movies, the kind of dude who bets the GDP of Kyrgyzstan on the spin of the roulette wheel, wins big, goes on a three-day heater, then loses it all on a proposition bet involving a ramen eating contest and the cast of the Thunder From Down Under? Well, I’m not that guy, although I could go for some top-shelf ramen. Truth is, I go to Vegas for two reasons. First, my mom lives there. Second, Vegas is aces for stories (see Observe & Retort and Sicario Bingo: Ride Share Edition). Of course, I’m not the only writer who has found story gold in Las Vegas. One of my favorite movies set in Las Vegas is Ocean’s 11 (the remake with George Clooney and Brad Pitt). But I’m curious: what’s your favorite story set in Las Vegas?
Share your favorite Vegasmovie, book, or television show in the comments👇
The shows that come to mind are Hacks and the final season of GLOW, both of which peel back the mystique of Vegas to show the funny, weird, and sad realities of living there.
I am a big fan of Ocean’s Eleven, and I did watch CSI. But generally speaking, Vegas doesn’t really enter my pop culture brain very often.
Honestly, I think more of the times I’ve visited Vegas. I thought I would hate it because I don’t like to gamble, but there’s so much else going on. Everything is so over the top that it can’t help being exciting. I love the fact that you can go into a casino in the middle of the night (great for night owls!), that there are some amazing buffets, how public drunkenness isn’t really frowned upon (I went with a guy who bought us these big frozen drinks and we carried them everywhere), and the overall sense of fun and excess. I went to Circus Circus and a Penn and Teller show and stayed at Paris with the fake Eiffel tower. I mean, it’s just fun even if you don’t have much money and you gamble all of 20 bucks.
I grew up in Las Vegas, and my mom still lives there. When I was a kid and followed my dad around to his gigs (he was a musician), he used to take me to the sets of movies and TV shows that were being filmed in Vegas. I've been on the set of Charlies Angels and Fantasy Island, and I met a bunch of famous folk. But to answer your question about my fav Vegas-based show, it has to be the aptly named Vegas, with Robert Urich playing Dan Tanna. I used to love finding the mistakes in the edits when Dan would be traveling down LV Blvd and turn onto a street that was nowhere near LV Blvd. It was like finding Easter eggs.
I'm not sure I have a favorite story in Vegas. The one that immediately comes to mind is Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but I'm not sure if I liked it at the time so much as was morbidly curiously about how someone could intentionally consume paregoric.
To be honest, the only thing that I've seen that's completly set in Vagas is CSI, but partly Percy Jackson: Lightning theif (both book and musical; don't bother with the movie)
It’s been years since I’ve seen it, but gotta drop Martin Scorsese’s ‘Casino’ here. Also, ‘Swingers,’ but it’s been even longer since I’ve seen that. This is making me realize I need to do some revisits!
OCEAN'S 11 definitely captures the "Vegas vibes" the most for me. But for pure enjoyment, I do love THE HANGOVER. And I'll give an honorable mention to FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS.
Feb 2, 2022·edited Feb 2, 2022Liked by Michael Estrin
Let's be honest: you are totally the guy who would place a proposition bet that involved a Ramen-eating contest with the cast of the Thunder Down Under - if only for the story fodder.
I, too, am a sucker for any heist movie (in Vegas or elsewhere), especially the first Ocean's flick. But my most memorable Vegas moment is quite a story in and of itself - starting with the time-share preso that got me there (delivered by the twin brother of Bronson Pinchot) and including a visit to the Neon Museum and a tour through the neighborhoods that stand in sharp contrast to the glitz of the Strip.
The shows that come to mind are Hacks and the final season of GLOW, both of which peel back the mystique of Vegas to show the funny, weird, and sad realities of living there.
I am a big fan of Ocean’s Eleven, and I did watch CSI. But generally speaking, Vegas doesn’t really enter my pop culture brain very often.
Honestly, I think more of the times I’ve visited Vegas. I thought I would hate it because I don’t like to gamble, but there’s so much else going on. Everything is so over the top that it can’t help being exciting. I love the fact that you can go into a casino in the middle of the night (great for night owls!), that there are some amazing buffets, how public drunkenness isn’t really frowned upon (I went with a guy who bought us these big frozen drinks and we carried them everywhere), and the overall sense of fun and excess. I went to Circus Circus and a Penn and Teller show and stayed at Paris with the fake Eiffel tower. I mean, it’s just fun even if you don’t have much money and you gamble all of 20 bucks.
I grew up in Las Vegas, and my mom still lives there. When I was a kid and followed my dad around to his gigs (he was a musician), he used to take me to the sets of movies and TV shows that were being filmed in Vegas. I've been on the set of Charlies Angels and Fantasy Island, and I met a bunch of famous folk. But to answer your question about my fav Vegas-based show, it has to be the aptly named Vegas, with Robert Urich playing Dan Tanna. I used to love finding the mistakes in the edits when Dan would be traveling down LV Blvd and turn onto a street that was nowhere near LV Blvd. It was like finding Easter eggs.
Movie: Casino
TV: Vega$
Entertainer: Dean Martin
That question was oddly specific... *side eye*
I'm not sure I have a favorite story in Vegas. The one that immediately comes to mind is Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but I'm not sure if I liked it at the time so much as was morbidly curiously about how someone could intentionally consume paregoric.
To be honest, the only thing that I've seen that's completly set in Vagas is CSI, but partly Percy Jackson: Lightning theif (both book and musical; don't bother with the movie)
Vega$ (1978 TV series) Dan Tanna and his red T Bird
It’s been years since I’ve seen it, but gotta drop Martin Scorsese’s ‘Casino’ here. Also, ‘Swingers,’ but it’s been even longer since I’ve seen that. This is making me realize I need to do some revisits!
OCEAN'S 11 definitely captures the "Vegas vibes" the most for me. But for pure enjoyment, I do love THE HANGOVER. And I'll give an honorable mention to FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS.
Let's be honest: you are totally the guy who would place a proposition bet that involved a Ramen-eating contest with the cast of the Thunder Down Under - if only for the story fodder.
I, too, am a sucker for any heist movie (in Vegas or elsewhere), especially the first Ocean's flick. But my most memorable Vegas moment is quite a story in and of itself - starting with the time-share preso that got me there (delivered by the twin brother of Bronson Pinchot) and including a visit to the Neon Museum and a tour through the neighborhoods that stand in sharp contrast to the glitz of the Strip.
One vote for Leaving Los Vegas.