Get ready for a Goodman-Stevens block party in downtown Las Vegas
Oscar Goodman broke from the bombast at his dinner series talk at the Plaza on Wednesday night to make an announcement.
His wife is running for her third term as mayor of Las Vegas.
It was no surprise to anyone in attendance under the dome at Oscar’s Streakhouse. But it was the first formal, or in this instance quasi-formal, announcement that Carolyn Goodman is seeking her third and final term. The moment arrived without warning, as Goodman took questions from the audience. He seemed to be finished with his 45-minute talk, asking Plaza Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Jossel, “Am I done? I need to start drinking!”
Former Rep. Shelley Berkley, seated near Goodman in the middle of the rounded restaurant, then called out her support of Carolyn Goodman and that she favored Goodman running for a third term.
“She is running for her third term!” Oscar blurted out as Carolyn, seated near Berkley, laughed and nodded.
“I’d start the donations now, but I forgot my checkbook!” Berkley fired back.
Oscar added, “If she wins, we’ll have nearly a quarter of a century of Goodmans as mayors of Las Vegas.”
True, it would be 24 years, total, in back-to-back Goodman mayoral residencies if Carolyn Goodman terms out (I’d bet that Oscar would bet on her winning that race).
Earlier, the D Las Vegas co-owner Derek Stevens (donning the obligatory cowboy hat for the NFR) joined Oscar Goodman in a booth near the restaurant’s entrance. The two spoke animatedly of the Jan. 10 downtown double-header that will spotlight bonafide Las Vegas power players: Carolyn Goodman’s State of the City speech at City Hall, which will roll into a public party at Downtown Las Vegas Events Center for the announcement of the naming of Derek and Greg Stevens’ new resort on the corner of Main and Fremont Streets.
Mayor Goodman will start the event with a recast of highlights of her second term and her vision for a third. Derek Stevens will then host a public party (21-over, though) in DLVEC’s reinforced tent, currently home to nightly NFR watch parties.
The event and name of the resort (I’ve speculated already what I think it might be) is to is a celebrate Las Vegas history. We expect rampant old-Vegas footage played across the tent’s LED screens and a large-scale party. Think of the Longbar at the D, but spread over a city block.
When I asked Stevens how long the event would last, he smiled and said, “Later than you think.”
Peltyn remembrance
Friends of the late Sandy Peltyn can honor her memory at a service at Westgate Las Vegas’ E Ballroom at 6 p.m. Dec. 14.
Peltyn passed away during the evening on Dec. 1 at her home in Las Vegas. She was a well-known and highly regarded socialite around the city who donated her time and resources to myriad charities. Peltyn was a simply a regal presence in Las Vegas. Whenever I saw her at an event or function, I knew I was in the right place.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, Peltyn’s family is asking those to recognize her memory by donating to the Foundation for Excellence and Distinction. Go to www.vegasgala.org/sandy-peltyn for more information.
Brunch date
An audition call is OUT for “Totally Twisted Brunch,” opening at a revamped Sayers Club at SLS Las Vegas in late-February (show times are 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays). Michael Airington stars as the fictional Ester Goldberg in this original production.
Airington is the Vegas visionary who brought the quite funny but short-lived “The Paul Lynde Show” tribute show to Windows Showroom at Bally’s in the spring of 2017,
For “Totally Twisted Brunch,” Airington seeking a pair of comically adept backup singers “in the style of Bette Midler’s Harlettes.” It’s billed as a show with “food, booze and laughs.”
Airington eschews political correctness and is also looking for ventriloquists, contortionists, “little people,” hula-hoopers, Trump impressionists and comics. For the show, I mean. Auditions are 10 a.m. Dec. 13. E-mail production@estergoldberg.com.
Benny & The Skates
Benny the Ice Skating Dog, who can’t be stopped, is to appear from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Dec. 12 at The Ice Rink at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The yellow Lab and skating sensation owned and trained by former pro skater Cheryl DelSangro appeared on “Today” on NBC on Tuesday morning. (Rumors that he’ll host an upcoming episode of “Saturday Night Live” or replace Kevin Hart on the Oscars telecast are unfounded.)
The Ice Rink’s family friendly event also offers complimentary pics with Santa and The Grinch (whom I’m told are arriving separately), with $2 from every skate rental donated to the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA). The venue is on the fourth level of Boulevard Tower at the Cosmopolitan.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His PodKats podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.