Heard in 702: ‘Sweet Carolyn/Shutdowns never seemed that good’
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, 81, is a two-time breast cancer survivor. I’m going to go out on a limb to guess that she listened to her physicians entering all the phases of her treatment.
She is also the thrice-elected leader of the entertainment capital of the world. Other than various streaming attempts from local idle idols since the state’s shutdown started, the biggest entertainment produced here was her interview session with CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
I understand she’s passionate for the city she’s called home for decades, but there were some doozies in that exchange.
In no particular order, here are five:
“Remember the Legionnaires’ disease in 1976 and Philadelphia, came all through the air conditioning. You don’t remember because you’re younger.”
That struck me as odd because I remembered that as a 10½-year-old, so Coop should have it in his head, being obviously much older than me. Then I checked: Anderson is 2 years younger. I got depressed.
“We’ve never closed down the United States. We’ve never closed down Nevada. We’ve never closed down Las Vegas because that’s our job — the entertainment capital of the world where everything’s clean. We would have never gotten to the point we are now as a center for entertainment and conventions and sports and everything else … without being clean.”
Gonna guess the mayor has seen EDC only from afar.
“What it sounds like is you’re being an alarmist; I’m not. I’ve lived a long life. I grew up in the heart of Manhattan. I know what it’s like to be on subways and on buses and crammed into elevators.”
I’ve used public transportation, too. This has been the look of late.
“We offered to be a controlled group.”
Not the greatest slogan to get the masses flowing back into McCarran. Perhaps the LVCVA has one in its back pocket.
“Now you are talking disease; I’m talking life. I’m talking life and living.”
Think we all have been.
Even if by miracle of miracles Gov. Steve Sisolak says the nonessentials return to open status by mid-May, and Treasure Island looks to be booking that bet (along with rooms), I’m highly unsure whether everyone will flock here and/or fill any workplace.
Would you enter any populated spot without available testing? Await a vaccine? Before that happens, where would you want to go? Do you have patience to wait?
I suspect my answer. I’m not going to guess anyone else’s.
Until then, let an original diva guide us this week.
Hang in there, Nevada.
Contact Tony Garcia at tgarcia@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0307. Follow @TonyGLVNews on Twitter.
