Lots of seedy sh*t went down in 2022. Here’s a list of some of the worst perpetrators…
There are those who say that the mob never really left Las Vegas and that it just changed its methods and appearance. But if that were true, some of the people on this list might have rightly “disappeared” instead of dragging the city and its reputation down. Truth be told, if a few of our “honorees” were never to be seen again, would anyone care? Let’s take a look at some of the Villains of the Year, and you can decide for yourself.
ADELE – Petulant Millionaire Snot
Few people could bring a major metropolis to its knees the way arrogant entertainer Adele did. After setting what was surely a record for outrageous ticket prices, the forever sobbing diva abruptly pulled the plug on her Caesars Palace residency mere hours before its debut.
Announcing her decision via a tear-filled video. this whiny spoiled brat blamed EVERYONE but her herself. First, it was COVID. Then it was the production designer. The story kept changing, but the excuses never stopped.
Our behind-the-scenes informant told VEGAS 411 a far different story, wherein the ever-demanding singer hated just about everything around her. From the sound system and local backup singers to the video equipment and the theater’s curtains, nothing could satisfy the once-poor millionaire. Her production even refused to hire unionized Nevadans, opting for cheaper technicians they brought in from Canada.
People on the crew were forbidden to talk to this demon or even look in her direction when she actually bothered to come to rehearsals. Rumors flew that problems with her latest boyfriend (she canceled a previous tour over relationship issues) contributed to the chaos. Whatever the real reason, thousands of people were inconvenienced, millions of dollars were wasted, and the organizers enjoyed collecting interest on all the money that fans had wasted on tickets for the January/April residency.
Refunds were eventually offered more than half a year later, and the show began in November, almost a year late. Those who attended have said that it was worth the wait and expense, which leads us to the next villains on our list.
ADELE ENABLERS –
What’s worse than a rotten person? The answer is people who allow and ignore bad behavior. When it comes to a trouble-causing bitch like Adele, absolutely NOBODY should have forgiven and forgotten.
My finger is aimed squarely at the fans who gave this wretched excuse for a human being a second chance to spit in their faces, suck up their money, and laugh all the way to the bank. When the world is undergoing an unprecedented period of economic turmoil, it takes a real imbecile to hand over the equivalent of a few mortgage payments for a two-hour concert.
So, thank you, Adele fans, for proving that an idiot and their money are soon parted. You have yourselves to thank for jump-starting a new era of outrageously-priced Vegas residencies and for sticking a knife into smaller shows that can no longer survive.
I also want to give a special kick in the crotch to my colleagues who played along with this circus, attending Adele’s show and writing about it as though it wasn’t an insult to our city. Instead of standing up for the entire entertainment community, you were a catalyst in its collapse. Be ashamed.
If all of this is lost on you, check out my article on how this disaster originally went down. And then let’s move on to our next nasty villain.
JOE CHAVIRA – The Fake Celebrity Who Bought His Own Star
If there’s one common element among our Hall of Shamers, it’s the sin of “ego”. And nobody is more delusional in his ego than an obscure “entertainer” by the name of Joe Chavira. A guy that you never heard of moved to Las Vegas this year, charmed a wealthy widow with connections to the Vegas Walk of Fame, and suddenly announced his induction as the city’s latest star.
Joe’s story is so ludicrous that it warranted a two-parter you can read here and here. Over a dozen people in the entertainment community contacted me in the weeks leading up to this farce, pleading with me to expose this apparent flim-flam man. They were understandably insulted that a virtual nobody could show up in their city and receive a Star when they’ve been working here for decades.
A number of them informed me that Chavira has the habit of party-crashing their shows, asking to sing a song or two, then listing himself as their guest on his resume. That method has allowed this virtual unknown to create the illusion that he’s in demand while simultaneously falsifying a list of show credits. It’s all part of a plan that Chavira himself has branded “Joe Mania”.
While this article was being prepared, a VEGAS 411 reader contacted me with a similar tale. According to him, Chavira entered NAPOLEAN Dueling Piano Bar at Paris Hotel Casino, presumably on the night that he received his star. He then approached the musicians and requested stage time:
“All of sudden Joe enters the bar holding a frame (about the size of a gold record that I am sure Joe will never get). He goes right up to the piano player…while the other was taking his turn. He starts talking and shows him the frame. It’s his Las Vegas Walk of Fame star! I guess he just carries it around?”
Chavira with his greatest fan and enabler Carolie Swindle
“Maybe a song or two later one of the piano players introduces him but doesn’t seem 100% sure who he is. No one in a fairly crowded bar seems to know who he is. He plays his songs and then sits back down. There is what I would describe as polite applause but he kind of killed the vibe. The piano players threw a few good-natured ribs (or maybe not so good-natured) at him after he finished.”
Even though my articles are over a month old, the interest in Chavira’s tale has yet to subside. I continue to receive emails about his antics, and one which notified me of what he claims to be a possible inaccuracy, despite evidence and claims by other entertainers to the contrary:
“I’ve known Joe Chavira since 1980. He has been known as Joe Chavira his whole life. Darryl Meeks, if memory serves, was a guy who Joe collaborated with on the Two Toes cartoon, just to clarify that Joe has never used any aliases.”
The peeved entertainers who contacted me about Chavira had hoped that exposing his scam would scuttle the ceremony. Alas, the induction took place in a location other than the one announced, and the actual time was never publicly advertised, which we could assume was in order to sabotage a planned protest.
Joe managed to outrun his naysayers, pay the required $20K fee, and got his star. It now shares space in front of the Paris Hotel with other unknowns like David Cassidy and Frankie Vallie. In the meantime, Chavira’s been serving both myself and VEGAS 411 with lawsuit threats for doing our job and reporting the truth.
His partner-in-crime Carolie Swindle, the aforementioned “wealthy widow”, has taken to social media to discredit us as well, claiming that our articles have led to booking cancellations and lost income for Chavira.
While Joe continues to rise to the top of whatever mountain he thinks he’s climbing, those pissed-off entertainers are considering their next move. I’ve received word that they want to have Joe’s star removed from the sidewalk. I personally think it’s unnecessary. When I was photographing the Star for this piece, a passerby glanced at it, then asked “Who the heck is that?”. My response was “Absolutely nobody at all. It’s a joke”.
CRISS ANGEL – The Most Hated Fraud In Las Vegas
I’ve become acquainted with dozens of entertainers in my line of work. A common thread among the ones I’ve personally befriended is humility, generosity, and dedication to their craft. They offer free time to give back to the city and fans, tirelessly working to make the world a better place. Then there’s Criss Angel, one of the nastiest shitballs I’ve ever encountered.
While some in show business were holding fundraisers to help their less fortunate counterparts during a crushing COVID shutdown, multi-millionaire Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos (Criss Angel’s birth name) applied for and received an $11 million dollar government handout. Free and clear, no repayment required.
What did this piss-ant do with the money? Well, the purpose of the grant was to keep his employees and facilities afloat. But Angel proudly flaunted on Instagram that he was taking a private jet to Cabo San Lucas during the pandemic. He also announced the opening of a new Planet Hollywood show called AMYSTIKA as well as a restaurant with the absurd name of CABLP (Criss Angel Breakfast/Lunch/Pizza).
Does this sound like the actions of a humanitarian? Of course not. Someone as rich as Angel who actually possessed morals would have used his own overflowing bank account to keep business obligations paid for instead of using funds supplied by us taxpayers. Allow yourself to grasp that….you were struggling to buy toilet paper and canned soup while Criss Angel used your money on a private plane.
We are mere days away from a deadline that requires recipients of that SVOG Grant (full information here) to explain how those funds were used. Little Nicky must be sweating that one out…AMYSTIKA abruptly shuttered on October 16th with only two days’ notice to cast and crew. Then CABLIP was the victim of an arsonist just a few days later, an event that was oddly left unreported by the media.
Angel may have been flying high, but it’s time for this asswipe to be held accountable for his ethical misdeeds. Some justice has already arrived in the form of his newest television show, Criss Angel’s MAGIC WITH THE STARS. A mind-dumbing flop, the CW competition received what amounts to a “zero” rating for every episode.
If MINDFREAK closes, Crissy can always apply for “RuPaul’s Drag Race Live”
As reported by our colleague Scott Roeben of VITAL VEGAS, millions of people had the opportunity to watch this clown for free, and virtually NOBODY did. Sadly, entertainers like Mike Hammer, Lance Burton, Eddie Griffin, Jeff Timmons, Ginuwine, Frankie Muniz, and Flavor Flav all went down with the shipwreck.
A reliable informant told me last week that Angel’s only remaining production, MINDFREAK LIVE, is now on the chopping block. According to the longtime industry professional, Planet Hollywood is sick of Little Nicky’s reputation-destroying antics and wants him out of their hotel for good. Maybe 2023 will be a good year after all. Unless you’re a regular visitor to…
RESORTS WORLD LAS VEGAS – The Hotel That Doesn’t Give AF
What do you get when you plunk down $4.3 billion to open the most expensive resort Las Vegas has ever seen? A chaotic layout, poor service, underwhelming surroundings, leaking walls/roofs, overpriced restaurants, Motel 6-level accommodations, substandard housekeeping, a lack of room service, a nightclub that discriminates against those over 55, a shopping mall that resembles a wind tunnel, no noteworthy attractions, a poor location on the north Strip, views of an industrial part of the city dotted with porn shops and stripper clubs, a confusingly conceived food court, and on and on.
A well-known Broadway producer, in town for business, reported this shocking discovery on his social media:
“When I checked into my hotel in Vegas… Wait for it… there was POOP ON A PILLOW! Not an elegant chocolate, but Poop! It took the hotel 3 hours to come and remove it and they have yet to offer anything to make it right. At Resorts World Las Vegas what happens in Vegas stays on the pillow apparently.”
Much like the story of Joe “Two Toes” Chavira, Resorts World‘s disappointments warranted a two-part exploration (here and here). And if those articles don’t offer enough reason to stay away, the powers that be just announced this great news for its customers and visitors:
Optimists are quick to point out that parking will be free for anyone who signs up for Genting Rewards, but do you really think that will last for very long? Just like with Caesars and MGM rewards programs, it’s only a matter of time before you’ll need to achieve a certain level of play before “Free Parking” applies. Thanks for the Christmas gift, Resorts World. Perhaps it would be better if we didn’t drive at all, as proven by our final villainous entry.
ROAD CONSTRUCTION PLANNERS
Have you ever rented a car in Las Vegas? Taken a taxi ride or bus here? Are you a resident? Then you already know that no matter where you’re headed, you will encounter roadblocks, detours, lane closures, traffic backups, and hundreds upon hundreds of orange barrels.
Despite the fact that it was supposedly safe to work outdoors during the pandemic shutdown, those in charge decided to wait until tourists returned to resume construction projects. Each and every highway throughout the valley is currently under some sort of construction, as is every on/off ramp, all major arteries, and residential areas in every direction.
The Strip, Fremont Street, Downtown, the Arts District, Henderson, Summerlin…all roads are ripped up, diverted, and pieced together with metal plates and lane shifts. Here’s a sampling of current projects on the Nevada Department of Transportation website:
- Capital Transportation Improvement Projects
- Downtown Access Project, Las Vegas
- Henderson Interchange
- Interstate 515/215 Re-Striping Project
- I-15/CC-215 Northern Beltway Interchange Project, North Las Vegas
- I-15 / Tropicana Project
- I-15 South Project
- I-515 Charleston Boulevard Interchange
- I-515 Viaduct Rehab Project
- I-580 Exit Number Change
- McCarran Resurfacing
- Nellis Boulevard Rehabilitation Project
- Pedestrian Safety Projects
- Project NEON
- Sahara Avenue Safety Enhancement Project
- SR 160 Widening, Las Vegas
- Tropicana/Las Vegas Boulevard Pedestrian Bridges
- Tropicana Overlay, Las Vegas
- U.S. 395 North Valleys Project
- U.S. 95 Northwest Corridor Improvements Project, Las Vegas
Then there is a list of major projects on the Clark County website:
- 215 Beltway: General Info
- Las Vegas Boulevard Improvement – I-215 to Sahara Avenue
- Project Limits Exhibit (rev. 7-11-22)
- Project Schedule (rev. 7-12-22)
- Project Schedule – Special Events (rev. 12-22-22)
- Phase A Communication & Power Exhibit (rev. 6-2-21)
- Phase A Communication & Power As-builts (rev. 11-30-22)
- Phase A Power Exhibit
- Phase A Design Plans (As-builts tbd) Part 1
- Phase A Design Plans (As-builts tbd) Part 2
- Phase A Design Plans (As-builts tbd) Part 3
- Phase A Design Plans (As-builts tbd) Part 4
- Phase A Design Plans (As-builts tbd) Part 5
- Phase E & F Design Plans (As-builts tbd) Part 1
- Phase E & F Design Plans (As-builts tbd) Part 2
- County Water Reclamation District (Sewer Projects)
- Seeing Orange – Projects Under Construction – Regional
- NDOT Projects and Statewide Transportation Improvement Project List
- Fort Apache – Alexander Road to 215 Beltway
If all of this nonsense has gotten you down, hang in there. In Part Four, we’ll cheer on the heroes and bright lights that make our city a happier place.
