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Sidewalk characters

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by Bookkeeper, Aug 8, 2013.

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  1. Bookkeeper

    Bookkeeper Tourist

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    I'll admit, I used to think it was fun to have my picture taken with an Elvis or two when I visited Las Vegas. I now feel the quantity and quality of the characters wanting tips for photos is becoming ridiculous. Two girls who look like they should be appearing onstage in Glitter Gulch, the pirate lady with "bodacious tatas" and pasties, the dumpy Strawberry Shortcakelike character and the old guy who has given himself a wedgie are pushing the envelope. And the dingy Sponge Bob - are you kidding? Just venting!
     
  2. Someone

    Someone High-Roller

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    I hate rules and regulations, but in cases like this those characters should have to be licensed, have a back ground check (especially for the kids characters) and most importantly I think they should have to show proof that they have the right to be that "character" from Disney or Marvel or who ever it is that actually owns the rights to that character....just like record companies cracking down on restaurants and bars that play the radio as using artist for "commercial purposes" and requiring them to buy a license I think the same needs to be done for the characters that are the trade marked property of some company

    if it is just the stupid old diaper guy or the fat big boob girl they should still have to have a street performers license even if there is no company that has the trademark on trashy fool
     
  3. Gino

    Gino "The King of Inappropriate."

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    I hate regulations and their busybody regulators. That being said, I find them to be annoying as hell also...I kind of remember a Las Vegas Blvd. that didn't have so much of this nonsense, and I really enjoyed it. Matter of fact, I remember if I really wanted to see a live Vegas Showgirl I'd probably have to go to Stardust and/or Ballys. Of course now I can go every 15 feet and see one covered in tattoos sporting a bigger gut than I. If I wanted to see Elvis I'd have to go to The LV Hilton...in a time machine. So yeah, I get the whole tired of it attitude and wish it would go away, and see the strip return to a better classier era. I also get the fact that our economy is in the toilet and has been for 5 long inexplicable years now. My home state of Florida, and my favorite vacation state Nevada were hit hardest by foreclosures and unemployment. I see these people as trying to make a dollar, and maybe support a family or whatever. I don't patronize them, or give them money for pictures, or gawk at them and feed their egos, I ignore them. I ignore them just as I do the porn slappers, the time share vultures, the panhandlers etc...I certainly don't want to see some regulatory body start putting their boots on these peoples throats and extorting them for "licensure" and "fees." I also hope that giant billion dollar entities like Marvel or EPE (Elvis Presley Enterprises) never become litigious with these individuals either. Really. How much cash is Marvel going to lose because some unemployed waiter threw on a Spiderman costume and took some pictures with tourists? If this sort of thing really inhibits a good Vegas experience for anyone, they shuold look at off strip properties, downtown (they're there too, just not as numerous) or just do the easy thing and ignore them.

    Cheers:beer:
     
  4. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    Well said, Gino. :beer:
     
  5. zamboni

    zamboni VIP Whale

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    This is going to happen more and more, and eventually I think the city will ban these characters.

    [YOUTUBE]aOA_1BJ6PcI[/YOUTUBE]
     
  6. merlin

    merlin MIA

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    I agree some of them are rather lame(a fat man in a diaper or the ugly woman with a "I'm a loser" sign), but the fact is it's still a relatively free country and I've never yet had one approach me, or even talk to me. They just stand there and wait for you to come to them, licensing is a horrible idea IMO as the govt simply does not have the right to tell people how to dress(nudity aside).
     
  7. TuneinTokyo

    TuneinTokyo High-Roller

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    I was in Barcelona once and saw some very artistic human statues. The time, energy, patience, money etc, to do what they did was pretty impressive. You didn't someone in a halloween costume.

    Vegas on the other hand, gross. No talent, dirty, Spiderman sitting on a corner with his mask off smoking. Great.

    In SF where I live at the wharf the performance artists have to have a license and permit to be where they are, and I'm sure that involves background checks. The difference between performance artists and dirty spongebob is that quite a few performance artists have gone on to great careers. (Robin Williams is the first that comes to mind)

    The first time I visited downtown there was one showgirl outside the Golden Gate and these three hot chicks in these full body suits modeling and posing down the street, not looking for tips or photos, just like I said performance art. Now it's a joke, I pretty much stay away from downtown now. Sucks. :Þ:Þ
     
  8. TuneinTokyo

    TuneinTokyo High-Roller

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    But in this country we have copyright and trademark laws. While anyone is allowed to wear a costume, once you accept money for taking a picture with someone in that costume, you've now infringed on someone else's intellectual property. Now to someone like George Lucas it may not be a dent to his finances, but what about someone like Elvira or Mr. T? Do they deserve to get ripped off? I don't think so. At least time share people pay their taxes.
     
  9. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    Not ashamed to admit I have had my picture taken with the showgirls twice over the years. I had to approach them otherwise, they just stand and wait.

    I agree there are some gross looking "characters" on Fremont, but on the other hand, there are some even grosser looking tourists also!:poke:

    Ok, maybe not as bad as the guy in the diaper...but gross!:nono:
     
  10. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    "Nudity aside"? Sounds to me like Big Brother mandating how people dress.
     
  11. vegasqc

    vegasqc VIP Whale

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    I love it i get my picture taken with almost all the sexy female (showgirls,cops those 2 superhero infront of Planet Hollywood.....)

    Some costumes are pretty great like the yellow transformer, the chewbacca by the bally escalator, black dude in pink by the m&m store.


    None of them are aggressive compare to the guys selling cd's ,poetry, time share.....
     
  12. merlin

    merlin MIA

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    Almost none of them are trademarked characters, not to mention the fact that a guy who dresses as elvis used to dress, is not elvis.

    Why anyone would want to pay to have their picture taken with a fat guy wearing a diaper and bra is beyond me, but he has the same right to dress that way any tourist. Good taste, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.
     
  13. Candy Apple

    Candy Apple VIP Whale

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    A few months ago my son, who's a huge NBA fan, had a couple pictures taken with a very realistic looking Kobe Bryant in uniform complete with basketball and crutches.
     
  14. Julie888

    Julie888 VIP Whale

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    Can you imagine being in some of those costumes in the summer heat.

    Also not always actors inside. JMO based on seeing a Spanish speaking fellow coaching two workers wearing costumes. This would be worse than being a porn slapper.

    Shared costumes?
     
  15. djen

    djen Low-Roller

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    I was surprised to see how much some of these characters are taking in for thier work. As I was walking there as Spider man trying to figure out how much he had. Of course with his gloved hands and screens over his eyes, he had to hold the cash about an inch from his face.

    Before that I wondered why anyone would put themselves through dressing up hoping someone would stop and tip them. In the end as long as tourists are willing to pay the characters will remain.
     
  16. Jameezy

    Jameezy RIP Riviera

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    Not gonna lie. I actually would rather them double the costume people if it eliminated the cd guys/poetry guys/porn slappers/timeshare guys.
     
  17. bswim

    bswim High-Roller

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    Sounds like a bargain to me. At least some of the costume people are entertaining.
     
  18. Gino

    Gino "The King of Inappropriate."

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    :thumbsup:
     
  19. Blonde_4_ever

    Blonde_4_ever LasVegas4ever.com

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    On my last trip I was playing a slot downtown and a Lady GaGa lookalike sat down next to me and was regaling me with her life story, whether I liked it or not. Apparently she had purchased an elaborate Glinda the Good Witch costume and played that character on the streets for awhile. It was interesting to hear what that life was like. Eventually the heat was making her ill so she gave it up.

    (I wanted to ask why she didnt portray Lady Gaga since she already looked like her, but I didn't. lol)
     
  20. waverunner

    waverunner ------VEGA$------

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    I just came back today from Vegas. Do not try and take a pic of the two Showgirls in front of Caesars/Mirage. I was standing against the wall at Caesars (which is about 50 ft away) and i tried to use my cell phone to take a pic and one of them put her hand up blocking her face. Meanwhile, there was no problem having her more than willing to oblige if you paid her money. My question is...........is this legal? All the other "characters" had no problem having their pics taken from afar. Apparently Mickey and Minnie Mouse have no problem, but the bitc.....er...i mean "showgirls" do?
    Hell, i could just walk into Harrah's like i did today and pose next to a Showgirl for free.
     
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