Rain

Las Vegas, NV

I am MTV. I am Real World. I am Vegas. I have roused up at noon (3 EST) after hitting the sheets at 4:30. The room is moving about. Some are hurting pretty bad. Most of us are just worn out.

Matt and I walked around during the day yesterday. He has never been to Vegas, so I showed him some of the casinos. We went to O’Shea’s where I won a quick hungie, then I showed him the Mirage and Caesar’s. Caesar’s is immense. I’ve been in there 5 times and each time I get lost. That gets annoying, but it is a spectacle.

We had to leave Caesar’s because I had a 4:30 appointment. Most of the guys here were curious because I was going to a local strip club to interview the manager. I wasn’t sure what I was walking into. My cabbie dropped me off and a mountain of a black man greeted me. I told him who I was there to see. I waited for ten minutes out front. It was early as they just opened at 4 and not many people came in. I tried to make small talk with the girl behind the desk, but she wasn’t having it. She answered my first question fine, but then after that she turned off. So I stood and paced and waited. The music was thumping but I could not see inside.

The manager came out and greeted me. He was a big guy with a goatee and dressed in a black suit. He asked where I wanted to talk. I was hoping he would say in the back where it would be quiet. What was I thinking? I’m doing an interview in a strip club and I’m thinking about the back? He suggested we sit down at a table. He also put in a call over his shoulder mic to turn the music down slightly. I set up my tape player and clipped on a microphone to his jacket. We began.

We were sitting in the VIP section above the floor. We were above everyone. Everyone would be about 5 guys and 8 girls. It was slow, so there was one girl on the stage dancing and others milling about looking for a score. I kind of laughed as I sat there, staring at breasts, and asking questions. He answered everything. He was not what I expected. He has a family and was very business oriented. He was not in the “scene.” He told me about what he had done in the past (not in the industry) and how much people skills he had to use for his job. He has to keep the girls/entertainers happy as well as the customers.

The girls were pretty. Of course they were dressed in lingerie and walking around talking to the guys. More people came in. I love to people watch and it was wild to sit where I was and ask the manager questions. What do you think about that guy? Tell me about that girl? What is the biggest tab you’ve ever seen? Tell me about that girl? Are a lot of the girls lesbians? And on and on I went, all the while seeing things I knew I would not get to have. I used to like going to these places and when the occasion is right, I will still go, but they are not for me. But the scenery is still impressive. Mother Nature can do great things to us humans. And I guess I need to add technology has played its part too.

I spent an hour and 45 minutes there. I did not get a lap dance or a number or a smile. I was looked at indifferently once they knew I was there to talk to the manager. I left and got on the phone for a while. I met Yits and Sean for a drink as they watched a baseball game they had bet on. I then had to come home to Andrew up. I got to the room at 7:45 and laid down at 8. I set my alarm for 9. I got up at 10. I showered and met up with my room downstairs. They had gone out to eat. I needed to rest up. My strip club excursion denied me the nap that they had. I rushed around and we headed to a place I’ve seen on TV. We headed to Club Rain at the Palms. MTV had a Real World there. That was the trashiest, sex filled, alcohol drinking episode. I hated it, but I still kept up.

After a long line and $20 cover, we met up with the rest of the crew. This place was out of a movie. There was a huge elevated dance floor. Fireballs shot out form above it. People were elbow to elbow. You had the beauties in tiny skirts and the muscle men in too small of shirts. You had young kids stumbling, the VIP’s sipping, and the rest of us bumping shoulders as we tried to find our party. Thump, thump, thump, went the music and it seemed everyone was bobbing. I guess I have no flow because once we were situated I did not do a good job of bobbing my head up and down or dancing ever so slightly in place. You cannot feel comfortable standing still.

Our group had been there for a while and were feeling good. We got some big hugs and laughed at the energy they had. Some of us were not comfortable. Shoulders hit shoulders continuously and the music blared out. They had girls dancing in an open cage that would raise and lower to change out. The girls had to get hooked in so they could go up. We were right underneath one of them right next to a bar. We had a prime spot.

The music was good? We stayed for about 2 hours. I was not sad to leave. I watched all of the people moving about. The guys grabbing whoever they can. The girls blowing them off. The people so focused on the music and their moves. I was none of that. I watched, danced for a second or two, had a few beers and now can say I have been to Club Rain. As we were leaving a guy in our group grabbed me and pointed to a spot. There, in the midst of all the sounds and chaos, was a girl going crazy on top of a guy. They were not dancing if you know what I mean. My buddy said I took a double take as I saw the grinding. “Am I really seeing that?” I yelled to him quietly. He nodded. I stared for a second and then carried on. Even an hour after I was still asking him if we saw that. We did. I guess that makes for an interesting story.

We left there and headed to Paris. We got into a huge limo taxi and watched in hilarity as our group showcased our non soberness. We were at the Paris bar where we were the night before. I was glad to be back in barness. I didn’t have to yell and I could hear myself.

We stayed way too late. I left at 4:15. Courtney left a little after. Matt and Brandie rolled in at around 7. Or at least that’s what they told me. I was out.

Today I feel hip now that I’ve been to rain. I also feel good in knowing that I will probably never be back. I saw a lot of interesting things yesterday.

It’s time to eat lunch and get ready for the wedding which is at 5. We then go House of Blues where they have opened the bar for us. Rave on!