Before I even got in the taxi I asked the driver if he knew where the Liberace Museum was.
“Of course,” he assured me.
So I hopped in the back, the Luxor doorman slammed shut the door and then…nothing. We just sat there with the engine idling.
“So where we going?” asked my driver.
“Uhm…the Liberace Museum?”
“You know it’s closed, right?”
What? They closed the Liberace Museum? When did this happen?
“Last year sometime. I forget actually. But it’s been awhile.”
Jesus Christ. What’s this town coming to? There was a time—not that long ago—when the Liberace Museum was the third biggest attraction in Nevada behind the casinos themselves and Hoover Dam. Sure, it was in a tacky strip mall 10 miles out of town in a hard to locate neighborhood (which is why I’d asked my driver if he knew where it was; the last time I was there, about 10 years ago, my taxi driver got lost). And I suppose that most of his fans are dying off like veterans from the Greatest Generation. Still. What a shock.
Just as my dad loved Frank Sinatra, my mom adored Liberace. His amusing kitschyness was oddly comforting to her (perhaps not surprising for a woman who collected hand-blown glass clowns and troll dolls). His TV show, which ran in the 50s, was her favorite program. I remember feeling stunned when I first visited the museum and saw the ghostly black and white images from that series flickering across an old TV that looked very much like the one we had. You could also check out his bejeweled cars, pianos, and sequined tennis shoes. But it was the clips from the TV shows—foolish bits with Jack Benny, making jokes with his brother George—that evoked those evenings when my father, who thought Liberace was disgusting, would go off bowling, leaving me and Mom and Liberace—the dog, not the pianist—to our own little version of ‘50s dinner theatre: Swanson’s instant dinners served on a metal tray and a strange little man in a sequined tuxedo jacket playing Cole Porter.
And now it’s gone. What a pity.
Tags: Las Vegas
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I remember hearing the museum was closing. I don’t remember what happened to the contents. Do you know? I would think there are few places you could drive a mirrored Rolls. I may be wrong. There may just be few places where I live.
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The contents are all being warehoused at the moment although there’s talk of maybe doing a traveling Liberace exhibit so stay tuned…those sequined shoes could be coming to a town near you.
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OK. You’re in the taxi, not going where you thought you might go, and the driver had no suggestions for you?
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My experience has been that Vegas taxi drivers aren’t particularly friendly. In fact, they’re kind of surly. Maybe because all their fares are for short distances. Even getting to the airport is practically nothing. So I think they get bored.
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I’m sure I may have shared this with you some time or other………. I was working a non sched. junket for gamblers from Boston to Las Vegas in the early 80′s. The booze and cards and dice were flowing!!!!
In appreciation for our good humor and service, one of the passengers gave the flt. attendants a card he said would get the crew in to see the Sinatra show for free!!! After arrival we all freshened up and left our hotel ( The Flamingo, also lovingly referred to as The Flaming-O) to go see Old Blue Eyes. Well, long story…..We couldn’t get in, but as a booby prize we were given tickets to the Liberace show. And what a show it was!!!! The NYC Rockets opened for him along with the dancing waters!!! The show was fabulous and Mr. Liberace could not have been more wonderful, even letting the folks in the very front touch his rings and pet the ermine trim on his cape. His handsome “assistant” was there and also his white Rolls Royce. What stated out as )’Oh well, we will just go in and have some free cocktails” turned into a FANTASTIC experience!!!! xo -
Janet, what a great story!
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