As We See It

A hanging at dawn

Well, a political stunt, anyway

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A political stunt by Sir Cooper.
Photo: Bill Hughes

Two women, clearly coming off a night of great partying, one of them barefoot and spilling out of her dress, stumbled toward the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign without a camera or a plan. But even they had to stop and check out the guy standing on the oil drum.

He had on a white shirt and tie, coveralls and combat boots (to represent the “whole spectrum of America,” he said), wore a hood and held a noose around his neck. In his other hand he displayed a sign that read, “I Am the Face of America.” A liberal radio talk-show host currently without a show, Sir Cooper took advantage of President Obama’s visit this week to stage a publicity stunt early Tuesday morning, and it took aim squarely at the Republican Party. The drum he stood on was labeled, “Good Oil Profiteers”; a smaller one read, “Tea Party.”

He briefly took off the hood to yell at a kid in a Vans shirt, “Hey, Vans! If I go to jail, be sure to donate some money!” The kid looked completely shocked, but at the same time couldn’t hide his admiration.

Such was Cooper’s plan—to turn shock into support so he can get his show, Let’s Get Sir-ious About Talk, back on the air at KLAV-AM 1230. “The GOP, the party of no, has literally hung us out to dry,” Cooper says when asked to explain his stunt. He’d love to ensure a liberal voice continues in Nevada, but can’t do it without a sponsor. “I’ve given up my car to keep this show on the air. After two and a half years, I can’t afford it anymore.” Guess a donation by BP’s out of the question.

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Ken Miller

Ken Miller is the editor of Las Vegas Magazine, having previously served as associate editor at Las Vegas Weekly, assistant ...

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