Over the past few months, organizers of the annual “Children’s Miracle Mardi Gras Ball,” scheduled for Saturday at the Bellagio, found themselves facing a beyond-challenging climate to ask for money. So they made the obvious move: They asked the owner of Dollar Loan Center to call the guys from KISS.
It makes perfect sense, really. Chuck Brennan is the owner of both the Dollar Loan Center chain of small-sum loan businesses and the Clark County Collection Service. But he also has a deep background in the music business. He proved as much today by using the classic line about that business, “The best way to make a small fortune in the music business is to start with a large fortune.” Brennan has been a manager of rock bands and a promoter since age 18. At age 21, he was the youngest person to ever hold a liquor license in the state of Minnesota when he ran the state’s largest club, a haunt called the Blitz Ballroom in Pipestone, Minn. (motto: “Home of the Peacepipe”). Over the years, he booked Joan Jett, .38 Special, Foghat, Molly Hatchet and, I think, Spinal Tap. One of his favorite stories is how he booked a young band called Nirvana for a one-out show for $2,500, total. Inconveniently, Nirvana soon became obscenely famous after that booking was arranged and, gosh, couldn’t make it to that Pipestone gig.
Gene Simmons.
Brennan also worked for CitiBank in those days and realized there would be more money in the loan-and-collection industry than hoping the motley band from Seattle you’d booked for $2,500 would remain obscure long enough to fulfill its club date. He moved to Las Vegas in 1996 and two years later founded Dollar Loan Centers (I know, the jingle’s going through my head now, too). The largely recession-resistant, make-a-quick-buck business took off -- there are 50 Dollar Loan Centers in three states, 25 in Las Vegas. In 2001, Brennan and his wife, Mary, started up Clark County Collection Service. The business specializes in professional debt-collection services, so you probably don’t want to hear from Brennan’s people unless they are talking about KISS and other celebrities willing to give their time for charity.
Sir Elton John.
Brennan met Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons (those are two co-founders of KISS, for those who didn’t enlist in the KISS Army back in the ’70s) at the Young Entrepreneurs Organization convention at Mandalay Bay in 2007. KISS played a one-out show at Mandalay Bay Beach, and Brennan – a longtime fan who counts a KISS show as one of his first concerts – buddied up to the band. When the organizers of the Mardi Gras event called Brennan for help, he turned to the guys in heavy makeup for what is billed as “the Ultimate KISS Experience,” which includes VIP tickets to an upcoming concert, an autographed guitar, airfare, hotel, backstage passes, individual passes and leftover vials of KISS blood used to help colorize the late-’70s KISS comic book (I made up that last part). He also secured a personal show with another rock act, Ratt, in which the winning bidder and 500 of his/her friends will be awarded an exclusive Ratt show at one of the Station Casinos venues (let’s make it the Wild Wild West!). Current KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer will represent KISS and present the winner with a signed guitar. Signed by him, I take it. Or maybe Ace Frehley.
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Other packages are a Lake Tahoe trip, VIP tickets to a Lakers/Clippers game (take the Lakers and the over), VIP tickets and access to shows by Cher, Bette Midler and Elton John at The Colosseum at Caesars, and the “Ultimate Survivor Fan Experience,” with the winner attending the live season finale of Survivor (which, incredibly, is in its 17th season). Any of these prizes would headline most auctions, especially in February 2009, and Brennan also kicked in $25,000. Proceeds benefit the pediatric centers at St. Rose Hospitals in Las Vegas.
“It’s tough getting unique gifts,” Brennan said, “but we just called on them in the interest of charity.” And in the interest of rock ’n’ roll.
Sen. John Ensign, from left, Sen. Harry Reid and Mayor Oscar Goodman laugh as former Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn passes to take the stage Tuesday at the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute's news conference.
Stray notes from the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute’s Cleveland Clinic announcement event on Tuesday, because I can’t take these notes with me: In introducing Sen. John Ensign, Sen. Harry Reid referred to Ensign as “one of his closest friends.” It’s really a remarkable relationship considering the bitter 1998 Nevada senate race, won by Reid by 428 votes. “You never know who you’re going to count as friends,” said Reid, who does seem to genuinely like his Republican counterpart. Ensign, for his part, was impeccably groomed. … Standing next to me as I was waiting for my Lamborghini, I mean my Mazda 6, at the temporary valet at LRBI was Mayor Oscar Goodman. I asked him if his one-sided dustup with President Obama had caused any problems with Reid in Washington. “No. Harry Reid and I are on the same page on this,” Goodman said, then added. “Of course, I don’t speak for Sen. Reid.” This was in reference to the mayor’s sharp criticism of Obama’s contention that corporate executives should not be spending taxpayers’ money on junkets to Vegas. Me? I’m pro-junkets to Vegas. Bring on the junkets. … Goodman was sporting a fresh haircut from Councilman and Mayor Pro-Tem Gary Reese, who cuts the mayor’s hair these days and also “gives me advice,” according to Goodman. … Longtime political operative Sig Rogich’s advice to Obama? “Do everything you can to reach across party lines. I want him to succeed. He’s my president, too.” Rogich worked as an adviser to Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Gov. Jim Gibbons. He was with Gibbons on the night of the infamous Christy Mazzeo incident. … At these types of high-profile events, Dave Kirvin, who brings the “Kirvin” to Kirvin Doak Communications, and I play a game called Guess the Worth of the Crowd. This is actually Dave’s game, mine being Parcheesi, but the accumulated worth of the people invited to the Cleveland Clinic announcement was easily in the billions. Or, the billions and $24, counting what I had in my money clip (pre-valet tip).
Sticker I saw this morning on the rear bumper of a plumb-colored Buick LeSabre: Retired Hooters Girl.
Cher.
Cher tells Associated Press writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody she lives like “a nun” in Las Vegas. There is a joke in here about a bad habit, but I’ll let Ira David Sternberg tell it.
Here come some notes about the Hard Rock Hotel: After the Motley Crue show that closed The Joint, the men’s room in the walkway leading out of the hotel was full with a line out the door. Imagine that. So I’m in there handing out mints, cigarettes and paper towels while wearing a cheap tuxedo shirt, and all of a sudden someone shouts, “Flaaaaava Flaaaaave!” And the whole place started in, “Flaaaaava Flaaaaave!” for no apparent reason. Not that it wasn’t a beautiful experience. … The tip jar at the Starbucks just down that walkway keeps getting stolen. People take it and flee out the door nearby, and the staff is getting highly annoyed.
Finally, something on which Sean Hannity and I can agree. In a promo I caught today on KXNT 840-AM, he said, “I love visiting Las Vegas. The people who work at the casinos out there are the nicest people, and they are struggling right now.” OK. Good. Now stop talking.
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